A Let's Play of SMAX

[Green1]

Hope you enjoyed it.

it was an ejoyable experience, even though you lost to the AI.
looks like kyrub did a great job at boosting their abilities. 
thanks a lot for taking the time to write ac2's first AAR.  i hope there are many more to come!
we need content in here and this is definitely content. 

Yeah, Sisko. The Kyrub enhancements are no joke. These guys use crawlers and condensors. Only thing is before Kyrub disappeared was that he was in the process of teaching them boreholes. The AI of this mod is nasty indeed.

I have heard the SMAC 444 version is worse since he did not put ALL the improvements in for SMAX. I heard in vanilla, the AIs are cutthroat with that.

But the SMAX version is rough as it is. I have seen with this mod a Domai with 40 sattellites and nukes. I have seen a Deidre with crawlers on condensors and huge cities. Not to mention a Cha Dawn come at me with 10 stacks of mindworms that took a quarter of my empire till I hit back with needlejets!

[Buster's Uncle]

 

Before I press TURN COMPLETE, I wanted to go off on a little nerd rant.

I love this game. Even losing, in my mind this is like a space soap opera. A political drama, as you will.

On my hard drive, there are certainly more attractive games. I could crank up WoW. Eve is still there, too. I even have a few FPS games and other TBS games modern and classic. But THIS game is deeper than those.

Now, do not get me wrong. There are some things that could make this game better. For one thing, like Buster's Uncle, I read too much space forums and tech sites. I do not think ANY game modern or classic has ever gotten Low Earth Orbit, interplanetary (I am talking earth-moon or earth/mars), or space programs right. I will elaborate one day in another thread.

BUT.. the theatre of the mind... I am not an ego person or would give up. But this game is a novel.

Yeah; I strongly maintain that what makes this game special is the creative stuff. 

[NewAgeOfPower]

I will say, I usually play on largish maps, with 30-50% water to avoid getting island-locked. I play with high Native live to punish myself, of course.

Other than the critical SP/Research Base, I'd recommend packing your other bases pretty tightly, semi-ICS style. And then with some nice IndAuto make 2-4 crawlers at each city- depending on who are you starting next to.

I don't know if this works well for Lal, but it works wonders for my Zak play.

Yeah, this game is definitely the best Civ type game I've seen. Definitely one of the deepest, most replayable games...

But there are dozens of games that deserve a remake/sequel/something that haven't. Still, hope springs eternal.

[Green1]

I will say, I usually play on largish maps, with 30-50% water to avoid getting island-locked. I play with high Native live to punish myself, of course.

Other than the critical SP/Research Base, I'd recommend packing your other bases pretty tightly, semi-ICS style. And then with some nice IndAuto make 2-4 crawlers at each city- depending on who are you starting next to.

I don't know if this works well for Lal, but it works wonders for my Zak play.

Yeah, this game is definitely the best Civ type game I've seen. Definitely one of the deepest, most replayable games...

But there are dozens of games that deserve a remake/sequel/something that haven't. Still, hope springs eternal.

Hey, high native life is not punishment, it's fun and adds even more tension to early game! I am a huge advocate of high native life. SMAX haters, the spore launchers and towers add a lot. Native life in AC make the barbs in the civ series look like wusses (of course, with the exception of 1BCCiv's occasional Large map 4 civ, raging barbs, classical start maps they had years back for Civ 4)

Sequel, I agree. But, I am thinking we are borderline abandonware. I am also not sure if Reynolds did something some would be pleased. There was a interview on Apolyton where it would go towards Civ 4 unit promotion and eliminate unit workshop. Also, did you know the extensive terraforming (land up/down) almost did not make it in and NO civ game has ever reintroduced that feature? It was almost implied that the feature would not make the cut, either under a Civ 5 style system. Oh yeah, can you say DLC Steam packs for SMAX factions like the Pirates or Aki or Roze. Also, Reynolds talked about Civ 4/5 unique units/ unique buildings per faction for a possible AC2 in addition to 86ing terrain and unit workshop. Do not worry, though. Reynolds won't get his hands on it any time soon. The only thing i could see that would make it rock is if it is developed like Stardock's Fallen Enchantress where they bring in established fan figures like Scient or Kyrub and develop hand in hand with the community. However, unlike Stardock and the original WoM debacle, it is not done till done. publishers be damned.