https://store.steampowered.com/app/1357210/Galactic_Civilizations_IV/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2671160/Galactic_Civilizations_IV__Megastructures/

The next technological leap for galactic empires is here. Today, Stardock officially releases Galactic Civilizations IV: Megastructures, bringing new opportunities for players to harness the power of stars and create powerful late-game structures.

“Megastructures brings powerful new late-game options that we think players will really enjoy,” said Brad Wardell, CEO, Stardock Entertainment. “Too often in 4X strategy games, trailing players have their fate set near the end of the game; but with Megastructures we give players the opportunity to turn the tables on those sitting comfortably in first.”

While Megastructures can be beneficial, they will present their own challenges with resource management and political situations to navigate. Savvy players who are able to effectively allocate their materials will be able to harness the full potential of Dyson Spheres, Ringworlds, the Stellar Nexus, and Stellar Gateways to achieve ultimate victory!

The pinnacle of technology, Megastructures are powerful structures capable of tipping the cosmic scales in your favor. Each Megastructure has something unique to offer and your decision on which to build can have drastic implications.

Dyson Spheres are the ultimate energy engines that drive your civilization’s evolution through fueling massive Megastructures that redefine your empire. The color of a Dyson Sphere’s host star dictates its potential Energy Output making Energy-rich white stars a valuable resource.

The Stellar Nexus will be the core of your civilization and can be customized to become a Megastructure with many possible powerful benefits. A Stellar Nexus can be upgraded into a powerful new form by installing a Nexus Augment. These Nexus Augments provide various potent effects based on the color of the Nexus' host star and are divided into three tiers denoting the strength and range of their effects.

Instantly link distant black holes to revolutionize travel. These powerful Megastructures develop new avenues for military maneuvering, rapid expansion, and even extended trade routes. Additionally, civilizations with Stellar Gateways can forge greater alliances with the Open Gateways Treaty which will allow fleets from either faction to utilize their respective Gateways.

Build colossal, Class 39 artificial ring planets to house immense populations and secure your civilization’s future. Much like the Stellar Nexus, Ringworlds are influenced by the color of their host stars and provide different tile bonuses accordingly. By constructing these gigantic habitable rings, you can ensure that your civilization will never run out of planets to inhabit and forever make your mark on the galaxy.

Uncover cosmic secrets with all new quests and events designed to introduce the awesome features of Galactic Civilizations IV’s latest expansion. Discover Ruined Ringworlds and use their ancient technology to make powerful breakthroughs in Megastructure engineering.

• New Improvements: Harness ancient Ringworld technology to create powerful new Improvements to enhance your colonies and outpace the competition.
  
• New Orbitals: Further utilize the technology found in Ruined Ringworlds to extend the reach of your colonies beyond by building new Orbital Improvements. Additionally, the same technology can now be used to upgrade existing Orbital Improvements to create unstoppable colonies and core worlds.
  
• New Ship Components: Build bigger, more powerful ships using cutting-edge technologies inspired by this ancient race of builders.

Each megastructure presents unique benefits and challenges, requiring careful planning and resource management to meet your empire's needs. As your influence grows, rival empires will take notice, leading to new diplomatic interactions, potential alliances, or conflicts. The Megastructures expansion invites players to think bigger and bolder, redefining the scale and scope of their galactic ambitions in Galactic Civilizations IV.

Full Changelog

• Enhanced Galaxy Map Experience: Enjoy a more immersive journey with our revamped Galaxy Maps, designed to deliver captivating layouts and optimize player positioning for strategic gameplay.
  
• Stunning Visual Upgrades: Dive into a breathtaking galaxy view with our enhanced graphics, featuring vibrant nebulas and twinkling stars that bring the cosmos to life.
  
• Balanced Gameplay Enhancements: We've fine-tuned various elements, including technologies, ship ranges, pirate encounters, and the “Invite Leader” Executive Order, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.
  
• Revitalized Lighting Effects: Explore the game like never before with our comprehensive lighting improvements, which elevate the visual appeal across key areas, creating a more atmospheric and engaging environment.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1575940/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_II/

The base game edition is available at a special discount price of $39.99 for a limited time.

Sins of a Solar Empire II - Premium Edition is available for a limited-time price of $79.99 and includes the base game, first Content Pass (see image below for details!) and the Sins of a Solar Empire II soundtrack.

The sequel to the iconic Sins of a Solar Empire, a classic strategy title known for masterfully blending real-time and 4X strategy gameplay, Sins of a Solar Empire II boasts a new engine that allows for even more epic space battles, larger sprawling empires, and signature unforgettable Sins moments.

“From multiple races to emergent tactics to a detailed galaxy simulation system, we’re giving our community multiple ways to conquer the galaxy in Sins of a Solar Empire II,” said Brian Clair, director of publishing, Stardock Entertainment. “With today’s launch on Steam, we’re looking forward to supporting our fans with even more great DLC content and the release of our Mod Tools and Mod Browser to see what our community does with this next evolution in the Sins franchise.”

Sins of a Solar Empire II features gameplay enhancements that let players take full control of how they conquer the galaxy. Emergent tactics like protecting vulnerable units from missile strikes with Titan ships, or launching surprise ambushes using the dynamically changing orbits of planets are now possible. Sins of a Solar Empire II will reward players for creative thinking, effective use of economic systems, and making convenient allies as they take over the galaxy.

• Three playable races including the Advent, Vasari, and TEC return with two sub-factions that utilize unique items, mechanics, and Empire Systems to achieve total victory
  
• Orbiting planets that dynamically alter the map during play, requiring players to gradually shift strategies as new challenges and opportunities emerge
  
• Minor factions that provide unique capabilities to players that befriend them through a new influence system
  
• Enhanced tactical battles and deeper combat simulation including missiles that can be shot down
  
• New economy model that allows players to truly customize their worlds to fit production needs
  
• Ten-player multiplayer matches that allow players to seamlessly join or resume games
  
• Build and command thousands of high-fidelity units in a new engine built from the ground-up for Sins of a Solar Empire II
  
• Capital ships that can be equipped with special augmentations to be more effective in battle
  
• New in-game mod browser allows for easy installation for user generated content and maps

Ends January 29, 2024, at 1PM EST

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1357210/Galactic_Civilizations_IV/

Take command of a civilization that has just achieved faster-than-light travel in Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova, the newest entry in the award-winning space 4X strategy game series. Explore the galaxy, colonize worlds, shape cultures, make alliances, fight wars and pioneer new technologies.

We've been hard at work improving the game. Recent major updates have introduced new features, optimized gameplay mechanics, and enriched the overall experience with additional story elements. These enhancements make for an even more immersive journey through the stars.

We're streaming January 25 1PM to 3PM EST, and Friday, January 26th, from 1PM to 3PM EST

Additionally, prominent gaming personalities like Marbozir, DASTACTIC, TheXPGamers, Montu Plays, and OldManMoradith will be streaming on January 25th.

eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate are just the start! Our in-game storyteller is combined with a sophisticated AI strategist to ensure that the living, lore rich universe you are experiencing is also populated with opponents who follow their own agendas and wield the intellect to make good on them.

Unleash your creativity with the unrivaled power of AlienGPT by describing your civilization’s characteristics, preferences, and aspirations, and watch our AI weave them into distinctive lore, diplomatic dialogues, starship selections, and ambassador portraits.

Govern as few, or as many, worlds as you like with the Core World and Colony split system. Tall play is viable by linking many Colonies into just a handful of Core Worlds, greatly increasing their resource output. Alternatively, many lower class planets can be manually improved and developed for a super-wide playstyle.

Harness your creative abilities to construct interstellar armadas with the Ship Designer, a feature that allows you to design and customize your own interstellar spacecraft. With an array of options for hulls, weapons, engines, and more, you can create a fleet that perfectly suits your strategy and style.

With setup options that allow the player to play games lasting less than an hour, or for months, Galactic Civilizations IV supports many viable strategies. Create or play as a civilization with deep diplomatic and cultural abilities or play as a ravenous species bent on spreading to every world in the universe: Galactic Civilizations offers a deep set of options to ensure your style of play is rewarded.

Conquering your rivals with force of arms isn’t the only way to win - enlighten the galaxy with superior cultural influence, navigate treacherous diplomatic waters to unite your rivals under your leadership, or earn a Prestige Victory with difficult Galactic Challenges.

Experience thrilling adventures within procedurally generated galaxies teeming with surprises. Engage with a multitude of galactic events and rival civilizations to ensure every game is a unique and exciting experience, filled with challenges and opportunities.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1357210/Galactic_Civilizations_IV/

Chart your course to stellar dominance in Galactic Civilizations III with our comprehensive game guides. Whether you're a seasoned space commander or a rookie explorer, our expert strategies will navigate you through the cosmos. Unveil the secrets of interstellar conquest and economic mastery in the guides below. Embark on your journey to forge a lasting legacy among the stars!

• No-Nonsense Newbie Tips & Tricks Guide (Updated for Crusade)
  
• New Player Guide
  
• GalCiv3 (Russian language)
  
• Weapons and You: Blowing Stuff Up 2.0

View All Here

• Gameplay Basics
  
• Walkthroughs
  
• Modding Or Configuration
  
• Characters
  
• Secrets
  
• Workshop

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1357210/Galactic_Civilizations_IV/

v2.2 Ethnology Update:

Dubbed “The Ethnology Update”, this new version focuses on making different civilizations feel more distinct and unique in both cultural and biological ways.

“Galactic Civilizations has always had to walk the fine line between being an open-universe space sandbox game and a narrative driven space strategy game,” said Brad Wardell, Creative Director at Stardock. “The Ethnology update looks at the different biological and cultural traits of different civilizations and makes available unique planetary improvements, starships, events, etc. For instance, what humans would want to do with their worlds is a very different thing than say a race of sentient crystals.”

Because the Ethnology system works based on civilization traits it means that custom civilizations that have these traits will automatically inherit the unique abilities and planet upgrades making the universe more alive.

The new version also includes:

• Revamped UI: Intuitive and Player-Friendly. Responding to valuable player feedback, the update introduces a major UI overhaul. The new main screen UI and Fleet Manager make fleet management more intuitive, enhancing the overall user experience and strategic decision-making.
  
• Custom Civilizations in Multiplayer. The update introduces the ability to use custom civilizations in multiplayer modes, adding a new layer of strategy and personalization to online gameplay.
  
• New Weapon and Defense Components. Ship designers can look forward to an array of new weapon and defense components, allowing for more intricate and interesting ship designs.
  
• Lore-Rich Technology Descriptions. Long descriptions for technologies now provide players with the lore behind each advancement, enriching the game's narrative depth.
  
• New Planet Biomes. Players can now encounter dozens of new biomes across different planet classes, making worlds feel more unique and interesting.
  
• Updated Graphics Engine. The update features an updated graphics engine with a new light source system, offering a substantial visual upgrade over previous editions.
  
• Improved Localization. Localization improvements, especially for Chinese, Russian, German, and French players, ensuring players from around the world can play the version in their native language.

v2.1 Genesis Update:

Many of the updates in v2.1 have been inspired by their invaluable suggestions across forums, Discord, Reddit, and more,” said Wardell.

• Steam Workshop integration for Steam users
  
• A new Mod Manager for easier mod navigation
  
• An improved tutorial for newcomers
  
• 22 minutes of additional music to enrich gameplay
  
• Enhanced military starbase zone enforcement
  
• Expanded support for various non-English languages
  
• A variety of new events, AI improvements, and much more

Stardock announced the release of Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Edition (Supernova) today. Stardock is celebrating its 30-year anniversary this month with the sequel to the game that started the company back in 1993.

“This is, by far, the biggest game release we’ve ever done,” said Brad Wardell, founder and CEO of Stardock who returned to design Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova after handing the reigns to others for Galactic Civilizations III and Galactic Civilizations IV: base game. “We’ve been so fortunate to be able work with our fans to create something that we think strategy game players are going to really appreciate. You can really tell the love and care that we’ve put into this release.”

The game takes place shortly after humanity has discovered faster-than-light travel. Earth has united and the stars await. The player takes on the role of a civilization's leader (Earth or one of the many alien civilizations) to expand their species into the universe and contend with competing civilizations who are doing the same.

Supernova introduces many firsts for PC gaming including AlienGPT, a generative AI technology trained on Stardock’s own art portfolio that allows players to describe their own custom civilization, and generates not just what the civilization looks like, but its background, lore, galactic events and interactions with other civilizations.

Other new features include Terror Stars, a new end game technology that causes enemy stars to go Supernova, a new mission system, an interactive tutorial, new victory paths, a new core neutral AI opponent system, a host of new alien civilizations with their own tech trees to play as or against, an artifact Vault and hundreds of other additions and enhancements.

“Having done a lot of games in early access over the years, we’ve never had a game receive the kind of positive, enthusiastic response this has,” said Wardell. “With the community, we’ve taken a top to bottom look at how strategy games in 2023 should play and made dramatic improvements as a result. In the past couple of years, the ability to collaborate online has really changed, which has fundamentally altered the way we make games, and the end results are clearly on display in Supernova.”

Stardock has also enhanced the modding and multiplayer functionality in Supernova. Cooperative multiplayer has been added and a new integrated modding system lets players upload their own factions, starship designs and more.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1357210/Galactic_Civilizations_IV/

Beginning shortly after humanity has discovered faster-than-light travel, Galactic Civilizations puts the player in the role of leader of a united world looking to expand their civilization into the galaxy. As leader, you must decide what technologies your scientists focus on, what policies your government enacts and what your foreign policy with alien species will be.

“Supernova is, by far, the biggest expansion Stardock has ever made,” said Brad Wardell, founder of Stardock who returned to the design chair for Supernova. “It doesn’t just add a lot of new content but transforms the gameplay in ways not seen in a 4X game before.”

Amongst the new innovations in Supernova is AlienGPT, a technology that allows players to describe their own custom civilization and then uses generative AI to create it. Other new features include the Civilization Vault, Cultural Progression, a story-driven campaign, several new canon alien civilizations, a new starship designer, a new battle system and much more.

Add to Wishlist:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1357210/Galactic_Civilizations_IV_Supernova

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