Let us know what you think
Published on December 9, 2005 By Istari In Galactic Civilizations II

Brad Wardell, Tom Chick, and Kristin have been putting together the GalCiv 2 manual this week.

Check the link below for the latest PDF.  Note that the ON-LINE PDF in the final game will NOT have a background so that it's easier to print. This is a copy of the PRINT based manual.

UPDATE: Draft 3 now 12/15/2005.


Comments (Page 1)
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on Dec 09, 2005
Thanks great job!!!!
on Dec 09, 2005
Just a few minor edits needed so far:

p6: under "The Campaign" section; ...that unveils the story... instead of ...that enveils the story... enveils isn't really a proper English word.

p10: a space is needed between entries for Courage and Creativity

P11: a space is needed between entries for Research and Sensors; and also between Sensors and Social Production.

Otherwise its really shaping up nicely. Great job guys.
on Dec 10, 2005
Is there anything you guys think needs to be added?
on Dec 10, 2005
There are no race descriptions.
on Dec 10, 2005
May I suggest a tutorial in the manual, with screen shots and cross-references to the full manual? My kids (16 and 9) are both very PC game savvy, but neither of them have played a 4X space game before. They voted thumbs down on the game simply because it was too hard to get into. I think the game interface is fine. The problem is that the genre is complex; you can't just start playing without bothering to look at the docs. But most people don't want to read a big chunk of the manual trying to figure out which parts they really need to get started. A thorough tutorial right after "Installing the Game" would have been perfect for my kids.

I'd offer to write you one, except that I don't have time. I'm sure there are some budding tech writers out there in the 18-25 crowd that would be happy to whip you one up over the holidays.
on Dec 10, 2005
Also would agree with tutorial for new folks, possibly a tutorial scenario we could walk through step by step ??

Another thing I was hoping to get info on in either the farming section or planetary section is how many people can a planet hold ? and how is that calculated ? I'd also plug for a tool-tip over the planet icon at the colony manager screen, where you've already implemented one for morale and influence.
on Dec 12, 2005
Hello, great job on the game and manual so far, everything is really coming together!

I read through the second draft of the manual quickly while at work and found three errors:

p. 18 The cropped image of the display buttons contains a small white line on the Domestic Policy button. (It's probably left over from the full screen display on p. 15)

p. 37 "Temple of Balance" should be in quotations.

p. 56 There is no benefit description for "Omega Planetary Fleet."
on Dec 12, 2005
p. 29 is a rather random place to put the government bonus table. It would make more sense to me back at either the political parties section, or the economics section. It could eve go later, on p. 33 where the main government section resides.
on Dec 12, 2005
Page 14 - Understanding the Galaxy
Manual Reads:
Stars may be orbited by up to five planets, each rated from class 0 to class 15 (or higher when you've researched certain technologies).

What I've seen however are planets that often range above a class 15 rating, sometimes up to 18 or 19 near the early part of the game before I've researched planetary improvements. Which is wrong?
on Dec 12, 2005
I will qualify this by saying I am a new player to the Gal Civ series, having never played I. I printed the manual and only found minor errors which I am sure will be caught in the final printing. However, I wanted to address a larger problem, if I could.

I have to agree with Citizen First Lensman. Having only been able to poke around on the interface until this first manual was offered, Playing Terrans, I would try to keep up with the expansion of the Drengin Empire. I assumed if they had enough money and income in the beginning to colonize four planets and set up two starbases, I should, too! But no matter how I do it, either paying cash up front or financing the ships over the longhaul, I constantly go so far into debt that my research stops and I never recover. There is no tutorial to show me how to make money and the manual doesn't give any sort of tutorial while the Drengi somehow develop space weapons and beat me into the ground.

Don't get me wrong - I love this game! The interface was easy to understand and use and I fully understand the mechanics - I'm just having trouble with economic strategy and keeping my funds in the green while still actually doing something to expand into space!

Oh, two other minor bugs - When I change the name of the Terran leader, it doesn't change any of the later screens that refer to him - his name is still the default. Also, my first save spot (usually considered game 0) crashes to the desktop anytime I try to load it. All other saves function normally, but game 0 is useless because of that bug.
on Dec 12, 2005
Also, my first save spot (usually considered game 0) crashes to the desktop anytime I try to load it. All other saves function normally, but game 0 is useless because of that bug.


Consider Double-Saving your games, in any game, because of exactly this bug, ad others. I once had a corrupered save in "Evil Genius" (Great Game, btw). I just loaded my other save.
on Dec 12, 2005
On the whole, agreeing with comments made by posters here, I re-read the manual and think its pretty good for the info it does have.

Some of MY concerns may be more along the lines of a strategy guide, but it sure wouldn't hurt to have a advice from the devs section giving tips on how to get the most of your game and how to play it effectively.

please please please consider this or consider a strategy guide for the game.
on Dec 13, 2005
I know Prima or Brady Games will probably have an aftermarket strategy guide, but I'm afraid that those having as much trouble as I am may never get to that point. Beginning strategy, at least to the point that one understands how the basic components work together would really help.

Beta Tesla, thanks for the tip! I did finally save a bogus game there and put all the other saves beyond that one, but it is a shame that that spot is where the autosave game goes. If I don't save frequently, I lose a bunch of turms back! It basically makes the autosave useless, except for previous autosave.

I've played twice more since the last post and lost to forces whose tech was over 7,000 when mine was 777...but I did finally have a positive cash flow! LOL!
on Dec 13, 2005
TekGreg, I'm thinking of starting up a wiki for GC2 strategy and such, and posting summaries of the stuff here. Doesn't take much, just a question, and you'll be flooded with opinions.
on Dec 13, 2005
TekGreg, I'm thinking of starting up a wiki for GC2 strategy and such, and posting summaries of the stuff here. Doesn't take much, just a question, and you'll be flooded with opinions.


Ooh, ooh...where do I sign up? LOL! I just tried a game taking tips from others here and using a different race than the Terrans. I did get my tech over 3,000 this time, and had four systems and two starbases with positive cash flow! But guess who I was defeated by....the TERRANS! With a tech over 32,000....if the AI can do it with the game set as "Beginner", I should be able to do it! Sheesh.
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