What is going on?

from GalCiv3 Forums

Ok, I am brand new to GC 3 here and I've quickly come to realize there is a massive difference between GC2 and 3.  I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong here, how the computer has such a massive advantage.  I just got the game 2 weeks ago, debated asking for a refund as I wasn't overly impressed on the tutorial.  Literally having to figure everything out.  So, I started a game, put it on beginner for the easiest play level so I could try to experiment with things and see things.  Here at turn 111, which to me is fairly short in terms of a game, I was declared war on by the Krynn and immediately hit with huge capital ships with 1200 hps, 59 mass damage, and some ridiculous shield protection level (I forget but like 60).  How in the heck are they so far advanced technologically? I mean I am barely 3 or 4 techs into the various trees. Haven't even unlocked a small ship hull, much less weapons that could dish out that kind of damage.  I mean seriously, I stand zero chance.  If this is beginner then I'm trying to figure out how you could ever win a game.

31,533 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

They shouldn't have ships like that that early, unless they hired one of the more powerful mercenaries and it was just one ship?

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

If you want helpful advice on transitioning from gc2 to gc3, I would recommend reading this thread.

edit: I quickly reread my suggestions on the thread, since it is many months old and there have been some important patches since:

early colonizing: Not quite as important anymore, but if you end up with half the number of worlds your ai opponents have, you should figure out way to colonize more worlds.

Economy wheel and coercion: Contrary to what was suggested in said thread, coercion now sets in as soon as you stray from 33%/33%/33% distribution of manufacturing/research/wealth. 40/40/20 is still quite good I think.

Here at turn 111, which to me is fairly short in terms of a game, I was declared war on by the Krynn and immediately hit with huge capital ships with 1200 hps, 59 mass damage, and some ridiculous shield protection level (I forget but like 60).
End of quote
I would be happy if they did this on my modded genius difficulty. If your beginner difficulty opponent does this there is something wrong.

Maybe you got confused by the interface, could you give us a screenshot?

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

In one of my last games the Yor declared war on me around turn 150 (or earlier, I can't remember exactly) and came at me with large ships (when I was only barely able to build small ships) with 400 hp (because I modded the ship sizes and large has 400 hp in my mod) and a lot more firepower than I had. Luckily they sent those ships only individually and only a handful of them, so I could finally overwhelm them with large fleets. I never saw someone use such big ships this early in the game. This was on an insane map with gifted AIs.

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

For those seeing large/huge ships early game, if you have the Mercenaries DLC enabled, make sure that those ships aren't hired mercenaries. In my games when I'm seeing this happen, more often than not it is a hired gun.

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Avatar137, reply 4

For those seeing large/huge ships early game, if you have the Mercenaries DLC enabled, make sure that those ships aren't hired mercenaries. In my games when I'm seeing this happen, more often than not it is a hired gun.
End of Avatar137's quote

Since in my game there were several identical ships it could not be mercenaries. Also I can tell the difference ;)

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Thanks for jumping in folks.  I double checked and yes, every AI was on beginner level.  Also, it was multiple ships, 2 different ones for sure as 2 different ship groups got hit on same turn that were quite a distance apart.  They could have had more, I gave up at that point as there was no way I was going to be able to overcome that. I don't think they were mercenaries since it was 2 ships with the exact same stats. 

I'm running the game with all the DLC that was available at the moment.  No special mods or additions at this point.

Thanks for the thread link, I'll take a look at it.  Thought I would be able to just figure it out by muddling through a few games on super easy mode but I guess not.  I was severely shocked by that.  Maybe it was just a fluke.  Right now I'm quite confused by the tech trees and how to best build a planet.  I'm curious how important everything is and how important is it to specialize a planet for say all research since you get bonuses for planting same buildings next to each other.

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting lyssailcor, reply 5
Since in my game there were several identical ships it could not be mercenaries. Also I can tell the difference ;)
End of lyssailcor's quote

 

Hey, didn't mean to imply that you couldn't! :D Just wanted to rule that out as I see it in my games.

Reply #8 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

It sounds like you had a one-off situation. I'd fire up a new game.

 

It's good to be diplomatic in your race traits and also to build embassies and diplomatic modules on starbases, as well as researching diplo techs. That usually keeps all potential enemies except maybe the Drengin or other baddies at bay.

 

Cheers,

Capt. Beefheart

Reply #9 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Avatar137, reply 7


Quoting lyssailcor,
reply 5
Since in my game there were several identical ships it could not be mercenaries. Also I can tell the difference ;)



 

Hey, didn't mean to imply that you couldn't! :D Just wanted to rule that out as I see it in my games.

End of Avatar137's quote

No offence taken :)

Reply #10 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I was on the tutorial so I fired up an actual game, playing as Terrans.  Still on beginner but I haven't seen any of those massive ships.  Right now I'm trying to figure out how to get research going because techs are taking insanely long.  Like I went the missile route and Harpoon is only the 2nd missile and it's like 43 weeks to research.  I'm not sure how much I need to be putting on planets or if I should just be dedicating whole planets to nothing but research, econ, pop, and production.  I'm several hundred turns into the game and only producing around 350 research and my econ isn't very strong either, only a little over 100 per turn profit.  With info tech invasion costing 1000 it's hard to keep much money.

Reply #11 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

A couple things to remember adjacencies count when connecting buildings. Put same building types together. Factories are more important. An all farm planet will not work. Like in two trade. Declare friendship whenever possible. Planetary resources the first bonus is for on the tile. The second bonus is for adjacency. Stargazer are even more important. Get duranthium build duranthium refineries on all your manufacturing world's. Unless your the yor power plants are really important for adjacencies. Thalamus ,and Iconian tech trees are the best. Shipyards it is helpful to have three as soon as you colonise three star systems. Use constructors don't build them on the planet.

 

Reply #12 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting lokblaze, reply 10

I'm not sure how much I need to be putting on planets or if I should just be dedicating whole planets to nothing but research, econ, pop, and production.
End of lokblaze's quote
Hmm, specialization is not a bad idea. Do keep in mind, that you need population on any kind of world. The more economic starbases your world has, the more population you should have on it.

Also, don't think too much about upgrading factories etc. Building a new basic factory is a lot more beneficial, especially if it has adjacency to a present one or your colony/civilization capital.

Don't overinvest in wealth. Rush buying stuff is way less efficient than just producing it. I usually don't build wealth worlds at all and cover my expenses through trade and tourism.

What would be interesting to see is in what order you researched stuff early in the game and what you used your starting money on.