Topic: Stardock explains why it released free expansion for Gal Civ (Read 3217 times)

Rod O'neal · « **Reply #20 on:** October 05, 2003, 02:42:24 am »

Well, here's what I think. I've been kinda interested in this game for a while. Not enough though to actually buy it unless it was really cheap.I figured that I'd just wait and get it sometime. Well, I'm not gonna wait any longer now. This makes it worth trying out for me. I think that this is a really cool idea. I hope that it makes them money.

Monty · « **Reply #21 on:** October 06, 2003, 07:58:19 am »

OK.

I hope someone who is a fan of this game, Gal Civ, can help me understand a couple of things about it.

I first came into contact with Gal Civ while browsing play.com . The thing that made me pause was that the game reminded me somewhat of Sid Meiers Alpha Centauri (spelling?) . It was out a few years ago. The 'real' Civ 3.

Is Gal Civ a new game? How long has it been out? Does it bear any relation to the Civilisation lineage? Is it worth buying?

I couldn't find any screen shots that showed 'in-game' play. Admitedly I wasn't looking very hard. Maybe someone can point me in the general direction of a site with such screen shots?

Any other info welcome.

Gamester · « **Reply #22 on:** October 06, 2003, 09:44:07 pm »

Quote:

OK.

I hope someone who is a fan of this game, Gal Civ, can help me understand a couple of things about it.

OK I'll see what I can do. . .

Quote:

Is Gal Civ a new game?

This is actually a tricky question. The correct response is No and Yes. Allow me to explain. WAAAAAAYYYYY Back in the day, the original Galactic Civilizations was an OS/2 game - one of the few actually - and it received a very large amount of praise and adulation (for an OS/2 game). Stardock much later on converted themselves into a Windows software company making utility programs such as Window Blinds, WinFX, and DestopX. They being the unique company that they are, also make the occasional game. Most games they have made reviewed pretty well, but sailed on out below the radar (Anyone remember The Corporate Machine?). They decided to remake Galactic Civilizations for Windows from scratch (with many, many new features), and here it is. It is their first major heard-the-world-over success story. Part of it's success is that many fans of Master of Orions 1 & 2 were extremely disappointed in 3, and they found Gal Civ to be MUCH more like the game they actually wanted. It is published by Strategy First and can be found in most retail computer game stores or can be bought and downloaded directly from their website.

Quote:

How long has it been out? Does it bear any relation to the Civilisation lineage? Is it worth buying?

The OS/2 version of Gal Civ was out in 1993 or 1994. The Windows remake is a little less than a year or so old. It bears no story relation to any of Sid Meier's Civ games or Alpha Centauri whatsover. They are all 4x games (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate), but Gal Civ is more like the MOO series in that you expand from planet to planet. You can get a good feel for these types of games by reading this GameSpot article http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/history_spaceempire/ on the evolution of 4x gaming (it even lists the original Gal Civ and is current up to about a year before the release of MOO 3)

Quote:

I couldn't find any screen shots that showed 'in-game' play. Admitedly I wasn't looking very hard. Maybe someone can point me in the general direction of a site with such screen shots?

Try Here: www.galciv.com

Monty · « **Reply #23 on:** October 07, 2003, 04:34:26 am »

Thanks for that.

An intriguing game. £17.99 at play.com , very tempting.

An interesting approach from the developers. I wonder how its worked out for them.

Fahrenheit · « **Reply #24 on:** October 07, 2003, 06:36:41 pm »

I own a copy of the original GalCiv for OS/2, as well as a copy of Object Desktop for OS/2.

Both great products, and service and support from SDS (what little I ever needed) was superb.

I kept OS/2 on my computer system at home for a few years, just so I could play GalCiv.

F°

Gamester · « **Reply #25 on:** October 09, 2003, 03:43:51 pm »

Hey Eric,

I would REALLY love to hear your opinion on this business model, especially as you have previously expressed interest in alternate business models to grow Taldren. I realize that this type of thing absolutely would NOT be of any benefit to the SFC series as they are not wholly owned by you. It may not even be applicable to a PC port of Black 9 as I am unfamiliar with your contract with your publisher. But it may be something to consider for your next independent project. I'd really love to hear from you (or Dave or Marc) on the viability of this. You are in all actuality half-way there as your support for the SFC 2 series of games is outstanding and way beyond the call of duty (I realize that 3 is laregley out of your hands).

Gamester

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