<s>
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dread	I-Application
Lords	I-Application
is	O
a	O
4X	B-Application
turn-based	O
strategy	O
by	O
Stardock	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
2003	O
game	O
,	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
at	O
retail	O
and	O
on	O
Stardock	O
's	O
online	O
subscription	O
service	O
,	O
TotalGaming.net,	O
on	O
February	O
21	O
,	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
expansion	O
,	O
Dark	B-Application
Avatar	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
February	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
second	O
expansion	O
,	O
Twilight	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Arnor	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
notable	O
for	O
its	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
challenging	O
without	O
being	O
given	O
resources	O
and	O
abilities	O
not	O
available	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
as	O
is	O
common	O
in	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
strategy	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
also	O
opted	O
for	O
a	O
rather	O
unusual	O
distribution	O
strategy	O
that	O
lacks	O
copy	B-Application
prevention	I-Application
,	O
and	O
allowed	O
for	O
extensive	O
modding	O
by	O
the	O
community	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
titled	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
was	O
announced	O
by	O
Stardock	O
on	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
pre-release	O
version	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
through	O
Steam	B-Application
in	O
March	O
2014	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
customers	O
to	O
play	O
the	O
game	O
while	O
it	O
is	O
still	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
the	O
back	O
plot	O
of	O
the	O
ingame	O
universe	O
it	O
inhabits	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
short	O
stories	O
written	O
by	O
Stardock	O
CEO	O
Brad	O
Wardell	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
powerful	O
,	O
highly	O
advanced	O
civilization	B-Application
,	O
remembered	O
in	O
legend	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Precursors	O
"	O
,	O
colonized	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
galaxy	O
thousands	O
of	O
years	O
ago	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
youngest	O
civilization	B-Application
,	O
Humanity	O
,	O
obtained	O
plans	O
for	O
the	O
construction	O
of	O
a	O
stargate	O
after	O
the	O
Arcean	O
civilization	B-Application
initiated	O
first	O
contact	O
with	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
played	O
in	O
what	O
is	O
known	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
sandbox	O
"	O
galaxy	O
mode	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
objective	O
is	O
to	O
achieve	O
victory	O
over	O
AI	B-Application
opponents	I-Application
in	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
ways	O
-	O
military	O
conquest	O
,	O
cultural	O
domination	O
,	O
universal	O
alliance	O
or	O
technological	O
supremacy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
has	O
10	O
playable	O
preset	O
civilizations	O
,	O
and	O
also	O
allows	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
custom	O
civilization	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eight	O
of	O
the	O
preset	O
civilizations	O
return	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
game	O
and	O
its	O
expansion	O
:	O
the	O
Terran	O
Alliance	O
,	O
the	O
Yor	O
Collective	O
,	O
the	O
Drengin	O
Empire	O
,	O
the	O
Altarian	O
Republic	O
,	O
the	O
Drath	O
Legion	O
,	O
the	O
Torian	O
Confederation	O
,	O
the	O
Dominion	O
of	O
the	O
Korx	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Arcean	O
Empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minor	O
civilizations	O
(	O
which	O
do	O
not	O
factor	O
into	O
winning	O
conditions	O
,	O
and	O
have	O
a	O
weaker	O
AI	B-Application
)	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
sentient	O
rodent-like	O
Snathi	O
,	O
can	O
also	O
appear	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
preset	O
civilization	B-Application
has	O
a	O
distinct	O
combination	O
of	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
personality	O
,	O
and	O
built-in	O
advantages	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
criticism	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
was	O
its	O
lack	O
of	O
ship	O
design	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
includes	O
a	O
highly	O
configurable	O
3D	O
ship	O
design	O
editor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Existing	O
ships	O
may	O
be	O
upgraded	O
to	O
use	O
these	O
new	O
components	O
,	O
although	O
it	O
is	O
often	O
cheaper	O
to	O
use	O
them	O
as	O
cannon	B-Application
fodder	I-Application
and	O
replace	O
them	O
with	O
newer	O
ships	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
several	O
sets	O
of	O
jewelry	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
assigned	O
to	O
each	O
civilization	B-Application
,	O
though	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
not	O
restricted	O
to	O
choosing	O
from	O
these	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
3D	O
engine	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
powered	O
by	O
a	O
custom	O
3D	O
game	O
engine	O
,	O
although	O
most	O
user	O
interface	O
elements	O
are	O
displayed	O
in	O
2D	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A.I.	B-Application
</s>
<s>
A	O
major	O
focus	O
of	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
the	B-Application
artificial	I-Application
intelligence	I-Application
of	O
its	O
opponents	O
,	O
due	O
in	O
part	O
to	O
the	O
deliberate	O
omission	O
of	O
multiplayer	O
in	O
favor	O
of	O
the	O
single-player	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
offers	O
12	O
levels	O
of	O
AI	B-Application
intelligence	O
for	O
opponent	O
civilizations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Full	O
AI	B-Application
capability	O
is	O
granted	O
at	O
the	O
7th	O
level	O
(	O
"	O
intelligent	O
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
AI	B-Application
also	O
makes	O
use	O
of	O
technological	O
developments	O
to	O
design	O
ships	O
of	O
its	O
own	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
has	O
changed	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
's	O
capabilities	O
with	O
various	O
updates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
original	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
,	O
planets	O
were	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
star	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
located	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
square	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
each	O
planet	O
(	O
or	O
colony	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
completely	O
separate	O
entity	O
in	O
space	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
improvements	O
to	O
aid	O
manufacturing	O
,	O
research	O
,	O
planetary	O
influence	O
,	O
morale	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
economy	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
several	O
"	O
wonder	O
"	O
-style	O
improvements	O
similar	O
to	O
those	O
popularized	O
by	O
the	O
Civilization	B-Application
series	O
of	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
largest	O
departure	O
made	O
by	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
from	O
other	O
4X	B-Application
games	I-Application
is	O
its	O
economic	O
system	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
very	O
different	O
from	O
the	O
systems	O
used	O
in	O
most	O
strategy	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Typically	O
,	O
4X	B-Application
strategy	O
games	O
receive	O
money	O
based	O
on	O
a	O
tax	O
rate	O
or	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
income	O
of	O
specific	O
tiles	O
in	O
use	O
by	O
a	O
city	O
or	O
planet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Civilization	B-Application
IV	I-Application
uses	O
this	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
most	O
other	O
4X	B-Application
strategy	O
games	O
use	O
a	O
variant	O
of	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
adds	O
another	O
layer	O
of	O
complexity	O
by	O
requiring	O
that	O
the	O
income	O
of	O
an	O
empire	O
is	O
used	O
to	O
pay	O
for	O
all	O
forms	O
of	O
production	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
stands	O
in	O
stark	O
contrast	O
to	O
the	O
Civilization	B-Application
series	O
,	O
where	O
industrial	O
output	O
has	O
nothing	O
to	O
do	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
economic	O
income	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
one	O
event	O
,	O
a	O
civilization	B-Application
unearths	O
an	O
archeological	O
relic	O
that	O
will	O
eventually	O
transform	O
them	O
into	O
"	O
god-like	O
"	O
beings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
events	O
can	O
spawn	O
devastating	O
pirate	O
fleets	O
across	O
the	O
galaxy	O
or	O
triple	O
one	O
civilization	B-Application
's	O
influence	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
late	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
game	O
,	O
starbases	O
are	O
a	O
central	O
component	O
in	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
AI	B-Application
is	O
more	O
than	O
willing	O
to	O
make	O
its	O
own	O
starbases	O
,	O
and	O
may	O
take	O
exception	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
building	O
them	O
too	O
close	O
to	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
's	O
planets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
designing	O
a	O
custom	O
civilization	B-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
given	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
points	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
allocated	O
to	O
various	O
bonus	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
bonuses	O
cover	O
most	O
game	O
mechanics	O
-	O
it	O
is	O
possible	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
civilization	B-Application
with	O
highly	O
militant	O
and	O
loyal	O
researchers	O
,	O
or	O
with	O
influential	O
and	O
highly	O
prolific	O
diplomats	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
the	O
bonus	O
of	O
the	O
party	O
currently	O
in	O
power	O
(	O
if	O
you	O
are	O
not	O
)	O
is	O
applied	O
as	O
a	O
penalty	O
to	O
your	O
civilization	B-Application
instead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
it	O
becomes	O
increasingly	O
harder	O
to	O
keep	O
morale	O
up	O
while	O
progressing	O
from	O
an	O
imperial	O
government	O
to	O
a	O
republic	O
,	O
democracy	O
or	O
galactic	O
federation	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
number	O
of	O
votes	O
a	O
civilization	B-Application
has	O
in	O
the	O
council	O
depends	O
on	O
their	O
influence	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
partially	O
a	O
factor	O
of	O
population	O
,	O
but	O
which	O
is	O
also	O
affected	O
by	O
planetary	O
improvements	O
and	O
civilization	B-Application
bonuses	O
(	O
among	O
other	O
factors	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
—	O
both	O
human	O
and	O
AI	B-Application
—	O
may	O
trade	O
technology	O
,	O
starbases	O
,	O
ships	O
,	O
planets	O
,	O
and	O
trade	O
goods	O
(	O
unique	O
improvements	O
built	O
by	O
one	O
civilization	B-Application
that	O
provide	O
a	O
bonus	O
to	O
those	O
obtaining	O
them	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Negotiation	O
skill	O
is	O
an	O
important	O
factor	O
which	O
varies	O
with	O
inherent	O
civilization	B-Application
bonuses	O
and	O
research	O
;	O
it	O
can	O
be	O
possible	O
to	O
gain	O
a	O
significant	O
technological	O
advantage	O
through	O
careful	O
trading	O
with	O
less	O
sophisticated	O
civilizations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
civilization	B-Application
has	O
customized	O
text	O
used	O
during	O
negotiation	O
that	O
signifies	O
their	O
current	O
relations	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AI	B-Application
players	O
may	O
decide	O
to	O
initiate	O
technology	O
trades	O
or	O
demand	O
tribute	O
from	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
or	O
to	O
warn	O
them	O
of	O
perceived	O
threats	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
,	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
GameSpot	O
,	O
GameSpy	O
,	O
and	O
IGN	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
editors	O
of	O
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
presented	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
with	O
their	O
2006	O
"	O
Best	O
AI	B-Application
"	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Independent	O
Game	O
"	O
awards	O
,	O
and	O
named	O
it	O
the	O
year	O
's	O
sixth-best	O
computer	O
game	O
overall	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
may	O
not	O
lead	O
to	O
a	O
resurgence	O
of	O
space	O
conquest	O
games	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
long	O
as	O
it	O
's	O
available	O
,	O
the	O
renaissance	O
can	O
wait.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ten	O
days	O
after	O
its	O
launch	O
,	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
had	O
matched	O
the	O
lifetime	O
sales	O
of	O
its	O
predecessor	O
by	O
that	O
time	O
,	O
with	O
75,000	O
copies	O
sold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Stardock	O
's	O
CEO	O
Brad	O
Wardell	O
,	O
as	O
of	O
March	O
2008	O
,	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
has	O
sold	O
around	O
300,000	O
copies	O
in	O
total	O
,	O
bringing	O
in	O
an	O
eight-figure	O
revenue	O
,	O
on	O
a	O
development	O
budget	O
of	O
less	O
than	O
$1	O
million	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
has	O
not	O
instituted	O
any	O
stringent	O
or	O
cumbersome	O
copy	B-Application
prevention	I-Application
schemes	O
in	O
accordance	O
with	O
what	O
its	O
CEO	O
Wardell	O
has	O
defined	O
as	O
the	O
Gamer	O
's	O
Bill	O
of	O
Rights	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
CD	O
contains	O
no	O
copy	B-Application
prevention	I-Application
and	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
requirement	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
disc	O
loaded	O
into	O
the	O
computer	O
to	O
play	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
's	O
anti-piracy	B-Application
plan	O
is	O
that	O
players	O
must	O
complete	O
product	B-License
activation	I-License
with	O
a	O
valid	O
serial	O
number	O
before	O
they	O
may	O
receive	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
several	O
game	O
updates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Copies	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
purchased	O
from	O
Stardock	O
's	O
online	O
store	O
use	O
product	B-License
activation	I-License
before	O
the	O
game	O
can	O
be	O
played	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
5	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
a	O
StarForce	O
employee	O
publicly	O
posted	O
a	O
working	O
linkSee	O
to	O
a	O
BitTorrent	B-Protocol
search	O
engine	O
listing	O
of	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
torrents	B-Protocol
during	O
a	O
discussion	O
about	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
action	O
was	O
publicized	O
on	O
various	O
websites	O
,	O
including	O
Digg	B-Application
,	O
Neowin	O
,	O
and	O
Penny	O
Arcade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
also	O
posted	O
an	O
article	O
,	O
partially	O
in	O
response	O
to	O
inaccurate	O
reporting	O
of	O
their	O
own	O
reasons	O
for	O
releasing	O
the	O
game	O
without	O
copy	B-Application
protection	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
released	O
an	O
expansion	O
pack	O
named	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Avatar	I-Application
in	O
February	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
second	O
expansion	O
pack	O
named	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Twilight	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Arnor	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
2008	O
,	O
the	O
expansion	O
added	O
new	O
content	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Stardock	O
,	O
Twilight	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Arnor	I-Application
is	O
the	O
final	O
expansion	O
for	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Endless	O
Universe	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Endless	I-Application
Universe	I-Application
is	O
a	O
compilation	O
featuring	O
the	O
content	O
of	O
Dread	O
Lords	O
,	O
Dark	B-Application
Avatar	I-Application
and	O
Twilight	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Arnor	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
compilation	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	O
Ultimate	O
Edition''	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
February	O
9	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Significant	O
modding	O
features	O
have	O
been	O
built	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
user-editable	O
XML	B-Protocol
files	O
.	O
</s>
