Decade-Old PC Game Galactic Civilizations 2 Gets Huge Patch

Stardock's PC 4X turned-based strategy game Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords, originally released back in 2006, is still getting updates. With the help of some community members, the developer recently pushed out a new update for the game, 2.20, which makes a series of changes to gameplay systems, graphics, and AI.

Stardock CEO Brad Wardell said in a blog post titled "No Game Left Behind" (via PC Gamer) that he enjoyed working with fans to design this new update and explained that he's thankful the game's community is so strong.

"It was awesome being able to work with the fans to integrate years of their own mods and tweaks into the base game," he said. "They also gave me a long list of areas where they thought I could improve the AI, which I used to dig into the now 10 year old AI source code base to implement.

"We hope you enjoy the update. We have an awesome community here at Stardock and are so very happy that you're a part of it. Have a great holiday season!"

Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords 2.20 Patch Notes:

GeneralThe 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 AllianceChanged 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 EmpireNow 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 ResistanceNow 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 EmpireNow 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 ConfederationNow 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 CollectiveNow 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 KorxNow 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 LegionChanged 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 EmpireNow 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 RefugeNow 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 ClanNow 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 ConsulateNow 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 RacesChanges to various minor races that play more into their background lore. Watch out for the Snathi!

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

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