We are putting the final touches on Galactic Civilizations III v3.7.
When we first announced the Retribution expansion pack (which if you don't have, we highly recommend you get) there were fans who really wanted to emphasize that there were a lot of quality of life features they wanted in the game (UI and gameplay balancing).
Version 3.7 is the first of a series of updates that really focuses on these elements.
Here are a few of the things we're focusing on here:
Better late game AI. We are pretty happy with the AI in GalCiv III at this stage. But the late game AI sometimes struggles with its planets late game. As the # of choices for improving colonies increases, the harder the time the AI has between deciding when to "wait" to build something versus building something, destroying it and replacing it with something else. This isn't an exciting improvement and won't be noticed by most but we hope you guys can appreciate the necessity of improving this area.
For Retribution players, we intentionally wiped out a lot of technologies that we felt were either too beneficial to a given race given their other advantages (synthetic races) or removed because they were just kind of speed bumps. We are slowly going through the techs and will be adding some back with some changes as we get more feedback from the community.
The Synthetics got excessively nerfed in recent updates and we're backtracking on some of that. Robots are still pretty powerful but we probably went too far in removing some of their colonization abilities. This has been restored.
After 3.7, we're moving straight on to v3.8 and this version is very much about UX. This benefits both existing players and new players. For new players, it makes the game more approachable. For existing players, it just makes it easier to manage your empire.
Welcoming back Sarah. So some of you long-time GalCiv players know our senior developer Sarah. She was out on leave for awhile and one of the big reasons we're making so much rapid progress is she's back. Some of you may also know her from Ashes of the Singularity where she developed the strategic zoom display for that game (designed and programmed).
So please give Sarah a big Welcome back hello! :)
Cheers!
-brad
Massive v3.6 Community Update for Galactic Civilizations III is Here!
Improved custom ship mod compatibility, commonwealth world adjustments, and more!
Galactic Civilizations III v3.6 Community Update improves custom ship mod compatibility, adjusts commonwealth worlds, and more
We're launching a version update today that addresses the most important feedback we get: YOURS. We've addressed several community reported issues in our continuing effort to bring you the best GalCiv game possible. We put balance and bug fix work into both the base game and the Retribution expansion with this update. Some of the biggest changes we made include:
Merging fleets no longer renames them
Custom ships work better with mods
Artificial life forms can no longer build farms because robots don't eat food
Your commonwealth worlds can no longer flip worlds in your empire (because that was treason!)
Owners, the v3.6 update is ready and waiting for you in your Steam client.
Don't forget to pick up the newly released Retribution expansion today!
www.galciv3.com | www.galciv3.com/retribution
v3.6 Changelog Notes
Gameplay
Nerfed "Lossless Life Support" module
Fixed typos in "Lossless Mining" module descriptions
Updated Tourism bonus for the "Popular Race" trait to be flat 1 and 2% instead of multipliers of 10 and 20%
Updated united planet tourism board to be flat with a 10% bonus (was multiplier of 100% which was crazy)
Colonizing the Promethion Refinery precursor world now grants 5 Promethion
Set "Virtual Vacation" to be a player wonder
Changed "Influence Per Turn" from multiplier to flat on the Galactic Showcase
Fixed mismatch of description and text in the "Antimatter Weapon Colonizing" event
Tweaked pathfinding so that it doesn't attempt to find a path to the node closest to a blocked destination if the start tile is already the closest node
Silicon-based life can terraform and colonize high level extreme worlds
Removed farms for Synthetic lifeforms and enabled terraforming improvements and high end extreme world techs
Fixed "Orphaned Improvements" and techs in the Retribution tech tree
Fixed issue with Iridium tech tree failing on "Tariff Focus" specialization
UI
Changed it so that when you merge a fleet, it will keep a custom name for the resulting fleet. If both fleets being merged have custom names, it keeps the fleet name of the bigger fleet.
Adjusted "Economic Warning" flavor text to fit with new conversation popup font size.
Fixed typo in "Precursor Research Node" description.
Improved the text alignment on the UP Resolutions window
Bugs
Fixed custom ship style sets having the wrong strategic icons. Players will have to re-save their ship style sets (and change the effect ships classes to what they want along with their text, since that is info that is saved off). Prevents players from having to remake the ship style sets and only deal with what was changed
You can no longer assign commanders to planets
Ships with "one per player" components can upgrade to ships with the same components
Cleaned up code that clears/applies rebellion status to prevent edge cases where planets can flip when they shouldn't (like when the tile is owned by a commonwealth of the planet owner)
Addressed a MP crash related to mismatched DLC
Fixed mismatched strategic icons on some ship classes
Fixed typos in "Plasma Arc" event
Mod fixes
Ships created with mods now show up correctly
Prevents crash if a tech unlocks more than 12 things at once (modders -- you know who you are!)
Retribution
Fixed issue where Hypergates didn't fire any shots during battle because they didn't have range
Changed the Hyperlane tool tip to account for the minimum move cost, so it will now show the max bonus as 900% instead of +-100%
Removed extra space in the Korath faction description
Added "lossless life support" back into the Retribution tech tree
Updated Thalan conversation text to reflect that they bring in multiple ships now in mission 4
Add basic Block Hulls to Korath Ship style
The Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution Expansion is Now Available!
The expansion includes Hypergates, Precursor Artifacts, New Civilizations, and more.
Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution adds Hypergates, Precursor Artifacts, new major civilizations, and much more.
Across the galaxy, you and your rivals are discovering ancient alien artifacts that grant powerful new capabilities. Meanwhile, as civilizations try to carefully balance building an economy, funding an ever growing war machine, and engaging in diplomacy, the humans of Sol III have invented a game-changing new technology - Hypergates - which, when connected, allow for rapid transit across the galaxy.
With two new major civilizations and the concluding campaign to the Galactic Civilizations III backstory that serves this massive space 4X sandbox game, Retribution asks the question: How will you rule your galaxy?
The new features in Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution include:
Artifacts - Powerful items buried on planets across the galaxy will give your civilization instant-access to new abilities.
Hypergates - Construct powerful gateways that, when linked, allow your fleets to travel rapidly across hyperspace.
Major Civilizations: Drath and Korath - The manipulative Drath pull the strings across the galaxy while the Korath rely on extermination. Each has its own set of special abilities, bonuses, and ship parts.
Supply Ships - Supply ships can be constructed to deliver goods and services to your other planets to aid in their development.
New Technology Tree - A top to bottom overhaul of the technology tree adds depth and sharpens the strategic choices in your research options.
Retribution Campaign -The malevolent Drengin Empire made a terrible mistake underestimating humanity’s strength, and the climactic battle that will follow may end in their extinction.
*Sale ends 2/27/19 at 1PM EST. Steam and Galactic Civilizations III is required to play this expansion.
**Sale ends 2/23/19 at 1PM EST on Steam and 2/27/19 at 1PM EST direct from Stardock. Steam required to play.
Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution gets release date
Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution arrives on February 21
Also check out the world premiere trailer for Galactic Civilizations III’s biggest expansion yet.
The expansion to the massive space strategy game adds new civilizations, hypergates, supply ships, new technology trees and much more.
Start with a single world and expand across the galaxy through diplomacy, trade, cultural hegemony, or military conquest in this single or multiplayer 4X strategy game. How will you rule your galaxy?
The new features in Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution include:
Artifacts - Powerful items buried on planets across the galaxy will give your civilization instant-access to new abilities.
Hypergates - Construct powerful gateways that, when linked, allow your fleets to travel rapidly across hyperspace.
Major Civilizations: Drath and Korath - The manipulative Drath pull the strings across the galaxy while the Korath rely on extermination. Each has its own set of special abilities, bonuses, and ship parts.
Supply ships - Supply ships can be constructed to deliver goods and services to your other planets to aid in their development.
New Technology Trees - A top to bottom overhaul of the technology tree adds depth and sharpens the strategic choices in your research options.
Retribution Campaign - The malevolent Drengin Empire made a terrible mistake underestimating humanity’s strength, and the climactic battle that will follow may end in their extinction.
Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution is coming February 21!
Galactic Civilizations III: February Preview
Greetings!
We are working on the next free update to Galactic Civilizations III right now. Mostly it's quality of life improvements as recommended by players.
A few highlights include a repeat-button for planetary projects, additional tooltips, a new campaign screen, more music and sound effects, new multiplayer work, AI work (new starbase evaluation), and more.
It's been a blast to be able to focus a little time on reading your suggestions. The game has changed so much since it was initially released and we are grateful to have such an amazing community.
Stay tuned!
NEW EXPANSION for Galactic Civilizations III ANNOUNCED: Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution
Hypergates, Artifacts, new campaigns and new civilizations arrive this Winter.
What started as a crusade has become a war of retribution. Stardock's award-winning space strategy game, Galactic Civilizations III is about to get its biggest expansion yet. Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution adds new playable civilizations, a story-driven campaign, Precursor artifacts, Hypergates and much more.
Across the galaxy, ancient alien artifacts are being discovered, giving civilizations powerful new capabilities. Meanwhile, as civilizations try to carefully balance building an economy, funding an ever growing war machine, and engaging in diplomacy, the humans of Sol III have invented a game-changing new technology - Hypergates - which, when connected, allow for rapid transit across the galaxy.
With two new major civilizations and the concluding campaign to the Galactic Civilizations III backstory that serves this massive space 4X sandbox game, Retribution asks the question: How will you rule your galaxy?
The new features in Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution include:
Artifacts - Powerful items buried on planets across the galaxy will give your civilization instant-access to new abilities.
Hypergates - Construct powerful gateways that, when linked, allow your fleets to travel rapidly across hyperspace.
Major Civilizations: Drath and Korath - The manipulative Drath pull the strings across the galaxy while the Korath rely on extermination. Each has its own set of special abilities, bonuses, and ship parts.
Cargo Ships - Cargo ships can be constructed to deliver goods and services to your other planets to aid in their development.
New Technology Tree - A top to bottom overhaul of the technology tree adds depth and sharpens the strategic choices in your research options.
Retribution Campaign - The malevolent Drengin Empire made a terrible mistake underestimating humanity’s strength, and the climactic battle that will follow may end in their extinction.
Galactic Civilizations III: Retribution is coming this Winter! For more information, visit www.galciv3.com/retribution
Galactic Civilizations III is the largest space strategy sandbox ever made. Start with a single world and expand across the galaxy through diplomacy, trade, cultural hegemony, or military conquest in this single or multiplayer 4X strategy game. How will you rule your galaxy?
v3.2 for Galactic Civilizations III is now available!
Adjustments to personality traits for factions and AI decisions are among improvements
Galactic Civilizations III v3.2 takes faction personality traits into account, improves game AI, and more
We're launching a version update today that increases the effects of a civilization's personality traits on diplomacy, conversations, and what ships to build. The Intrigue AI has also hired an accountant to better manage its taxes, and we've made a few adjustments to the Heroes of Star Control: Origins DLC. More details on the changes are below!
v3.2 Changelog Notes
Base Game
Stars are placed a slightly further apart than before in order to make each system independent from others.
AI more aggressive at sending out constructors to build starbases
Personality traits are given much greater consideration when deciding what topics the civilization wants to discuss.
Personality traits are now given much greater consideration for deciding what types of ships to build when at peace.
Personality traits are now given much greater consideration when deciding what kinds of treaties and offers to give to the player.
Crusade
Diplomacy ability bonus to relations reduced from 2 to 1.
Intrigue
AI manages its tax rate more effectively.
Changed default # of colonies before a government is allowed from 3 to 2.
Heroes of Star Control
If you don't own the either the Mercenaries or Intrigue expansion packs, you can now still get Jeff
Jeff is already perfect and shuns your attempts to "upgrade" him
Added custom Starbases for Mukay, Tywom, and Free Trandals (Mowlings starbases are unchanged)
Don't have Galactic Civilizations III? Get it now!
The Star Control Heroes DLC pack introduces four major new civilizations to Galactic Civilizations III. All of the new alien factions come equipped with a unique leader, ship, music, and traits that make each civilization look and play differently from the existing major civilizations.
Play as or against the Tywom, the lovable, needy slugs, or as the kind (but surprisingly aggressive!) aquatic Mu'Kay. You can also play as the naive-but- deceptively powerful Mowlings with their god-like protector, "Jeff," or the recently liberated and mysterious Trandals.
Galactic Civilizations III is the most popular space-based turn based strategy of all time. Your civilization has just achieved faster-than-light travel and the galaxy awaits you. But you are not alone and must deal with alien civilizations through diplomacy, trade, cultural hegemony, or military conquest either against the computer or against friends online.
MAJOR RACES IN HEROES OF STAR CONTROL: ORIGINS
The Tywom - Hello, best friends!
These yellow slug-like aliens would like a hug. They’re slimy, and you don’t want to give them one, but still - it’s all they really want. The Tywom want to be friends with everyone, which makes them great diplomats, and their constant desire for approval gives them a bonus for any other factions who happen to love them.
The Mu'Kay - Greetings, Federation members!
Founders of the Federation for Allied Species, the Mu’Kay are intelligent cephalopods who live entirely in aquatic environments. Their natural intelligence makes them excellent researchers, and their polite (if occasionally condescending) manner lends itself well to diplomacy. Unless you’re a fish. Then prepare to be eaten.
The Mowlings - All hail the mighty Jeff!
The Mowlings are small, bear-like creatures who worship a mysterious deity they call Jeff. Frankly, they’re a little lost without him, so they spend their time finding new ways to worship him. The Mowlings get a special Temple of Jeff improvement (one per planet) that grants bonuses to influence and approval, and in return Jeff orbits their planets protectively.
The Free Trandals - Cast off the shackles of the Overmind!
The Free Trandals are the escaped faction of a race that has been enslaved by a malevolent AI known only as Overmind, who uses their bodies to advance its own nefarious purposes. Now, the Free Trandals work to free their brethren and rebuild their lost culture with what little they have left. Possessing a surprising capability (and healthy paranoia) for advanced technology, the Free Trandals are far from helpless both on and off the battlefield. Their warrior instincts may be long buried, but their ships, while few in number, are enormously effective against silicon and synthetic based life forms.
Additional Features in Heroes of Star Control: Origins
Dozens of new ship parts inspired by Star Control: Origins for building and modifying your own ships
Several new music tracks from Star Control: Origins
New faction traits
New ship designs, colors, and styles
In addition to the release of the new DLC, v3.1 is also available today. This update adds some important AI and quality of life changes, as well as the ability for players to design their own color palettes for custom factions. With v3.1, players will be able to adjust the color scheme for the UI, maps, and ships as well. Full changelog here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/226860/discussions/1/1752358461524097202/
New racial trait and quality of life improvements arrive in Galactic Civilizations III v3.05
Happy Fall, everyone!
The Galactic Civilizations III team has been working on some updates and adjustments to the core edition that they’re excited to share with you… in the form of a poem. You can thank Kael for this one.
Features
Added a new racial trait, Aeroponics which allows that race to build a special low yield farm on any terrain with the Xeno Adaptation technology (requires Crusade).
Fixes
When you willingly start a campaign,
A fleet may be spawned without name,
If you click on that fleet - the result, bittersweet,
Will engender a crash in our game.
Fixed the Trial by Fire achievement.
Fixed the Perseverance so it can now correctly colonize extreme worlds even if the player doesn't have the tech.
Fixed an issue scavenging a trade ship where it wouldn't have a home port anymore.
Fixed an end turn crash (thanks for all the reproducible saves!).
Happy Anniversary, Galactic Civilizations III!
Happy Anniversary, Galactic Civilizations III!
The story of Galactic Civilizations has been around for 24 years - can you believe that?
Yeah, neither can we. Let's reflect!
24 YEARS AGO
GalCiv - the first commercial game for IBM's OS/2. Years ahead of its time, the game took full advantage of 32-bit memory addressing, multi-threading, and high-res graphics.
22 YEARS AGO
GalCiv II released for OS/2 in 1996. Expanding on the success of GalCiv, it added larger maps, new starships, and updated graphics supporting 16.8 million colors.
15 YEARS AGO
GalCiv for released Windows. The "just one more turn" feeling of gameplay found a much larger user base through digital download and traditional retail channels.
12 YEARS AGO
GalCiv II released for Windows. It included the first ever ship builder & released 2 expansions devoted to the mystery of the Dread Lords, a cliffhanger, a decade in the making.
3 YEARS AGO
Galactic Civilizations III released. The latest iteration of the largest space-strategy sandbox games of all time received praise from critics and is still receiving updates today.
When our CEO Brad created Galactic Civilizations from his dorm room at Western Michigan University, he had no idea that it would lay the groundwork for Stardock growing into what it is today. He was just looking for a pay to pay the bills while he went to school - he didn't expect to launch his own gaming company!
Although Stardock has made many other titles throughout the years, everything comes back to Galactic Civilizations, the thing that started it all. Let's take a look at some side-by-side screenshots and see how the game has grown and evolved.
Let's start with one of the most beloved (ok, not beloved, but definitely most recognizable!) races, the Drengin.
Brad wrote a blog post awhile back showing the progression of the Drengin race throughout the years, but let's just take a quick look at a "then" and "now" photo of Lord Kona:
Lord Kona has aged since his GalCiv I days! Must be all the pressure of guiding his people while overthrowing enemy empires and eating their leaders.
All of the classic GalCiv races have seen some upgrading throughout the years. Take a look back at the old image below of the racial selection screen and see how far they've come:
GalCiv I << The Yor >> GalCiv III
GalCiv I << The Altarian >> GalCiv III
GalCiv I << The Arcean >> GalCiv III
GalCiv I << The Torian >> GalCiv III
Stardock has always been supportive of modding so we found a way to include tools for our players right in the game itself.
Original GalCiv may have had the map, scenario, and campaign editors, but GalCiv II pioneered
the ship builder feature. This of course made its way into its successor, GalCiv III. We're constantly in awe of our community's creations using this tool!
The Ship Builder from GalCiv II vs the Ship Builder from GalCiv III
UI, trade screens, research screens, and so much more have seen a lot of refining over the years. With every game, expansion, and DLC that we release, we've learned what our players need and have done our best to give it to them. Below are a few more screenshots of GalCiv I, II, and III.
GalCiv I Map vs GalCiv III Map
GalCiv I Research Robot vs GalCiv III Research Robot
GalCiv I Senate and Elections vs GalCiv III Senate and Elections
Thanks for celebrating 24 years of Galactic Civilizations with us! To keep up with what Stardock's doing, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, and join us on Twitch every Tuesday at 4pm ET!
