Ok I have moo3, and Ive been in the beta for Galciv! MY THOUGHTS

from Stardock Forums
Everyone reading this must understand I'm a super freak when it comes to any strategy game on the market. From command and conquer, paz imperia, imperium galatica, MOO, and Galciv with the family pack for OS/2 Warp.

I've had Moo3 for a couple weeks now, and I've been comparing it with Galactic Civilivations. Lets just say I have more fun with Galactic Civilizations on an overall basis. The graphics are better to :) lol. MOO3 has the really old Star Control 1 or 2 feeling going on with the main map and its bugging me (also gives me a headache from time to time). The inferface is clean, but the Galciv is slighty more YEAH (easy to get where you want which is thanks to a really good layout).

Graphics - The graphics cannot be compared to Galacic Civilizations. The main map is more of a low res feeling system from the Star Control 1 or 2 era. The battles though are rather compeling. But again lacking. The graphics in Galactic Civilizations is enjoying, and beautiful in general. Everything seems hi res, and high colored.

Sound - MOO3 really has the most annoying music Ive every heard. Over all terrible, and the in game sounds are pretty bad as well. Galactic Civilizations has great appealing sound.

Interface - MOO3 has a somewhat different interface. While effective, and real in feeling it just doesn't seem good enough. I like interfaces where at the beginning of each turn I like checking each. In the case of MOO3 it bothers me more then anything. Galactic Civilizations somehow makes it so I always wanna see whats going on. Not sure why!

Gameplay - Gameplay is fun and enjoying for the most part in MOO3. It is very addictive, and has a great replay value. The enemys somewhat have brains, they trade, and come up with new and interesting things to say to you. New agreements and so on. Galactic Civilizations I found firthered this, but in Galciv you cannot get your own treaty of bill put up for vote. Although MOO3 does this it's lacking in smaller things, and the choices are somewhat dull. Usually insulting praising, and getting people kicked in and outta the senate.

AI - AI in both games are rreally great. My only fuss was that in MOO3 when someone declared war on me it seemed as though they didn't invade my planets. Both games however have a top notch, extremely dofficult AI system.

Overall

Galactic Civilizations - 9.5/10
Master of Orion 3 - 8/10

Final - Both games are fun, and addictive, but in the end GalCiv stayed installed on my review machines hard drive.
1,054 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
If you're going to compare something, at least compare point by point.

Otherwise, your post as it stands looks like a fanboi post.

Maybe GalCiv is better, but you have not shown, or proven anything, with your comments.

I have also been playing MOO3 since release. GalCiv looks real cool. But there are significant differences in the 2 design approaches.

You mention the battle graphics in MOO3, but not specifically any battle graphics for GalCiv. So your comparison lacks any meaning.

The one thing that does sound dumb in GalCiv, is unless you're trading with other races, you could go broke.

In MOO3, your Empire is self sustaining, which makes sense. If you own and control multiple solar systems, there's no way you would really be `broke', unless you continually just threw money and resources away. MOO3 is more realistic, with trading, because you can `increase' your income through trading, but your Empire would still remain self sufficient without it.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Exodius,

I really think this comparison of Galciv and MOO3 is inappropriate for this forum. It is more appropriate to a review site.

~SDC~
Groupy 2 - Organize multiple applications into grouped tabs on your Windows desktop
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
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stargalax said:
The one thing that does sound dumb in GalCiv, is unless you're trading with other races, you could go broke.
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i am pretty sure you don't have to trade. you can withdraw from the united nations type thing in the game and that will PREVENT you from trading with other nations. also, if you go broke without trading, how can you avoid bankrupcy in the beginning when you don't have any contect with any other empires?
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Lucky,

For the people that were disappointed about MOO3 and looking for something different, don't you think comparing the two on their own merits in an unbiased way might provide a good way to see if it's worth the investment? Since there is no demo for this game, comments from people who have played both games seems to be the best way to find out.

And is there no search function on this forum? There has got to be a wealth of information posted by the beta testers in the past.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
The one thing that does sound dumb in GalCiv, is unless you're trading with other races, you could go broke
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that is not true at all.

to be perfectly honest I usualy go for an evil race, find a smaller race who i can crush easily, fight them for a bit and conquer the systems i want and know i can defend, then offer them a peace treaty where they pay me reperations for x amount of months, usually 60 or 120 depending on how wealthy they are, milk the cow but dont butcher it type stratagy.

that is just one way of bringing in a lot of extra money there are plenty of ways, you can stay above the line just by managing your finances, you should really look into it a bit more before coming to that opinion.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
I am checking with the stardock people now, but I think it is outside what they intend as the purpose of this forum.

While comparisons may be nice, Brad has been very consistant in stating that Galciv and MOO are two different games. A general attempt at comparison is not one that helps people understand the values of either game.

~SDC~
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
I agree. MOO and GalCiv have a space theme. That's about the extent of what they have in common. They are intirely different games. People who get it in hopes of it being a better MOO than MOO3 was will be dissapointed (at least in that respect).

~SDC~
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
Yes, but I think they will find Galciv a very good game, one they can enjoy along side the other games they enjoy.

~SDC~
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
I'm not looking for another MOO. I'm a general space strategy fan, back since my days in the early '90s playing Spaceward Ho! on the Mac. To say that MOO and GalCiv have no more in common than "a space theme" is just not true. They are both space strategy games, and as such have many similar features, though the implementation of them may differ greatly. It is in this implementation where I feel it is useful to compare MOO3 and GC, for the people who have played MOO3 and are trying to see how GC differs in gameplay.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
sebadoh,

While I agree with you generally about comparisons being a help, I think this is more appropriate on a reviewer's site. I think it is good to see a lot of interest in Galciv, regardless of the reason or source. I just don't think it is appropriate to demean a product that is under such heavy fire, regardless of the forum it appears in. And regardless of whether there is any intent at demeaning in any comparison, lets face it, it is very difficult to make comparisons without demeaning one or the other.

~SDC~
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Perhaps a better way of saying what I just posted: If someone asks if Galciv has "a" that is in SEIV, then this is the place to ask and answer.


~SDC~
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
Okay, well when is the demo coming out then? I can't really get my brain around how this game plays by reading about production queues..
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
I am not certain about GalCiv, as I have not played it. But I would NOT give MOO3 an 8. Or a 7. A 5.5 out of 10 might be appropriate. After mods and patches are released, I think it may get well up to 7.5 or so. We'll see. Overall a huge dissapointment for me. Convulated, confusing interface, screwy enemy AI, lack of info, POOR graphics (800x600? gotta be kidding me..), issues with your own AI, etc.. it all adds up to an extremely poor release. I have no idea what has been going on the last few years with MOO3, but as a serious MOO2 fan, I was sorely dissapointed. I'll repurchase it perhaps, once mods and patches are out, not certain yet. Playing on a 21" monitor with 800x600 graphics is *painful*.. :D

fleabitfox
Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top
Careful, fleabitfox. That almost sounds something like a review, which is apparently forbidden.

Joe
Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top
Space dust,

Thanks for the info. Is there a place where AARs from beta testers are located? I've found the AARs give me a much better feel for the play of the game than reading the user manual or the light-on-details overviews.
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top
Your welcome sebadoh. I don't rememeber many AARs by betatetsters (they are too bussy "testing" the game ;) ) I wrote one AAR a while back and posted it here in the forum but by the looks of it it got "pushed out" by all the new posts.

~SDC~