How long does the average game of SMAC last?

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  The Game
  How long does the average game of SMAC last?

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   How long does the average game of SMAC last?

Cino posted 03-04-99 11:10 PM ET
Hi. I have never played Civ or Civ 2(i didn't have a PC). I like the SMAC demo, and am thinking of purchasing it. I want to know how long a game of SMAC lasts(in turns). I know Civilization: Call To Power goes from 4000BC to 3000AD. I just want to know how much of the game I've already played before I go ahead and lay down my cash for the game. Thanks.
Freudianslip posted 03-04-99 11:27 PM ET
Depends on difficulty level. I've finished one game so far, and it took me 387 turns to do it. Hour wise, you're looking at about 10 hours+ per game, depending on the level of automation you allow, your ruthlessness, etc.
Pragmatist posted 03-05-99 12:55 PM ET
There are 300 turns at normal difficulty levels (2100-2400), 400 turns at sissie levels (2100-2500.) So far I'm averaging about 270 turns and 12+ hours per game to win.
tOFfGI posted 03-05-99 04:08 PM ET
The problem is that there is no average game of SMAC. If you play on a tiny map with all land and go conquer you can easily finish within, say, 150 turns (some finished within the demo limit!), while a huge map with all water and trancendance vitory can take hundreds of turns. A "turn", however, is nothing like a turn in the demo. When you have 200 units to move any given turn, it can take over half an hour to finish a turn, or more...
griff30269 posted 03-05-99 04:30 PM ET
Depends on your system too. I've got an antique Pentium 200MMX (can an antique be less than 3 years old?), and my first game took 10 - 12 hours playing on the standard Map of Planet. A newer system with a Pentium II or III should play somewhat faster.
Bluemax posted 03-08-99 01:50 PM ET
Technically, the game ends after 500 turns. Civ II did this also. Remember that in games other than SMAC, a turn may represent more than one year. In CTP, I seriously doubt there are 7000 turns.
By the way, buy SMAC. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
CaptComal posted 03-08-99 02:08 PM ET
A nice conservative guess for Multiplayer games is about 20 turns per hour (assuming some chatting and negotiations which each take up extra time).
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: How long does the average game of SMAC last?
Cino	posted 03-04-99 11:10 PM ET Hi. I have never played Civ or Civ 2(i didn't have a PC). I like the SMAC demo, and am thinking of purchasing it. I want to know how long a game of SMAC lasts(in turns). I know Civilization: Call To Power goes from 4000BC to 3000AD. I just want to know how much of the game I've already played before I go ahead and lay down my cash for the game. Thanks.
Freudianslip	posted 03-04-99 11:27 PM ET Depends on difficulty level. I've finished one game so far, and it took me 387 turns to do it. Hour wise, you're looking at about 10 hours+ per game, depending on the level of automation you allow, your ruthlessness, etc.
Pragmatist	posted 03-05-99 12:55 PM ET There are 300 turns at normal difficulty levels (2100-2400), 400 turns at sissie levels (2100-2500.) So far I'm averaging about 270 turns and 12+ hours per game to win.
tOFfGI	posted 03-05-99 04:08 PM ET The problem is that there is no average game of SMAC. If you play on a tiny map with all land and go conquer you can easily finish within, say, 150 turns (some finished within the demo limit!), while a huge map with all water and trancendance vitory can take hundreds of turns. A "turn", however, is nothing like a turn in the demo. When you have 200 units to move any given turn, it can take over half an hour to finish a turn, or more...
griff30269	posted 03-05-99 04:30 PM ET Depends on your system too. I've got an antique Pentium 200MMX (can an antique be less than 3 years old?), and my first game took 10 - 12 hours playing on the standard Map of Planet. A newer system with a Pentium II or III should play somewhat faster.
Bluemax	posted 03-08-99 01:50 PM ET Technically, the game ends after 500 turns. Civ II did this also. Remember that in games other than SMAC, a turn may represent more than one year. In CTP, I seriously doubt there are 7000 turns. By the way, buy SMAC. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
CaptComal	posted 03-08-99 02:08 PM ET A nice conservative guess for Multiplayer games is about 20 turns per hour (assuming some chatting and negotiations which each take up extra time).