When we send out review copies, we also send out review guides. That's because we're painfully aware that we're a small company and we want to make sure we can help reviewers quickly find out what's new and not new.

But we also tend to get pretty silly in our review guides. The Dark Avatar review guide included a recipe for Drengin fire chile (it involves pieces of a Torian).

Here are some excerpts:

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably played a lot of expansion packs. If you were making your own game, I suspect you would do a lot of things differently than what typically happens in the game industry. 

As a gamer, I often feel like game developers are milking me by the time they do their second expansion pack.  Am I getting my money’s worth or am I helping pay for someone’s boat? And if so, is it a good boat? Does it have one of those cool fishing thingies in the back? Either way, it’s not like I’ll get to try out their boat, I’ve just purchased an expansion pack to a game I know and love.  The point being, often times gamers tend to get less and less with each expansion pack.

Re the ship designer:

Probably the most popular feature of Galactic Civilizations II was the ship designer. It’s like being able to play with LEGOS in public without everyone looking at me. I mean, without everyone looking at the guy playing with LEGOS in public.

Re press contacts:

Thank you for reviewing Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  If you have any concerns about the professionalism, grammar or spelling found in this media guide, please do not tell our PR contact about it…it’s better this way.

Twilight of the Arnor is just about gold. Check out the journal entry for a gallery of images from the release candidate!

Seriously, the number of new things in this expansion pack is immense. If you've been in the beta for it, now would be a good time to go back and play some Dark Avatar or original Dread Lords so you can really feel the difference.

A lot of improvements have been made this week to gameplay, AI, pacing, and more.  We're very excited (and nervous) for next week. We hope you like what we've wrought.

[Screenshots]

New opening cut-scene of course...

Tournaments:

The Campaign:

New Start-up Options: Immense sized galaxies, Tech stealing option, Ascension Victory Condition:

New Logos:

Lots of different Technology trees to choose from:

Much better planet graphics:

MUCH better ship graphics - a total overhaul and a reduced memory foot print!

Starbases tell you how many modules are still available:

Ascension starbases add a new diplomatic twist:

Finance Manager:

Much improved computer AI all-around:

New ambassador from Earth:

Each race has their own set of planetary improvements:

Lots and lots of unique technologies per civilization:

New random events:

Historical Events:

Updated Trade Screen with interactive help:

Technology Details dialog:

More sophisticated AI for trading:

Unique technologies that fit the civilization using it:

Familiar planets look so much better:

Even the humans get a bunch of new, meaningful technologies with rich descriptions:

The technology tree now has icons that tell you what you get with mouse-overs:

Even the improvement descriptions can be lengthy and useful now:

The enhanced graphics really do make quite a difference:

Immense sized galaxies are offensively large. Ridiculously large. You people are insane.

Because every civilization has its own technology tree, the technologies can be used to provide backstory:

New Options:

New Ship Design screen with the ability to animate any part:

Lots of new...ahem...dialog:

By default, the computer will design ships for you:

Improved UI graphics:

AI going for ascension victory:

Improved battle effects (thanks to I-Mod):

New ship components such as the Integrity field can add extra hitpoints to your ships - at a cost:

Other new components can give bonuses to weapons in fleet battles.

And of course, Terror Stars!

So here we go, we're in the final stages. Lots of features being tweaked. The computer AI has been enhanced. I will go so far as to say that it is about twice as intelligent as the last publicly available beta. If people find this AI unsatisfactory well, they can go write their own game.

So in my testing, I want to make sure that the AI personalities are doing a good job and just make sure all the new content is working right.

Setting up a custom civilization.

Playing against...

...It begins

Note that in debug mode, the shading and such is turned off so my graphics will seem a bit..odd.

I really love designing ships, even still. I'm not very good at it. Twilight makes it a lot more fun since you can now animate the pieces (my radar dish up there rotates) and the ship components are so much nicer.

The first guys I come across are the Krynn. I don't know if people realize that the Krynn aren't a race per se. They're a religion made up of many races. They're essentially a collection of minor races under a single ideology.

And yes...the Snathi are here...

Expanding

Sometimes when you role play you realize that if you continue to play in character that you will ultimately be doomed. I only have 2 planets but there are some juicy minor race planets near by.

I hate to say this but I'm going to need to take them.

Oh yea, I'm real scared...

..much later

Okay this isn't going how I had hoped. The AI is definitely a lot more lethal than it previously was. The Thalan are a serious threat every game now. I was playing on tough so I may have to take down the difficulty a bit.

I read a news announcement about a new freeware program that does some cool stuff. I check it out and it is vastly superior to an existing freeware program. Yet when I read the comments, the new, superior freeware program is being flamed. Why? Because the guy making it also offers a for-pay version that has more features.

I check out the forums of a game I enjoy playing. Normally people are singing the praises of this game. Now, the forum is full of flaming and angst. Why? Because the developer started offering optional premium content for players if they want.

Let me tell those complainers a truth about life: Money is exchanged for goods and services.

Before the current generation of l33t-speaking complainers became the norm on the net, we had a concept called shareware. Someone would make something cool and offer a version of it to try. This version might time out or it might have fewer features or it might just work on the honor system. If users liked it, they bought it. End of story.

Nowadays, we have it better. People make free stuff and release it. No nags. No missing features when compared to other "free" competitors. No time outs. But the developers will also release an even better version. And the complainers get vocal.

What annoys me is that the whiners are attempting to bully people from making stuff that many people like me want.  I don't live with my mom in her basement. I don't begrudge paying a few dollars to someone who made something I want.  I recognize that I already pay $80 a month for my cell phone and $60 a month for cable so bitching about paying $9 to $20 for something I want is pretty ridiculous. 

And I certainly recognize that the mere existence of premium stuff doesn't hurt me. If I want it, I'll pay for it. If I don't, I won't.

Let me give you two examples:

The program ObjectDock is the best dock out there. We make it so I'm biased but it has far more features than any dock out there. It's also free. You want a cool dock on Windows, this is what you get. But there is also ObjectDock Plus. It's $20 but adds a ton of features like tabbed docks. And so what do people say? They'll say that ObjectDock is "payware" or "crippleware".  Why? Because a non-free improved version exists.

Similarly, I love Team Fortress 2. It is a great game. And you know what? If Valve created a new character I could play as for say $10 I'd buy it in an instant. I want more characters in TF2 to play as. But you know the reaction they'd get. They'd probably get flamed because the parasite-class would argue that they should get that for free because buying something once to them means that the developers are perpetual slaves to them after.

I understand that we all want to keep from getting nickled and dimed but one assumes that we can make our own judgments as to whether something is worth it or not and allow others to make the same judgment.

Last week Object Desktop 2008 was released. For the first time since its introduction on Windows in 1999, Object Desktop has been provided in two forms: Object Desktop and Object Desktop Ultimate.

The normal Object Desktop focuses on transforming the Windows experience.  Object Desktop Ultimate targets power users who want to take said transformation into their own hands.

We've put together an Info guide. It's meant for print but we've managed to finangle (is that a real word?) it to get it onto the web.

You can check it out at the link below.

Take Windows to the next level

A look at how to completely transform your Windows experience.

Executive Summary

Object Desktop is a suite of desktop enhancement utilities that can completely transform the Windows experience. Once installed, a user can literally remake Windows to fit their specific needs. Its capabilities include the ability to alter the Windows GUI, icons, display animated wallpaper, create and use widgets, and much more.

What’s new from Object Desktop 2007

Historically, there has just been Object Desktop. But over the years, the number of programs and features in Object Desktop grew to the point of being intimidating to new users. This year, Stardock took the path of creating two versions of Object Desktop:

• Object Desktop ($49.95)
• Object Desktop Ultimate ($69.95)

Object Desktop provides the core components of the suite to allow users completely customize the desktop experience. It does not include the various editors and utilities that Object Desktop Ultimate includes.

Figure 1: Object Desktop makes it easy to control the Windows experience

Specifications

Title: Object Desktop 2008
Publisher: Stardock Corp.
Price: $49.95, $34.95 to renew access to new features after 1-year.
Website: www.objectdesktop.com
Requirements: Windows XP, Windows Vista
Hardware: 1 GHz Processor or faster with at least 512MB of total system memory.

The Windows Experience: A Primer

If you wanted to change the Windows experience, what would you need to change? How would you do it?

First, you would need to consider the different pieces of your desktop experience:

1. You have the Windows graphical user interface (the GUI). This would be the windows themselves, the start bar, the buttons, and other standard controls you see.
2. You have the icons like folders, the Start menu icons, the recycle bin, and the dozens of default file types. As Apple has demonstrated, nice looking icons can significantly enhance the perceived “polish” of the desktop.
3. You have the wallpaper which is typically static but in an age of 3D accelerated video cards can now be animated without slowing down the computer. Windows doesn’t support animated wallpaper out of the box, however.
4. You have the sound scheme. That is, the start up sound, the logoff sound, and optionally sounds for virtually any activity on the desktop you may want.

What Object Desktop does is provide 4 programs to change each of those 4 pieces. In addition, it also includes a program called DesktopX (the X stands for eXtend) for users who want to extend their desktop with new features like widgets or sidebars and such).

And lastly, it includes a program that lets those 5 programs work together to apply premium themes created by professional designers.

With Object Desktop, there are, literally, thousands of free icon packages, WindowBlinds skins, DesktopX widgets and themes, and so forth. Plus there’s the professionally created MyColors themes. For users who are looking for the ultimate desktop experience, Object Desktop is a one-stop solution.

The Components

Object Desktop comes with 6 components. Each program is designed to allow users to customize a certain aspect of the Windows experience. These components are:

	WindowBlinds – WindowBlinds applies new visual styles to Windows. A visual style can change the title bar, title bar buttons, push buttons, radio buttons, scrollbars, the Start bar, and much more. New controls can be added to the user interface of Windows such as roll-up buttons, always on top buttons, media player controls, and more.
	DeskScapes – Give Windows Vista animated wallpapers. DeskScapes supports both video as animated wallpaper as well as dynamic animated wallpaper.
	IconPackager – IconPackager can apply “packages” of icons. A user who wants to change all their icons in one click would simply download a package of icons and apply them.
	MyColors – Apply premium MyColors themes to change your entire desktop experience in a single click. Object Desktop comes with several MyColors themes with additional ones available for purchase.
	DesktopX – Suites include all of the above into a single file called a .suite file. When a suite is applied your GUI can be changed, your desktop changed, your icons changed and gadgets added to your desktop to give your Windows experience a complete makeover both visually and functionally.
	SoundPackager – Windows no longer allows users to easily exchange different sound schemes. SoundPackager makes it very easy for users to exchange packages of sound schemes.

WindowBlinds

Figure 2: WindowBlinds lets users change the Windows GUI (title bars, push buttons, Start bar, etc.). Thousands of free skins are available to choose from.

WindowBlinds allows users to change the Windows graphical user interface. It works by applying a new “skin” to Windows XP or Windows Vista. It’s not commonly known but the default Windows XP and Windows Vista looks are actually “skins” that replace the “classic” look of Windows. WindowBlinds works by extending the “skin engine” of the operating system to support additional features including enhanced hardware acceleration, additional buttons, animations, free form borders, and much more.

Highlights of WindowBlinds:

• Enables users to add more visual styles to Windows.
• Can change the color or brightness of a visual style on the fly.
• Allows additional title bar buttons to be added (roll-up, always on top, MP3 player controls, etc.).
• Allows users to change their Internet Explorer and Explorer toolbar icons.
• Allows users to change their Windows progress animations.
• Supports hardware acceleration in nVidia and ATI cards to improve system performance.
• Right mouse click on title bar can be used to minimize applications.
• Supports different visual styles for different programs.
• Can skin non-theme aware applications.
• Supports animated Start menus

Figure 3: A WindowBlinds skin with an animated Start menu. Explorer background is semi-transparent.

Figure 4: WindowBlinds can move buttons, add buttons, add new functionality to the Windows GUI.

IconPackager

IconPackager allows users to change all their Windows icons at once by applying different sets of icons called “icon packages.” It also lets users create their own icon packages to save for later or distribute to others.

Figure 5: IconPackager allows users to apply packages of icons that can change virtually every icon in Windows.

Highlights of IconPackager:

· Can change icons on both Windows XP and Windows Vista

· Supports live-folder icon changing on Windows Vista (only program available that does this)

· Allows users to change the colors of icons on the fly.

· Will automatically upscale older icons to support the new Windows Vista icon format

· Thousands of icon packages available on the Internet for free.

Figure 6: A complete icon package can alter the Windows experience dramatically

Figure 7: Users can add effects and alter icons on the fly with IconPackager.

SoundPackager

SoundPackager is a program that makes it easy for users to manage various Windows sound schemes.

For years, sound schemes were very popular with consumers in the Windows 95 or 98 time line. When Microsoft went with the Windows NT code-base with Windows XP, the easy sound scheme support of the Win9x builds disappeared.

SoundPackager restores this functionality and takes it a step further by making it easy for users to package and customize their own sound schemes.

Figure 8: SoundPackager UI

DesktopX

DesktopX does what its name implies – extends the Windows desktop. The previous programs of Object Desktop customize existing elements of the Windows experience. DesktopX is there to let people take Windows a step further.

DesktopX is arguably the most powerful desktop enhancement program in existence. It can create user interfaces that exist virtually anywhere. Docks can be made with it. Sidebars. Entire new shells. Even video games have used DesktopX for creating their UIs (including the award-winning Galactic Civilizations and The Political Machine).

DesktopX breaks down user interface creation to its fundamental component: Objects. These objects can be put together to create things like widgets or to build entire desktops:

Figure 9: Individual objects

Figure 10: Objects can be given functionality and combined together to create widgets

Figure 11: Or objects can be put together and used to build entire Windows desktops.

Object Desktop 2008 includes DesktopX 3.5 which can even create Windows sidebar gadgets!

Figure 12: An individual object

DesktopX works by extending Windows support true desktop objects. A user can create a new object onto their desktop and then assign what it looks like to different states. Users can use Javascript or VB Script to give the objects functionality and DesktopX supports animation as well. When done, users can export their creations as either a widget, a Sidebar gadget, or a desktop depending on what their goal is.

If this seems too much for the casual user that’s because it is. Most users will simply make use of the thousands of objects, widgets, and desktops created by other users that are available on WinCustomize.com (Stardock’s customization website). But other users who are interested in dabbling in development or just want to create something cool can do so as well.

MyColors

Figure 13: MyColors allows the components of Object Desktop to work together by applying MyColors themes.

MyColors is a new feature of Object Desktop whose themes contain everything the user needs. A user of Object Desktop will receive at least 4 free MyColors themes over the course of a year after purchase with additional premium themes available for purchase (typically for $8 apiece unless it’s licensed content).

MyColors uses the various parts of Object Desktop (WindowBlinds for the GUI, IconPackager for the icons, SoundPackager for the sounds, DesktopX for the gadgets, DeskScapes for animated wallpaper) to apply MyColors themes.

MyColors provides a great way for users who don’t want to hunt down quality content to simply press a button and have the desktop they want. Put another way, MyColors lets users who only care about the themes to focus on that.

Impulse

Impulse is Stardock’s next-generation digital distribution client. It will not be formally launched until June 17^th but Object Desktop users are able to make use of it now.

Figure 14: Impulse in action

Impulse allows Object Desktop users to download updates and new features to Object Desktop as they are made available. It takes care of installing and configuring for the user. It can even keep track of themes.

Having Impulse available to Object Desktop users before the rest of the world is one of the hallmarks of Object Desktop – it lets users see the future today. Impulse also allows users to access features of Object Desktop that are still in beta if they so choose.

On June 17^th, 2008, Impulse will be made available to the general public and allow users to purchase software from most of the major PC game publishers as well as a growing number of utility and application developers and publishers. It includes community support, blogging, live chat with the Stardock team and much more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are questions we receive from reviewers and end users on a regular basis.

Q: Will Object Desktop slow down my system?

A: In general no. In most cases it should make Windows perform faster thanks to extended use of hardware acceleration.

However, some content is designed for more of a visual punch and that can come at the cost of performance. For instance, DeskScapes supports playing video as an animated wallpaper. But playing video as your wallpaper will affect performance some since the video has to be decoded.

Q: What do I get when I purchase Object Desktop?

A: Object Desktop includes all of its components, plus a full year of updates, along with any new programs added to Object Desktop during that year. At the end of the year, users can renew their access to new updates and new components at a discounted price of $34.95.

Q: MyColors is new, I don’t like the idea of paying for themes.

A: An Object Desktop user can turbo-charge their Windows experience without having to pay for any content. However, for those users who want professionally designed themes, MyColors premium themes are an option. Object Desktop users get 4 premium MyColors themes for free each year.

Q: Impulse is the new distribution client, what about the old one? Stardock Central?

A: Existing users of Object Desktop can continue to use Stardock Central to manage their digital content. It will be supported for the foreseeable future.

Q: Does Object Desktop support 64-bit Windows Vista?

A: Yes.

Q: What about Object Desktop Ultimate?

A: Object Desktop Ultimate targets power users. It costs $20 more but adds programs such as IconDeveloper, Keyboard LaunchPad, ObjectBar, SkinStudio, TweakVista, and WindowFX.

After a full year of effort, Stardock has officially launched MyColors to the general public.

Users in the skinning community are already familiar with MyColors but to recap:

MyColors makes applying premium suites a snap. A MyColors theme includes everything a user needs to completely transform the Windows experience - a new Windows GUI, a new set of icons, gadgets, wallpaper, etc. 

MyColors includes all the technology needed to apply the theme and the technology itself is provided for free. Instead, the focus is on the actual content -- the MyColors themes.  The NBA, NHL, Ford, General Motors, the NCAA, and others have teamed up with developer Stardock to create premium MyColors themes.

Now available on CNET, MyColors includes the "Diamond theme" which gives Windows XP and Windows Vista users a glimpse at Aero Diamond (one of the concepts Microsoft considered for Windows Vista before going with Aero glass).  Diamond includes a completely new icon set, gadgets and more.

Users who already have WindowBlinds or Object Desktop can still download MyColors and get the Diamond MyColors theme, it will simply install the component parts into the appropriate locations.

The Diamond MyColors theme is free and MyColors itself is freeware. For those who don't want to purchase additional themes, at the very least you get an outstanding stand alone suite at no cost that gives Windows XP users the Windows Vista look and Vista users a glimpse at how Aero might have been done.

Screenshots:

Download: mycolors.stardock.com

Stardock is pleased to announce that Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor has gone into final gamma testing. The expansion pack to the critically acclaimed space strategy game, Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords, completes the Dread Lord saga with the return of the powerful Precursor civilization, the Arnor. 

Arguably the most comprehensive expansion pack in strategy game history, Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor has more new features and content than Galactic Civilizations II had over the original.

A labor of love, Twilight of the Arnor is nearly complete.  This week, we are putting it through final gamma testing as lots of content and goodies that were held back during the public beta are integrated in, tested, polished, etc. 

Amongst the new features includes unique technology trees for each of the 12 major civilizations. This also means unique weapons, ships, planetary improvements, and much more for each civilization.  This has allowed us to greatly expand the story of each civilization.  Moreover, a new victory condition has been added called Ascension in which players can take control of the Ascension crystals (introduced in the campaign) for victory.  The graphics of Twilight of the Arnor have been completely revamped to bring the game's visuals to 2008 standards. Check out the screenshot below to get an idea.

We have set the launch date to be April 30th (late afternoon Eastern Standard Time) for the digital release. Twilight of the Arnor does require the first expansion pack (Dark Avatar) to run.  A bundle of the entire saga is available at a discount.  The final expansion pack to the most highly rated space-strategy game of all time is nearly here...

[Purchase Options]

The Graphics Difference:

  vs.

Stardock is pleased to announce that Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor has gone into final gamma testing. The expansion pack to the critically acclaimed space strategy game, Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords, completes the Dread Lord saga with the return of the powerful Precursor civilization, the Arnor. 

Arguably the most comprehensive expansion pack in strategy game history, Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor has more new features and content than Galactic Civilizations II had over the original.

A labor of love, Twilight of the Arnor is nearly complete.  This week, we are putting it through final gamma testing as lots of content and goodies that were held back during the public beta are integrated in, tested, polished, etc. 

Amongst the new features includes unique technology trees for each of the 12 major civilizations. This also means unique weapons, ships, planetary improvements, and much more for each civilization.  This has allowed us to greatly expand the story of each civilization.  Moreover, a new victory condition has been added called Ascension in which players can take control of the Ascension crystals (introduced in the campaign) for victory.  The graphics of Twilight of the Arnor have been completely revamped to bring the game's visuals to 2008 standards. Check out the screenshot below to get an idea.

We have set the launch date to be April 30th (late afternoon Eastern Standard Time) for the digital release. Twilight of the Arnor does require the first expansion pack (Dark Avatar) to run.  A bundle of the entire saga is available at a discount.  The final expansion pack to the most highly rated space-strategy game of all time is nearly here...

[Purchase Options]

The Graphics Difference:

  vs.