Hello everyone!
So as the title suggests, I'm a first time GalCiv player looking to test out the beta and immerse myself in what I hear is one of the best strategy game series ever made. My experience playing these types of games comes down mostly to endlessly playing Master of Orion II and Heroes of Might and Magic III, so I know I have a liiiittle bit of a learning curve.
I've read some of the other forum posts, and I've started my first game in the Beta 3, and already within 20 turns I have some general nOObish questions I'd like to ask. They are as follows:
-Should I be able to scroll the map by placing my cursor at the edge of the screen? Because if so...I can't do that. At all. The map simply doesn't move unless i click the screen and drag the map.
-Is it intentional that my ships/colonies and shipyards MUST be doing something before I can end my turn? What if I don't want to be building anything? I have not figured out a way to end my turn without having all my things doing...things.
-The green smiley % keeps dropping every turn, and I have no idea how to stop it
-I have spent my first 20 turns sending my ships out to explore, and I've found I think six separate stars, each with some planets...and they are all Class zeroes. All of them save the tiny one near my home planet. Is that typical?
-There are asteroids that I feel like I should be able to mine for minerals/ore, but I don't have anything with which to do so. Does that come with research?
I think that's all I have for now. I'm taking things slowly, trying to learn how the game works and not worrying if I mess something up. Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!