Any here still play SMAC?

[Mongoose]

If so, does any one want to play a PBM campaign? I have version 5.0 with the Windows XP fix. I only have the game it self, no Alien cross fire XPAC


Current players are:

Mongoose
Gelatinous cube

For those of you who don't know what the hell im talking about-
SMAC=Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. Basically Civ but in space and with better gameplay IMO




It's pretty cheap

[Reverend Joe]

Wow... Alpha Centuari. What memories.

I was always a Civ-2 man myself (and still am.) But good luck.

[Mongoose]

I got it, but I need to find the CD. When I do, I'd be more than happy.

Sounds good. I think i'll add a list to the first post...

Wow... Alpha Centuari. What memories.

I was always a Civ-2 man myself (and still am.) But good luck.

Thanks. What did you like more about Civ2? I admit that the setting at least was abit better...

[Mount Suribachi]

Oh man, SMAC is one of my all time favourite games.

Still hoping they do a SMAC2 one day. Haven't played it in a long while and tbh I wouldn't be able to commit to a PBM campaign.

But for a game thats 7 years old, it has many features that I wish would make it into TW. The excellent diplomacy system with its trustwirthyness rating, the ability to trade techs, money, territory with other factions, the ability to loan money. And of course the excellent unit building tool that allowed you to create thousands of different units.

Used to love playing as the Peacekeepers, and always allied with the Gaians. Dunno why, but we always had great synergy. If you got the Empath Guild, then a diplomatic victory was assured

Always seemed to be me against the Hive as well - I guess they were a faction designed to play to the AIs strengths. Doctrine: Air Power was always my most important tech. I still remember one game where they had the northern continent, me and the greens the southern. Then one turn there was a geological event and a tiny strip of land appeared connecting us. I had just built a colony up there and a few turns later I noticed a HUGE hive army advancing down this land bridge. I mobilised my fledgling air force of green needlejets to protect the outpost, and it was a real Rourkes Drift/Battle of Britain type situation. For about 20 turns I relentlessly pounded this army with my needlejets, the Hive never quite managing to make it to my city. When it was all over, I had about 10 Elite needlejets and the Hive army was destroyed. With the Hive virtually defencless I set about reducing their cities with my Air Force. That was a great game

[Mongoose]

Very interesting! I prefer locusts of chiron more because they can take cities though. Kind of fun using air craft to destroy the garrison and then taking the city with the locusts.

I like having a large navy and blockading other factions by taking their sea bases. Once when i was at the end of the game, with only one other faction left. They Were mostly land based and most of my army was sea based...so i voted "Yes" On melting the polar ice caps. Half of their land was flooded after 20 turns and i took their cities with my ships.

[The_Doctor]

I love the Civ series and Sci-fi, but for some reason I hate SMAC.

[Mongoose]

what didn't you like about it? I admit that the story line was abit weak....

[The_Doctor]

The story was fine.

The interface was messy and fiddly.

The graphics look dirty, like somebody has thrown soil at the screen.

Also you had to upgrade your units all the time.

[Geoffrey S]

I've got it on the mac, but I've never played a multiplayer campaign. I'm still looking for the expansion pack. It's one of my all time favourites, it's great to see other people have enjoyed it too. A very good narrative, and a number of features that TW would do well to learn from, such as the great diplomacy system and a real personalized feel.

[Del Arroyo]

SMAC is a classic game one of the best ever. The storyline, for me, was definitely one of the best parts. The whole thing was just immersion. All the voice-overs and stuff. It was a work of art.

Alas, I'm not sure if I have it lying around still, or not. If I find it, I *might* play.

Kudos, by the way, on not having crappy Cross-Fire expansion.

DA

[Mongoose]

The story was fine.

The interface was messy and fiddly.

The graphics look dirty, like somebody has thrown soil at the screen.

Also you had to upgrade your units all the time.

1)Might agree with you there. How ever, i got used to it after afew hours. It's not that bad IMO.

2)The graphics are awful, yes.

3)That's one of the best parts of the game...the huge number of units you can custom build.

I've got it on the mac, but I've never played a multiplayer campaign. I'm still looking for the expansion pack. It's one of my all time favourites, it's great to see other people have enjoyed it too. A very good narrative, and a number of features that TW would do well to learn from, such as the great diplomacy system and a real personalized feel.

Well, i've never played a PBM campaign either. But i think that i know how it works.

1:Every one picks a faction

2:I start the game under the "Hot seat/PBM" Option

3:I finish a turn under the faction i chose and then save and exit.

4:Up load the save file to the .org

5:the next player downloads and plays thir turn.

Not really too complex I think we are going for about 7 players...one for every faction.

SMAC is a classic game one of the best ever. The storyline, for me, was definitely one of the best parts. The whole thing was just immersion. All the voice-overs and stuff. It was a work of art.

Alas, I'm not sure if I have it lying around still, or not. If I find it, I *might* play.

Kudos, by the way, on not having crappy Cross-Fire expansion.

DA

I agree. I like every thing about it minus the painful MM at the end of the game.

[Reverend Joe]

Thanks. What did you like more about Civ2? I admit that the setting at least was abit better...

Civ 2 was more flexible. I still have scenarios for Civ 2 ranging from Tolkien to World War 2, and even a few that took the form of an RPG. The events added to this incredible flexibility. There was just a lot more there to change the game. Alpha Centauri was good, but what you got was really just what you got. Granted, there was some room to manouver, but the freedom just wasn't there.

[Mongoose]

Well, that's true. I assume by "flexible" you mean it had a greater time span.


IMO, SMAC gives you alot more options because of the huge number of techs and custom units.

[Reverend Joe]

Actually, by "flexible", I meant there is more room to change the game itself. The scenarios are more like game mods, although under a different name. I have played scenarios that were so totally different from the origional game, it is amazing that they work on the game engine. If you still have a copy, look for "Second Front", "Red Front", "Gotterdamerung", and a series on Lord of the Rings that operates more like a role-playing game. One of the scenarios takes place in Moria. The flexibily and replayability of Civ 2 is based on how different each scenario can be from the origional game.

On the other hand, I am not farmiliar with the SMAC modding community; it might be better than the Civ 2 one (which, unfortunately, is as good as dead.)

[Mongoose]

Hmm, maybe i'll have to take a look as well. Would be interesting to see if there are any RPG style scenarios.

[Vykke]

Agreed. SMAC rocks. I think it was the quotes and voice-overs that sold me on its awesomeness. I struck up a game just a couple weeks ago, in fact. It's probably the longest-lived game in my playing library. Unfortunately I don't think I have the time to start a multiplayer game at the moment.

I had some problems with the expansion pack, but I didn't think it was all that bad. Not worth the extra money I spent on it, perhaps

[snip]

After mucking around with the text files to rebalance the new factions to my liking, I think the expansion noticeably improved the game. Though I never include the aliens in my games. They just bother me.


EDIT: No links to that site, please. Abandonware is a murky legal area; in many cases it is still piracy, unless the copyright holders have given their explicit permission for the game to be put up for free download.

[GoreBag]

Careful, Vykke. I linked to the Underdogs here once and things didn't work out.