A grevious error(or maybe i'm being overly dramatic)

from Stardock Forums
I understand that Stardock is a "smaller company" and so they have to deal with profit margins and the like, but in a game this complex that has such an interdependent tech tree, not including a visual poster of one really, REALLY hampers the game. And yes, i appreciate that Java Scout(you rock!) made the online version but that should not have had to happen(plus since the windowed version does not work on my computer, I can't really access it in a meaningful fashion). I'm *trying* to enjoy the game and there *does* appear to be an awful lot of intelligence put into making the game and also an impressive ammount of community support behind it(which is why i'm making this plea), which i do appreciate, but a lot of time it feels like i'm flying totally blind. Please, Stardock, go to Kinko's, print us out some tech trees and send them to your loyal customers who bought this baby the first day it came out. I'd even pay a couple bucks to cover postage. At this point I'm thinking of returning the game for Civ3.

(getting off soap box now, thank you for navigating through all of my parentheticals)

-J
363 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
Yes you are being overly dramatic. Not having a printed tech tree does not detract from the game. A windowed version does not either. How many other games are windowed to say this is a problem? Hope this doesn't come across as a flame.

~SDC~
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
No problem. I appreciate the comment. As far as the windowed version goes, I mean that I can't jave online tech tree open as well to alt-tab to. And since i don't have a printer that means i have to shut the game down and then go online to look for something. I don't think that should be the case. At the very least, there should be a more robust tech tree built into the research descriptions so i *know* right then and there what options i'll have in the future.

-J
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Citizen Borage, maybe this helps you a bit. ALT-TAB will get GalCiv out of the foreground and return you to the desktop or any other program also running on windows. As I'm typing this I'm also playing the full-screen version of GalCiv. It is one of the few games that play nice with my computer and Windows (Win2K for me) as far as pre-emption etc. is concerned.

Now you can ope a browser to JavaScouts pages.. :)

~SDC~
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I printed out the 3 page version of the tech tree from JavaScout's excellent site and taped them together LOL . I does help out quite a bit. I also printed out the 9 page version that shows all improvements and where they fit into the tree. That one gets set up on my dining room table when I need to look at it.
IMHO it makes a huge difference and I would even pay for a nice big color version, although it would have been nice if that would have been included in the retail version.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Well, a printed version would have been nice, as would a more detailed manual and a tutorial scenario. But, the game still rocks and there is great online docs/info around.

olaf
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
I'd love to see detailed descriptions of the tech choices in-game. They need the dependencies listed as well. Perhaps this is something that will get dropped in at some point via patch? Till then (and probably even after), the PDFs from JavaScout are really a great resource!
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
I suspect that Stardock (with their excellent support team) will probably add in an option to see it during the game. Maybe something similar to Civ 3.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
Let's make sure we're straigth here:

Stardock is the developer. WE wrote Galactic Civilizations. If you like the game itself, then that's us. If you don't like the game, it's our fault.

Our publisher is Strategy First. They print the manual and other materials in the box and manufacture the box and send the game to retail.

Blaming us for not having a poster or whatever in the box is like blaming us for the font they used on the back of the box.



~SDC~
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Well, damn, my apologies to Stardock for complaining about the lack of a poster. I assumed you guys had a say in what materials were included. (assumed ='s ass out of u and me...but mostly me :)

-J
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Who exactly is "we", Frogboy? Or do you guys just not have a proper name? :)

~SDC~