Sid Meiers Alpha Centauri

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-02-21 04:38pm

Stofsk wrote:Um...no it doesn't. How else can I go upstairs, boot up my crappy 10 year old Aptiva which has SMAC cleanly installed, without the disc in the drive, and still play it?

Oo;

I wonder if it's because I have the Planetary Pack that it required the disc for both the original and expansion then...

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-02-21 07:37pm

Archaic, how fast do you typically get Industrial Automation, and how do you get it that quickly?

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2007-02-21 10:15pm

What's the planetary pack?

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2007-02-22 01:23am

SMAC+SMACX on one Disk, the retarded jewelcase shitty version of smac

sorry, but I have both Planatary Pack, and SMAC original, guess which one is loaded onto my computer at present. (hint: I don't need a disk either)

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-02-22 06:52am

Enforcer Talen wrote:Archaic, how fast do you typically get Industrial Automation, and how do you get it that quickly?

Playing as the Uni, and assuming no random nasties getting in my way....between 2109 and 2112 usually, 2116 at the absolute latest.

I simply work in a direct beeline towards it, taking Centauri Ecology as Uni's free initial tech, then researching Industrial Base and Industrial Economics and changing to Free Market the instant I get that and have the cash (usually 2106), followed by Industrial Automation. It *must* be done in this order, otherwise you actually won't have Industrial Automation available as the tech choice. And occasionally, if you're playing in a specific player slot (memory fails me here, but I think it was slots 4 and 6), you had to switch the order for Cent. Eco and Ind. Base, or the modifiers will be off just enough so you don't get the techs.

If you're playing single player, best to use Uni in slot 3, I find. You won't have any problems that way with either the initial Ind. Auto beeline, or with the subsequent beelines to SotHB, Enviro. Econ., or Doc. Air.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2007-02-22 12:21pm

I usually go straight for the secrets of the human brain tech to pick up the free tech if you get it first.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-02-22 04:20pm

Do you use directed tech, or blind research?

KrauserKrauser · Post by **KrauserKrauser** » 2007-02-22 04:25pm

Directed Tech all the way.

Archon · Post by **Archon** » 2007-02-22 05:01pm

Did anybody ever play as the fundies?

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2007-02-22 05:51pm

Archon wrote:Did anybody ever play as the fundies?

I tried once. Ye gods. The tech hobbling is unbearable.

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-02-22 06:04pm

Isolder74 wrote:I usually go straight for the secrets of the human brain tech to pick up the free tech if you get it first.

I *still* usually get that first, going for the Ind. Auto beeline.

Enforcer Talen wrote:Do you use directed tech, or blind research?

Honestly, it doesn't matter. Each tech has a value between 0 and 4 in each of the 4 areas, explore, build, discover and conquer. When using blind, the computer picks the tech for you out of the same set that you'd have when using directed, giving you the one with the highest combined value for the areas you picked as your tech direction. If you know the values, it's child's play to direct your research in the right direction.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-02-22 07:52pm

Strange. I kept it on build and dont get it till 2150+

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-02-22 08:51pm

What faction are you using, in which slot, and which tech did you get as your free initial tech (if Uni)?

Other possible factors would include how quick your actual development is.
Also...IIRC, if you put it on just build and nothing else, you won't go straight to it. You have to look as its values. IIRC, you need to switch in and out of Build and Build/Discover. Been a while, so I can't remember exactly.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2007-02-22 11:51pm

I have this problem where all the voices are coming through with a really strong echo. I'm running the latest patch and the xp compatability patch. I have AC installed.

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-02-23 09:37am

Known bug. IIRC, it's something to do with sound card driver compatibility. Don't think there was ever a fix for it.

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2007-02-24 10:59am

SirNitram wrote:
Archon wrote:Did anybody ever play as the fundies?
I tried once. Ye gods. The tech hobbling is unbearable.

Yeah, but Miriam is definitely a military faction. You gotta pick on Zakharov as much as possible.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2007-02-24 11:02am

Guardsman Bass wrote:
SirNitram wrote:
Archon wrote:Did anybody ever play as the fundies?
I tried once. Ye gods. The tech hobbling is unbearable.
Yeah, but Miriam is definitely a military faction. You gotta pick on Zakharov as much as possible.

In a game where tech is king that can get tricky.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2007-02-24 12:45pm

Guardsman Bass wrote:
SirNitram wrote:
Archon wrote:Did anybody ever play as the fundies?
I tried once. Ye gods. The tech hobbling is unbearable.
Yeah, but Miriam is definitely a military faction. You gotta pick on Zakharov as much as possible.

Zakharov wtfpwnz Miriam in the face. Seriously. By the time she's got her first speeders, I've generally got fliers.

Darth Mordius · Post by **Darth Mordius** » 2007-02-24 10:19pm

I do so love when they brag about their pitiful tech. "Fear the might of the Plasma Armour!" Riiiiiiight. Bring the fusion planet busters on line.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2007-02-28 11:15am

SirNitram wrote:
Guardsman Bass wrote:
SirNitram wrote: I tried once. Ye gods. The tech hobbling is unbearable.
Yeah, but Miriam is definitely a military faction. You gotta pick on Zakharov as much as possible.
Zakharov wtfpwnz Miriam in the face. Seriously. By the time she's got her first speeders, I've generally got fliers.

In SMAC 'geekspeak' Miriam is a momentum faction (meaning they go around and conquer shit), while Zak (and Morgan, for that matter) is a builder faction. The Hive and Believers are an absolute pain in the ass to start next to.

Which is why I prefer the Peacekeepers, Gaians, and Spartans, and why I always want Zak and Morgan as friends. Spartans seem on the face of it to be a momentum faction, but they're flexible. Gaians are more or less builders as well, if not for their +1 to Planet ability, which can be complemented by going Green economy as soon as it's available. Suddenly, every mindworm that sprouts out of the ground is an insta-army.

And Peacekeepers, having no real penalty or bonus, are of course in the jack of all trades camp.

Darth Mordius wrote:I do so love when they brag about their pitiful tech. "Fear the might of the Plasma Armour!" Riiiiiiight. Bring the fusion planet busters on line.

"FEAR MY SYNTHMETAL SENTINELS!!!!!11"

I love it when you school them in the arts of buttkicking, and they're reduced to kissing your ass to survive. "I surrender, for my defeat is abject and total." You bet your ass it is.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-02-28 02:28pm

Archaic` wrote:What faction are you using, in which slot, and which tech did you get as your free initial tech (if Uni)?

Other possible factors would include how quick your actual development is.
Also...IIRC, if you put it on just build and nothing else, you won't go straight to it. You have to look as its values. IIRC, you need to switch in and out of Build and Build/Discover. Been a while, so I can't remember exactly.

Morgan, Talent, blind research.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2007-02-28 03:13pm

I'm playing a game right now and I'm on an Island all my own and the Hive has declared war on me and once in a while he sends a few ships over to attack and I trounce them with my garrison troops. I am at the moment building some transports to send my army over to let the wind out of his sails so he will leave my coastal cities alone.

I've already killed off the Spartans after they declared war on me.

I'm University BTW

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2007-02-28 03:38pm

I once played Spartans where I kicked ass early and got Morgan and Yang to swear oaths to me, but then Morgan started sending in probe teams and I had to wipe him out.

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2007-02-28 06:22pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:
Archaic` wrote:What faction are you using, in which slot, and which tech did you get as your free initial tech (if Uni)?

Other possible factors would include how quick your actual development is.
Also...IIRC, if you put it on just build and nothing else, you won't go straight to it. You have to look as its values. IIRC, you need to switch in and out of Build and Build/Discover. Been a while, so I can't remember exactly.
Morgan, Talent, blind research.

For slot, rather than difficulty level, I meant, which number faction are you in the rotation? Though I suppose it won't impact on you there, if you only have basic SMAC.

In any case...as Morgan, with his different free tech, that changes things. You need to get Information Networks and Planetary Networks, which are discovery techs, which would change your beeline significantly to mine. I'll see if I can find the old predictor spreadsheet. It'd tell you what you had to pick.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-02-28 08:38pm

If I could get a copy of that, it would be helpful