Yeah that's what counts, strong AI + challenging gameplay + functional interface + suitable for adults.

My strategy always involved sensor ships (tradehulls) prowling around (to always see what the AI is doing), extremely fast, lightly armed fighters that can strike where the AI has no defenses, and of course slow interceptors with extreme firepower for the defense of my planets.

Well, to be honest, GC2 is in many ways Master of Orion II (which still rocks) but more pimped out, some more options in all aspects of the game, some more variety, and better looks, and with the added benefit of designing the look of the ship as well as the weapons/systems

I've found GC2 as bit exploitable, which is a shame, it's fun though.
But for the real startegy stuff I'd also go for the Paradox games, especially Hearts of Iron

good ship designs to do at or shortly after startup are:

explorer/scout:
cargo hull with survey module, 2 or 3 sensors, 1 life support and all the engines you can conveniently stick on there

faster colony ship: This game is all about getting as many planets asap, so faster colony ships give you an edge over the AI

Thats correct, build fast ships for the colony rush. But with the expansion you get radioactive worlds and such that can only be settled later in the game when you have developed the technology.

Concerning exploits, that's also correct. I had a nasty habit of restarting until my initial world had a 700% manufacturing bonus and until I had an advantageous star distribution. But the simply solution turned out simply not to do it, or to limit myself to generating three galaxies and saving each, then I would have to chose one.

Another thing was that the anomalies were created only at the beginning of the game, I would have preferred to get them to appear randomly or dependent of technology.

I didn't do these things. Not much in advantages for my starting planet. I am by no means king, but I think anyone that actually attacked will be sorry.

I've taken the Yor down from being #1 on the list to #7 with my nearly indestructable (from their perspective) cruisers though. Pimped out with many phasors, the cruisers can wipe out a small frigate fleet while taking only a few HP damage. I got fast troop transports with 2500 capacity too, so the cruiser goes in, wipes the defenders clean, and then I invade. Picked up 2 more worlds last night. I would have done more, but the Dread Lords paid a visit. Slowed all my plans down to almost nill.

-S

Just had my tiny little fighters (not even my best version) take on an enemy fleet - they lost! One of the enemy ships was even a Frigate!

-S

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/8135/gc23nz1.jpg

My guess is your little fighters are so good because you reached technologically omnipotence. How about raising the difficulty by 1-2 notches? As we agreed before, this is good old strategy and a players competence will grow drastically with time.

In my opinion, they aren't strong enough yet! :D My current version now has 7 hit points of damage capacity, and has the best armor, the best shields, and best missile defense the tech tree has to offer!

My tech rating was 168 last I checked. These Yor guys I've pretty much ground into nothing militarily. I'm now just slowly taking over their planets as I wipe them out.

-S

Hah! the old restarting trick :D I never actually do that because I once watched a friend play Birth of the Federation, he spent the entire night restarting after 15 turns because the desired planets weren't withing initial range....after 30 restarts or so I called him insane :lol:

I think it's fair to use the ship customization to beat the AI on higher difficulties, but if I find out it gets silly I'll limit myself in that too.

I guess I can understand the problem your friend had. I also wanted to have my planets in range of each other so I don't have to spend the whole game scrolling and flying around. I also never liked to have other factions planets in my sector. Imo the random generator turns out mostly unbalanced worlds where you are either overpowered or really handicapped, maybe the art is to chose one where the game gets really challenging. Might try that next time and chose my galaxy accordingly ..

They put my current game in a gigantic galaxy smack dab in the middle almost. I control almost no special star bases (only one matter of fact) so I am at a disadvantage, but I'm trying to make that up from a technological perspective.

The fun part is taking what you are given, no matter how bad, and running with it. I am sort of making this work, and I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel in a way that I think I can deafeat all the other races, though there is still a harrowing balance if I can make it successful. I cannot afford to be attacked by more than 2 factions at once. To take that on might be the death of me. Diplomacy is being used to the fullest extent!

-S

I just went and started a gigantic galaxy game, but it was obvious fairly quickly that I was going to have a huge confrontation with one of my own custom races since their territory roughly backed me into a corner

The worst part, they are the early military expansion custom race, whereas I was playing a bunch of isolasionist pacifists... :88) I was doomed....

D'OH! oh well, win some lose some :D

I'm currently playing the Dark Avatar version. i wonder if normal is any different? I've never played the original.

-S

What is up with the Snathi? Crap! Little evil squirrels that breed military ships like rabbits! Got to knock them out fast now. They are spreading way too far!

Been using them for free money from old technology that I sell them. They somehow know how to rake in the cash fast! Much faster than me, yet they only have one planet and a bunch of starbases?

-S

I think they are limited to only 1 planet so you can dispose of them. And I love the event when they steal the technology of the most advanced race and sell it to everyone. It's these small details that explain why the game stays interesting even long after the mid game.

The Snathi. LOL.

http://www.galciv2.com/screenshots/g...y/PowerD59.jpg

Dark Avatar here too, normal misses out on some features like the toxic/radiated etc. planets. In the original I've also never had one of my own custom races appear as a random opponent.

Get Twilight of the Arnor, it adds a lot in terms of gameplay and visuals, I also heard there is a new expansion aroud the corner.

Just ordered Twilight of the anor.

\o/

You bloody lot made me though.

Also:

GalCiv2: 4.5 Hours spent designing ships, .5 Hours spent smashing end turn.

Look at the bright side - you get an auto ship designer in this one and it even automagically names it!

-S

I turned it off because its annoying and unnessesary.

Besides building your own ships is the best thing about Gal-civ 2.

Usually I just design a few base designs and then I can easily retrofit them for other uses and upgrades.

For example both colony ships and Freighters would be required to make atmospheric desents (trading and colonizing) so refitting a colony ship into a cargo ship wouldn't be hard.

Also an early Variation of my Screamer Class Frigate, the wings (In rp theory) twist around and allow the ship to fight in atmospheric conditions like a Helocopter

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...ghtfrigate.jpg

I love this game from stardock. I enjoy creating my uber ships hehehe. Overly large killers hehehe.

Great game cheap and Free from DRMs!!! :rock: