First Alpha Feedback
GalCiv3 Forums
Hello Stardock,
Some first impressions, feedback, and wishlist for GalCiv 3! This would be the 5th GalCiv game I've played!
First impressions - Ship graphics look better than ever! The hexagon system is much better than the square system in Gal Civ 2. The UI is more streamlined and allows a lot of focus on the main map view.
Feedback -
Hexagon system: The galaxy could be more rounded - I found a giant hexagon a bit displeasing to play in and a little too fake feeling. The background grey fog surrounding the galaxy could be transparent and fill the entire view area when zoomed out. Currently, the vast grey fog makes the galaxy map isolated in the universe. Would be cool to have 3D stars/galaxies in the background to feel more immersed in space.
I would also like to see a linear ship movement when moving through cells in a diagonal direction. The zig-zag motion of moving from cell to cell is painful to watch. I would like an option for the ship 3D/sprite zoom fall off. Sometimes its neat to view everything rendered in a zoomed out view. Lastly, civilization borders should be more dynamic rather than hexagons. If two owned planets are close to each other, they influence border could be weighted towards each other. This would prevent the hexagon look of the controlled territory. Even better, ditch hexagon borders and move to a more rounded shape.
User Interface:
Would like the option to ignore ship commands. This would allow passing the turn if I do not want to manually set orders for every ship. The same option with planets too, allowing them to auto use economic stimulus if I do not select a build option. Sometimes, I really don't care that my 3 scouts need orders when i can't send them anywhere new.
Would be nice to have a right click option on the build menu to buy, build, destroy ect rather than click the related button in the menu. Also would like to see orbital ships in the planet menu.
For the govern screen, would like an option to manually enter in the values or sliders at the bottom. Was a little clumsy (or maybe I am) in selecting exact values.
The technology screen larger should be made larger. Just seems clustered into the the small central window.
Game Play wish list: These are just wish lists, and for obvious reasons, may either not be fun in practice, or difficult to implement. However, if I had my way....
I'd love to see a more advanced economic model in the game. Debt spending, interest rates, exchange rates, credit rating. All which would interact with your own economy, as well as foreign affairs. The model can be simplified by allowing automatic borrowing from civs with a surplus income. This would lead to a reward/punish with interest rates. This system could also be used to protect the more mercantile civs (if they have to switch up their saving to spending on war..interest rates go up for the more aggressive civs).
I would also like to see a more free market option to governing planets (i know kind of silly for a game). However, a private sector would be neat to see grow on their own given the choices you've made in the govern tab and centralized spending on a given planet. (ex: player builds a bunch of factories for ships, private sector responds in military research industry). I never liked the idea of having such a centralized government, when there are other economic systems that have (arguably) worked better throughout history. Again, this could offset the single focus build option for planets.
Thanks for making another Galactic Civilizations! Stardock always does an amazing job, and I can't wait to see this game grow.
