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Author Topic:   SMAC Review

Gord McLeod posted 03-03-99 03:30 AM ET
This isn't strictly fiction, but I've written a review of SMAC (shortish, due to space constraints) and it has been posted as part of the Iambe - Intimate and Interactive column on the User Friendly website. Check it out at www.userfriendly.org - be aware though that if you read this and visit the site on or after Thursday, March 4th, you'll have to check the archives of the column to find it...
Borodino posted 03-03-99 05:45 AM ET
Let's hope that your review isn't fiction...
We wouldn't want you to mislead the gaming public with lies, no would we?
BTW, I can't find it. Could you be more specific as to how to get to it?
jsorense posted 03-03-99 11:46 AM ET
Hi Gord,
It is good to hear from you again. It's been a long time and your presence has been missed..
I can't find your review either. I looked under Community/Raves and Reviews and Geek Stuff/Software Reviews. Nada.
Is it possible for you to post it somewhere on this forum?
Thanks.
Gord McLeod posted 03-03-99 03:17 PM ET

Wow, I wasn't even sure anyone would remember me after all this time... :-)
Anyways, I did pretty much tell you where to find it... you go to the main page at www.userfriendly.org, and click on the Iambe Intimate and Interactive button, right beside the 'Latest Strip!' banner. The review is a section within Iambe's column itself. The specific url to go directly to the page it appears on is:
http://www.userfriendly.org/community/iambe/
But note that this url is only valid today, Wednesday...after today it'll be replaced by new daily columns, so you'll have to dig into the archived columns to find it. I'll post the URL to that tomorrow once it actually happens.
jsorense posted 03-03-99 04:51 PM ET
Thanks Gord.
It sounds like you like the game. :-) Who's your favorite faction?
Gord McLeod posted 03-03-99 05:07 PM ET
Like there was any doubt of whether I'd like it...
I haven't actually played a "Full Version" game as anything other than the University yet, but that was the one I settled in with during the demo days...
jsorense posted 03-03-99 05:41 PM ET
Well, Gord, I am satisfied with the game myself. I am more than a little awed at its depth. However there are a number of people who are mildly, or even bitterly, disappointed in the game. I am glad that you are finding fun too.
Gord McLeod posted 03-03-99 05:45 PM ET
They're mostly people who want something completely new and never before done, and were shocked (for some reason) when they got something very much like the earlier Civilization games. For myself, that's precisely what I was looking forward to - a greatly expanded and improved Civilization II. They really outdid themselves in bringing it to us.
jsorense posted 03-03-99 07:54 PM ET
Just one more comment, Gord, and then I'll shut up. For today at least.
I think that another problem some Civ and CivII players are having with SMAC is the Science Fiction environment. It is way different than the familiar cultures, technologies and histories of earth.
However, I like this clean slate of Planet better.
Shining1 posted 03-04-99 05:11 PM ET
Gord! Good to see you back.
Yeah, a few of us are disappointed at some aspects of SMAC, such as the unit battles and performance slowdowns. But I have to say, I found the sci-fi setting and the storyline to be amoung the best aspects of the game. I hope firaxis developes these ideas/characters further.
Gord McLeod posted 03-04-99 05:16 PM ET
My only substantial complaint right now is that if you use custom map sizes to get unrealistically huge worlds, it tends to crash on you after a while... but if you stick to the default sizes or worlds within their size range, it seems to go well enough for me. And the depth of the game and the complexity (which I assume are what cause the slowdowns) more than make up for that, as far as I'm concerned. I can understand some people being disappointed, but they've given me pretty much exactly what I've been hoping for for several years now, so I'm hardly going to start complaining about one or two minor issues.
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Author	Topic: SMAC Review
Gord McLeod	posted 03-03-99 03:30 AM ET This isn't strictly fiction, but I've written a review of SMAC (shortish, due to space constraints) and it has been posted as part of the Iambe - Intimate and Interactive column on the User Friendly website. Check it out at www.userfriendly.org - be aware though that if you read this and visit the site on or after Thursday, March 4th, you'll have to check the archives of the column to find it...
Borodino	posted 03-03-99 05:45 AM ET Let's hope that your review isn't fiction... We wouldn't want you to mislead the gaming public with lies, no would we? BTW, I can't find it. Could you be more specific as to how to get to it?
jsorense	posted 03-03-99 11:46 AM ET Hi Gord, It is good to hear from you again. It's been a long time and your presence has been missed.. I can't find your review either. I looked under Community/Raves and Reviews and Geek Stuff/Software Reviews. Nada. Is it possible for you to post it somewhere on this forum? Thanks.
Gord McLeod	posted 03-03-99 03:17 PM ET Wow, I wasn't even sure anyone would remember me after all this time... :-) Anyways, I did pretty much tell you where to find it... you go to the main page at www.userfriendly.org, and click on the Iambe Intimate and Interactive button, right beside the 'Latest Strip!' banner. The review is a section within Iambe's column itself. The specific url to go directly to the page it appears on is: http://www.userfriendly.org/community/iambe/ But note that this url is only valid today, Wednesday...after today it'll be replaced by new daily columns, so you'll have to dig into the archived columns to find it. I'll post the URL to that tomorrow once it actually happens.
jsorense	posted 03-03-99 04:51 PM ET Thanks Gord. It sounds like you like the game. :-) Who's your favorite faction?
Gord McLeod	posted 03-03-99 05:07 PM ET Like there was any doubt of whether I'd like it... I haven't actually played a "Full Version" game as anything other than the University yet, but that was the one I settled in with during the demo days...
jsorense	posted 03-03-99 05:41 PM ET Well, Gord, I am satisfied with the game myself. I am more than a little awed at its depth. However there are a number of people who are mildly, or even bitterly, disappointed in the game. I am glad that you are finding fun too.
Gord McLeod	posted 03-03-99 05:45 PM ET They're mostly people who want something completely new and never before done, and were shocked (for some reason) when they got something very much like the earlier Civilization games. For myself, that's precisely what I was looking forward to - a greatly expanded and improved Civilization II. They really outdid themselves in bringing it to us.
jsorense	posted 03-03-99 07:54 PM ET Just one more comment, Gord, and then I'll shut up. For today at least. I think that another problem some Civ and CivII players are having with SMAC is the Science Fiction environment. It is way different than the familiar cultures, technologies and histories of earth. However, I like this clean slate of Planet better.
Shining1	posted 03-04-99 05:11 PM ET Gord! Good to see you back. Yeah, a few of us are disappointed at some aspects of SMAC, such as the unit battles and performance slowdowns. But I have to say, I found the sci-fi setting and the storyline to be amoung the best aspects of the game. I hope firaxis developes these ideas/characters further.
Gord McLeod	posted 03-04-99 05:16 PM ET My only substantial complaint right now is that if you use custom map sizes to get unrealistically huge worlds, it tends to crash on you after a while... but if you stick to the default sizes or worlds within their size range, it seems to go well enough for me. And the depth of the game and the complexity (which I assume are what cause the slowdowns) more than make up for that, as far as I'm concerned. I can understand some people being disappointed, but they've given me pretty much exactly what I've been hoping for for several years now, so I'm hardly going to start complaining about one or two minor issues.