Game Options

Game[]

Prompt Options[]

Prompt To Upgrade Starbase

Once a constructor reach an existing starbase you'll first get a prompt asking whether or not you want to upgrade. Note that even if you agree you can still cancel in the next window which makes this prompt somewhat redundant.

Prompt To Pay for Starbase Module

Once you've chosen the Module you want to build, this will ask for a confirmation on your part if said Module involves additional BC costs. Note that the costs are already shown when selecting the wanted Module.

Prompt To Harvest Resource

Once a constructor reach an unused ressource, you'll get a prompt asking whether or not to build a mining starbase there.

Notify When Special Improvement Complete
Show Found Anomaly Popup

When a ship with survey capabilities reaches an Anomaly, this will make a Small Window pop up and explain what your ship found there.

Game Options[]

Use Mods

If you check this box don't forget to set the mod you want

Current Mods Directory

Allows changing between different mods in the default mod directory. You can change this to any other directory by directly editing Prefs.ini file

Save Ship Designs To Hard Drive

Stores your custom ships designs for later use. When you have the technology to build a ship it will automatically appear the shipyard for construction. Turning this setting means you have to design ships for every game you play.

Auto Design Ships For Player

This will make use of the "focus" inside the shipyard to automatically upgrade a set of default designs with your latest technologies. If you researched anything else than Beam Weapons and Shields, you might want to change the said "focus"

Enable Auto Turn

If checked will automatically end your current turn once all your ships have no more movement points Needs verification

Skip Moves Left Over From Auto Pilot

At the end of a turn, all ships on autopilot move before the next turn. If this option is unchecked and if one of your ships have movement points left over, then you'll be given a chance to move said ship before the next turn (even though you already clicked on "next turn"

Cancel Ship Destination On Left Click
Enable Auto Focus To Move Camera To Selected Ship

The Camera will be centered to ships moving on autopilot, and to selected ships. Note: use "C" to center on a selection Keyboard shortcuts

Allow Game to select next ship left with moves

If this option is checked, once you moved or gave an order to a unit, the next available ship will be automatically selected (and centered if the previous option is checked)

Enable Auto Save

Automatically Saves the game with the name "AutoSave". Only one autosave is kept.

Turn Before Auto Save

Allow to adjust the time (in turns) between each AutoSave. Each time the AutoSave is saved, the previous AutoSave is lost since there's only one autosave.

Build Same Ship Until Cancelled

If checked, planets will keep on building the same ship over and over until you manually cancel or change build orders.

Auto Launch Ships From Orbit

If unchecked, ships will stay in orbit until you manually launch them

Colony Rally Points Use Auto Launch Rules
Auto Launch Transports
Min Defenders In Orbit Before Auto Launch
Show GNN News

If checked, will display a GNN News window where you can see what happens in your empire (buildings finished, diplomacy events, spy events ... )

Show Social Events Only if Empty Queue

If unchecked, All Finished Social Buildings will show in GNN News.

Show Quarterly Reports

If checked, you'll recieve reports of you and known races ratings (military, scientific, population ...)

Move Camera To Selected Colony In Colonies List
Move Terror Star Fleets Aways From Star Attack If Possible
Force AI to use max CPU

Has the same effect as putting the CPU slider to maximum for each individual race.

Screen Shot Format
Show Real-Time Clock

Displays the time in the game interface.

Interface[]

Display Options[]

Show Tool Tips

Shows tooltips on some buttons when you mouse over them

Show Grid

When checked displays the parsec squares on the map. A parsec is the unit of movement in GC2 so with this on you can count you moves out. Can be toggles in game with CTRL-G

Show Trade Route Lines
Show Auto-Pilot Lines
Show Asteroid Field Bonus Lines
Shows Ships In Orbit Around Planets
Show Launch Direction When Planet Is Selected
Snap-Back When Rotating
Zoom To Mouse Cursor

When Zooming, if this option is not checked, the center of the current screen view will be used as the center of the next zoom level. If checked the mouse position will be used instead.

Zoom Speed

The higher, the quicker your zoom in or out and the less precise the zoom level

Background Star Density

Determines how many Stars are visible in the background (cosmetic effect)

Background Nebula Density

Cosmetic Effect. If you push this too high, while pretty it may make lines such as autopilots lines less visible

Tactical Zoom Level

Determines at which point your display changes from 3D to icons. At 100 everything will always be rendered in 3D. At 0 everything will always be displayed as icons

Detail Animations Zoom Level

Determines at which zoom level, Animations such as rotating parts, planets, ships in orbit disappear. Needs verification

Edge Scrolling Speed
Hide Nebulae and Stars In Ship Preview Windows

Ship Movement[]

Follow Auto Pilot Ships

if enabled your screen will follow each and every autopilot move step

Battle Options[]

Move Camera to View Attacks

will center screen on ship combats happening in your current cumulative sensor range

Show Battle Sequence
Show Opponent's Battle Sequences
Show Ship Damage
Show Explosions
Simple Explosions

If ship combat nearly hangs at the end when ships explode, you might want to try to enable this or as a last resort the previous option.

Disable Engine Trails In Full Battles
Always Watch Player Ships In Full Battles
Battle Length
Full Fleet Battles
Show Full Fleet Battles Only if BOTH Sides Are Fleets
Auto-Play Full Battles

if unchecked, you'll need to click a button for anything to happen at all

Show Orbiting Ship In Planet In Normal And Quick Battles

Ship Designer[]

Rotate Parts By x Degrees

allows you to determine how many steps there is when trying to rotate a part in the shipyard when doing a new ship design. This is purely cosmetic and can be changed at any time while designing a ship.

Remove Functional Components When Upgrading A Ship Design

if unchecked when upgrading one of your previous designs, Components such as engines, weapons, defences, sensors... will be left on the hull (but they can be removed manually).

Audio[]

Sound Options[]

Music Volume

This is the music that plays the majority of the time when giving orders and controlling your empire

Event Music Volume

This is the music that plays when certain events are displayed such as : technology 100% researched, first planet colonized, first anomaly discovered...

Sound Effects Volume
Sound Effects
Background Music
Event Music

Video[]

Video Quality[]

Choose a preset

Video Options[]

Resolution
Anti-Aliasing
Fullscreen
Hardware Mouse Cursor
Brightness
Contrast
Ambient Light
Specular Intensity

Performance Options[]

Most "Disable this or that" Checkbox are for compatibility or performance problems with old gfx cards

Disable Hardware Transform and Lighting (When Available)
Disable Ship Textures
Disable PLanet/Moon/Ring Textures
Disable City Lights on Dark Side of PLanets
Disable Anomaly Textures
Disable Resource Textures
Disable Star Textures
Disable Damage Textures
Disable Weapon/Defence Textures
Disable Rally Point Textures
Disable Asteroid Field TExtures
Disable Bump-Mapping
Disable Point Sprites
Allow Mixed Vertex Processing Mode
Throttle Frame Rate

This option was added to prevent some graphic cards overheating but in fact, while it may prevent overheating, it won't reduce performance, so it's best if left enabled except perhaps for very low end graphic cards

Use Enhanced Ship Rendering

Enabled for better graphics

Planet Surface Variety

If not 100%, Saves graphic card memory by reducing the amount of possible textures used for planet's surfaces.

Unload Unused Textures
Enable Animated Components