UPDATED TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 8/14:
Hey everyone!
Island Dog here with an update to the schedule now that the beta has released. Please note that this is a TENTATIVE schedule that is subject to change, though we’re very happy with where we are in the development process.
Happy conquering!
***
March 2014: Alpha 1 - First release!The very first version of the game.
April 2014: Alpha 2 - Shipyard added!This version addressed early feedback and some new UI improvements, tech tree changes, and ideology tree changes.
June 2014: Alpha 3 - Starports and more!We’re adding some big features and making huge changes to a few more with this alpha release. This includes larger maps, improved AI, starports, multiplayer fixes, an improved ship designer (based on your feedback from Alpha 2), resources, performance improvements and numerous UI updates.
August 2014: Beta 1 - Terraforming! Ideology rework! Tons of other stuff!Now that the game is something approaching fun, we’re calling it a beta. This release adds a ton of stuff (and the regular $49.99 price, discounted to $44.99 during Early Access). See here for more: https://forums.galciv3.com/456691/page/1/
October 2014: Beta 2 - Diplomacy! Trade! United Planets! Krynn Syndicate! Global Events!October will be a big month for GalCiv III. Many of the non-combat paths open up at this point, and we introduce global events and the fifth faction, the Krynn Syndicate.
December 2014: Beta 3 - Combat! Yor Singularity!This is the big combat update. Ground invasions, our new take on fleet combat, and the sinister mechanical Yor join the beta before the end of the year.
Early 2015: Iteration, balance, polish, factions 7 & 8, and more!
April 2015: Release!
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UPDATED TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 5/27:
Greetings everyone!
Island Dog here updating you on the current iteration of the TENTATIVE schedule for Galactic Civilizations III development.
In case the all-caps weren’t clear, everything from Alpha 3 on is subject to change.
Thanks for your support!
Summer 2014: Alpha 4 - Even more systems!We will discuss the features introduced in this patch at a later date.
Late Summer 2014: Beta 1 - (Mostly) feature complete!Thanks in part to the valuable feedback provided by our Elite Founders, we’ll have most if not all of the major systems and features implemented in the game at this point.
This is also the point during Galactic Civilizations III development at which the Founders Elite Edition goes off sale forever, replaced by the normal $49.99 game.
Fall 2014 to Release: Beta iterationAnything that didn’t make it into the initial beta release will be added in the following months, and we’ll be polishing, tweaking, and fixing bugs throughout until we’re happy with calling the game “finished.”
And then we’ll get to work on post-launch patches, DLC and expansions, naturally. But it’ll be officially launched at that point.
ORIGINAL POST:
Greetings everyone!There's been lots of questions regarding the development schedule of GalCiv III. Below is our *tentative* schedule for the game:March 2014: Alpha 1(the version you have now along with some minor updates)April 2014: Alpha 2(this version will begin to address early feedback and some new UI improvements, tech tree changes, ideology tree changes)May 2014: BETA 1!(This version is when the Founder Elite Edition goes away and is replaced by the normal, $49.99 game which is expected to be priced at a discount. So those people who don't like the $99 Founder Elite Edition who just want GalCiv III and would like to get it early and at a discount, this is the version you'll want.)June 2014: BETA 1A(this version is expected to bring in the Shipyard -- the in game ship designer amongst other things)August 2014: BETA 2(Diplomacy, Trade, Influence victories, culture, more in depth economics)October 2014: BETA 3(The Fleet Combat screen)Beyond this point: Polish, Tweaking, Fixing, repeat.
Expected final release is 2Q2015 (April through June).
Thank you. I'm excited to see what will be implemented in the next round of Alpha.
Thanks Frogboy
You guys work fast. You know the game could come out on your birthday, awesome present right?!?!
when will the modding be like before. It doesn't seem like it was before, where the code was easy to use.
DARCA.
Great, looking forward to all these updates. Am currently not able to start a game but getting a kick out of reading everyone's feedback; looking forward to seeing what changes will be made based on it.
Pin this.
It's important.
So it appears the first beta is really a hybrid alpha given it will be incomplete from a feature perspective.
This could come as a shock to some beta purchasers when the finally access that version....
However, getting into the hands of users as early as possible is usually a good thing.
Good luck with the development, I wish you a smooth journey!
r.
Thanks!!
great game i recommend!!!
Looks good. Lots of fun ahead for sure. Thanks for giving us a tentative idea of how things will go.
Hope the Expected final release will change to "When it's ready"
Is it okay to post these outside of designated areas?
It would be nice to get a minor update that fixes the
error that I get every time I click play.
Try deleting the appcache folder as indicated here
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8676-EFLX-7453
Your anti-virus may also be part of the issue as that may block th einstallation of specific files
Thanx for the schedule Frogboy.
Question - After Beta 2, my guess is testing will deal with a number of game balance issues, and Beta 3 with fleet combat doesn't really impact the larger game progression. But after Beta 3, will any testing/feedback still be required? Or, at that point, we just hold our horses and wait? (I have no opinion, just curious).
Feedback will always be needed throughout the process. The Fleet Combat especially is giong to need a lot of tweaking and balancing given how new the entire thing is.
Not to mention even broader things like Ideologies and Techs will still need balancing as more feature are brought online.
Thanks for the roadmap, Brad! Q2/2015 is actually a later release date than I had expected, but this is good news. I'm glad you're allocating such a long development period with public/semi-public testing to this classic in the making. Quite enjoying what I've seen of the alpha so far.
Thanks so much! This game sure is moving forward fast and I can't wait to play with more features!
Are you behind on schedule?
April 2014: Alpha 2(this version will begin to address early feedback and some new UI improvements, tech tree changes, ideology tree changes)May 2014: BETA 1!(This version is when the Founder Elite Edition goes away and is replaced by the normal, $49.99 game which is expected to be priced at a discount. Sothose people who don't like the $99 Founder Elite Edition who just want GalCiv III and would like to get it early and at a discount, this is the version you'll want.)
or is 0.0.2.0 the indicated Apha 2?
if so the bold pieces are not fully adressed yet
I think this has been pushed to the second week of May being that it is now May and we're getting a peak at the ship builder this week, so I would assume the last Alpha is either this or another one with in the next two weeks.
I would then guess Beta 1 would either be sometime around Memorial Day or a week or two after in June.
These are all speculations, Stardock can always do what they want
Of course not. Re-read the subject: "The GalCiv III tentative schedule!" Nothing was written in stone so they are not behind other than maybe where they would like to be. Don't get me wrong, I'm impatient as hell to get my grubby little hands on the latest build but in the software development process stuff happens that affects schedules all the time, comes with the territory, thus the highlighted part of the subject and why Frogboy intentionally put it there. Unfortunately many people tend to gloss over that fact of it being tentative. In one aspect they may be behind but in another they may be ahead, i.e., the ship builder that they hope to show off tomorrow.
Yes, remember this is a tentative schedule that was posted, and things come up and change during that time.
Please, please, do not hassle the devs about their predicted schedules or they will stop giving us any estimated schedules at all. I know I absolutely loathe when I tell people "approximately this date" and later they start going "Are you done yet? Are you done yet?" I end up having to either lie to people by fudging schedules or just refuse to answer. Neither work out well for anyone involved.
I do understand the impatience, though. I am barely hanging on for ship creation info myself. I keep telling myself that waiting is fun. Unfortunately, I know better than to listen to me.
LOL, I hear you, erischild, unfortunately we know ourselves way too well to fall for that type self deception.
My understanding is that the new plan is to push a last version of the Alpha with the ship designer in it. If that is the case they went a different route than what is in the tentative schedule.
they are probably putting a lot of focus on the ship designer and will release the patch when the designer is good enough.
This is what I gathered from the last podcast. We may have more clues tomorrow
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