Att'n Transcend Ironmen/Women: Increasing the Challenge

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Author Topic:   Att'n Transcend Ironmen/Women: Increasing the Challenge

Maitreia posted 06-04-99 12:36 AM ET
Greetings All,
A question to the stars of Alpha Centauri: How do you play the game now to make it challenging? I am interested to start another game, but I need some new settings to make the game interesting. As it is now, starting even with the computer A-so-called-I on the so-called "Transcend" difficulty is just a joke...
To make my own games more difficult I have been giving the other factions a 25-year or more head start. (I work it into the storyline by imagining that "my" faction has for some reason come to the planet late.) But I'm a little tired of playing this way... I was wondering if anyone here could share the way they play to give themselves a challenge?

Thanks in advance,
Maitreia
MichaeltheGreat posted 06-04-99 01:05 AM ET
I'm just doing PBEM's with real players, and working through different game approaches - plus I'm working on Alkis' fastest transcend challenge in two factions PK and UoP.
But normal gameplay in any setting just isn't challenging anymore. I'm also trying to stay awake through a game (TI) that I'm trying to crank way past 10,000 points, to see if I can set a record or break the SMAC score counter.
Shining1 posted 06-04-99 01:37 AM ET
Tried the Aggresive A.I switch in the game rules? It cuts down the crass manipulation of the diplomatic A.I (they all hate each other, anyway, so why mess around). Also, go blind tech, and check all the boxes (for complete random variation).
Otherwise, you can try messing with Alpha.txt to make life generally harder for conquerors.
Finally, if you want a psychotically stupid challenge, activate the A.I governor on all your bases, and limit your choices to Explore, Build, Discover, Conqueror. Guranteed to make you shout "WTF?!!" at least once per game .
Shining1
Maitreia posted 06-04-99 03:56 PM ET
Thanks guys for the responses.
MichaeltheGreat: Yes, a PBEM-game would be great, but I don't know if I'd be around long enough to complete a whole game. It would take at least six months to play a full game, no?
Shining1: Well, I think that putting on the aggressive AI settings might make things even easier, since the AI-controlled factions would spend even less (!) time building up their infrastructure and more time building useless units. But your idea with the governors sounds pretty appealing, and also somewhat realistic. (What megalomaniacal dictator has the time to manage his entire empire right down to the last former? Ok, besides Hitler :-) ) Hmmmm.... I think I might just try that, with the allowance that I'd be able to place my HQ and maybe a few other bases under my direct control. There'd also be the bonus of not having to micromanage millions of cities.

Cheers & thanks,
Maitreia
marc420w posted 06-04-99 05:12 PM ET
Hmmm, I was watching the Hitler (History) Channel the other night. The show they had it on made it seem like he had the Ronnie Reagan management style, just eat jellie beans and let the staff handle. Seems old Adolf found it good to be the king! Slept till noon, had a meeting or read a report, ate lunch, had another meeting, then watched movies all night.
Actually, the Alpha Text file settings sound like the best way to boost the game. I bet you could decide in advance what faction you were going to play, the boost the abilities of the others.
Maitreia posted 06-04-99 05:43 PM ET
marc420W,
Hmmm... I kind of thought he was fanatical about having control of every little detail, right down to managing his armies down to even the regimental level! That's what I got from reading William Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", anyways.
But to remain on topic I think I'll go with Shining1's AI-governor approach. I'll give myself control of my HQ and let the governors take care of the rest of my empire. This should give me a challenging (and hopefully not too frustrating ) game...

Mait
incidentally, what's with your name? You sound like a high viscocity (sp?) engine oil.
Nell_Smith posted 06-04-99 05:53 PM ET
Maitreia (cool name btw):
If you don't fancy the slowness of PBEM (and actually you're looking at more like a year per game, realistically), then why not try a direct IP game? Believe me, SMAC becomes a whole new game when your opponent isn't a dumb AI faction that will trade you any tech you ask for, build hopeless bases and useless units and then commit suicide by attacking you when you're 1000% stronger than him, but is rather a human being who is just as cunning as yourself!
Direct IP works very well, even if you only have a 33.6 modem, and it really does bring the game to life.
For solo play, you're right about setting the AI to "aggressive"... they just wipe each other out even more quickly, and make the human player's task even easier. But you could try setting all the Planet parameters to the unfavourable ones (low ocean coverage, sparse cloud cover, low erosion, abundant alien life, etc), set Blind Research on, and then play with a faction that you don't find easy... for me that would be the Believers or Morgan, but tastes vary.
Failing that, tweaking alpha.txt works well... take away all your enemies' disadvantages and even give yourself a few new ones if you want... but I still prefer to play against a real human opponent, because there's always a way to beat the AI in the end, unless you tweak alpha.txt so much that the game becomes impossible, which isn't much fun.
Beware of the Base Governors... they really do make some spectacularly inane decisions, like deciding to build SPs when their production level is at 1 mineral per turn... and beware also of automated formers, unless you really want to see the ultimate in AI stupid behaviour!! Formers racing right to the other side of the continent to build... one section of road in the middle of a desert of fungus... hilarious
Cheers,
Nell
Shining1 posted 06-04-99 10:03 PM ET
Yeah. If you can win transcendance level with that kind of handicap, Brian Reynolds will send you a personally autographed postcard...
Darkstar posted 06-05-99 01:44 AM ET
I have to agree that the BEST way to increase the game would be to take on a human in IP. I use the Governors and Automate units to make for quick one to two hour games. You probably won't win unless you are playing a low level. And of course, you can always grab those odd units or cities that are driving you nuts.
Hitler got very strange and Obsessive-Compulsive, from a lot of what I have seen and read, where something would catch his attention, and he would micro-manage it to death. Otherwise, he would let the his staff run things if they didn't interest him.
-Darkstar
laurens posted 06-05-99 03:53 AM ET
Some thoughts:
Transcend level
Fog of War on
Intense Rivalry
Blind Research on
No Unity Survey
Iron Man
Slow Tech Progress
Then try to use the Believers to complete a large/huge random map.

Other than that, perhaps you would just be interested in getting the highest score (or fastest?) for the various conquest/economic/transcendence victories. I suppose the ultimate challenge would be multiplayer games - against human brains. A game of our own. Any takers?
Cheers
Maitreia posted 06-05-99 04:30 PM ET
Greetz all,
Well, reading over these latest responses is somehow turning me off playing the comp. again. I think it's pretty much as Ms. Smith said - in order to make the AI challenging you have to ramp up the difficulty to nearly impossible settings, which then are hardly any fun to play.
Actually, the last four games I've played, I've given the AI-buggers huge head-starts in development... 25 years, then 50, then 75, then 100!!! Believe it or not, I still managed to win every game, though a few games were close. It was a struggle at first (especially the last game... when I finally got my first few cities down Miriam was all over the board), but eventually, through diplomatic trickery and a few master strokes (hehe), and of course the ability of the human player to build up his own infrastructure rapidly through Pop. Booms, etc. it was just a matter of time before I was ahead on all counts. Interesting up to a point but by mid-game... boooring.
Ah well, I guess I'll have to look to MP games for a good challenge.
So... see you folks in the AlphaHQ perhaps?

Best Regards,
Maitreia
StargazerBC posted 06-05-99 07:26 PM ET
I change the settings for the faction characteristics, Ie--all computer factions also focus on money, infrastructure, researech, high aggression, etc. Also increased each factions Bonuses by 2 (except Miriam and Yang ::grins: and delete their negatives. for a while I Miriam and Yang did have 2 instead of 1 increase, but they always end up having 40+ cities ::grins:: each. Now, they actually build up infrastructure so it's sorta worth blowing up their lousy cities ::grins::
Delgath posted 06-05-99 11:31 PM ET
Laurens: Just give me a time and style and I'm there.
laurens posted 06-08-99 10:31 AM ET
To Delgath: Really much appreciated
Tried contacting MichaeltheGreat? I suppose some of us might be playing through PBEM, and Michael is one great organiser during this time.
HMFIC posted 06-08-99 10:36 AM ET
Try playing with your monitor off.
Aredhran posted 06-08-99 11:17 AM ET
Good one, HMFIC !
laurens, for the record, "fog of war" is a display option only. It's always on.
Aredhran
Aztlan posted 06-09-99 02:09 PM ET
Try a no SP/no terraforming game.
Igor posted 06-10-99 02:02 PM ET
Try another game, chess fo example.
Spider posted 06-10-99 09:55 PM ET
Try asking somewhere else. Sorry.
Spider
Darkstar posted 07-20-99 02:25 PM ET
Since I am boosting the others, might as well be nice and bring this one up too...
-Darkstar
(In search of the TI's...)
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Author	Topic: Att'n Transcend Ironmen/Women: Increasing the Challenge
Maitreia	posted 06-04-99 12:36 AM ET Greetings All, A question to the stars of Alpha Centauri: How do you play the game now to make it challenging? I am interested to start another game, but I need some new settings to make the game interesting. As it is now, starting even with the computer A-so-called-I on the so-called "Transcend" difficulty is just a joke... To make my own games more difficult I have been giving the other factions a 25-year or more head start. (I work it into the storyline by imagining that "my" faction has for some reason come to the planet late.) But I'm a little tired of playing this way... I was wondering if anyone here could share the way they play to give themselves a challenge? Thanks in advance, Maitreia
MichaeltheGreat	posted 06-04-99 01:05 AM ET I'm just doing PBEM's with real players, and working through different game approaches - plus I'm working on Alkis' fastest transcend challenge in two factions PK and UoP. But normal gameplay in any setting just isn't challenging anymore. I'm also trying to stay awake through a game (TI) that I'm trying to crank way past 10,000 points, to see if I can set a record or break the SMAC score counter.
Shining1	posted 06-04-99 01:37 AM ET Tried the Aggresive A.I switch in the game rules? It cuts down the crass manipulation of the diplomatic A.I (they all hate each other, anyway, so why mess around). Also, go blind tech, and check all the boxes (for complete random variation). Otherwise, you can try messing with Alpha.txt to make life generally harder for conquerors. Finally, if you want a psychotically stupid challenge, activate the A.I governor on all your bases, and limit your choices to Explore, Build, Discover, Conqueror. Guranteed to make you shout "WTF?!!" at least once per game . Shining1
Maitreia	posted 06-04-99 03:56 PM ET Thanks guys for the responses. MichaeltheGreat: Yes, a PBEM-game would be great, but I don't know if I'd be around long enough to complete a whole game. It would take at least six months to play a full game, no? Shining1: Well, I think that putting on the aggressive AI settings might make things even easier, since the AI-controlled factions would spend even less (!) time building up their infrastructure and more time building useless units. But your idea with the governors sounds pretty appealing, and also somewhat realistic. (What megalomaniacal dictator has the time to manage his entire empire right down to the last former? Ok, besides Hitler :-) ) Hmmmm.... I think I might just try that, with the allowance that I'd be able to place my HQ and maybe a few other bases under my direct control. There'd also be the bonus of not having to micromanage millions of cities. Cheers & thanks, Maitreia
marc420w	posted 06-04-99 05:12 PM ET Hmmm, I was watching the Hitler (History) Channel the other night. The show they had it on made it seem like he had the Ronnie Reagan management style, just eat jellie beans and let the staff handle. Seems old Adolf found it good to be the king! Slept till noon, had a meeting or read a report, ate lunch, had another meeting, then watched movies all night. Actually, the Alpha Text file settings sound like the best way to boost the game. I bet you could decide in advance what faction you were going to play, the boost the abilities of the others.
Maitreia	posted 06-04-99 05:43 PM ET marc420W, Hmmm... I kind of thought he was fanatical about having control of every little detail, right down to managing his armies down to even the regimental level! That's what I got from reading William Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", anyways. But to remain on topic I think I'll go with Shining1's AI-governor approach. I'll give myself control of my HQ and let the governors take care of the rest of my empire. This should give me a challenging (and hopefully not too frustrating ) game... Mait incidentally, what's with your name? You sound like a high viscocity (sp?) engine oil.
Nell_Smith	posted 06-04-99 05:53 PM ET Maitreia (cool name btw): If you don't fancy the slowness of PBEM (and actually you're looking at more like a year per game, realistically), then why not try a direct IP game? Believe me, SMAC becomes a whole new game when your opponent isn't a dumb AI faction that will trade you any tech you ask for, build hopeless bases and useless units and then commit suicide by attacking you when you're 1000% stronger than him, but is rather a human being who is just as cunning as yourself! Direct IP works very well, even if you only have a 33.6 modem, and it really does bring the game to life. For solo play, you're right about setting the AI to "aggressive"... they just wipe each other out even more quickly, and make the human player's task even easier. But you could try setting all the Planet parameters to the unfavourable ones (low ocean coverage, sparse cloud cover, low erosion, abundant alien life, etc), set Blind Research on, and then play with a faction that you don't find easy... for me that would be the Believers or Morgan, but tastes vary. Failing that, tweaking alpha.txt works well... take away all your enemies' disadvantages and even give yourself a few new ones if you want... but I still prefer to play against a real human opponent, because there's always a way to beat the AI in the end, unless you tweak alpha.txt so much that the game becomes impossible, which isn't much fun. Beware of the Base Governors... they really do make some spectacularly inane decisions, like deciding to build SPs when their production level is at 1 mineral per turn... and beware also of automated formers, unless you really want to see the ultimate in AI stupid behaviour!! Formers racing right to the other side of the continent to build... one section of road in the middle of a desert of fungus... hilarious Cheers, Nell
Shining1	posted 06-04-99 10:03 PM ET Yeah. If you can win transcendance level with that kind of handicap, Brian Reynolds will send you a personally autographed postcard...
Darkstar	posted 06-05-99 01:44 AM ET I have to agree that the BEST way to increase the game would be to take on a human in IP. I use the Governors and Automate units to make for quick one to two hour games. You probably won't win unless you are playing a low level. And of course, you can always grab those odd units or cities that are driving you nuts. Hitler got very strange and Obsessive-Compulsive, from a lot of what I have seen and read, where something would catch his attention, and he would micro-manage it to death. Otherwise, he would let the his staff run things if they didn't interest him. -Darkstar
laurens	posted 06-05-99 03:53 AM ET Some thoughts: Transcend level Fog of War on Intense Rivalry Blind Research on No Unity Survey Iron Man Slow Tech Progress Then try to use the Believers to complete a large/huge random map. Other than that, perhaps you would just be interested in getting the highest score (or fastest?) for the various conquest/economic/transcendence victories. I suppose the ultimate challenge would be multiplayer games - against human brains. A game of our own. Any takers? Cheers
Maitreia	posted 06-05-99 04:30 PM ET Greetz all, Well, reading over these latest responses is somehow turning me off playing the comp. again. I think it's pretty much as Ms. Smith said - in order to make the AI challenging you have to ramp up the difficulty to nearly impossible settings, which then are hardly any fun to play. Actually, the last four games I've played, I've given the AI-buggers huge head-starts in development... 25 years, then 50, then 75, then 100!!! Believe it or not, I still managed to win every game, though a few games were close. It was a struggle at first (especially the last game... when I finally got my first few cities down Miriam was all over the board), but eventually, through diplomatic trickery and a few master strokes (hehe), and of course the ability of the human player to build up his own infrastructure rapidly through Pop. Booms, etc. it was just a matter of time before I was ahead on all counts. Interesting up to a point but by mid-game... boooring. Ah well, I guess I'll have to look to MP games for a good challenge. So... see you folks in the AlphaHQ perhaps? Best Regards, Maitreia
StargazerBC	posted 06-05-99 07:26 PM ET I change the settings for the faction characteristics, Ie--all computer factions also focus on money, infrastructure, researech, high aggression, etc. Also increased each factions Bonuses by 2 (except Miriam and Yang ::grins: and delete their negatives. for a while I Miriam and Yang did have 2 instead of 1 increase, but they always end up having 40+ cities ::grins:: each. Now, they actually build up infrastructure so it's sorta worth blowing up their lousy cities ::grins::
Delgath	posted 06-05-99 11:31 PM ET Laurens: Just give me a time and style and I'm there.
laurens	posted 06-08-99 10:31 AM ET To Delgath: Really much appreciated Tried contacting MichaeltheGreat? I suppose some of us might be playing through PBEM, and Michael is one great organiser during this time.
HMFIC	posted 06-08-99 10:36 AM ET Try playing with your monitor off.
Aredhran	posted 06-08-99 11:17 AM ET Good one, HMFIC ! laurens, for the record, "fog of war" is a display option only. It's always on. Aredhran
Aztlan	posted 06-09-99 02:09 PM ET Try a no SP/no terraforming game.
Igor	posted 06-10-99 02:02 PM ET Try another game, chess fo example.
Spider	posted 06-10-99 09:55 PM ET Try asking somewhere else. Sorry. Spider
Darkstar	posted 07-20-99 02:25 PM ET Since I am boosting the others, might as well be nice and bring this one up too... -Darkstar (In search of the TI's...)