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Sins of a Solar Empire II to Release on Steam this Summer

Sequel to beloved strategy title features new asymmetric playstyles, dynamically changing maps, deeper tactical combat, expanded strategic depth, and more Wishlist Sins of a Solar Empire II on Steam The battle for galactic supremacy continues as Stardock and Ironclad Games will bring Sins of a Solar Empire II to Steam this Summer. Sins of a Solar Empire II seamlessly combines real-time strategy and 4X depth, delivering sprawling empires, huge tactical fleet battles, an... [read more]

5/1/2024 By redskittlesonly in Sins of a Solar Empire News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #56 - Ship Types

Ship Types are a way of classifying the base model hull that a Ship Class is built upon, and hold their own special bonus too. We took a look at Ship Classes last week , but today we’ll go through the various Ship Types available in Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova, including those added in the new Warlords expansion. While Colony Ships, Constructors and Miners are all technically Ship Types too, we’re just going to focus on combat vessels this time around. Ship Types can be organ... [read more]

4/30/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #55 - Ship Classes

Excluding more abstract notions of war (such as dominating the economy, culture flipping planets with Influence and so on), when the protagonists of Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova engage in kinetic warfare, there are two main theatres: planetary invasions and fleet battles, the latter of which we’re going to cover today by examining how we now approach ship design. The core of the new and improved fleet combat mechanics, added in v2.5, is the introduction of the Ship Class, replacin... [read more]

4/23/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

NOW OUT: Warlords Expansion & v2.5 “Ares” Update for Galactic Civilizations IV

New Features Include: War Aims, Combat Doctrines, Invasion Tactics, New Ship Components, New Technologies, A New Battle Viewer and much more Get GalCiv IV Now | Warlords Expansion Stardock has released a major expansion pack for its popular space 4X game, Galactic Civilizations IV. Galactic Civilizations IV: Warlords adds a host of new features including War Aims, Combat Doctrines, Invasion Tactics, New Ship Components, New Technologies, a new Battle ... [read more]

4/18/2024 By redskittlesonly in GalCiv News

v2.5 & Warlords Expansion Guided Tour

v2.5 and the Warlords Expansion is now available, and we're excited to share the ins and outs. Check out my guided tour below: Our prior dev journal gave a preview of what to expect from the Warlords Expansion. This week’s dev journal is a guided tour what is new for both the v2.5 ‘Ares’ update and Warlords, including an improved tech tree, QOL improvements to in-game lighting, an upgraded battle viewer, and much, much, more… Updated Visuals We have adjusted lighting and added point li... [read more]

4/18/2024 By Frogboy in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

v2.5 'Ares' vs. Warlords Expansion Comparison Chart

Today we released the launch of the v2.5 'Ares' update and the Warlords Expansion. This release introduces a range of new features to enhance player experience. The v2.5 update offers a preview into the Warlords Expansion, with certain features available to all players and others exclusive to the expansion. For clarity on what's included in the v2.5 update versus what's exclusive to the Warlords Expansion, please refer to the chart below. Feature GalCiv IV ... [read more]

4/18/2024 By redskittlesonly in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Quick thoughts on Warlords from the designer

I've been saying this a lot to design teams lately: There is no subsitute for playing the game and then playing the game some more and then playing it still more. And Warlords really shows that. Now, those of you who get it right away are in for a particular treat that you should take advantage of as much as you can while you can: There are a lot of absolutely crazy ship components in this that we have balanced as best we can but I can tell you right now, I there are going to be some... [read more]

4/17/2024 By Frogboy in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #54 - Warlords Preview

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova’s version 2.5 update drops on April 18th and will be accompanied by the release of our third DLC “Warlords”, an expansion focusing on improving the game's warfare systems. v2.5 brings in a lot of changes to space combat and invasions, and the way warfare is carried out in general, and Warlords opens up a lot more content in each one of these systems, adding many exciting new ship components to wreck your enemies with! Today we’re going to take a ver... [read more]

4/9/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #53 - Abilities & the Intueri

Each civilization in Galactic Civilization’s IV: Supernova is constructed from a set of building blocks, either predefined and later edited by a player, as with our Core Civilizations, or selected by the player when making a custom civ. Biology, Citizen species, Cultural Focus, their starting Planet Type, Commander Ships and more are all selected to craft a specific playstyle for the civilization. The two cornerstone mechanical building blocks of this system, which most strongly inform the w... [read more]

4/2/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Crains Detroit Business Interviews Stardock

'We're the most famous company you've never heard of': A conversation with Michigan's oldest video game developer By Anna Fifelski Brad Wardell, 52, founded Stardock Corp. in 1991 as an undergraduate student at Western Michigan University. Decades later, it is the largest software and video game development company in Michigan. Later this year, Stardock will release the fourth version of its simulation game, The Political Machine, as well as an expansion for Galactic C... [read more]

3/26/2024 By redskittlesonly in Stardock Entertainment Announcements

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #52 - Moving People

In our recent update version 2.4 Populi we initiated some big changes to the way Citizens are generated and handled in the AlienGPT system, which we detailed in last week’s developer journal . This time around we’re going to look at another important feature added in Populi, the ability to move your population around your vast and sprawling civilization using an all new Citizen Transport system, and some ideas that you can use as a base for your own strategies surrounding Citizens. Be... [read more]

3/26/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Empires and Intrigues Update - Sins of a Solar Empire II

Sins of a Solar Empire II: Empires and Intrigues Update In a significant update that promises to reshape the strategic landscape of Sins of a Solar Empire II, developers have introduced a slew of enhancements and new features aimed at enriching the player experience. The March update focuses on expanding gameplay dynamics through the introduction of a new Minor Faction and Influence system, an updated Research system, and much more, including support for up to 10 players and addition of ... [read more]

3/21/2024 By redskittlesonly in Sins of a Solar Empire News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #51 - Citizens in AlienGPT

Last week, Frogboy introduced Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova v2.4 update named Populi and gave a very brief overview of its features. Today, I thought I’d expand a little on how it works and showcase a few more examples. In summary, AlienGPT will now generate the name and description for your Citizens to match the custom civilization details it produces for you. It’ll then select an appropriate Citizen portrait to give a face to your people, with the number of Citizen types expanded to... [read more]

3/19/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Get Up to 80% Off Stardock Titles on Games and Software

The Steam Spring Sale is Here - Get Up to 80% Off* STEAM KEYS ARE PROVIDED WITH PURCHASE FEATURED TITLES ON SALE: Galactic Civilizations IV $49.99 Now $39.99 PRE-PURCHASE BONUS: The Political Machine 2024 Free DLC w/Pre-Order $19.99 Star Control: Origins $29.99 Now $8.99 Galactic Civilizations III ( Includes FREE: Crusade and Retribution Expansions, Mega Events DLC)... [read more]

3/14/2024 By redskittlesonly in Stardock Entertainment Announcements

v2.4 Populi Tour for GalCiv IV: Supernova

AlienGPT Citizens The Create Civilization screen has gotten a major uplift. More space for your description and AlienGPT will pick your citizens, personality, citizen description, and more. A few examples: And yes It’s a very complex, cutting edge setup that we’re still working some kinks out of as these large language models have a mind of their own. Galactic News Network Upgrade The GNN Report has been move dover to the status screen on the right so that it does... [read more]

3/12/2024 By Frogboy in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

v2.4 “Populi” Update Now Available for Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova

Major Features: Custom Citizen Races via AlienGPT , Core World Travel for Citizens Our latest major update for Galactic Civilizations IV v2.4, dubbed the "Populi” update introduces custom Citizen Races, Citizen transportation, UI upgrades, and improves language support. We have listened intently to community feedback and the v2.4 “Populi” update includes our most requested feature for AlienGPT, custom generate... [read more]

3/12/2024 By redskittlesonly in GalCiv News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #50 - Terran Tactics

The Terran Alliance have had a tough time in the Galactic Civilizations universe: with the optimism, and some might say naivety, of a new species discovering they were not alone in the galaxy for the very first time, mankind shared their advanced technology “Hyperdrive” with the Arceans. Those precious plans were stolen by Drengin spies and from there, this advanced technology for rapid space travel was sold, hacked or otherwise disseminated to the other races out across the Centauron sector, a... [read more]

3/12/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #49 - Children of Altaria

In the last developer journal we took a look at the Drath Freehold, a race of ancient dragon-like creatures forcibly removed from their ancient homeworld of Altaria by the Mithrilar, only to be replaced by another new civilization who became known as the Altarians. These philosophically minded blue skinned humanoids bear an uncanny resemblance to the humans of the Terran Alliance and Terran Resistance, and there’s more to their past than meets the eye! Like several of the other civilizati... [read more]

3/5/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Community Challenge Unveiled: "Flight of the Phalenoids" for GalCiv IV: Supernova

In an exciting turn of events for the Galactic Civilizations IV community, a new challenge has been launched that promises to test the mettle of both novice and veteran players alike. Dubbed "Flight of the Phalenoids," this scenario sets the stage for an epic struggle for survival, with players taking the helm of the Phalenoid civilization to stave off impending doom. Join the Challenge The "Flight of the Phalenoids" community challenge offers a rich tapestry of strategic p... [read more]

2/27/2024 By redskittlesonly in GalCiv News

Sins II: Dev Journal 11 - The TEC Rebel Ragnarov Titan

We finish up our look at TEC warships with the Rebel’s Ragnarov-class titan. The Ragnarov truly embodies the hostile philosophy of the Rebel faction with its numerous weapon points and built-in rail gun. Even without upgrades, the Ragnarov is a fearsome weapon of war. Making up the bulk of the ship is its integrated gun which can inflict widespread damage. On top of that, the Ragnarov features multiple heavy gauss cannons and autocannons. Initial armament: 12 x Gauss Cannon Turret... [read more]

2/22/2024 By Yarlen in Sins Dev Journals

Steam Playtest Now Available for The Political Machine 2024

Pre-order Customers can now Participate in the Steam Playtest Pre-Order Now Pre-Order Customers; Get into the Playtest Stardock announced that the latest iteration of its hit political strategy series, The Political Machine 2024 entered its playtest phase today. The g ame, which allows players to simulate a run for the American presidency, features an updated roster of politicians and introduces new gameplay mechanics that reflect the ever-evolving land... [read more]

2/21/2024 By redskittlesonly in Political Machine News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #48 - Survivors of Elemental

The Drath are an ancient species in the Galactic Civilizations universe, and alongside the Altarians, a long hated rival, they evolved on the planet of Altaria a long, long time ago. Strange rumours and whispered legends amongst both the Altarians and the Drath hint that Altaria may have once been known by another name, but if the lore-masters of each race know more, they’re not letting on. Unceremoniously exiled from their homeworld in millennia past by a strength far beyond theirs, the ... [read more]

2/21/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #47 - The Exiles of Iconia

The history of the Galactic Civilizations universe is replete with tragedy, and the desperate Iconians are no exception. After spending their lives in service to a Precursor race known as the Arnor and creating themselves synthetic servants called the Yor to further their aims, an Arnor splinter faction called the Dread Lords gave the Yor sentience and set them on the Iconians in an epic act of spite, driving them off their beautiful homeworld of Iconia. As the events of Galactic Civil... [read more]

2/20/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova - v2.31 Stability and Enhancement Update

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova v2.31 The Stability and Enhancement Update Full Changelog | Get GalCiv IV: Supernova We're excited to share with you the details of our latest update, v2.31. While this update doesn't introduce new features, it focuses on enhancing your gameplay experience through a series of important bug fixes, stability improvements, and performance tweaks. Core Improvements: Ship movement in battles has ... [read more]

2/15/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv News

The Art of War Update - Sins of a Solar Empire II

The Art of War: A Symphony of Shield, Armor, and Hull Update is Now Available The latest update for Sins of a Solar Empire II brings a series of significant changes to the game's combat model, aiming to enhance the strategic depth and clarity of space warfare. Here's what you need to know about the revamped mechanics now taking effect in the interstellar battlefield: Full Changelog Here Three-Tiered Effective Health System In a move to add co... [read more]

2/15/2024 By redskittlesonly in Sins of a Solar Empire News

Steam Playtest Coming Soon for The Political Machine 2024

Game Release Update / Playtest Info The game was originally slated to release later this month Feb 2024, however after much deliberation we have made the decision to delay the game to late Spring 2024. This decision was not made lightly. Due to changing dates in the political landscape, we felt our release best aligns with the late Spring date. Beyond that, the general scope of the original project has increased for the better, with a visual overhaul, new features and more. However, to e... [read more]

2/13/2024 By redskittlesonly in Political Machine News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #46 - Expanding the Drengin Empire

In the previous episode of this short series covering the races of the Centauron sector, we covered the cautious and wary Torians, an unfortunate aquatic race that were once enslaved and turned into a tasty food source by today’s featured Galactic Civilization, the oppressive and malevolent Drengin Empire! Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the unique tools that the Drengin bring to bear in their attempts to subjugate those around them! As one of the oldest Civilizations in the gal... [read more]

2/13/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Video Dev Blog #12 - Shrimp Syndicate's Economic Banzai!

The Shrimp Syndicate: Masters of Eco-Economics in a Hostile Galaxy In the vast expanse of the cosmos, the survival of a civilization hinges on its economic prowess and industrial strength. Today, we delve into the remarkable journey of the Shrimp Syndicate, a faction that has risen from the ashes of ecological disaster to become a beacon of economic success in the galaxy. I've had the unique opportunity to witness their story unfold, and I'm here to share with you how this civi... [read more]

2/9/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #45 - The Torians' New Toys

In recent developer journals, we’ve examined some of the new Improvements and homeworld Events added to the original Centauron sector races introduced in the first Galactic Civilization’s games way back in the mid 1990s. This week, we’ll ask the Torian Regime to step forwards into the spotlight and take a bow, as we examine some of the new tools and toys they get to use in their own efforts towards becoming the greatest galactic civilization! The Torians were a peaceful Aquatic species t... [read more]

2/6/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #44 - New Improvements for the Arcean Republic

A couple of weeks ago we took a look at the synthetic Yor Singularity, a civilization of organic-life hating robots with an axe to grind against… well, basically everybody else other than themselves. Playing the bad guy can be fun, but sometimes a civilization can be dangerous without necessarily being so fundamentally malevolent. This time around we’re going to look at another of the original Civilizations from the Galactic Civilizations series: the Arcean Republic, a carbon-based speci... [read more]

1/30/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Steam Weekend Deal: 20% Off Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Edition

Steam Weekend Deal: 20% Off Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Edition Ends January 29, 2024, at 1PM EST Get it Now Galactic Civilizations IV continues the legacy of the series, allowing players to guide a civilization to interstellar glory. With a rich strategic layer, numerous alien races, and a galaxy teeming with opportunities and threats, the game offers a complex and engaging experience for strategy enthusiasts. We've been hard at work improving the game. Recent ma... [read more]

1/25/2024 By redskittlesonly in Stardock Entertainment Announcements

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #43 - Diplomacy & Surrender

Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova version 2.3, titled “War & 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 became locked into a war with a rival and had no logical benefit to disengaging or calling for peace. Consequently, the warring civilization had to fight it out and destroy the belligerent faction completel... [read more]

1/22/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Galactic Civilizations IV: v2.3 War & Peace Update Now Available

War & Peace Update Brings Peace Negotiations, AI Enhancements, and Expanded Accessibility in v2.3 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. New features include: New Peace Negotiation Events: Players can now engage in a variety o... [read more]

1/18/2024 By redskittlesonly in GalCiv News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #42 - Spotlight on the Yor Singularity

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 them... [read more]

1/15/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

Vasari Exodus: Invaders from the Dark Update - Sins of a Solar Empire II

The Vasari Exodus: Invaders from the Dark Update Now Available Unleashing Mobile Civilization Capabilities, Planet-Devouring Resource Tactics, the Formidable New Starbase and Exodus Titan The Vasari Exodus isn't just another faction; it represents a fundamental shift in gameplay. With the ability to become a fully mobile civilization, the Vasari Exodus challenges conventional tactics and strategies. Once players unlock the necessary technology, they can mobilize their entire ... [read more]

1/11/2024 By redskittlesonly in Sins of a Solar Empire News

GalCiv IV: Video Dev Blog #11 - Your Opening Moves

4X Strategy Games: A Deep Dive into Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova for Beginners 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 tim... [read more]

1/10/2024 By redskittlesonly in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #41 - Managing a Large Game

A common complaint found in the 4X genre among its player-base, old and new, is that eventually their large and expansive empire becomes a chore to manage, with many military units to individually control and too many colonies or cities to build, leading to the player losing their connection with the game as it begins to feel more like work than play. We still see some complaints about this in our games too, and while we’re not claiming to have solved the issue forever in the GalCiv series, ... [read more]

1/8/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #40 - Return of the Korath

I hope by now that you’ve all had a chance to check out both the free v2.2 Ethnology update, which brought in a host of new features (including a greatly improved and better looking user-interface) and the first paid content DLC for Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova: Tales of Centauron . Frogboy and I have detailed the highlights of the v2.2 update in the past three developer journals, so today we’re going to take a quick look at the Return of the Korath mission included with Tales ... [read more]

1/3/2024 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

GalCiv IV v2.2 Holiday Update

Hat tip to @Cephandrius for sending us his saved game. There was a case where you could get a stuck AI turn because it assumed it would always be able to build a designed ship. But in 2.2, we introduced the concept of the AI building the BEST ship even if it couldn't be built right then. So in rare cases, the AI wouldn't have any ships it could build. This update fixes it. And since we were fixing that bug, we decided to include something many of you have asked for: Better map generation. Thi... [read more]

12/27/2023 By Frogboy in GalCiv News

GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #39 - Fleet Management Tools

In last week’s dev-journal #38, Frogboy touched on an important change to the way Fleets are handled that we’ve implemented in Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova’s v2.2 “Ethnology” update. Today we’re going to take a closer look at the new Fleet Management user-interface. v2.2 was an update largely driven by player feedback and managing large fleets, often comprising of dozens of individual ships, wasn’t always the smoothest experience, particularly in the late game when a GalCiv game t... [read more]

12/27/2023 By BATTLEMODE in GalCiv IV Dev Journals

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