The State of SMAC 2

[testdummy653]

Two people are a consensus?

Three now, which on a board this size is pretty substantial.

Technically, four. BU and Dale.

A consensus doesn't end the discussion.

[Buster's Uncle]

I would prefer something like this be set up as optional; you can skip the tactical view and managing the details if you like.  SMAC(X) has had a lot of success with that sort of scheme, where the more pedantic of us can micro-manage the bases and those wanting a quicker and more casual game can turn on the base governor and not worry about it in an easy game. 

I might find out I liked the tactical level.  -But I wouldn't want it forced on me...

(Be nice to the new guy, Yitzi - he doesn't necessarily know your very detailed discussion style, and might perceive hostility where you don't intend it.)

[testdummy653]

I would prefer something like this be set up as optional; you can skip the tactical view and managing the details if you like.  SMAC(X) has had a lot of success with that sort of scheme, where the more pedantic of us can micro-manage the bases and those wanting a quicker and more casual game can turn on the base governor and not worry about it in an easy game. 

I might find out I liked the tactical level.  -But I wouldn't want it forced on me...

(Be nice to the new guy, Yitzi - he doesn't necessarily know your very detailed discussion style, and might perceive hostility where you don't intend it.)

I'm still getting use to Yitzi's style..   

Edit: Oops! 

[I-T]

Of course they need supplies; you spend 1 mineral per turn per unit on it (with a small amount of freebies per base, and of course later on you can give them the ability to recycle their stuff to not need substantial supplies.)

There's no fuel/ammo/etc. So you can land and succesfully fight with an invasion force even though you're effectively cut off and all that.

Yitzi

Not being a native speaker, ... it seemed female to me. Like you know, Mitzi for example which I know is female..


Hah. It's a jewish name. Had no idea. Yeah, definitely male, if you put it into google amazing amount of pictures of bearded men gets shown.

And by the way, "Yitzi" is actually a male nickname; the avatar is to represent the fact that I've done EXE modification.

You're one of those lunatics who uses assembler to patch exe files?
I've done a little programming, even some 8bit assembler. Seems like pure insanity to me though.

No luck getting source code out of Firaxis? I also played Moo2... there is no alternative to exe patching because some doofus lost the source code.

I would prefer something like this be set up as optional; you can skip the tactical view and managing the details if you like.  SMAC(X) has had a lot of success with that sort of scheme, where the more pedantic of us can micro-manage the bases and those wanting a quicker and more casual game can turn on the base governor and not worry about it in an easy game. 

It wouldn't make sense any other way. I mean, if you're putting in features into something, it's best to make them optional so you can eventually tweak the final thing to see how it works..

[Buster's Uncle]

Right.

And yes; he is one of those lunatics.  Does a lot for the community.  (Do be nice to Yitzi, new guy - you just met.)

[Yitzi]

There's no fuel/ammo/etc. So you can land and succesfully fight with an invasion force even though you're effectively cut off and all that.

True there; while there is upkeep for supplies, there's no logistics.

You're one of those lunatics who uses assembler to patch exe files?
I've done a little programming, even some 8bit assembler. Seems like pure insanity to me though.

It's actually not all that difficult, if you know your limits.  (Bugfixes and formula changes are generally doable; adding wholly new stuff or graphics is probably not.)

No luck getting source code out of Firaxis?

The problem is that the rights are all mixed up, between Firaxis, EA, and I don't remember who else.

[testdummy653]

The problem is that the rights are all mixed up, between Firaxis, EA, and I don't remember who else.

EA owns the rights.
I'm not sure who owns the source code. However, I'm pretty sure, if EA owns the rights then they own the source.

[Dale]

I don't like Civ5 that much. AI is bad, no way of customizing unit and the combat isn't that good either. If there were 20x as much hexes to move around..

So you want PG combat in a high-level strategic game, yet don't like PG combat in Civ5 (a high-level strategic game).

Did you not just answer your own query?

------------------------

BTW on license rights:
- EA owns the brand, retail and distribution rights.
- Firaxis owns the source code and asset rights.
- Various other parties own rights to technologies used in the game (eg Microsoft).
- Brian Reynolds and Sid Meier (not Firaxis please note him personally) hold copyright on the design.

[Buster's Uncle]

What are asset rights?

[testdummy653]

I don't like Civ5 that much. AI is bad, no way of customizing unit and the combat isn't that good either. If there were 20x as much hexes to move around..

So you want PG combat in a high-level strategic game, yet don't like PG combat in Civ5 (a high-level strategic game).

Did you not just answer your own query?

------------------------

BTW on license rights:
- EA owns the brand, retail and distribution rights.
- Firaxis owns the source code and asset rights.
- Various other parties own rights to technologies used in the game (eg Microsoft).
- Brian Reynolds and Sid Meier (not Firaxis please note him personally) hold copyright on the design.

Awesome Info, Dale! Was this told to you via email or is there a link somewhere for this knowledge? I planning to move this info to the first post of this thread.

[Dale]

What are asset rights?

Primarily art and audio.  There's other things but those are the main two.

Awesome Info, Dale! Was this told to you via email or is there a link somewhere for this knowledge? I planning to move this info to the first post of this thread.

From EA and 2K during my discussions on acquiring/using the SMAC brand.  Plus, just from general question asking when I was doing stuff for Firaxis.

BTW, Firaxis doesn't have a copy of the source code in their code repository anymore.  That was one of the first questions I asked.

[I-T]

BTW, Firaxis doesn't have a copy of the source code in their code repository anymore.  That was one of the first questions I asked.

It's like they're doing it on purpose.

Did you not just answer your own query?

Nope.

[Dale]

BTW, Firaxis doesn't have a copy of the source code in their code repository anymore.  That was one of the first questions I asked.

It's like they're doing it on purpose.

The game was written in 1996-8.  I doubt you would find many software development studios (let alone game studios) who followed archival practices in 1998.  I'd be surprised if the code actually still survived to this day!

[I-T]

I doubt they had no backups. Those days.. no doubt they had regular tape or CD backups.

[testdummy653]

I doubt they had no backups. Those days.. no doubt they had regular tape or CD backups.

Firaxis did move. So maybe the tapes didn't make it.