wtf?? this game is confusing... help???

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Author Topic:   wtf?? this game is confusing... help???

arch posted 03-02-99 02:14 PM ET
Hey,
I'm totally new to this game and genre. I've never really delved into the turn based genre. I'm having a hard time grasping the concept of this game. It's just so overwhelming. Even the tutorials confuse me. I've done all the tours, all the tutes, still overwhelmed. Is this kind of behaviour normal? or am i just a moron? a little of both maybe?
I think i've played about 6 hours in total. Each time i get a little more confused.
Does anyone know where a newbie like me can get some advice? maybe a walkthrough? Maybe a tutorial on building up a base and doing research. My guys keep coming up with scientific breakthroughs, but after that, i'm lost. I kind of understand combat. What i don't understand is base management and resource collecting.
Help a newbie.
thanks.
-arch
Antiam posted 03-02-99 02:28 PM ET
Well for starters you probably want to use 'blind research' so you don't have to worry about that. As far as base stuff goes, um. Each person in the base screen represents 1000 colonists. Those colonists go out and work the surrounding land, producing energy, nutrients, and minerals. In the map in the city screen you can assign workers to different squares. Just click around to see what different squares produce. Energy is money, nutrients help your population grow, and minerals build stuff. You're priorities will change throughout the game on what you want the most of. Understanding that, you then need to strike a balance between building base improvements, projects, and units. The quickest thing I can tell you to do is to expand as quickly as you can. If you get 8-10 bases started in the first 50 years you'll find the game is much easier. The learning curve is particularly steep, but the trick is to just ignore certain aspects to begin with. Also, you can set a city or two to one of the governors and watch them. Hope that helps.
Antiam
Rong posted 03-02-99 02:29 PM ET
A good place to start is GameSpot's SMAC guide:
http://www.gameguides.com/guides/alphacen/
Hope this helps.
Putch posted 03-02-99 03:02 PM ET
go find a copy of CIV (the original) its under 2mb and its a simple version of SMAC.
but not too simple.
Imran Siddiqui posted 03-02-99 03:15 PM ET
Don't worry. Keep playing! I like to tell the story of the first time I played Civ2! I had NO idea what I was doing! Absolutly none! I thought, what a waste of money! After a while, however, I started learning. And then, I was hooked (majorly hooked!). Just keep playing. It'll all click soon!
Imran Siddiqui
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Author	Topic: wtf?? this game is confusing... help???
arch	posted 03-02-99 02:14 PM ET Hey, I'm totally new to this game and genre. I've never really delved into the turn based genre. I'm having a hard time grasping the concept of this game. It's just so overwhelming. Even the tutorials confuse me. I've done all the tours, all the tutes, still overwhelmed. Is this kind of behaviour normal? or am i just a moron? a little of both maybe? I think i've played about 6 hours in total. Each time i get a little more confused. Does anyone know where a newbie like me can get some advice? maybe a walkthrough? Maybe a tutorial on building up a base and doing research. My guys keep coming up with scientific breakthroughs, but after that, i'm lost. I kind of understand combat. What i don't understand is base management and resource collecting. Help a newbie. thanks. -arch
Antiam	posted 03-02-99 02:28 PM ET Well for starters you probably want to use 'blind research' so you don't have to worry about that. As far as base stuff goes, um. Each person in the base screen represents 1000 colonists. Those colonists go out and work the surrounding land, producing energy, nutrients, and minerals. In the map in the city screen you can assign workers to different squares. Just click around to see what different squares produce. Energy is money, nutrients help your population grow, and minerals build stuff. You're priorities will change throughout the game on what you want the most of. Understanding that, you then need to strike a balance between building base improvements, projects, and units. The quickest thing I can tell you to do is to expand as quickly as you can. If you get 8-10 bases started in the first 50 years you'll find the game is much easier. The learning curve is particularly steep, but the trick is to just ignore certain aspects to begin with. Also, you can set a city or two to one of the governors and watch them. Hope that helps. Antiam
Rong	posted 03-02-99 02:29 PM ET A good place to start is GameSpot's SMAC guide: http://www.gameguides.com/guides/alphacen/ Hope this helps.
Putch	posted 03-02-99 03:02 PM ET go find a copy of CIV (the original) its under 2mb and its a simple version of SMAC. but not too simple.
Imran Siddiqui	posted 03-02-99 03:15 PM ET Don't worry. Keep playing! I like to tell the story of the first time I played Civ2! I had NO idea what I was doing! Absolutly none! I thought, what a waste of money! After a while, however, I started learning. And then, I was hooked (majorly hooked!). Just keep playing. It'll all click soon! Imran Siddiqui