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1994-02-23
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As requested by many users, snapshots of GalCiv have
been uploaded to the following places:
OS/2 Shareware BBS
and
ftp.cdrom.com (FTP SITE) in /pub/os2/incoming
File is GalCiv.zip
This post is being made to the comp.os.os2.apps,announce,
and misc as those are the areas where I believe such posts
belong. Please feel free to re-post it where you feel is appropriate.
I am posting this here because I am a frequent user of
these particular groups and over the years feel like I know many
of the users. With that in mind, I believe many of you will be
interested in this "stuff". As a minor disclaimer, my employer did
not tell me to go out in post this. SDS has nothing to do with the
marketing of GalCiv.
Galactic Civilizations: The Story so far...
...Last summer OS/2 users expressed interest in a native OS/2
"game". Several employees at SDS are (those on the net have seen
some SDS employees wandering) strong OS/2 advocates and game players.
We designed a game that was a strategy game like Empire, Civilization,
etc. But this one would be in space.
Below I will briefly explain the game and it will probably
become apparent to you the reader why the game was made for OS/2 and
not DOS or Windows. GalCiv should be thought of as a game that
requires OS/2's power to run. Not an OS/2 game. It will hopefully
be a game that will bring more users to OS/2 and let them gain
the advantages OS/2 has already given to millions of users.
The Game:
The story is that mankind has begun colonizing the stars.
A gigantic starship called the 'Santa Maria' has set sail to colonize
a star system using a new propulsion system. Unfortunately, this
propulsion system encounters a "cosmic string" and creates a worm
hole. This worm hole transports the ship to a far of galaxy which
is inhabited by up to 5 other players (controlled by the computer).
It is up to you to colonize your worlds, build them up
and colonize more worlds while defending yourself (or attacking)
against the other players. You will be able to set up your tax
rates and decide how taxes are going to be spent. In GalCiv,
you ratio the taxes in 3 ways: The Military, Social Programs, and
Research.
Military programs will build things like new colony ships,
battleships, fighters, etc.
Social Programs will allow you to build things like
Antimatter power plants, Information networks, and wonders
such as a Trison ring.
Research allows you to develop new technologies which
allows you to build new types of military and social programs.
Unlike most strategy games, GalCiv doesn't limit you
to winning the game in just one way. You can play the game in
a conquest way and destroy all the other players. Or you can
try to win the game in a peaceful way by uniting the players
together in a single alliance (there is no galactic vote so this
method is much more difficult than just conquest).
Conquest is the easiest way to defeat the other players
in some instances but not always. For example, GalCiv allows you
to "trade" with the other players. By sending freighters, you
can barter with alien merchants to come to a trade deal. This deal
works both ways -- both you and the other player reap the benefits.
An opponent is not likely to declare war on you if most of their
economic might comes from trade with you. For in GalCiv, when
you are at war, trade between you and that player stops.
To sum up on what the game is really like, imagine
taking Empire, Civilization, Spaceward Ho, and Simcity and stirring
them together with an OS/2 PM spoon and getting this game.
How fun this game is will largely depend on what the beta testers
have to say about it. GalCiv is finishing up its first set of
beta testing and those testers can tell you that we are very open
to suggestions.
FEATURES:
OS/2 PM (Presentation Manager) interface.
Graphics are OPTIMIZED FOR:
1024x768 with 256 colors
800 x 600 with 16.8 million colors
800 x 600 with 256 colors
640 x 480 with 16.8 million colors
640 x 480 with 256 colors.
The game will run at any supported OS/2 resolution (VGA or better)
but the above resolutions have graphics made specifically for that.
In fact, GalCiv may be the first OS/2 application that has 16.8 million
color icons (the icons obviously don't have that many colors but their
palette is 16.8 million colors). The graphics on those systems will
be incredible. 256 color systems also benefit as the graphics and
icons in the game are made to support systems with 256 colors.
VERY Multithreaded:
The game features an AI based on the SDS/AI .75 specification.
This specification basically says that the computer opponents will
be based half on random stats created at each new game (how aggressive,
how evil , how x they are). And unique Military Advising personalities
that are based off of real strategy game players. We asked strategy
game players how they typically beat strategy games and have been
working to develop advisors which will do the same to the human.
This kind of AI could be done in DOS but since DOS does
not multithread it would not be fun to do. Thanks to OS/2,
the bulk of the computing is done while you move your ships in
a background thread. When your turn ends, the only thing left to
do is update the stats and move the other players' ships.
For example, when you hit the end of turn button the
following threads are active:
o Main thread (you can still interact with the game during the
end of turn. You never have to just sit there and wait if you don't
want to. The only thing you can't do is move your shops -- since it
is a turn based game).
o SDS/AI thread is moving their ships and handling the results.
o Updating statistics such as population growth, production
changes, new improvements and ships being built.
During your turn these threads are active:
o Main thread: You move your ships or whatever.
o SDS/AI comes up with where it will want to move its ships
at the end of the turn.
This results in a game where little time is spent waiting for the
AI to finish its turn. On some systems, the game may almost feel
like its going in real-time when in fact the game is turn based.
MMPM/2 support:
.WAV and .MIDI music will be in the final release (the second
beta may not have midi music)
.AVI support. Software Motion is supported by GalCiv. The
introduction and several cutaways scenes will feature .AVI files.
THE BETA:
GalCiv may be OS/2's chance to introduce a significant market
to OS/2: Game players. We believe many users will purchase OS/2
to play a quality game. The key word here is quality and we want
people who will be CRITICAL of the beta to play it and make sure that
it doesn't suffer the fate of other OS/2 products. Because of the
huge response of beta 1 a price has been added to this beta (a
significant one). Moreover, I (project manager)promised that the
game would be available to those who wanted it for less than $40.
Because of IBM's support and AIM's marketing, GalCiv will be
in stores such as CompUSA, Egghead, etc. The retail price for
the game will likely be about the same as other games in the genre
(higher than $40 or $50 probably). Therefore this beta will cost
$36 but the final version of the game is free to beta testers.
REQUIREMENTS:
The final game will require the following:
OS/2 2.1 with 8 megs of memory total on system (or more)
About 12 to 15 megabytes of hard disk space
VGA or better resolution. The more colors the better.
RECOMMENDED:
OS/2 supported sound card
Fast Video card for AVI viewing.
In order to get GalCiv into the mainstream outlets, SDS has
teamed up with Advanced Idea Machines (AIMS) to market the game.
Anyone on earth may beta test GalCiv. AIMS will be managing the
second beta.
If you are interested in becoming a beta tester and receiving
the release free, here is the info:
We are now able to accept credit card order by mail, by Fax or through
Internet (we have commercial service)
We will also be able to distribute via Internet FTP as well as our BBS
or by diskette.
Shipping to all other countries other the USA and Canada is now
available.
Download availability is schedule to start March 18, 1994. Diskette
shipping is scheduled to start March 21, 1994. All dates are subject to
change. Diskettes will be shipped base on the date of the receipt of the
order.
GALACTIC CIVILIZATION BETA ORDER.
*****************************************************************
The Beta will be available electronically if you wish to download
it from the AIMS BBS or FTP via Internet. Instructions will be
sent to your Internet address or will be posted on AIMs BBS after
March 1st. The beta will be about 2.5 megabytes.
All orders must be by mail, Faxed to 801-571-8625 or Transmitted by
Internet to AIMGAMES@GATE.NET.
Advanced Idea Machines
P.O.Box 188
Draper, Ut 84020
Name ____________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________
City _______________________ State/Province _____________
Zip/Postal Code _________________ Country _____________
Password for you to sign onto AIMs BBS _________________
Internet Address _______________________________________
Galactic Civilization beta/GA package $36 (US)
Shipping and handling for GA code
($4 (US) for US and Canada
$10 (US) everywhere else) ____ (US)
Diskette Version of beta
($6 (US) for US and Canada
$10 (US) everywhere else) ____ (US)
Electronic distribution of beta FREE
Sales Tax (Utah residents only 6.25%) ____ (US)
Total ____ (US)
Payment: Check ___ Money Order ___ VISA ___ Master Card ___
Card Number ________-________-________ Exp. Date _________
If credit card order
Signature _________________________________________________
______ Check here if you would like the GA on CDROM. Subject
to a minimum of at least 1000 orders from all sources.
Internet: AIMGAMES@GATE.NET IBMLINK: DEV1024@Hone82
AIMs BBS: 801-572-6353 - 8N1 9600 baud (after March 1st)
John Schaeffer - Advanced Idea Machines - Internet AIMGAMES@GATE.NET
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have any questions you can direct them to the following places:
SDS: x90wardell@wmich.edu
AIMS: AIMGAMES@GATE.NET
Good luck!
Brad Wardell
Project Manager
Stardock Systems