Release Notes for Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition

Patch 2.20 (22 December 2015)

Gameplay

General

• The Capital now increases Morale to 35 (up from 25) and Economy to 25 (up from 10)
• Advanced Hulls is now unlocked from Basic Logistics
• Life Support is now unlocked from Advanced Hulls
• Several techs moved to improve AI use
• Mind Control Center moved to Concept of Malice
• Shrine of the Mithrillar now gives a 10% population growth bonus civ-wide
• Shrine of Tandis now gives a 10% morale bonus civ-wide
• Information Warfare tech now requires Advanced Diplomacy (instead of Planetary Invasion)
• Temporal Mechanics cost increased from 10 to 30
• Hyperion Packages cost increased from 10 to 30
• Entertainment Center now requires Innovative History
• Slave Pits, Slave Labs, Collectives and Maintenance Grid have had their costs adjusted
• Research Matrix bonus decreased from 12 to 10
• School maintenance increased from 1 to 2
• University maintenance increased from 2 to 3
• Space Weapons no longer grants a Military bonus
• Economic Direction Unit bonus reduced from 50 to 25
• Ultra Spices now requires Extreme Entertainment instead of Xeno Cultural Trends
• Merchant Trade Complexes cost increased from 800 to 1100
• Buffed Tier 1/2 starbase attack modules and battlestations 4; removed Singularity Armor
• Neutrality Learning Center cost increased from 500 to 1000
• Cultural Enlightenment no longer has a pre-req; moved to Pure Research
• Healing Pools now requires Planetary Improvements; cost decreased from 300 to 100
• Nano Materials now requires Basic Space Construction
• Advanced Philosophy now requires University
• Enhanced Adaptation cost increased to 150/450/600
• Robust Hull Construction now provides 15 HP (up from 10)
• Precursor Library cost decreased from 400 to 100
• Miniaturization techs bonuses updated to be better
• Empathic Tactical Center now grants a defense bonus of 25% instead of an attack bonus of 20%
• Various weapons rebalancing
• Plus much much more adjustments. See the Progressive Changelog for more.

Terran Alliance

• Changed default alignment from 50 to 75
• Now start as Mercantile political party
• Starts with +10 Economics, -10 Social Production, +25 Trade and 12 Logistics (up from 6)
• Starting techs changed to: HyperDrive, Industrial Revolution, Fusion Reactors, Traditional Research, Innovative History, Capitalism and Basic Space Construction
• Terrains gain a 10% bonus to propulsion and diplomacy research

Drengin Empire

• Now starts game as War Party political party
• Starts with: +10 Military Production, -30 Diplomacy (increased from -25), 20 Loyalty (up from 0) and 14 Logistics (up from 7)
• Starting techs changed to: Fusion Reactors, Ruthless History, HyperDrive, Stellar Cartography, Specialized Research, Capitalism and Traditional Slavery.
• Propaganda Machine is now a special project
• New invasion tactic added (version of Information Warfare)
• Drengin suffer a 50% penalty to trade techs; and a 100% penalty to diplomatic techs

Altarian Resistance

• Now starts game as Pacifists political party
• Starts with: +10 Luck (up from 0), 10 Logistics (up from 5)
• Starting techs changed to: HyperDrive, Industrial Revolution, Fusion Reactors, Traditional Research, A History of Benevolence, Stellar Cartography, Capitalism and Basic Space Construction.
• Social Matrix is now a special project
• Altarians gain a 20% bonus in Labs research

Arcean Empire

• Now starts game as War Party political party
• Starts with: +10 Economics, +10 Morale, +20 Military Production, +30 Ship HP (up from +20), +20 Soldiering (up from +10), +25 Courage, +20 Loyalty and 20 Logistics (up from 8).
• Starting techs changed to: Glorious History, Fusion Reactors, HyperDrive, Industrial Revolution, Stellar Cartography, Traditional Research, Capitalism and Basic Space Construction.
• Stellar Forge and Cathedral of Valor are now special projects
• Arceans now gain a 20% bonus to Hull and Logistics research
• Arceans now gain:
• 15 HP from Superior Hulls (up from 10)
• 20 HP from Master Hull Building (up from 15)
• 15 HP from Reinforced Hull Design (up from 10)
• 15 HP from Hardened Hull Design (up from 10)

Torian Confederation

• Now starts as the Populists political party
• Starts with: +30 Loyalty, 16 Logistics (up from 8)
• Starting techs changed to: Torian History, Fusion Reactors, HyperDrive, Stellar Cartography, Inherited Technology, Capitalism and Basic Space Construction.
• Can now research Advanced Aquatic World Colonization cheaper
• Aquatic Transport Station is now a special project
• Torians now suffer a 20% penalty to Hull research
• Changed Advanced Computing requirement to University (from Scientific Method Implementation)
• Changed Planetary Improvements and Enhanced Adaptation to require Basic Space Construction
• Added Basic Space Construction with cost 75
• Xeno Communications now requires Cultural Enlightenment

Yor Collective

• Now starts game as the Industrialist political party
• Starts with: -30 to Diplomacy and 12 Logistics (up from 6)
• Maintenance Grid and Distributed Energy Matrix are now special projects
• New invasion tactic: Terror Drones (Cost 250, 20% bonus to attack, 25% improvement damage)
• Yor now can a 20% advantage in Labs research

Dominion of Korx

• Now starts as the Mercantile political party
• Starts with: +15 Economics, +10 Diplomacy and 12 Logistics (up from 6)
• Starting techs changed to: A History of Mercantilism, HyperDrive, Stellar Cartography, Industrial Revolution, Fusion Reactors, Traditional Research, Capitalism and Basic Space Construction.
• Festival of Capitalism, Mercenary Academy and Freighter Command are now special projects
• Korx gain a 20% bonus to economic research

Drath Legion

• Changed default alignment from 75 to 50
• Now starts as the Populists political party
• Starts with: +25 Espionage (up from 0) and 16 Logistics (up from 8)
• Starting techs changed to: Way of the Drath, Industrial Revolution, Basic Space Construction, HyperDrive, Fusion Reactors, Traditional Research, Stellar Cartography and Capitalism.
• Drath gain a 20% bonus to diplomatic research

Thalan Empire

• Now starts as the Technologists political party
• Starts with: -50 Population Growth (increased from -30), +40 Loyalty and 12 Logistics (up from 6)
• Starting techs changed to: Fusion Reactors, HyperDrive, Stellar Cartography, New Propulsion, Artificial Gravity, Xeno Biology, Xeno Medicine, Xeno Engineering, Hyperion Packages, Temporal Mechanics and Interstellar Construction.
• Gaia Vortex and Church of Valor are now special projects
• New invasion tactic: Mechanized Warriors (Cost 250, 50%/90% min/max bonus to attack, 100% improvement damage)
• Thalan suffer a 50% penalty to trade and diplomatic research

Iconian Refuge

• Now starts as the Federalists political party
• Starts with: +10 Morale (decreased from 20), +20 Research, 0 Espionage (decreased from 100), -5 Soldiering (decreased from 0) and 16 Logistics (up from 10)
• Precursor Library is now a special project
• Expert Engineering is now unlocked after Advanced Hulls
• Soil Enhancement, Xeno Biology and Space Mining moved to the Enhanced Adaptation tree
• Iconians gain a 20% bonus to terraforming research

Korath Clan

• Now starts game as War Party political party
• Starts with: -30 Diplomacy (decreased from 0), +10 HP (decreased from 20), +30 Soldiering (increased from 10) and 14 Logistics (increased from 7)
• Starting techs changed to: Fusion Reactors, Ruthless History, HyperDrive, Stellar Cartography, Specialized Research, Traditional Slavery and Black Market.
• Graft of Ages is now a special project
• New invasion tactic added (version of Information Warfare)
• Korath suffer a 50% penalty to trade techs and a 200% penalty to diplomacy research

Krynn Consulate

• Now starts as the Universalists political party
• Starts with: -15 Research (decreased from 0) and 12 Logistics (increased from 6)
• Starting techs changed to: HyperDrive, Industrial Revolution, Basic Space Construction, Fusion Reactors, Traditional Research, The Path, Stellar Cartography, and Capitalism.
• Super Spy Training Center, Temple of Espionage, and Oracle of Krynn are now special projects.
• Krynn suffer a 20% penalty to labs research but gain a 20% bonus to government research

Minor Races

• Changes to various minor races that play more into their background lore. Watch out for the Snathi!

Graphics

• Updated race colors for Iconian Refuge and Krynn Consulate
• Improved Rally Point indicator
• Various UI tweaks

AI

• Each race's AI has been tuned to better match their background lore and relative strengths
• All AI opponents will now use the maximum amount of CPU possible