Just finished my first game... SMAC is a CLASSIC.

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Author Topic:   Just finished my first game... SMAC is a CLASSIC.

Scrubby posted 02-16-99 01:06 AM ET
Well, I just finished my first game of SMAC and after spending about 30 hours with my laptop and not my girlfriend over Valentine's Day weekend I think I'll be playing even more ... hehe.
Seriously though SMAC has an addictive quality I've not had since CIV I (and CIV II was just plain rehashing in my mind). I know the game is basically a CIV modelled game with new sci-fi trappings but it is a comfortable fit. It just *feels* right to treat "cities" as bases and "settlers" as terraformers. SMAC also provides a very coherent rationale for the tech tree and units on this new world. In addition, I think the inclusion of a story line a la Planet gives SMAC a definite "plot" lacking in the CIV games of the past.
What else did I like? The sheer depth of the game. I played Citizen level with the Hive (chosen randomly) and I read every single quote and tech advance. The flavour text really shines. I barely even touched the Social Engineering screen and I didn't use the workshop at all and I still felt overwhelmed by options. Anyone else feel this way?
The diplomacy options are fun (though they get a little boring after the umpteenth communication with a faction leader) and the enemy AI seems pretty tight. The computer has a long memory but is pretty gracious at times. The personalities of the various factions were prettty apparent.
THe graphics? Well I played on a laptop for the whole of the game and was fairly pleased. However, I am now sick of red fungal carpeting (hehe). My only technical complaint was the sound which was cracking, jumpy and generally horrible -- ugh. I hope when I install on my desktop the technical probs will cease.
For those of you contemplating the game's merits and discussing it's worthiness to be called a classic keep in mind all those times you were in the thick of a SMAC turn and TOTALLY oblivious to "real life". I think that's the ultimate determinant of "classic" status. For me SMAC grabbed my gaming attention and still hasn't let go. It's immersion dummies -- not graphics and sound and music!
I can't wait to probe the depths of the design workshop, the harder difficulties, tweaking the game options, creating scenarios and new factions, PLAYING multi-player or single-player, the other factions etc. etc. I was sucked in!
SMAC is not a "perfect" game (hey the graphics could be tighter and the scope could be widened past a "Planet-like" planet and of course it's buggy) but I think it's the most engrossing and addictive game I've played in a long time. If you're considering purchasing the game I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by SMAC -- this is a keeper alright.
Three cheers to Firaxis for creating the true CIV heir. Thanks for the beginning of a great gaming relationship!
VvGaMeRXvV posted 02-16-99 03:35 PM ET
I wholeheartedly agree with you there. If a game can keep you so preoccupied that you lose concepts of reality, then it is a classic. SMAC is just like Civ2 because you hardly realize what is going on around you or how long you have been playing.
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Author	Topic: Just finished my first game... SMAC is a CLASSIC.
Scrubby	posted 02-16-99 01:06 AM ET Well, I just finished my first game of SMAC and after spending about 30 hours with my laptop and not my girlfriend over Valentine's Day weekend I think I'll be playing even more ... hehe. Seriously though SMAC has an addictive quality I've not had since CIV I (and CIV II was just plain rehashing in my mind). I know the game is basically a CIV modelled game with new sci-fi trappings but it is a comfortable fit. It just feels right to treat "cities" as bases and "settlers" as terraformers. SMAC also provides a very coherent rationale for the tech tree and units on this new world. In addition, I think the inclusion of a story line a la Planet gives SMAC a definite "plot" lacking in the CIV games of the past. What else did I like? The sheer depth of the game. I played Citizen level with the Hive (chosen randomly) and I read every single quote and tech advance. The flavour text really shines. I barely even touched the Social Engineering screen and I didn't use the workshop at all and I still felt overwhelmed by options. Anyone else feel this way? The diplomacy options are fun (though they get a little boring after the umpteenth communication with a faction leader) and the enemy AI seems pretty tight. The computer has a long memory but is pretty gracious at times. The personalities of the various factions were prettty apparent. THe graphics? Well I played on a laptop for the whole of the game and was fairly pleased. However, I am now sick of red fungal carpeting (hehe). My only technical complaint was the sound which was cracking, jumpy and generally horrible -- ugh. I hope when I install on my desktop the technical probs will cease. For those of you contemplating the game's merits and discussing it's worthiness to be called a classic keep in mind all those times you were in the thick of a SMAC turn and TOTALLY oblivious to "real life". I think that's the ultimate determinant of "classic" status. For me SMAC grabbed my gaming attention and still hasn't let go. It's immersion dummies -- not graphics and sound and music! I can't wait to probe the depths of the design workshop, the harder difficulties, tweaking the game options, creating scenarios and new factions, PLAYING multi-player or single-player, the other factions etc. etc. I was sucked in! SMAC is not a "perfect" game (hey the graphics could be tighter and the scope could be widened past a "Planet-like" planet and of course it's buggy) but I think it's the most engrossing and addictive game I've played in a long time. If you're considering purchasing the game I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by SMAC -- this is a keeper alright. Three cheers to Firaxis for creating the true CIV heir. Thanks for the beginning of a great gaming relationship!
VvGaMeRXvV	posted 02-16-99 03:35 PM ET I wholeheartedly agree with you there. If a game can keep you so preoccupied that you lose concepts of reality, then it is a classic. SMAC is just like Civ2 because you hardly realize what is going on around you or how long you have been playing.