Ask the devs thread

[vahadar]

Hello again!

Well as i posted in off-topic i am wishing all the best for the development of this new game from our beloved strategy studio

I hope modding has been thought a lot with this game because i already have some crazy ideas just looking at the screenshots on Steam I'm thinking like a StarWars Empire at war clone since it seems we have a multilayer map (galaxy and planets).

I am very exited and waiting for more updates now!

edit : i have renamed the title of this thread from "Good luck with Galactic Ruler" to "Ask the devs thread", might help with forum clutering (or not? up to forum users and devs i guess )

[George Geczy]

Thank you!

I hope modding has been thought a lot with this game because i already have some crazy ideas just looking at the screenshots on Steam

Modding is definitely being kept in mind. We're making sure our documentation and modding tools will support GR, and will be adding more opportunities to mod the game. Steam Workshop support is also a target.

I'm thinking like a StarWars Empire at war clone since it seems we have a multilayer map (galaxy and planets).

GR is building on a lot of influences although I have to admit I haven't played Empire at War in a long time - however it has been getting a lot of mentions since our announcement so we'll definitely look at what fans liked and/or didn't like about that title. Although I don't think we can afford John Williams for our theme.

[vahadar]

I'm thinking like a StarWars Empire at war clone since it seems we have a multilayer map (galaxy and planets).

GR is building on a lot of influences although I have to admit I haven't played Empire at War in a long time - however it has been getting a lot of mentions since our announcement so we'll definitely look at what fans liked and/or didn't like about that title. Although I don't think we can afford John Williams for our theme.

Oh of course, i meant i am thinking of making such a mod myself when the game is out, not expecting it from BG English isnt my primary language, so my sentence above wasnt very clear about my intentions

[Snowpig]

Good luck from me too. How do you plan to distinguish from other 4X-games like Master of Orion, Stellaris, Galactic civilizations or Distant Worlds Universe?

Looking forward to some more detailed information

[George Geczy]

How do you plan to distinguish from other 4X-games like Master of Orion, Stellaris, Galactic civilizations or Distant Worlds Universe?

Obviously a lot has changed in this genre of games over the last ten years, so this is an excellent question. One of our biggest differentiations over other titles is tactical strategy at both the space and planetary levels - you have to worry as much about land forces taking a defended capital (as in SRU) as you do space forces defending an outpost, etc. Dozens of systems, potentially hundreds of planets, real time.

[Zuikaku]

What is the maximum number of systems the engine supports?

[George Geczy]

What is the maximum number of systems the engine supports?

The technical engine maximum is over 200 systems and about 5000 planets. Though we haven't tested the engine against the maximum specs yet.

Game lobby options will allow players to select galaxy size, average planet size, density, number of factions, etc. Not sure what defaults we'll use for the small/medium/large galaxy definitions yet.

[vahadar]

It is written that maps will be procedurally generated, but will it be possible to use a map editor to create a galaxy with systems and planets of your own, or does it works with a seed only? If the latest, will it be possible to specify a seed yourself like in many 4X games or procedurally generated games if we find some seeds that we like much or that we can share on forums?

[Snowpig]

How do you plan to distinguish from other 4X-games like Master of Orion, Stellaris, Galactic civilizations or Distant Worlds Universe?

Obviously a lot has changed in this genre of games over the last ten years, so this is an excellent question. One of our biggest differentiations over other titles is tactical strategy at both the space and planetary levels - you have to worry as much about land forces taking a defended capital (as in SRU) as you do space forces defending an outpost, etc. Dozens of systems, potentially hundreds of planets, real time.

Just to throw another two representants of this genre (4X): Imperium Galactica, which offers RTS-space and planetside and - sorry, this one is very old - Star Legions, which emphasizes on planetary invasions.

Another question from me: are you going to re-use your SR*-game engine or are you building GR „from scratch“?

[George Geczy]

It is written that maps will be procedurally generated, but will it be possible to use a map editor to create a galaxy with systems and planets of your own, or does it works with a seed only?

This is something we have discussed and planned for, but I think that at release it will only be possible to procedurally generate. There are some technical tool issues to being able to use the map editor to create a full galaxy.

If the latest, will it be possible to specify a seed yourself like in many 4X games or procedurally generated games if we find some seeds that we like much or that we can share on forums?

Yes, we will support specifying a procgen seed.

[George Geczy]

Another question from me: are you going to re-use your SR*-game engine or are you building GR „from scratch“?

Both - we are building upon the existing SR engine, especially for the planet-side tactical system, but are also adding a number of new elements for GR.

[vahadar]

It is written that maps will be procedurally generated, but will it be possible to use a map editor to create a galaxy with systems and planets of your own, or does it works with a seed only?

This is something we have discussed and planned for, but I think that at release it will only be possible to procedurally generate. There are some technical tool issues to being able to use the map editor to create a full galaxy.

Thank you, this raise another question. How will the current event system from supreme ruler be compatible with GR? I am thinking specifically about all those events that are using hex coordinates (to generate units, transfer hex or loyalty, test to check condition in hex and so on...), knowing now that the map is procedurally generated.

[Balthagor]

The evolution of the event system is an ongoing task. The current thinking is that allowing a "seed" system as part of procedural generation would allow a specific galaxy to be generated (or regenerated) where locations could be picked and assigned. Events that are not location based continue to function in the current version of the engine (wars, leaders, trades, etc.).

[Kristijonas]

Just my opinion:
I think you are making a big mistake by making the game depend on random map generator. The SR games are already rather characterless, but now it will be over the top in this regard. As devs you are briliant at some places, but giving your game a character is not one of your strong points and by doing this you will be shooting the game in the foot. By having a stable vanilla map, you would be able to create special areas, easter eggs, meaningful places that players could talk about and share their expressions on. If the game had no modding tools, that would be an excusable decision. Since the game will have great modding tools, I see the random map generation as a bad decision.

Additionally, it would be nice if it were decided to merge this game with SRU. Imagine starting in great war and then going up to the star wars age. Other planets would be there all along, just inaccessible without suitable technology. You could even race with other (alien?) civilizations as to who reaches space first and gets an upper hand in colonization efforts.

As someone mentioned, SRU economy is weird. Will it be different in GR? Or will a single manufacturing facility be able to support whole world's demand again?

[Zuikaku]

Space 4X game will work (and have replay value) without random galaxy generator only if it has vast (I mean million systems) pre-made galaxy with random starting points. Something like the galaxy from frontier first encounter.