Galactic Civilizations IV News

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova version 2.3, titled “War and Peace”, is now available, and brings a host of balance changes and bugfixes right across the game. Primarily, this update aims to reduce the occurrence of what 4X gamers call the “everwar” problem, where a civilization becomes locked into a war with a rival and have no realistic way to disengage or call for peace other than to fight it out and destroy the belligerent faction completely.


Some more bloodthirsty players don’t mind this but a whole lot of others really do: outside of some rather dramatic and extreme sci-fi and fantasy settings, never-ending wars are rare. In reality, wars tend to flare up and die down after victory goals are met, resources become depleted and civilians become sick of having their loved ones returned to them in body-bags. Everwars in 4X are generally undesirable as they reduce the non-combat aspects of a 4X to a supporting role to the grind of an endless conflict, and that isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, nor is having to conquer absolutely everybody to effectively win the game.


In previous versions, although the AI had become a lot better at picking wars it can win, it also tended to fight on right until the moment it either surrendered completely or its last colony was taken, depending on the game settings.

One approach to fixing this is with the “grand strategy” game technique of forcing the player to stop a war once some kind of war-score counter value is reached. This isn’t always fun for the player when they’re yanked out of a fun conflict that they’re not finished with yet, moments before they’re about to engage in an epic, war-ending battle.

“War & Peace” aims to address this problem in several stages.

Perhaps the biggest and most immediately noticeable change will be a series of war and surrender Events that trigger the longer a war goes on, and vary depending on who started the war and who is winning or losing it, to add some extra flavor and ensure the player has an option to end the war they might not want to be in.


While the player is not forced to end the war at this point, there are incentives to do so that might sweeten the deal. When the AI does offer an olive-branch, there’ll be a variety of different peace-offerings on the table for you to choose from.

Secondly, the AI will be more likely to accept a ceasefire now, and the longer the war has gone on the more likely they are to accept a peace deal. This should reduce the ever-war problem, and while we want players to have to fight for their lives when wars do occur, we feel that these moments shouldn’t potentially go on for hundreds upon hundreds of turns, especially for players who enjoy the more peaceful aspects of building a great galactic civilization.


Furthermore, the AI is more loyal to civilizations that it has had good relations with for a long time, favoring those it is has well established trade routes with, and will be somewhat less inclined to be bribed into a war with those favored civilizations by other sneaky war-mongers. This means that they’ll not just take their current diplomatic status with their partner into account when they make that decision to go to war, they’ll look back at your past dealings too. Make friends and trade with them, and they’ll be more likely to stick by you when you’re in need of assistance once the Drengin, Korath Clan, Yor or some other dreadfully mannered neighbors come knocking!

To prevent sneak attacks, when a civilization declares war, all of their ships are removed from the enemy’s borders outside of their zone of control.


Various diplomatic modifiers have been tweaked, such as diplomacy-focused civilizations no longer coveting the worlds of others, and a more slowly growing and reduced “We Want to Conquer the Galaxy” from civs wanting to militarily expand too.

These diplomatic changes to how wars are started and ended should open the grand strategy side of Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova up even more, with civilizations being more or less inclined to engage in long wars to achieve their goals and loyalty to old friends factoring into their strategic planning. Gamers with less of a martial-inclination will be able to enjoy their empire building with less threat from long and grueling wars that they cannot get out of, and defensive and diplomatic civilizations will be able to achieve their victory goals without the inevitable need to become an unwilling galactic conqueror.

As always, thanks for reading, and let us know what you think of the changes in “War & Peace”.

Cheers!

View full changelog here

Today We have a new update that greatly improves the diplomacy part of the game with new events and better AI interactions. We have also added support for UIs smaller than our current minimum of 1920x1080. Finally, we have added an option to multiplayer for humans to watch their battle play out in the Battle Viewer. Please read below for more information.

[h2]Important Changes:[/h2]

• The AI is much better at diplomacy, especially regarding war and peace.
  
• Added Diplomatic Relation Event.
  
• Added War Events.
  
• We support now 1280x720 screen resolution and "Small" UI scale.
  
• Added an option to view human vs human battles in multiplayer.
  

Stardock released another big update for its popular space 4X strategy game today. Galactic Civilizations IV v2.3, dubbed the "War & Peace” update introduces new lore based diplomatic features, enhances gameplay balance, and broadens accessibility.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]New features include: [/h2]

• New Peace Negotiation Events: Players can now engage in a variety of events that allow for nuanced peace or harsh peace terms with warring civilizations, adding a new layer of diplomatic strategy.
  
• AI War Perception Overhaul: The AI's approach to war has been fundamentally updated. The longer a conflict persists, the more inclined AI factions are to consider peace, effectively reducing the occurrence of never-ending wars.
  
• 720p Low Resolution Support:To accommodate players on various platforms, including Steamdeck and laptops, Galactic Civilizations IV now supports 720p resolution, ensuring a smoother and more accessible gaming experience.
  
• Balance Improvements and Bug Fixes: A host of balance tweaks and bug resolutions enhance the overall stability and fairness of gameplay.
  
• Enhanced Multiplayer Features: With improved performance and a new option to view battles, multiplayer sessions are now more dynamic and engaging.
  
• Improved Localization: The update brings refined localization, making the game more immersive for a global audience.
  

This update not only enriches the existing gameplay but also aligns with Stardock's commitment to enhancing player experience and accessibility.

[h2]To view the full changelog, go here.[/h2]

Perhaps one of the most terrifying ideas to come out of science fiction is the concept of an artificial lifeform bereft of compassion, basic human morality or sentimental feeling, driven to replicate itself to the ends of the galaxy, and crush or assimilate anything standing in its way.

The Yor Singularity are certainly one of the most unique threats amongst the many cosmic horrors lurking in Galactic Civilizations series, and while they’ve always had their own playstyle to match their theme, recent updates to more broadly diversify some of the older, more established Core Civilizations have been kind to our mechanical friends. Now blessed with new tools to help their early game expansion and with the introduction of more thematic Techs, Improvements and Executive Orders, the Yor are more fun to play than ever.

In this Dev Journal, we’re going to take a quick look at the changes made to the Yor, and how this affects their playstyle and feel in a game of Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova.



Let’s jump into the Yor Singularity’s Mission, “The Soul of the Machine”, a map designed to allow the player to explore their unique playstyle against four quite different civilizations: the greedy Corporate Sector, the diverse and devout Krynn Syndicate, the stubborn and dangerous Terran Resistance and the Yor’s cursed progenitors, the Iconian Refuge.

One of the nice things about the Missions in Supernova is that you can test different strategies and playstyles against the same opponents, on the same map, allowing you to fine tune your perfect approach to dominating the galaxy as that Civilization.


Immediately we see that the Yor have some new Improvements to pick from to build on Iconia, resplendent with its new Barren planet biomes added in v2.2. Firstly, we have the Durantium Scanner, a sensor that not only rolls back the fog of war around the world it is built upon, but also detects Durantium deposits both on the planet and in the system around it. This helps the Yor find the Durantium they need to manufacture new Yor Citizens (remember, they do not reproduce naturally like the other Citizen types). This unique Improvement is set up to increase its sensor-range when Manufacturing Districts and Improvements are placed adjacent to it too.


Note that these randomly placed Durantium deposits give a +2 bonus to adjacent Manufacturing and Military buildings, and this can be a powerful way to kickstart your industry.

The Yor also get access to the Precursor Scanner, another communications device that can further increase the Sensor range on Iconia (or you can place it on a different world if you wish), while revealing Precursor Relics on-planet and in neighboring systems.


Along with starting with two asteroid mining vessels for a quick Mineral Input boost, these two Improvements optionally help set the Yor up for a taller playstyle in the early game, getting a head start on exploration over their rivals, unveiling useful resources and helping them keep tabs on their rivals. Remember that these Improvements are quite expensive to maintain in the early game, so these benefits do come at a small cost.


Note that these two new Sensor Improvements help to compensate for the loss of the Telescope Takeover Executive Order, which has been replaced with something more suited to the Yor Singularities synthetic and mechanical approach to galactic domination. You can see in the screenshot above that on turn 1, they can see way further out into space around them than their rivals can.




Here we can see many of the Techs have been updated to be more thematically suited to the Yor Singularity, and in many cases are not just cosmetic changes, instead giving the Yor access to a whole new unique and evolving playstyle separate from the other civilizations in the game, including upgrades to the Stats of all Yor Citizens. This is a nice change that allows players to really focus on the task of constructing Yor Citizens, knowing that each one is drastically more efficient in producing the resources necessary for galactic conquest.


Civilization Policies have had the same treatment: here’s a couple from the early game, I won’t spoil the rest but there are many, many Policies unique to the Yor (and other Synthetic custom civilizations sharing the Yor’s Civilization Abilities).




And here are some new and powerful Executive Orders for you to spend your Control Points on too. Again, there are many of these and I’ll save the rest for you to find. Manufacture Population is useful when Durantium is scarce on the map, and the Yor can always use new Soldiers later in the game!


The DLC “Tales of Centauron” will add this Event very close to the start of the game, giving the Yor a choice between three very useful Improvements to be added onto Iconia. If you don’t like the location this is created at, simply “destroy” it and then rebuild it elsewhere, although you’ll have to pay for the privilege. This is a mechanic that shakes up the way players will approach District and Improvement layout by providing some powerful bonuses that can also force a rethink of their usual optimal layout patterns. Choose wisely!

There’s more to discover, but this should give you a taste of the changes that we’re starting to integrate into the Core Civilizations. There’s more to do: Stardock love Galactic Civilizations and we’re going to continue improving it until it’s the very best game it can be.

As always, let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Cheers!

I've seen my fair share of strategy games, but few genres offer the depth and complexity of a good 4X title. These games, known for their emphasis on eXploration, eXpansion, eXploitation, and eXtermination, demand a strategic mind and a willingness to immerse oneself in the intricacies of empire-building. However, this complexity can be daunting for newcomers, and even seasoned 4X aficionados may need time to familiarize themselves with a new game's systems.

That's why I'm here to provide a beginner's guide to Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova, breaking down the early game mechanics to help you start your interstellar conquest.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Your Starting System[/h2]
When you first launch Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova, you'll be prompted to select a civilization. For beginners, the Terran Alliance is a solid choice. They're a versatile faction that requires Food and can adapt to various playstyles. Once you've set up your game, you'll find your civilization's homeworld and initial fleet. The galaxy beyond is shrouded in the fog of war, with only the stars visible.

One of the first actions you can take is to use the "Telescope Takeover" Executive Order to reveal parts of the map, potentially uncovering planets ready for colonization. The Terran Alliance starts with three ships: a Probe for scouting, a Flagship for surveying anomalies, and a Colony Ship to establish your first off-world colony, such as Mars, which will contribute resources to your homeworld, Earth.


[h2]Core Worlds[/h2]
Core Worlds are the heart of your empire, each managed by a Governor. You'll directly oversee their development, placing Districts and Improvements to enhance their output. These constructions benefit from adjacency bonuses and terrain types, so strategic placement is key. For example, placing the Capital City on Grassland can boost your population growth.

The Build Queue is where you'll manage your planet's construction projects. Prioritize the Colonial Leadership Council to enable leader recruitment. Then, consider building an Industrial Centre to accelerate manufacturing. Remember, while planning your optimal layout is rewarding, don't get bogged down by perfectionism as you're learning the ropes.

Citizens populate your Core Worlds, and their happiness, measured by Approval, is crucial. Approval affects resource production, so keeping your citizens content is vital for a thriving economy. These resources include Manufacturing, Research, Income, Food, and Influence, all essential for expanding and strengthening your empire.


[h2]Ending the First Turn[/h2]
Before concluding your first turn, set your scientists to work on a new technology. Prioritize Colonial Policies for its benefits to tax and policy setting. The Tech Navigator tool can help you plan your research path across various fields like Engineering and Warfare.

Your shipyard, sponsored by your Core World, can build various ships to expand your reach. Consider constructing additional Probes to scout the galaxy and identify strategic locations and potential rivals.


[h2]Research, Leaders, Events, and Executive Orders[/h2]
With the completion of Colonial Policies, you can now set tax rates and Civilization Policies, balancing bonuses and penalties to shape your empire's development. For instance, Coerced Colonization boosts population growth at the cost of Approval.

Leaders play a crucial role in your government. Assigning the right person to the Minister of Exploration or Minister of Technology can significantly enhance your capabilities. Leaders like Ken Meurt, with high Diligence, are ideal for exploration, while those with high Intelligence, like Marcie Lykkurt, are better suited for technological advancement.

Events present choices that can affect your empire's future, and Executive Orders, such as "Draft Colonists," can provide immediate benefits at a cost. These decisions will shape the narrative of your game and your civilization's trajectory.


[h2]The End of the Beginning[/h2]
As you expand, you'll encounter new planets and civilizations. Researching technologies like the Universal Translator is essential for communication and diplomacy. Your cultural development, guided by Ideological Traits, will unlock bonuses that align with your civilization's values.

Upon colonizing a new planet, assigning a capable Governor can maximize its resource output. Leaders with attributes matching the planet's strengths will ensure efficient development.


In conclusion, Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova offers a rich and complex 4X experience. This guide covers just the beginning of what the game has to offer. For those eager to delve deeper into shipbuilding, warfare, diplomacy, and strategic planning, stay tuned for more detailed explorations of the game's mechanics.

Happy gaming, and may your empire reach the stars!