I'm just guessing, but is Civilization Call to power is better than SMAC

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Author Topic:   I'm just guessing, but is Civilization Call to power is better than SMAC

itdoesntfit posted 07-15-99 02:22 PM ET

I've seen the cover, and already I'm convinced that SMAC is nothing close to Civ call to power. Does anyone here know which is better?
Dman37 posted 07-15-99 02:36 PM ET
ok...I really wish we could get off this subject and talk about playing the game and stop slamming it. If you like it fine play it if you don't then don't play it and go somewhere else. I've attempted to call in some people who know more about this really than any of us here (no offense guys) I don't know how many of you read game magazines but I've read a few and the best one I've found is PCGamer. There ratings have been on the money time and time again. Two months after Alpha Centurai came out they gave it the highest rating they have ever given a game 98% on a sacle of 100. They almost had nothing bad to say about it. I don't know if they participate in forums or not but I hope they will begin to participate in this one so we can perhaps exhust this subject (with the help of learned opinons) and move on.
To answer your question directly they gave
civilization call to power a rating of about 75% if I remember correctly. I'll check that when I get home today.
Rudebw0y posted 07-15-99 04:51 PM ET
Computer Games Online (www.cdmag.com) has good writeups of both games -- they liked SMAC a lot better than CtP, but there are pretty informative reviews of both if you want to get a better feel for what they're like.
freehga posted 07-15-99 05:07 PM ET
I have played both games, and I think they both have a lot to offer. Truthfully there are a lot of features in CTP that are quite good. Units are not tied to a specific city (the US military for instance is supported by the whole country not a specific city), there is a public works fund to terraform city squares, and the underwater and space cities/units are quite cool. I also think the sounds are a bit better, as well as the graphics. It's worth giving a try.
JayPegg posted 07-15-99 05:11 PM ET
dman,
Civilization: Call to Power 65%
Highs: Cool new units and technology; space- and water-based cities; streamlined.
Lows: Lacks spark; clunky interface; overpowerful superunits; poor performace; no autosave.
Bottom Line: Impressive but not much fun. Wait for test of time.
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri 98%
Highs: Extremely addictive gameplay and enormous depth
Lows: Minor bugs here and there; fairly steep learning curve.
Bottom Line: An incredible strategy game,Alpha Centauri is destined to go down as one of the best strategy games every made.
From PC Gamer, April and July 1999 issues.
Any difference?
I also enjoy Gamespot's and cnet gamecenter's review's.
~kelso
JayPegg posted 07-15-99 05:12 PM ET
whoops, misus that last quotation.
Krushala posted 07-15-99 06:29 PM ET
itdoesntfit go ahead and buy games based on their cover. I'm sure you will like the results. As the posts above suggest, reviews are the only thing that matters. Not the game company or designer, definately not the name of the game (most star trek titles come to mind.)
But I'm sure you method of buying games based on their cover will work. Kind of like seeing movies based on their posters.
RenderDrone posted 07-15-99 09:38 PM ET
CtP better than SMAC?
What have you been smoking? I want some, too.
laurens posted 07-15-99 09:49 PM ET
I dun think CtP will be better, it's more like a sequel and things dun change much.
we know things should change for the better, and only if CtP will adopt an entirely new and refreshing approach ... otherwise it will pretty much like Wing commander 3 to 4 or AD&D 2nd edition games of Dark Sun to Wake of the Ravager - see their results?
SMAC wasn't completely new, but made some noticeable breakthroughs as well as a marvellous technology chart. Similarly if SMACX is not innovative, the game will lose its grace too.
And of course, not to mention its bugs...
itdoesntfit posted 07-16-99 01:16 AM ET
Are you sure about that? Come on, I actually steal a couple peeks in the strategy guide.
Bossman posted 07-16-99 04:53 AM ET
Right,
All you "Newbies" (Im not afaid to call you that anymore) obviously dont know anything about SMAC neither anyother Games or Game Mags!
PCGamer gave SMAC 94% and did have things to say about it like its crap graphics.
CTP got 95%! (Which I agree with in some ways but not many) if you want to argue call PCgamer and ask them what they wrote in Julys issue on the Top 100 Charts!
Hamlet posted 07-16-99 04:59 AM ET
Bossman: Don't insult newbies ol'boy :-)
I've only been playing the game for 2 weeks but I still know the ins and outs of judging a game. Call them 'irrationals' or something like that NOT newbies :-)
itdoesntfit: Old English Proverb "Do not judge a book by its cover". Don't they teach that in schools in your country?
Ah well..I guess I'll get back to labouring to improve my SMAC score. Ta ta...
"And then all Hell broke loose"- John Milton, Paradise Lost
Imran Siddiqui posted 07-16-99 01:39 PM ET
"CTP got 95%! (Which I agree with in some ways but not many) if you want to argue call PCgamer and ask them what they wrote in Julys issue on the Top 100 Charts"
Actually PC Gamer gave CTP 65% and SMAC a 98%. I should know, I 'm looking at it right now.
Krushala posted 07-16-99 03:39 PM ET
wow Imran I haven't seen you here in ages
JayPegg posted 07-16-99 09:07 PM ET
Boss? You read PCGamer UK? They must of rated it different from the american version i read...
laurens posted 07-16-99 09:34 PM ET
I've read PCGamer giving SMAC 98% too
1001100110001 posted 07-17-99 02:32 PM ET
Eh...I prefer SMAC to CTP.
but i like both games: here, how about this comparison?
I got SMAC in January, and am still playing it (fairly) regularly, usually more often after the most recent patches.
I got CTP in May, and have stopped playing it, even after various modpacks and patches.
But that's just me, so...
Valtyr posted 07-17-99 05:50 PM ET
On my cover of CtP (why, oh why, oh why did I buy this game???) it says that PC Gamer gave it 92%. What edition of the mag I don't know.
Dman37 posted 07-22-99 02:29 PM ET
Hmm...false advertizing? I wonder if PCgamer knows this...
Darkstar posted 07-22-99 03:04 PM ET
I have both games. SMAC is far superior in my opinion. I found CtP to be too clunky in its interface, amoung other things.
I'd suggest you find an associate that has CtP or play its demo (if its out) before spending money on it. Some people do like CtP, and you might be one of them.
-Darkstar
Top_of_mind posted 07-23-99 06:19 AM ET
If I whould asked what to rate both in 100% Civ3 and AC, I whould give 95% to AC, 50% to Civ3 (CTP).
Eplekake posted 07-23-99 08:24 AM ET
Ahh, I am not a lurker anymore. I am a newbie... Hurrah.
I have the UK version of PC Gamer in front of me, where they compared SMAC and CTP. They gave CTP 91, and SMAC 90. But this was the UK version, and the UK and US version of PC Gamer is independent of each other. Therefore the different scores. So here is the official PC Gamer SMAC and CTP scores:
UK PC Gamer: SMAC 91 CTP 92
US PC Gamer: SMAC 98 CTP 65
I think anyone can agree with me when i say that US PC Gamer is the real PC gamer, while UK PC Gamer is the wannabe.
Bossman posted 07-23-99 09:27 AM ET
NO, Im looking at it and it says CTP 95% and SMAC 94%!
JayPegg posted 07-23-99 09:41 AM ET
What the hell? these are all the different scores we've had-
US PC Gamer- SMAC 98%, CtP 65%
UK PC Gamer- SMAC 91%, CtP 92% (?)
We've also had- SMAC 94%, CtP 95%
are there different european versions of PC Gamer, that could be the problem.
and top, CtP iis not CIV3!!!!!!!!
~kelso
Eplekake posted 07-23-99 09:56 AM ET
The US PC Gamer's scores are sure, just go to www.pcgamer.com and check. I have the March edition of UK PC Gamer, and CTP and SMAC did get 91 and 92. I think that the UK PC Gamer staff have typed wrong or something in their July edition.
There are more PC Gamer magazines, but no in English. There is a swedish one, for example, but I doubt that that's what Bossman is reading.

Krushala posted 09-06-99 09:07 PM ET
I can't help it this title cracks me up.
itdoesntfit posted 09-26-99 10:01 PM ET
Your mission seems to bring back everything that I wished was burned 2 centuries ago .
Krushala posted 09-26-99 10:29 PM ET
but you are re-resurrecting it.
Bubbe posted 09-27-99 12:38 AM ET
I actually wanted to check ctp out so I loaded the demo from pcgamer.
It wouldnt even install
Great game
Biddles posted 09-27-99 10:28 AM ET
I have both SMAC and CTP and I can tell you that if CTP had of came out BEFORE SMAC than it would have been a good game. It is basically a souped up version of CIV with very little innovative features. (It does have public works which is okay, and nationwide unit support which rocks and an extra 1000 years which is plain boring). SMAC on the other hand is a whole new game. After experiencing something like being able to directly affect your government through SE, you just can't go back. SMAC is something new, an improvement on the CIV genre. CTP is CIV3.
SailorUranus posted 09-27-99 04:47 PM ET
I'm sorry, but C:CTP is not Civ III. (Firaxis and Hasbro are working on the real Civ III.) C:CTP is more of a Civ-wannabe with a couple of good ideas, executed poorly, and a whole lot of bad ones.
I'd like to see the sales figures of C:CTP and SMAC, just to see if and by how much SMAC trounced C:CTP in sales.
dreadhead posted 09-28-99 02:03 AM ET
I have both SMAC and CtP. Unfortunately, IMHO, CtP was a waste of my well-deserved birthday money. The only good thing about the game is the music. I have actually hidden the game CD because I get so angry every time I look at it. For those of you who like it, well, I tip my hat off to you. Good luck and more power to you. You have a lot more patience than I.
JohnIII posted 09-28-99 04:23 PM ET
Missed this first time, but:
"I think anyone can agree with me when i say that US PC Gamer is the real PC gamer, while UK PC Gamer is the wannabe."
But the UK PCG is the original, Matt Bielby created it, then handed over to Gary Whitta (IIRC) to set up US PCG.
John III
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Author	Topic: I'm just guessing, but is Civilization Call to power is better than SMAC
itdoesntfit	posted 07-15-99 02:22 PM ET I've seen the cover, and already I'm convinced that SMAC is nothing close to Civ call to power. Does anyone here know which is better?
Dman37	posted 07-15-99 02:36 PM ET ok...I really wish we could get off this subject and talk about playing the game and stop slamming it. If you like it fine play it if you don't then don't play it and go somewhere else. I've attempted to call in some people who know more about this really than any of us here (no offense guys) I don't know how many of you read game magazines but I've read a few and the best one I've found is PCGamer. There ratings have been on the money time and time again. Two months after Alpha Centurai came out they gave it the highest rating they have ever given a game 98% on a sacle of 100. They almost had nothing bad to say about it. I don't know if they participate in forums or not but I hope they will begin to participate in this one so we can perhaps exhust this subject (with the help of learned opinons) and move on. To answer your question directly they gave civilization call to power a rating of about 75% if I remember correctly. I'll check that when I get home today.
Rudebw0y	posted 07-15-99 04:51 PM ET Computer Games Online (www.cdmag.com) has good writeups of both games -- they liked SMAC a lot better than CtP, but there are pretty informative reviews of both if you want to get a better feel for what they're like.
freehga	posted 07-15-99 05:07 PM ET I have played both games, and I think they both have a lot to offer. Truthfully there are a lot of features in CTP that are quite good. Units are not tied to a specific city (the US military for instance is supported by the whole country not a specific city), there is a public works fund to terraform city squares, and the underwater and space cities/units are quite cool. I also think the sounds are a bit better, as well as the graphics. It's worth giving a try.
JayPegg	posted 07-15-99 05:11 PM ET dman, Civilization: Call to Power 65% Highs: Cool new units and technology; space- and water-based cities; streamlined. Lows: Lacks spark; clunky interface; overpowerful superunits; poor performace; no autosave. Bottom Line: Impressive but not much fun. Wait for test of time. Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri 98% Highs: Extremely addictive gameplay and enormous depth Lows: Minor bugs here and there; fairly steep learning curve. Bottom Line: An incredible strategy game,Alpha Centauri is destined to go down as one of the best strategy games every made. From PC Gamer, April and July 1999 issues. Any difference? I also enjoy Gamespot's and cnet gamecenter's review's. ~kelso
JayPegg	posted 07-15-99 05:12 PM ET whoops, misus that last quotation.
Krushala	posted 07-15-99 06:29 PM ET itdoesntfit go ahead and buy games based on their cover. I'm sure you will like the results. As the posts above suggest, reviews are the only thing that matters. Not the game company or designer, definately not the name of the game (most star trek titles come to mind.) But I'm sure you method of buying games based on their cover will work. Kind of like seeing movies based on their posters.
RenderDrone	posted 07-15-99 09:38 PM ET CtP better than SMAC? What have you been smoking? I want some, too.
laurens	posted 07-15-99 09:49 PM ET I dun think CtP will be better, it's more like a sequel and things dun change much. we know things should change for the better, and only if CtP will adopt an entirely new and refreshing approach ... otherwise it will pretty much like Wing commander 3 to 4 or AD&D 2nd edition games of Dark Sun to Wake of the Ravager - see their results? SMAC wasn't completely new, but made some noticeable breakthroughs as well as a marvellous technology chart. Similarly if SMACX is not innovative, the game will lose its grace too. And of course, not to mention its bugs...
itdoesntfit	posted 07-16-99 01:16 AM ET Are you sure about that? Come on, I actually steal a couple peeks in the strategy guide.
Bossman	posted 07-16-99 04:53 AM ET Right, All you "Newbies" (Im not afaid to call you that anymore) obviously dont know anything about SMAC neither anyother Games or Game Mags! PCGamer gave SMAC 94% and did have things to say about it like its crap graphics. CTP got 95%! (Which I agree with in some ways but not many) if you want to argue call PCgamer and ask them what they wrote in Julys issue on the Top 100 Charts!
Hamlet	posted 07-16-99 04:59 AM ET Bossman: Don't insult newbies ol'boy :-) I've only been playing the game for 2 weeks but I still know the ins and outs of judging a game. Call them 'irrationals' or something like that NOT newbies :-) itdoesntfit: Old English Proverb "Do not judge a book by its cover". Don't they teach that in schools in your country? Ah well..I guess I'll get back to labouring to improve my SMAC score. Ta ta... "And then all Hell broke loose"- John Milton, Paradise Lost
Imran Siddiqui	posted 07-16-99 01:39 PM ET "CTP got 95%! (Which I agree with in some ways but not many) if you want to argue call PCgamer and ask them what they wrote in Julys issue on the Top 100 Charts" Actually PC Gamer gave CTP 65% and SMAC a 98%. I should know, I 'm looking at it right now.
Krushala	posted 07-16-99 03:39 PM ET wow Imran I haven't seen you here in ages
JayPegg	posted 07-16-99 09:07 PM ET Boss? You read PCGamer UK? They must of rated it different from the american version i read...
laurens	posted 07-16-99 09:34 PM ET I've read PCGamer giving SMAC 98% too
1001100110001	posted 07-17-99 02:32 PM ET Eh...I prefer SMAC to CTP. but i like both games: here, how about this comparison? I got SMAC in January, and am still playing it (fairly) regularly, usually more often after the most recent patches. I got CTP in May, and have stopped playing it, even after various modpacks and patches. But that's just me, so...
Valtyr	posted 07-17-99 05:50 PM ET On my cover of CtP (why, oh why, oh why did I buy this game???) it says that PC Gamer gave it 92%. What edition of the mag I don't know.
Dman37	posted 07-22-99 02:29 PM ET Hmm...false advertizing? I wonder if PCgamer knows this...
Darkstar	posted 07-22-99 03:04 PM ET I have both games. SMAC is far superior in my opinion. I found CtP to be too clunky in its interface, amoung other things. I'd suggest you find an associate that has CtP or play its demo (if its out) before spending money on it. Some people do like CtP, and you might be one of them. -Darkstar
Top_of_mind	posted 07-23-99 06:19 AM ET If I whould asked what to rate both in 100% Civ3 and AC, I whould give 95% to AC, 50% to Civ3 (CTP).
Eplekake	posted 07-23-99 08:24 AM ET Ahh, I am not a lurker anymore. I am a newbie... Hurrah. I have the UK version of PC Gamer in front of me, where they compared SMAC and CTP. They gave CTP 91, and SMAC 90. But this was the UK version, and the UK and US version of PC Gamer is independent of each other. Therefore the different scores. So here is the official PC Gamer SMAC and CTP scores: UK PC Gamer: SMAC 91 CTP 92 US PC Gamer: SMAC 98 CTP 65 I think anyone can agree with me when i say that US PC Gamer is the real PC gamer, while UK PC Gamer is the wannabe.
Bossman	posted 07-23-99 09:27 AM ET NO, Im looking at it and it says CTP 95% and SMAC 94%!
JayPegg	posted 07-23-99 09:41 AM ET What the hell? these are all the different scores we've had- US PC Gamer- SMAC 98%, CtP 65% UK PC Gamer- SMAC 91%, CtP 92% (?) We've also had- SMAC 94%, CtP 95% are there different european versions of PC Gamer, that could be the problem. and top, CtP iis not CIV3!!!!!!!! ~kelso
Eplekake	posted 07-23-99 09:56 AM ET The US PC Gamer's scores are sure, just go to www.pcgamer.com and check. I have the March edition of UK PC Gamer, and CTP and SMAC did get 91 and 92. I think that the UK PC Gamer staff have typed wrong or something in their July edition. There are more PC Gamer magazines, but no in English. There is a swedish one, for example, but I doubt that that's what Bossman is reading.
Krushala	posted 09-06-99 09:07 PM ET I can't help it this title cracks me up.
itdoesntfit	posted 09-26-99 10:01 PM ET Your mission seems to bring back everything that I wished was burned 2 centuries ago .
Krushala	posted 09-26-99 10:29 PM ET but you are re-resurrecting it.
Bubbe	posted 09-27-99 12:38 AM ET I actually wanted to check ctp out so I loaded the demo from pcgamer. It wouldnt even install Great game
Biddles	posted 09-27-99 10:28 AM ET I have both SMAC and CTP and I can tell you that if CTP had of came out BEFORE SMAC than it would have been a good game. It is basically a souped up version of CIV with very little innovative features. (It does have public works which is okay, and nationwide unit support which rocks and an extra 1000 years which is plain boring). SMAC on the other hand is a whole new game. After experiencing something like being able to directly affect your government through SE, you just can't go back. SMAC is something new, an improvement on the CIV genre. CTP is CIV3.
SailorUranus	posted 09-27-99 04:47 PM ET I'm sorry, but C:CTP is not Civ III. (Firaxis and Hasbro are working on the real Civ III.) C:CTP is more of a Civ-wannabe with a couple of good ideas, executed poorly, and a whole lot of bad ones. I'd like to see the sales figures of C:CTP and SMAC, just to see if and by how much SMAC trounced C:CTP in sales.
dreadhead	posted 09-28-99 02:03 AM ET I have both SMAC and CtP. Unfortunately, IMHO, CtP was a waste of my well-deserved birthday money. The only good thing about the game is the music. I have actually hidden the game CD because I get so angry every time I look at it. For those of you who like it, well, I tip my hat off to you. Good luck and more power to you. You have a lot more patience than I.
JohnIII	posted 09-28-99 04:23 PM ET Missed this first time, but: "I think anyone can agree with me when i say that US PC Gamer is the real PC gamer, while UK PC Gamer is the wannabe." But the UK PCG is the original, Matt Bielby created it, then handed over to Gary Whitta (IIRC) to set up US PCG. John III