Will Influence Area Visibility Be Fixed?

from GalCiv2 Forums
At turn one, your group can see jack. You might have star/planet locations, but you can't even see the border of your own influence. However, you can immediately see the location of the alien homeworlds and their spheres of influence. Is this intentional? Even for the humans? It might be a part of the backstory, but I'd like the ability to turn it off for my non-campaign games: it has a massive impact on the early game, and I want that 'what's out there' feeling you can't get when you know *exactly* whats out there. Thoughts?
34,074 views 27 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well, one thing that seeing it does do is allow one to decide whether the random map is good or needs a CTRL-N. In my games I usually refresh the map until no one is on each others' doorstep and everyone is in a decent star cluster. It can be more of a challenge to simply no know where everyone else is, of even if they're right next door, though. Of course, as an option, I agree that it wouldn't be bad to be able to turn off instant influence viewability.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yes, it's intentional, so there's nothing to "fix." If this strains your suspension of disbelief, consider the following:

1) According to the backstory, the Terrans have already been involved with the other civilizations.
2) If we're in communication with other civilizations, why shouldn't we know something basic about them, like where they live and thrive? E.T. showed Elliot, so one would expect these aliens would show us - if I can only find where I put my Speak & Spell ...
3) If we're in communication with other civilizations, why wouldn't we then ask them about their neighbors?
4) Even if we weren't in communication with other civilizations, if we have the technology to travel between stars, wouldn't it make sense that we'd be able to detect concentrations of communication signals? The game doesn't assume a beginning date of 2006, and it's quite believeable that our effective range of detection will grow in the future.

That said, it would be nice to have an option to completely fog out everything. Hopefully that will be a part of 1.1 or some future expansion.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Why the crap should it be fixed when its not broken? It works as intended. Read: designed.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Nothing more frustrating than OP-ignorance. I know it's part of the backstory (see OP), and I don't care. I don't want to play the story of GC2: I want to play a random game of space conquest and exploration, and my early-game moves are strongly governed by this magic, exact information on the movements of my enemies. I can even see when they colonise new worlds, even far away from their original position. Even though the influence borders aren't visible through the fog on the main screen, it's updated in real-time in the minimap. Can't the devs make up their mind? They're putting a no-tech-trade option, so why not a minimap-fog option? I don't really care about the starting-position issue: I've started in weak positions and won and strong positions and lost. I just *don't want to know* where people are, or what they're doing, unless I've got a ship there, or espionage, or something.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Given the technology of the time, it would only make sense that you would be able to pinpoint the locations of other stars. We, um, can do that now in the real world.

There is a technology that enables you to see planets - don't research it if you don't want to know where the planets are.

Also, if you don't toggle the influence button on the mini-map, then you won't know where the aliens are.

So, you really do have at your disposal the ability to do what you ask.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"Will Influence Area Visibility Be Fixed?" No beacuse its not a bug dumbass
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
hey guys no reason to be rude to the poster he is just explaining how he would like things to work.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm afraid I agree with the original poster's intent.

That's not to say I believe it's a bug - nor did the OP say it was a bug, he asked if it was intentional. (Ok, so he implied it needed fixing too - but calm down people!)

From in game perspective - people have mentioned that you know where other races stars are - thats well and good but how do you see their radius of influence? That's really not the same as knowing where their planets are.

From a game-play perspective - Knowing where their influence is causes people to spam the control&n to give themselves a better map. Ok, this might be what some people want but I think it highly slews the game in favour of the human. I've stopped doing it just because it pretty much guarantees a win. But I do wonder how many of the posts on these forums regarding how easy the game is for them actually relates to ctrl&n spamming to ensure a cosy expansion room at the start of the game. Secondly - you can turn it off but that doesn't stop the AI knowing where you and everyone else are - it's just a cosmetic overlay not a game option.

I would genuinely like to see it as an option at the start of the game. At present I don't feel like I am really exploring.... I am merely sending out ships to contact other races. If you could turn it off at the start it would add that X back into the game.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"Will Influence Area Visibility Be Fixed?" No beacuse its not a bug dumbass

How insightful....


I think Spearthrower covered it pretty well. I'd like the option to have influence hidden until the map has been explored.

Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Whether or not it is a bug or an intentional design feature, I'd like the option of having the fog cover the mini-map in influence mode. I've had to restart games because I accidentally had the button on at the start. I don't like knowing what the situation is till I explore the map.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
just turn off "show influence" in minimap options untill you feel like your allowed to.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Like I said, I sometimes have it on when I start a new map. This means that I have to throw out that map and start a new one. Very annoying.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Can't you just toggle off OWNERSHIP next to the mini map?
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

1) It's not a bug.

2) v1.1 will have an OPTION to not see alien influence until you explore their sector.

Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I know it's not a bug: it's a carryover from GC1, after all. The option is appreciated, thanks.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
2) v1.1 will have an OPTION to not see alien influence until you explore their sector.


Not sure if you are still awake (if so... GO TO BED!! ).... but will this also affect the AI... will they know where everyone's influence is?

Just checking!


just turn off "show influence" in minimap options untill you feel like your allowed to.


If it worked for the AI too, I would. As it is, it's an optional overlay... not an option.
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Going to bed in just a sec..

But right now, the AI doesn't know where players are. So blind exploration is always the norm for them anyway.

Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
But right now, the AI doesn't know where players are. So blind exploration is always the norm for them anyway.


Oh! I didn't know that! Well that makes turning off the influence overlay worthwhile then! Cheers and apologies to zela!
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
There is an option to turn it off on the mini-map its default is 'on'. Oh wait. Someone beat me to that.

If you never use Ctrl-N then you know what you're doing. If you, like me believe randomness can give you a very unfair start sometimes, seeing the aliens at the start gives an indication of if its possible you have a fair start. Sometimes you really get shafted. A lone system and no stars around while your opponents have clusters on clusters close by. I don't trust the map generator enough to go totally blind every time.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
In Gal Civ 1 you were completely blind like is being requested. On the highest level though the AI knew where everything was but you did not. You would have to play 20 minutes to discover you had no chance to win and the AI had gone straight to the best planets. This way is fair to both sides and you don't waist time starting on an impossible map. Win at the highest level before you start to worry about having to much of advantage.
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hilarious. I should turn off knowing where everyone is... after the game has started, and I know where everyone is. Why didn't I think of that?

I don't use CTRL-N because I don't believe in fair fights. Interesting games don't come from everyone being evenly spaced with identical numbers of nearby stars. I enjoy the challenge of being forced into different playstyles by circumstance, and I don't feel the need to dominate from the get-go. I guess that makes me a horrible person.
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think the problem is, some people would like to check the ownership minimap for EXPLORED space, but not UNEXPLORED space, but currently it doesn't do this. I'm quite glad there will be an option to adjust this in the next patch.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks, Brad.

(And yes, EvilMuppet, that is exactly what I want)
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah, it's odd when the main screen displays influence bars disappearing into unexplored space, but the minimap has all influence everywhere displayed, and updated in realtime. Heaven forbid people want a new way to play.
Reply #25 from Stardock Forums Top
Hilarious. I should turn off knowing where everyone is... after the game has started, and I know where everyone is. Why didn't I think of that?


When my games start, I have no clue where everyone is. I am not sure if my game is setup differently than yours, but I am not able to tell if an alien race is in the solar system next to mine, unless I explore it or turn ON the influence button on the mini-map. All of my games start with this as being OFF.