One of the most interesting implications of hexes is that the map need no longer be square-edged, and indeed you could have a more disc-shaped galaxy.

GC2 sectors were 15x15, so there were 108,900 tiles on the map

Wow, I was way off. Thanks for the correction. If/when SD tops that I'll be impressed.

it was never stated that the number of dimensions is 3 only that the third dimension exists

Civ5 could have also done a modified version of 1UPT where instead of being limited to a single archer, your civilization had some sort of logistics value which would limit how big of a stack you could put in each hex.  (Stacks were nice from a control point of view, because it's easier to move 3 stacks then having to move 30 individual units.)

Fortunately, I don't see GC3 having that issue.  Just making the old square sectors into hexes will work just fine.  Because fights are determined at the fleet level, and the stack size inside each fleet is limited by the logistics skill -- there's no "stack of doom" issue like we had in Civ4.

My average game completion time in Civ4 on the "really big map size" was typically 40-60 hours from start to finish, spread over 2-4 weeks.  Huge empires, lots of turns, lots of time to get to know the neighbors and bend them to my will or undermine their plans.

I am somewhat concerned that with the increased map sizes and increased number of ships (which I think I also saw mentioned), the processing of automoves will take longer.  It already ties up some of my longer Immense games in GC2.

I will be getting a new processor, Graphics card and Increased RAM just so I can make the most of this game(within a reasonable budget limit) when it's released. It's almost like buying a new games console just for one game, except that the improvements will make all of my other games run more quickly and smoothly also. I'll just have to see how much disposable cash I have left over after christmas. I don't think I'd have done this for any other game though.

Even in real life, the galaxy's width is so much bigger than it's height, that it can be thought of as in 2D. In more local places 3D might be important, but in the grand scale of things not so much.

In real life? Real life also has a sense of scale...

People just ain't smart enough for true 3D. Look at all the conceptualized battles in space made by movies and television shows.

I mean, I'm fine for it 'cause I'm brilliant and handsome and all. But not you guys.

If you start an "immense" map you have 22x22 sectors. But I think this map size came with Twilight of the Arnor. Can anyone confirm that?

Currently a hex sector, has a 12 hex radius, so there are 397 hexes per sector, which is a bit larger than a 16x16 GC2 sector. The smallest galaxy is currently 7 sectors. The largest we will leave as a surprise, for later. These values are all set out in data, that modders will have access to later, which should be fun.

That said this is something we will be tweaking for quite a while, but it gives you some ideas. We even have a few things up our sleeves that no one has guessed at yet. :) 

Wasn't it 15*15 tiles per sector? Just a minute, let me check. --- Yep. at least on GC2: Dread Lords, it is 15*15.

Will the earliest alpha support full-sized maps?

Pocket galaxies?

OOOpppsss. That last post comes from seeing the last post on a page and not checking to see if there are more pages. Sorry.

That sounds interesting. How about having something like layers in the map. e.g. 3 layers of 'space planes' (let's call them). Imagine the 3d chess of star trek. 

People usually play in the middle one but both upper and lower can be used: maybe they have more planets, or can be used as a hyperspace and move faster. 

That would be interesting.

Nice! That's very close to what I was thinking, but with different mechanics. If any Stardockians are reading, please hear me out!

Pocket galaxy type 1: (natural)

There are optionally one or two stable wormholes on the main map per game, with one more possibly spawning from a random event. Each leads to its own single-sector pocket universe with one or two stars, each star having only extreme planets to prevent early colonization. True to game lore, there would be a solid black background with no stars or nebulae in the pocket universe.

These would be considered "public" pocket galaxies, because anyone can enter or exit them via the single point of entry on the main map.

Pocket galaxy type 2: (artificial access)

Each civilization can construct massive tech-intensive high-upkeep space stations that serve as points of entry to their "own" pocket universe, that is, the only way to access your pocket universe is through your stations, likewise for other races.

Enabling or disabling one of your station's wormhole generators takes several weeks and a lot of bc's, so it would be more convenient to leave the wormhole running. This prevents abusing the stations (opening one just long enough to warp in, then warp out across the galaxy) since anyone can use your station when it's running.

Also:

• The stations act like stargates, but between dimensions instead of across space.
• You can have as many stations as you can afford (and your enemies can destroy them).
• Stations can move one parsec per turn.
• Entering or exiting a wormhole consumes all remaining ship/fleet moves.
• The planets inside the pocket galaxy don't keep you in the game if you lose all of your main-map planets.
• Additional research and construction would reduce the time required to enable or disable the wormhole generator.

Thoughts, comments? Pocket Universe expansion maybe?

Envisioning a 12 hex radius is a bit difficult. Could you restate this as xx hex tiles on a side?

A 12 hex radius amounts to 12 hexes per side.

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Ah. GCII had square parsecs forming square sectors, so I assumed GCIII would have hexagonal parsecs forming hexagonal sectors.

Edit: I *just now* realized that doesn't tessellate.

Well the sector lines themselves, may actually cut through individual hexes, so part of the hex is in one sector and another part is in another, I'll see If I can find an image to show that clearly.

A hex sector, is X number of hexes out from the center in all six directions, the result is a hex shaped sector, not circle, or square.

Thanks, that clears things up a bit

You awesome correctly. For the record, your sample would be a sector with a radius of 4.