What is SMAC really? Empire Builder or More?

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  The Game
  What is SMAC really? Empire Builder or More?

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   What is SMAC really? Empire Builder or More?

Wraithfire posted 02-22-99 12:06 PM ET
I think that SMAC is not really an empire building game... It is instead a "faction" building game impling a totally different style of gameplay. Empires unlike factions are less self-interested and more society-oriented... the reason why I think some people don't feel as connected to SMAC is because it seems to provide less of a sense of an enduring stable society that one gets from an empire builder like CIV. The point Empire builders is stablity and longevity (preferably for all time), & rest. However SMAC with its factional orientation is about motion, motion, motion... This is because factions are about the here and now, the moment, and how each ideology deals with it. The moment and ideals are what drive them and sparks their actions. That's why you don't see "happy" people in Smac... not because there aren't any, but because they aren't what's important. What is important? Talents... thats right! talented people that can bring about the perfection and promugation of one's ideology at the current moment. A factions sense of the moment is also what brings about the idea of the council... only in a factioned (unstable)world do you worry about your surroundings and find an UNsque council... In the Age of Empires (sorry about the cliched title, but its a good description), you would never have found the idea of a "world counil" and this is because people identified with their kingdoms and empires, and less with factions though these still had major effects (usually bringing about the downfall of an empire)... That's the true difference between SMAC & CIV is that one is oriented towards the empire (the society) and the other is aimed towards the faction (ideology & self interest)... So is SMAC an empire building game? It's my belief that its not meant to be one... instead it is a great representation of modern factional politics something more interested in pursuit of its own ends and less for the good of the society on the whole... Thanks and I hope to hear your takes on SMAC's ;-)
Wraithfire posted 02-23-99 03:34 PM ET
Hiya all again... just wanted to keep this post alive seeing as the board has been flooded by posts in the last couple days...
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).


Hop to:

Contact Us | Alpha Centauri Home

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.18
© Madrona Park, Inc., 1998.

Author	Topic: What is SMAC really? Empire Builder or More?
Wraithfire	posted 02-22-99 12:06 PM ET I think that SMAC is not really an empire building game... It is instead a "faction" building game impling a totally different style of gameplay. Empires unlike factions are less self-interested and more society-oriented... the reason why I think some people don't feel as connected to SMAC is because it seems to provide less of a sense of an enduring stable society that one gets from an empire builder like CIV. The point Empire builders is stablity and longevity (preferably for all time), & rest. However SMAC with its factional orientation is about motion, motion, motion... This is because factions are about the here and now, the moment, and how each ideology deals with it. The moment and ideals are what drive them and sparks their actions. That's why you don't see "happy" people in Smac... not because there aren't any, but because they aren't what's important. What is important? Talents... thats right! talented people that can bring about the perfection and promugation of one's ideology at the current moment. A factions sense of the moment is also what brings about the idea of the council... only in a factioned (unstable)world do you worry about your surroundings and find an UNsque council... In the Age of Empires (sorry about the cliched title, but its a good description), you would never have found the idea of a "world counil" and this is because people identified with their kingdoms and empires, and less with factions though these still had major effects (usually bringing about the downfall of an empire)... That's the true difference between SMAC & CIV is that one is oriented towards the empire (the society) and the other is aimed towards the faction (ideology & self interest)... So is SMAC an empire building game? It's my belief that its not meant to be one... instead it is a great representation of modern factional politics something more interested in pursuit of its own ends and less for the good of the society on the whole... Thanks and I hope to hear your takes on SMAC's ;-)
Wraithfire	posted 02-23-99 03:34 PM ET Hiya all again... just wanted to keep this post alive seeing as the board has been flooded by posts in the last couple days...