Freebie Info - Galactic Civilizations III [FINISHED]

Chimpzy

Simian Abomination
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Apr 3, 2020
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Today, for you:

Galactic Civilizations III

Galactic Civilizations III will be free at Epic Games Store until January 28th at 5PM (your local time). As always, you can get the game through the link above, or straight from the Epic Games launcher. Either way, the game will be added directly to your Epic Games library. Keep in mind having 2FA active on your account is mandatory to nab giveaways on the Epic Store.
What if one day, humans woke up to find that they weren’t alone in the galaxy? They make their way into space and discover other alien civilizations with their own histories and motivations looking to make a name for themselves. Choose your race - Human, Drengin, Altarian, and so many more - and lead your civilization into a golden age in one of the largest 4X strategy games ever made!

Research new technology, design starships, and colonize new worlds as you face threats and conquer challenges from new and mysterious sources. Negotiate trade and treaties, wage wars, spy on your enemies, and promote outstanding citizens. And when you've finished that, play again as one of the many included alien civilizations each with its own history, technology tree, ship components, and more.

Galactic Civilizations III now bundles in the Crusade and Retribution expansions, plus the Mega Events add-on content for an even greater gameplay experience! Join the ranks of galactic leaders today, and answer the question: how will you rule your galaxy?
Have a look if interested, and enjoy.

Next week's freebie at the Epic Game Store will be Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition starting January 28th.
 
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meiam

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Dec 9, 2010
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Its an okay game, but you need some expansion to make it interesting and of course their not gifting those.
 

FennecZephyr

Senior Member
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Apr 12, 2020
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I despise this game for the pettiest reason.

This game flagrantly disregards even the most basic orbital mechanics. You'll have a star in a hex on the map, and you'll have it's child planets just sitting there, not moving in the slightest and I hate it. I fucking hate it. It pisses off the little astrophysicist in my brain that never had a chance to have her career.

EDIT: Oh, second aspect of the problem is that the scale is fucked entirely. Earth will have an empty hex or two between it and the sun, and the next star system will be like 5 to 10 hexes away at most.

At least most other space strategy games either have the entire star system in a single hex/node or abstract the problem away by putting the planet on a circular orbit line.
 

meiam

Elite Member
Dec 9, 2010
3,330
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I despise this game for the pettiest reason.

This game flagrantly disregards even the most basic orbital mechanics. You'll have a star in a hex on the map, and you'll have it's child planets just sitting there, not moving in the slightest and I hate it. I fucking hate it. It pisses off the little astrophysicist in my brain that never had a chance to have her career.

EDIT: Oh, second aspect of the problem is that the scale is fucked entirely. Earth will have an empty hex or two between it and the sun, and the next star system will be like 5 to 10 hexes away at most.

At least most other space strategy games either have the entire star system in a single hex/node or abstract the problem away by putting the planet on a circular orbit line.
I'd say that's not a petty reason at all, having planet in orbit would make for interesting gameplay since the playing filed would change over time and help differentiate teh game from civilization and other game played on the ground.

Few space 4 x actually do the planet orbit, the only one I can think of distant world (but that game has sooooooo many issues that its really hard to recommend). Teh space empire game might have that mechanic but I never played much of them. Stellaris/MoO show the orbit but they don't move and anyway it doesn't have any impact gameplay wise. Sword of the star sorta has planet on orbit which comes into play when your fighting, but its mostly annoying since its harder than it need to be to decided where your fleet start a fight so you often end up with enemy spawning next to your planet and your fleet super far away so that you can't do anything.
 

Zykon TheLich

Extra Heretical!
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Jun 6, 2008
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I would pickit up, but I bought it and refunded when it came out. Didn't feel much different to 2, certainly no improvement in what I played of it. Plus I didn't feel like spending the hours redoing all of my painstakingly created custom WH40K ships
 

FennecZephyr

Senior Member
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Apr 12, 2020
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I'd say that's not a petty reason at all, having planet in orbit would make for interesting gameplay since the playing filed would change over time and help differentiate teh game from civilization and other game played on the ground.

Few space 4 x actually do the planet orbit, the only one I can think of distant world (but that game has sooooooo many issues that its really hard to recommend). Teh space empire game might have that mechanic but I never played much of them. Stellaris/MoO show the orbit but they don't move and anyway it doesn't have any impact gameplay wise. Sword of the star sorta has planet on orbit which comes into play when your fighting, but its mostly annoying since its harder than it need to be to decided where your fleet start a fight so you often end up with enemy spawning next to your planet and your fleet super far away so that you can't do anything.
That's not even why I care. My favorite space 4x game is Endless Space 2, and that puts everything in the star system into a single node on the galaxy map.

Stellaris is still better too because the interstellar scale issue isn't there, because each star system is it's own bubble zone separate from the galactic starmap.

I can understand stationary planets in Stellaris for gameplay reasons, but like you said, they still acknowledge the orbital paths.

I think it's mostly just the scale that messes with me.