Alien Crossfire Factions - Alpha Centauri Forums

  Alpha Centauri Forums
  Strategies and Tactics
  Alien Crossfire Factions

profile | register | prefs | faq | search

Author Topic:   Alien Crossfire Factions

Zakharov_54 posted 08-24-99 11:13 PM ET
The Alien Crossfire factions (that I know of) are: Pirates, Cyborgs, Drones, Ecological, Probe Team, and Usurpers.
Some ideas as to pros and cons (ie +2 morale, -1 planet, etc.) would be nice. Also, what strategy would you use to make the most of and/or overcome the weaknesses of these factions?
NoviceCEO posted 08-25-99 03:10 PM ET
From the Alhpa Centauri Official Site (for the few people that haven't read it yet):
Cyborgs:Start with Polymorphic Software (Heavy Artillery, D2), Efficience Bonus, Growth and Morale penalties (although I believe cyborgs should have a higher morale for fearing the enemy).
They don't have the Efficiency penalty on Planned (-2 efficiency, +2 growth, +1 Industry), but cannot choose Eudaimonia (+2Economy, +2 growth, +2 industry, -2 morale).
Because of that profile, they don't have any trouble at social engineering at early game (as not been able to choose police state or free market). I believe they will have either some other kind of bonus; +2 efficieny, -1 growth and morale, or a monstruous efficiency if growth and morale are -2. They are for nature good at efficiency, that is good at energy, for the bonus and planned, but that disappear in the late game when they lack eudamonia, which gives the great +2 economy bonus.
Usurpers:Combat bonus (+25% in air battles), bonus in Growth and Industry. Start with Applyed Physics(Laser,C1 tech), Field Modulation (couldn't find it in Datalinks, probably new tech) and Progenitor Psych (new tech, may be similar to Social Psych, a B1 tech, recreation commons). The leader is probably a military authority, wich may lead this faction to be a nate military power.
By the way, usurp means seize, that should mean they're conquerors.
Usurpers are one of the two alien factions. The other one is probably the Caretakers.
About the other ones you said, I just hope they don't come with Ecological, unless it's pretty different to the Gaians. I'd rather have an insect-like faction. I also would like that to communicate with alien factions, a whole process of language learning and maybe researching would be needed, of course, if that doesn't screw gameplay.
A Drone faction looks nice, and I have been thinking that maybe drone rioters could reach a so intense level that they would become independent cities, specially in captured bases. A Drone faction should haveh no Drone rioters , but a high inefficiency (Drone rioters can't make their point together .
I was also thinking, why not having inhabitted Orbital Space Stations, as there are Sea bases. Those Stations would have a high energy production (which would be redirected on its hole to research), but wouldn't grow much and wouldn't have mineral production, with new labs been paid by your energy reserves. Of course you could build some space needlejets to attack your opponents Stations in your land bases, or you could even build some Military Stations on Planets Moons (Nessus and Pholus), which could be rich in minerals.
Ok, those are my points.
I've gone quite a lot off the topic.
NoviceCEO
Charon posted 08-25-99 03:46 PM ET
I'm guessing that the Ecological faction would now be the planet itself. In all it's mindworm madness...
NoviceCEO posted 08-25-99 04:04 PM ET
BTW, forgot to say: Why not having 14 factions in a single planet? That could be something pretty nice. About the council, you would only need commlinks for 6 of them (how the heck would you be able to get all of them). I think that number would be pretty interesting because we would have several factions "eating" each other, meaning a higher number of powerful factions in the late game. I'm not sure if my line of thought is correct, but it would still be alotta funny. With that much factions we could have alliances, which would be a number of factions connected more firmly to each other militarily and politically (all factions would have the same vote in Council, for example). Those alliances would have their own Councils, which would decide if they would vote together in Council meetings, or not.
Another thing that would be good is that we have some unique units for each faction. Like, Gaians could have a super mindworm. It could also be like two or three factions having the same unique (14 uniques is a huge number). It doesn't have to be whole new units, but like a new chassis (a cruiser with additional movement and +50 on artillery?).

Some more weird off-topic thoughts
Novice
RM posted 08-26-99 06:12 AM ET
Some ideas about the pirate faction:
Starting tech doctrine: flexibility, to be able to take to the seas early in the game.
Free pressure dome in every base, to stop them from dying if their land is sunk (they are supposed to be sea based).
The probe faction probably has some bonus on the probe, but I would be disappointed if they have negative on research, since that would make them too similar to the Believers.
NotLikeTea posted 08-26-99 07:29 AM ET
Keep in mind that the factions will each have one other bonus, not possible in the original SMAC. (probably something along the lines of the Peacekeepers vote bonus, or the Spartans combat bonus. But different )
This is what would make these factions interesting. Otherwise, we could have made them ourselves, and wouldn't have needed the expansion disk.
RM posted 08-26-99 09:07 AM ET
The cyborg faction seems very powerful on the diplomatic side. Since it will choose Planned as preferred choice, the only of the original factions that it will provoke is Morganites and Gaians, which both are pacifist (mostly). And the aversion for Eudaimonia will not come into play until late in the game.
NoviceCEO posted 08-28-99 12:40 PM ET
About the pirates, I'd be very disappointed to have a faction like that in the game. Why? Simply because to be the way it is (power in the sea and weak in the ground) it would become a silly faction: two powerful in maps mostly oceans, too weak on maps mostly ground. A faction that is a speacilist at only one sector is just a big waste for me.
Zakharov_54 posted 08-28-99 10:05 PM ET
Whoever said anything about the Pirates being weak on land? They might simply be better in water than they are on land.
NoviceCEO posted 08-29-99 10:41 AM ET
Oh, that's ok. But i was "linking" them directly to our Earth pirates. Have you heard of pirates buildings big cities and having industrial power? Maybe that name isn't that appropriate then.
Natguy posted 08-29-99 11:10 AM ET
Yeah, I'd prefer "mariners" or something. "Pirates" makes you think of jolly crewman with eyepatches and baggy clothing dancing around on a galleon. Not something one usually associates with the present, let alone centuries into the future.
Zakharov_54 posted 08-30-99 11:50 AM ET
One of the things that you're forgetting is that there will be a black-market for something, and therefore there will always be somebody that's going to loot, pillage, plunder, etc. to supply the black market. The Pirate faction might also be an off-shoot of the Morganites.
NoviceCEO posted 08-30-99 05:43 PM ET
Oh Zakharov_54, that would be nice. (new name suggestion... the "Renegades"?). A faction that would pillage others would be pretty interesting and nice, but to get deep on that task they should be some real bastards and the factions that have diplomatic conversations with them should keep that in secret.
Sounds great as an extra "barbarian" (like mind-worms) and sounds funny to get to the game load it and bother the other factions, bringing chaos and eventually taking over the planet, but doesn't sound nice to me as a normal competitive faction, even though it may be.
NotLikeTea posted 08-31-99 10:06 AM ET
Problem is that none of the factions can be "evil", or "bad guys".
Look at our current factions. The Spartans are real warmongers, but they justify it with a need to survive. Yang seems like a bad guy, but justifies it as a need to put the whole ahead of the few.
In short, it is possible to sympathise with all of the faction leaders.
That's why I'm a bit worried about the Piratical faction.. they must seem justifiable, and not just a nusiance.
Hugo Rune posted 09-01-99 07:56 AM ET
A completely criminal factions would be interesting, both ideologically and in play. Finally, a faction devoid of any ideology except egoism. I welcome them.
laurens posted 09-01-99 10:35 AM ET
That would still be a -1 morale modifier.
"A proud army does not constitute a strong army and doomed to defeat on the battlefield." - Lu Xun.
Zakharov_54 posted 09-02-99 12:36 PM ET
OK, so we have basic idea of what the Pirate faction might be like. What about the other factions? Here they are: Drones, Ecological, and Probe Team.
Roland Sennholz posted 09-03-99 06:29 PM ET
I think the Pirate faction should start by landing in water and making seabases. Also, since the probe faction can probe, they should have reaserch advanages. So, my conclusion is: +1 Research +2 Probe -1 industry.
NotLikeTea posted 09-04-99 01:55 PM ET
nah.. I don't want the probe team getting a research bonus. The whole point of having a probe bonus would make it easier to steal tech. More exciting if they HAVE to steal their tech to survive.
Zakharov_54 posted 09-04-99 02:01 PM ET
OK, so here's the proposed SE for the Probe faction: +2 Probe, +1 Industry, -1 Research (or something close to it).
Anything else?
Zakharov_54 posted 09-04-99 02:07 PM ET
I'm gonna briefly go off-topic for this post: have any of you seen the home page for Alpha Centauri lately? A colony pod (I think) crashes into the side of the little screen area thing, after that it goes to a picture of Planet and you see another colony pod enter the atmosphere, then Planet moves down to reveal Alien Crossfire.
Roland Sennholz posted 09-05-99 04:29 PM ET
NotLikeTea, probe bounuses don't give you an increased probing success rate, they make it harder for other factions to probe you. So I still think it should be: +1 Research +2 Probe -1 Industry
SMACTrek posted 09-05-99 05:25 PM ET
Piracy used to be part of England's strategy against France and Spain. They were called Privateers, but did pretty much the same things as pirates: capturing ships and disrupting trade.
NoviceCEO posted 09-06-99 08:54 PM ET
Actually, the probe bonuses on your social engineering table does have a direct effect on your own probing effiency, as it effects the probe's team morale, that is a huge factor on its success rate. However, the morale of a probe team can be raised more effectively with the discory of new technologies.
Still about the probe faction, it is very possible that the citzens would prefer to remain in private identification (as secret agents), which would lead to a thought control aversion and could decrease the efficiency.
"It's hard to be effective in a colony of unknow citzens".
Ok, going off-topic too, could we please have some more well designed graphics for cities and units? The unities are very functional and some cities are nice (like morgans and peacekeepers), but we could get better than that. And the reading unities screen (that thing you scroll to see the units withing the base or on the Desing Workshop) is miserable on my 800x600.
Zoetrope posted 09-07-99 08:17 PM ET
NoviceCEO and SMACTrek: not just England, but also Japan, used piracy to rob the great empires (Spain and China, respectively).
Hey, if Sid Meier has some input, these Pirates could be great fun!
Zakharov_54 posted 09-09-99 08:20 PM ET
When did Japan rob Spain and China?
Schoop posted 09-14-99 09:33 AM ET
The "Probe" faction, in my opinion, should have "Sharetech" of some form. For those who don't know, putting "SHARETECH, 3" in the line with all the faction's modifiers, etc. gives that faction the equivalent of the Planetary Datalinks (gain tech known by three other factions)
To me, this simulates strong, active spying procedures, and makes it less work that you have to do spying yourself.
Jimmy posted 09-16-99 09:43 AM ET
The Pirates faction profile is up. They look pretty cool. Their quote is not bad either. check it out. episode 5 is up as well.
Zakharov_54 posted 09-17-99 01:45 AM ET
Jimmy: thanx for the update.
OK, we know about three of the Alien Crossfire factions, what about the other four? The three factions we know about are Cyborgs, Usurpers, and Pirates.
Schoop posted 09-17-99 10:57 AM ET
I think we'll see the Probe faction soon. Look at the plot in the story about the spy cameras in the sun-lamps. Instead of passing the information along to Morgan, the techs are sending it to the "underground." Sounds like the Probes to me!
Jimmy posted 09-18-99 09:37 AM ET
Schoop : I aggree, I think that was a reference to the probe faction which means their profile should be soon. Now, that we are beginning to get some info on the factions, I think they are going to be interesting to play. They seem more original than the first factions because they are not so much based on ideology as on a particular characteristic.
NoviceCEO posted 09-19-99 11:18 AM ET
Hey people.
I'm back after a trip, my exams and kicking Yang's butt for a while to relax.
I saw only today the new Pirates faction and I haven't read yet the new episode.
After complaining so much about the pirates, I have to confess I liked them. That's because the Pirates comes as a whole different faction, nothing to do with the other factions. It's very unique, I just hope it doesn't comes strong to play imbalance.
One new feature of the Pirates was really interesting to me: the ability of taking over enemy ships. I think that should expanded to other aspects of the game. Green or Very Green units could be captured (like on mind worms) if the attacking unit is much stronger and has a good morale level.
Cities (on factions with low Police) surrounded by overwhelming forces would turn over control to other factions too.
By the way, Zakharov_54, Zoetrope meant Japan robbed China and England robbed Spain. And weren't there French corsairs as well?
NoviceCEO posted 09-19-99 11:21 AM ET
Ok, so now we got three different personalities:
Cyborgs:Pacifist
Usurpers:Agressive
Pirates:Erratic
Is my guess right? Any ideas about the others?
Schoop posted 09-19-99 12:18 PM ET
I think the Cyborgs are Erratic, too.
MOfTheUniversity posted 09-19-99 02:30 PM ET
If you could get on transports belonging to Pact Brothers/Sisters, that would be cool (e.g. Pirates sail up to your land, you put a few rovers on board, we all sail off into the sunset).
warg posted 09-22-99 11:08 PM ET
About the Pirates being able to steal ships. It says that once they discover Adaptive Doctrine(new tech), their new units get the Marine Detatchment special ablity for free. This means that ANY faction can use it, but they DON'T get it FREE.
Zakharov_54 posted 09-24-99 01:13 PM ET
NoviceCEO: again I ask, ~when~ did Japan rob China?
I think the Probes are going to be a little similar to the Cyborgs. In fact, they may be an excellent Pact Brother/Sister combo.
NoviceCEO posted 09-26-99 08:33 PM ET
Hey zak, don't ask me friend. I was just repeating what other people had said, and I thought you had misunderstood it.
Anyway about the probe team, here my expectations:
*Probe teams are secret agents right? So a probe faction could resist in cities were citzens would like to remain private. The results, efficiency and growth penalties.
*Anyway it's a probe faction: a probe super bonus, like the SP Hunter-Seeker Algorythim or a constant +2 probe bonus. It could have permanent infiltration on other factions, as someone said before, or infiltrator wouldn't work right when reporting to other factions about the Probe faction.
*Probe citzens have high schoolarity levels : Don't like police, but don't riot as much or have some more talents, like Lal's telnts.
*Probe citzens are pacifists: OK, you've got their leader's personality and that guy's faction has no war bonus.
Well, those are some thoughts. I'm writing some stuff about what I believe may be their personality.
Possibly, one of their priorities will be Discover, if not the only one.
Novice
Cyion Labs posted 09-27-99 12:43 AM ET
Personaly, I belive that the Probe faction whould become more interesting if along with the probe bonus there was a chance that you could obtain information from other fations probe teams. For example, when Believers porbe a tech from UoP there is a 25-75% chance (based on morale and such) that the Probe faction would obtain a copy of the information. That whould seem to follow the storyline so far. What do you think?
Cyion Labs
"Look to the future and embrace the information"
NoviceCEO posted 09-28-99 08:26 PM ET
Oh, yeah... that's worth thinking about it.
It may be a way to go, one of many.
Schoop posted 09-29-99 03:22 PM ET
Probe faction aka "Data Angels" released today. Looks like a winner. (I was right, they do have Sharetech.)
Anyidea what the heck was going on in part 3 of the latest story episode?? It sounded like a Psi Attack to me, which would indicate the next faction being the Eco-faction. Any thoughts??
korn469 posted 09-29-99 04:07 PM ET
for some reason when i click on the factions no words appear, it just gives me a black box in the middle, so can anyone tell me about more about the probe faction or could anyone tell me how to veiw them, or are there text only versions soomewhere, and i'm using IE 5.0
korn469
Zoetrope posted 09-30-99 03:52 AM ET
Korn469: i'm using Netscape Communicator 4.5, and i see the same disconcerting empty-central-box effect with every faction.
When i analyse the source's frame structure, there's no evidence of any text.
I had thought it was just very poor artistic taste, leaving a mysterious blank in the picture, but if Schoop can see it, then what is going on?
Zoetrope posted 09-30-99 03:57 AM ET
Korn: i just found the problem. You have to enable Javascript. The text is not plain ASCII, it's a program!
NoviceCEO posted 10-01-99 09:05 PM ET
I'm looking the probe faction profile now, and it looks nice. The bonuses are a +2probe rating (which is huge) and a 25% discount on mind controlling operations. They may gain up to free techs known by the factions they infiltrate.
That girl looks nice and the faction symbol is neat too. By the way, the factions symbols are some of the finest artworks in the whole game, I wish they appeared more often.
The text has an important thing: it shows a nwe building, the covert operations center. What it is? beats me.
By the way, who is that Captain Garland? Could it be the leader of another faction?
I believe she should be aggressive or erratic, and the priority should be discover.
From her profile, I belive her preferred social choices would be democracy and free market, because they're freedom lovers.
At last, they can't make the choice for power.
NoviceCEO posted 10-01-99 09:14 PM ET
By they way, I keep waiting for the uniques. The Data Angles could have a new kind of probe team, which would be restricted for them.
And man we've got a leader from China, India, USA, Scotland and even Namibia and Trinidad... Couldn't we have a South American?
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: Alien Crossfire Factions
Zakharov_54	posted 08-24-99 11:13 PM ET The Alien Crossfire factions (that I know of) are: Pirates, Cyborgs, Drones, Ecological, Probe Team, and Usurpers. Some ideas as to pros and cons (ie +2 morale, -1 planet, etc.) would be nice. Also, what strategy would you use to make the most of and/or overcome the weaknesses of these factions?
NoviceCEO	posted 08-25-99 03:10 PM ET From the Alhpa Centauri Official Site (for the few people that haven't read it yet): Cyborgs:Start with Polymorphic Software (Heavy Artillery, D2), Efficience Bonus, Growth and Morale penalties (although I believe cyborgs should have a higher morale for fearing the enemy). They don't have the Efficiency penalty on Planned (-2 efficiency, +2 growth, +1 Industry), but cannot choose Eudaimonia (+2Economy, +2 growth, +2 industry, -2 morale). Because of that profile, they don't have any trouble at social engineering at early game (as not been able to choose police state or free market). I believe they will have either some other kind of bonus; +2 efficieny, -1 growth and morale, or a monstruous efficiency if growth and morale are -2. They are for nature good at efficiency, that is good at energy, for the bonus and planned, but that disappear in the late game when they lack eudamonia, which gives the great +2 economy bonus. Usurpers:Combat bonus (+25% in air battles), bonus in Growth and Industry. Start with Applyed Physics(Laser,C1 tech), Field Modulation (couldn't find it in Datalinks, probably new tech) and Progenitor Psych (new tech, may be similar to Social Psych, a B1 tech, recreation commons). The leader is probably a military authority, wich may lead this faction to be a nate military power. By the way, usurp means seize, that should mean they're conquerors. Usurpers are one of the two alien factions. The other one is probably the Caretakers. About the other ones you said, I just hope they don't come with Ecological, unless it's pretty different to the Gaians. I'd rather have an insect-like faction. I also would like that to communicate with alien factions, a whole process of language learning and maybe researching would be needed, of course, if that doesn't screw gameplay. A Drone faction looks nice, and I have been thinking that maybe drone rioters could reach a so intense level that they would become independent cities, specially in captured bases. A Drone faction should haveh no Drone rioters , but a high inefficiency (Drone rioters can't make their point together . I was also thinking, why not having inhabitted Orbital Space Stations, as there are Sea bases. Those Stations would have a high energy production (which would be redirected on its hole to research), but wouldn't grow much and wouldn't have mineral production, with new labs been paid by your energy reserves. Of course you could build some space needlejets to attack your opponents Stations in your land bases, or you could even build some Military Stations on Planets Moons (Nessus and Pholus), which could be rich in minerals. Ok, those are my points. I've gone quite a lot off the topic. NoviceCEO
Charon	posted 08-25-99 03:46 PM ET I'm guessing that the Ecological faction would now be the planet itself. In all it's mindworm madness...
NoviceCEO	posted 08-25-99 04:04 PM ET BTW, forgot to say: Why not having 14 factions in a single planet? That could be something pretty nice. About the council, you would only need commlinks for 6 of them (how the heck would you be able to get all of them). I think that number would be pretty interesting because we would have several factions "eating" each other, meaning a higher number of powerful factions in the late game. I'm not sure if my line of thought is correct, but it would still be alotta funny. With that much factions we could have alliances, which would be a number of factions connected more firmly to each other militarily and politically (all factions would have the same vote in Council, for example). Those alliances would have their own Councils, which would decide if they would vote together in Council meetings, or not. Another thing that would be good is that we have some unique units for each faction. Like, Gaians could have a super mindworm. It could also be like two or three factions having the same unique (14 uniques is a huge number). It doesn't have to be whole new units, but like a new chassis (a cruiser with additional movement and +50 on artillery?). Some more weird off-topic thoughts Novice
RM	posted 08-26-99 06:12 AM ET Some ideas about the pirate faction: Starting tech doctrine: flexibility, to be able to take to the seas early in the game. Free pressure dome in every base, to stop them from dying if their land is sunk (they are supposed to be sea based). The probe faction probably has some bonus on the probe, but I would be disappointed if they have negative on research, since that would make them too similar to the Believers.
NotLikeTea	posted 08-26-99 07:29 AM ET Keep in mind that the factions will each have one other bonus, not possible in the original SMAC. (probably something along the lines of the Peacekeepers vote bonus, or the Spartans combat bonus. But different ) This is what would make these factions interesting. Otherwise, we could have made them ourselves, and wouldn't have needed the expansion disk.
RM	posted 08-26-99 09:07 AM ET The cyborg faction seems very powerful on the diplomatic side. Since it will choose Planned as preferred choice, the only of the original factions that it will provoke is Morganites and Gaians, which both are pacifist (mostly). And the aversion for Eudaimonia will not come into play until late in the game.
NoviceCEO	posted 08-28-99 12:40 PM ET About the pirates, I'd be very disappointed to have a faction like that in the game. Why? Simply because to be the way it is (power in the sea and weak in the ground) it would become a silly faction: two powerful in maps mostly oceans, too weak on maps mostly ground. A faction that is a speacilist at only one sector is just a big waste for me.
Zakharov_54	posted 08-28-99 10:05 PM ET Whoever said anything about the Pirates being weak on land? They might simply be better in water than they are on land.
NoviceCEO	posted 08-29-99 10:41 AM ET Oh, that's ok. But i was "linking" them directly to our Earth pirates. Have you heard of pirates buildings big cities and having industrial power? Maybe that name isn't that appropriate then.
Natguy	posted 08-29-99 11:10 AM ET Yeah, I'd prefer "mariners" or something. "Pirates" makes you think of jolly crewman with eyepatches and baggy clothing dancing around on a galleon. Not something one usually associates with the present, let alone centuries into the future.
Zakharov_54	posted 08-30-99 11:50 AM ET One of the things that you're forgetting is that there will be a black-market for something, and therefore there will always be somebody that's going to loot, pillage, plunder, etc. to supply the black market. The Pirate faction might also be an off-shoot of the Morganites.
NoviceCEO	posted 08-30-99 05:43 PM ET Oh Zakharov_54, that would be nice. (new name suggestion... the "Renegades"?). A faction that would pillage others would be pretty interesting and nice, but to get deep on that task they should be some real bastards and the factions that have diplomatic conversations with them should keep that in secret. Sounds great as an extra "barbarian" (like mind-worms) and sounds funny to get to the game load it and bother the other factions, bringing chaos and eventually taking over the planet, but doesn't sound nice to me as a normal competitive faction, even though it may be.
NotLikeTea	posted 08-31-99 10:06 AM ET Problem is that none of the factions can be "evil", or "bad guys". Look at our current factions. The Spartans are real warmongers, but they justify it with a need to survive. Yang seems like a bad guy, but justifies it as a need to put the whole ahead of the few. In short, it is possible to sympathise with all of the faction leaders. That's why I'm a bit worried about the Piratical faction.. they must seem justifiable, and not just a nusiance.
Hugo Rune	posted 09-01-99 07:56 AM ET A completely criminal factions would be interesting, both ideologically and in play. Finally, a faction devoid of any ideology except egoism. I welcome them.
laurens	posted 09-01-99 10:35 AM ET That would still be a -1 morale modifier. "A proud army does not constitute a strong army and doomed to defeat on the battlefield." - Lu Xun.
Zakharov_54	posted 09-02-99 12:36 PM ET OK, so we have basic idea of what the Pirate faction might be like. What about the other factions? Here they are: Drones, Ecological, and Probe Team.
Roland Sennholz	posted 09-03-99 06:29 PM ET I think the Pirate faction should start by landing in water and making seabases. Also, since the probe faction can probe, they should have reaserch advanages. So, my conclusion is: +1 Research +2 Probe -1 industry.
NotLikeTea	posted 09-04-99 01:55 PM ET nah.. I don't want the probe team getting a research bonus. The whole point of having a probe bonus would make it easier to steal tech. More exciting if they HAVE to steal their tech to survive.
Zakharov_54	posted 09-04-99 02:01 PM ET OK, so here's the proposed SE for the Probe faction: +2 Probe, +1 Industry, -1 Research (or something close to it). Anything else?
Zakharov_54	posted 09-04-99 02:07 PM ET I'm gonna briefly go off-topic for this post: have any of you seen the home page for Alpha Centauri lately? A colony pod (I think) crashes into the side of the little screen area thing, after that it goes to a picture of Planet and you see another colony pod enter the atmosphere, then Planet moves down to reveal Alien Crossfire.
Roland Sennholz	posted 09-05-99 04:29 PM ET NotLikeTea, probe bounuses don't give you an increased probing success rate, they make it harder for other factions to probe you. So I still think it should be: +1 Research +2 Probe -1 Industry
SMACTrek	posted 09-05-99 05:25 PM ET Piracy used to be part of England's strategy against France and Spain. They were called Privateers, but did pretty much the same things as pirates: capturing ships and disrupting trade.
NoviceCEO	posted 09-06-99 08:54 PM ET Actually, the probe bonuses on your social engineering table does have a direct effect on your own probing effiency, as it effects the probe's team morale, that is a huge factor on its success rate. However, the morale of a probe team can be raised more effectively with the discory of new technologies. Still about the probe faction, it is very possible that the citzens would prefer to remain in private identification (as secret agents), which would lead to a thought control aversion and could decrease the efficiency. "It's hard to be effective in a colony of unknow citzens". Ok, going off-topic too, could we please have some more well designed graphics for cities and units? The unities are very functional and some cities are nice (like morgans and peacekeepers), but we could get better than that. And the reading unities screen (that thing you scroll to see the units withing the base or on the Desing Workshop) is miserable on my 800x600.
Zoetrope	posted 09-07-99 08:17 PM ET NoviceCEO and SMACTrek: not just England, but also Japan, used piracy to rob the great empires (Spain and China, respectively). Hey, if Sid Meier has some input, these Pirates could be great fun!
Zakharov_54	posted 09-09-99 08:20 PM ET When did Japan rob Spain and China?
Schoop	posted 09-14-99 09:33 AM ET The "Probe" faction, in my opinion, should have "Sharetech" of some form. For those who don't know, putting "SHARETECH, 3" in the line with all the faction's modifiers, etc. gives that faction the equivalent of the Planetary Datalinks (gain tech known by three other factions) To me, this simulates strong, active spying procedures, and makes it less work that you have to do spying yourself.
Jimmy	posted 09-16-99 09:43 AM ET The Pirates faction profile is up. They look pretty cool. Their quote is not bad either. check it out. episode 5 is up as well.
Zakharov_54	posted 09-17-99 01:45 AM ET Jimmy: thanx for the update. OK, we know about three of the Alien Crossfire factions, what about the other four? The three factions we know about are Cyborgs, Usurpers, and Pirates.
Schoop	posted 09-17-99 10:57 AM ET I think we'll see the Probe faction soon. Look at the plot in the story about the spy cameras in the sun-lamps. Instead of passing the information along to Morgan, the techs are sending it to the "underground." Sounds like the Probes to me!
Jimmy	posted 09-18-99 09:37 AM ET Schoop : I aggree, I think that was a reference to the probe faction which means their profile should be soon. Now, that we are beginning to get some info on the factions, I think they are going to be interesting to play. They seem more original than the first factions because they are not so much based on ideology as on a particular characteristic.
NoviceCEO	posted 09-19-99 11:18 AM ET Hey people. I'm back after a trip, my exams and kicking Yang's butt for a while to relax. I saw only today the new Pirates faction and I haven't read yet the new episode. After complaining so much about the pirates, I have to confess I liked them. That's because the Pirates comes as a whole different faction, nothing to do with the other factions. It's very unique, I just hope it doesn't comes strong to play imbalance. One new feature of the Pirates was really interesting to me: the ability of taking over enemy ships. I think that should expanded to other aspects of the game. Green or Very Green units could be captured (like on mind worms) if the attacking unit is much stronger and has a good morale level. Cities (on factions with low Police) surrounded by overwhelming forces would turn over control to other factions too. By the way, Zakharov_54, Zoetrope meant Japan robbed China and England robbed Spain. And weren't there French corsairs as well?
NoviceCEO	posted 09-19-99 11:21 AM ET Ok, so now we got three different personalities: Cyborgs:Pacifist Usurpers:Agressive Pirates:Erratic Is my guess right? Any ideas about the others?
Schoop	posted 09-19-99 12:18 PM ET I think the Cyborgs are Erratic, too.
MOfTheUniversity	posted 09-19-99 02:30 PM ET If you could get on transports belonging to Pact Brothers/Sisters, that would be cool (e.g. Pirates sail up to your land, you put a few rovers on board, we all sail off into the sunset).
warg	posted 09-22-99 11:08 PM ET About the Pirates being able to steal ships. It says that once they discover Adaptive Doctrine(new tech), their new units get the Marine Detatchment special ablity for free. This means that ANY faction can use it, but they DON'T get it FREE.
Zakharov_54	posted 09-24-99 01:13 PM ET NoviceCEO: again I ask, ~when~ did Japan rob China? I think the Probes are going to be a little similar to the Cyborgs. In fact, they may be an excellent Pact Brother/Sister combo.
NoviceCEO	posted 09-26-99 08:33 PM ET Hey zak, don't ask me friend. I was just repeating what other people had said, and I thought you had misunderstood it. Anyway about the probe team, here my expectations: Probe teams are secret agents right? So a probe faction could resist in cities were citzens would like to remain private. The results, efficiency and growth penalties. Anyway it's a probe faction: a probe super bonus, like the SP Hunter-Seeker Algorythim or a constant +2 probe bonus. It could have permanent infiltration on other factions, as someone said before, or infiltrator wouldn't work right when reporting to other factions about the Probe faction. Probe citzens have high schoolarity levels : Don't like police, but don't riot as much or have some more talents, like Lal's telnts. Probe citzens are pacifists: OK, you've got their leader's personality and that guy's faction has no war bonus. Well, those are some thoughts. I'm writing some stuff about what I believe may be their personality. Possibly, one of their priorities will be Discover, if not the only one. Novice
Cyion Labs	posted 09-27-99 12:43 AM ET Personaly, I belive that the Probe faction whould become more interesting if along with the probe bonus there was a chance that you could obtain information from other fations probe teams. For example, when Believers porbe a tech from UoP there is a 25-75% chance (based on morale and such) that the Probe faction would obtain a copy of the information. That whould seem to follow the storyline so far. What do you think? Cyion Labs "Look to the future and embrace the information"
NoviceCEO	posted 09-28-99 08:26 PM ET Oh, yeah... that's worth thinking about it. It may be a way to go, one of many.
Schoop	posted 09-29-99 03:22 PM ET Probe faction aka "Data Angels" released today. Looks like a winner. (I was right, they do have Sharetech.) Anyidea what the heck was going on in part 3 of the latest story episode?? It sounded like a Psi Attack to me, which would indicate the next faction being the Eco-faction. Any thoughts??
korn469	posted 09-29-99 04:07 PM ET for some reason when i click on the factions no words appear, it just gives me a black box in the middle, so can anyone tell me about more about the probe faction or could anyone tell me how to veiw them, or are there text only versions soomewhere, and i'm using IE 5.0 korn469
Zoetrope	posted 09-30-99 03:52 AM ET Korn469: i'm using Netscape Communicator 4.5, and i see the same disconcerting empty-central-box effect with every faction. When i analyse the source's frame structure, there's no evidence of any text. I had thought it was just very poor artistic taste, leaving a mysterious blank in the picture, but if Schoop can see it, then what is going on?
Zoetrope	posted 09-30-99 03:57 AM ET Korn: i just found the problem. You have to enable Javascript. The text is not plain ASCII, it's a program!
NoviceCEO	posted 10-01-99 09:05 PM ET I'm looking the probe faction profile now, and it looks nice. The bonuses are a +2probe rating (which is huge) and a 25% discount on mind controlling operations. They may gain up to free techs known by the factions they infiltrate. That girl looks nice and the faction symbol is neat too. By the way, the factions symbols are some of the finest artworks in the whole game, I wish they appeared more often. The text has an important thing: it shows a nwe building, the covert operations center. What it is? beats me. By the way, who is that Captain Garland? Could it be the leader of another faction? I believe she should be aggressive or erratic, and the priority should be discover. From her profile, I belive her preferred social choices would be democracy and free market, because they're freedom lovers. At last, they can't make the choice for power.
NoviceCEO	posted 10-01-99 09:14 PM ET By they way, I keep waiting for the uniques. The Data Angles could have a new kind of probe team, which would be restricted for them. And man we've got a leader from China, India, USA, Scotland and even Namibia and Trinidad... Couldn't we have a South American?