SMAC within SMAX

[diessa]

I’m sorry for the length of this post. A summary is posted at the bottom of it!

***

Yesterday, BUncle and were discussing the reasons why people choose to play SMAC instead of SMAX. As a lurker, I have read posts on this forum explaining that most of this community plays SMAX. I choose to play the original, and there are members of this community and the player base, as a whole, who continue to play it. We agreed that it would be beneficial for the player base to play the expanded version of the game, for the resources that it contributes are useful to everyone. The purpose of this post is to explore the reasons for people choosing the original and possibilities for encouraging them to transition to the expansion.

There are a variety of reasons why people continue to play SMAC. Firstly, some digital distribution services, such as Good Old Games (GOG), were unable to offer SMAX in their catalogue until recently. As a result, people started playing the original, and they continued to. Secondly, some modifications and their developers, such as kyrub’s 444 project, have invested their effort in a SMAC codebase, so transitioning it to the expansion is time consuming. Thirdly, some people might disagree with some of features, such as secret projects, that the expansion added. Lastly, a criticism that I read more frequently is that SMAX changes and undoes the “feeling” of original. This entries on this list are neither exhaustive nor relevant to everyone. I want to develop the last reason (“feeling”) in this post.

Context

There are a group of people who play SMAC, and there are a group of people who play the “original seven” exclusively in SMAX. My opinion is that some of these people are responding to the atmosphere, setting, and characterization that the expansion establishes. I say that as someone who has searched through the forums that compose this community and as a player; I play SMAC because of the last reason. In the following paragraph, I offer my opinions about the “feeling” of the expansion. This is possibly contentious, but I offer my opinion to situate my idea and, perhaps, some of the more common criticisms of the expansion.

SMAX undoes the “feeling” of the game; it disrupts the atmosphere, setting, and characterization of the original. In the original, you crash on an unfamiliar planet and must seek to survive as you begin to unravel the mysteries of Planet. The text, through comments, interludes, quotes, etc., supports this. However, in the expansion, there are conflicts and clichés. From the fight between two alien ships in the opening video to the "green-ified" menu to ::jazz::/landlubbers.../cyborgs!/cultists!!/pirates!!! to brawling space robots, the atmosphere and setting are undone by being “shown” and “told” too much. For example, the opening video states that humans have established themselves, so it implies that accelerated start is used instead of beginning at planetfall; how does everyone start at the same time (i.e., crashing on the surface)? Similarly, it undoes part of the atmosphere established by the original: You know that something has been there long before you (e.g., artifacts and monoliths) and somewhat more recently (e.g., borehole cluster); however, the mystery and uncertainty remains. It is jarring to go from that to battling aliens in what feels like the centre of the universe now. SMAX "shows" and "tells" too much. The deteriorated atmosphere of the game occludes the mechanical nuances and improvements added; in fairness, I feel that expansions in general suffer from dismantling of the atmosphere, by making the setting more specific, that was constructed carefully by the original versions of games. However, this game seems to have more support for the original than nostalgia otherwise explains.

Nostalgia?

As an aside, I must evaluate my perspective for nostalgia. Do I consider the older version better without reasons? My answer is “no” for a number of reasons. Firstly, I went back to the original, so my view is a perspective instead of a retrospective. People may complain about expansions to other games, but how many reject them outright? Secondly, I recognize that the original has flaws as well. For example, the original factions can seem like caricatures of extreme points of view that we have today. It isn’t perfect, but I do think that it is closer to what I’m looking for (i.e., some nuance and complexity in the setting).

The Idea

When reading one of Yitzi's post, I had an idea: At minimum, could some of the expansion’s features be reverted to the original’s while the improved engine is used? (The post mentioned that you could just use the old tech tree by switching some files.) This amounts to a "roll-back" of features, so to begin (and illustrate my thinking):

• Replace the expansion opening video with the original
• Replace the opening screen and menu with the original
• Replace the expansion tech tree with the original
• Disable some of the expansion supply pod events, such as the Mk. 1 Battle Ogre

These are some examples of changes. Also, some features, such as the new flora (e.g., fungal tower) and fauna (e.g., sealurk and spore launchers), appear to fit, so they ought to be kept. They enhance gameplay, and my suggestion is neither “anti-expansion” nor “original only!”

Ideally, the tech tree could be modified. For example, the alien part of the tech tree could be removed or modified to be human in origin. The voiceovers and text could be removed or changed. While some of the new factions have merit, a lot of the quote material provided by their leaders may be too stylized. Something that I am interested in hearing and uncertain about is to what extent the quote material is cohesive with the original.

Feedback

Technically, I am uncertain about how to do these things. I look forward to researching them. BUncle encouraged me to start this thread even if my ideas are still developing. I hope that you are neither angry nor discouraged by my post! I want more people playing SMAX, but I do have some concerns about additions, whether they were by members of the original team or others, that undo some of the careful atmosphere and setting established by the original. I want that sense of wonder to remain while everyone is benefiting from a merged platform for support, modifications, patches, etc.

Do you think this is realistic? If you like SMAX, are there any parts you dislike? How would you address these parts, other than removing them?

***

Summary

People continue to play SMAC or play the “original seven” factions in SMAX because the atmosphere, setting, and characterization established by the expansion disrupts the strength of the narrative by “showing” and “telling” too much. (E.g., pew pew ALIENS/landlubbers because of ::jazz::/pirates!!) I want everyone to be able to use the newer product without losing the original. How might a modification remove some of the expansion’s additions while benefiting from the newer engine? I’m interested in your input and ideas. I know so little about this game and modifying it, so your experiences and opinions are crucial!

[Buster's Uncle]

I would point out the ideally, this would result in something that impersonated vanilla SMAC, but was compatible with things like scenarios made for SMAX.  That would be a wonderful gift to the SMAC-only-loving segment of the community, and be easier on scenario makers and so on...

[Dio]

Sounds very similiar to how I like to play SMAX... To change the opening video back to the original simply open the sub folder named "movies" and rename the video called "opening" to "openingx". To change the opening background, rename the game files inside the SMAX game folder called "openinga" and "openingb" to "xopeninga" and "xopeningb".

[Buster's Uncle]

 

[Nexii]

First off I play SMAX on Yitzi's patches, against AI and sometimes hypothetical MP games.  90% of these games are probably the original seven, sometimes substituting in a few of the SMAX factions.  The reason for SMAX over SMAC?  I suppose mostly just because Yitzi has added most of the bug fixes to that version.  But as I understand it kyrub is modding the AI for SMAC.  So I will have to check that out.

Personally I think SMAX felt really incomplete/rushed compared to the original.  To me it seemed like they added in a few techs/SPs, some new factions (nothing special, modders could do this), and called it a day.  Now most expansions do this, this is why they're expansions.  They generally take much less effort to create and sell for ~2/3 the price of the original.  That's business - I get that.  SMAC itself wasn't a smashing success financially so this may have played in. 

What SMAX should have been?  I feel that they should have just stuck with the original seven factions.  Mainly because there was already so much depth to them, which was then thrown away for five new factions which didn't really *stand* for anything different.  The Angels were pretty much the PKs, Cult were Gaians, Pirates were Spartans, Consciousness were University, and Drones were Hive.  At least sort-of.  Anyways they went from caricatures/stereotypes of different beliefs into borderline just silly.  And mainly they did deviate from the "Discover/Explore" themes.  It was all about "Conquer" - the fight between the Aliens, rather than learning about them.  The "Build" aspect was okay I suppose although arguably some of the new SPs were rather game-breaking.  In the sense of 'expansion' it mostly only expanded the gameplay, not the lore behind it.  Which I think is what drives most of the nostalgia. 

I think to really be compelling...the expansion should have had just one alien faction.  The faction (Earth, or alien) would have had to be powerful and very aggressive, their ideology clashing with every original faction in some way.  This wouldn't have been easy.  It may have required an entirely new tech tree, facilities, social engineering choices, etc.

Now far as modding I think it's very difficult to capture that 'feeling' of the original.  Either you prune everything new (might as well just play SMAC), or you modify SMAX keeping only what you like.  Then adding in what you think SMAX should have.  I think realistically it would be a lot of work to even do one new faction with voiceovers well, and have it fit in.  But certainly possible if you really have the drive and time to do it.  As well you have the issue of only 7 factions being playable which is not really feasible to change at this time.  You could explain one original faction not being present as the alien/Earth faction eradicating them early in the game - setting up the alien faction as the villain.  But then of course that makes any techs which include that eradicated faction as 'jarring' - as you put it.  For that matter, I found the same in SMAX - if all the factions were mentioned in techs/SPs then it should have been a 14 player game. 

Anyways, just some thoughts.  You could always come up with a new storyline for the original seven and work from there also.  I suppose the question really boils down to: what would you want 'expanded' on in the SMAC universe?  Were there things about the original game that you felt were unexplained?  Perhaps something that could have happened but didn't (like settling other Planets, or contact from Earth)?  Maybe something about how Chiron related to Earth...this was vaguely hinted at points.  This might all be rambling a bit, but it's my initial thoughts to the SMAC/SMAX debate..

[kyrub]

+1 on this idea. I don't have a clue how to solve the problem, though.

The division of player community on SMAC vs SMACX is not for the good for the legacy of the game.
I may prefer the first one, others the second one. But once there are patches, scenarios and work done, it becomes a problem of compatibility.

[gwillybj]

I've done this. I play solo SMAX sans Progenitors. I felt like I was playing something from Marvel or DC Comics with characters from the Cartoon Network. I didn't change any of the videos or interludes because I skip them; I've played the game so much I can almost recite them all. I made a few necessary changes to alphax.txt to de-alien it without losing any of the "stuff" that was added.
I'll work up a description in a couple of hours, after I wake up and take the kids to school.

[gwillybj]

I discovered that I changed a lot more techs over the years than I realized in order to cut out the Progenitors and fill in the empty techs. Attached is my alphax.txt with all the changes to prerequisites for various things. This is a mix of things I did and things other people thought of and I adopted, and incorporates Yitzi's v2.5 alphax.txt.

#CHASSIS: switched Cruisers and Foils: seems like boat hulls would be easier to build than aerofoils.
#WEAPONS: disabled the Colony Module to prevent Sea Colonies.
#DEFENSES.
#ABILITIES: enabled Heavy Transport at Super Tensile Solids: it works.
#UNITS: changed Transport Foil to Merchant w/Cruiser, Sea Former to Cruiser, did not change Unity Foil, added Trawler (Cruiser Crawler).
#FACILITIES: moved Aquafarm to Gene Splicing, put Sky Hydroponics Lab and Orbital Power Transmitter at Low Orbital Flight.
Moved The Weather Paradigm to Centauri Awareness (a Level 2 tech which replaces #78 PrPsych).
Moved The Virtual World to Optical Computers.
Put The Ascent at Transcendent Thought.


Here are all the changes under #TECHNOLOGY (28 of 89 techs):

Tech01: Industrial Base, Indust, 2, 1, 3, 0, None, None, 000000000
Industrial Base, IndBase, 2, 1, 3, 0, None, None, 000000000

Tech06: Centauri Ecology, Ecology, 0, 1, 2, 3, None, None, 100000000
Centauri Ecology, CentEco, 0, 1, 2, 3, None, None, 100000000

Tech07: Superconductor, Super, 4, 2, 0, 0, OptComp, Indust, 000000000
Superconductor, Super, 4, 2, 0, 0, IndBase, OptComp, 000000000

Tech13: High Energy Chemistry, Chemist, 3, 1, 2, 0, Indust, Physic, 000000000
High Energy Chemistry, Chemist, 3, 1, 2, 0, IndBase, Physic, 000000000

Tech22: Polymorphic Software, Poly, 2, 3, 1, 0, Indust, InfNet, 000000010
Polymorphic Software, Poly, 2, 3, 1, 0, IndBase, InfNet, 000000010

Tech24: deleted, delete, 3, 2, 0, 2, Disable, Disable, 000000000
Light Rocketry, RocketL, 1, 0, 0, 2, DocAir,  MilAlg,  000000000

Tech28: Temporal Mechanics, TempMec, 0, 1, 3, 2, Eudaim, Matter, 001000000
Temporal Mechanics, TempMec, 0, 1, 3, 2, Matter, SecMani, 001000000

Tech31: Super Tensile Solids, Solids, 1, 0, 5, 2, MatComp, Space, 000000000
Super Tensile Solids, Solids, 1, 0, 5, 2, MatComp, OrbitHi, 000000000

Tech33: Digital Sentience, DigSent, 0, 4, 3, 2, IndRob, MindMac, 000000010
Digital Sentience, DigSent, 0, 4, 3, 2, Gadget, IndRob, 000000010

Tech34: Self-Aware Machines, HAL9000, 0, 4, 3, 3, NewMiss, DigSent, 000000010
Self-Aware Machines, HAL9000, 0, 4, 3, 3, DigSent, NSpace, 000000010

Tech39: Doctrine: Air Power, DocAir, 3, 0, 3, 4, Fossil, DocFlex, 000000000
Doctrine: Air Power, DocAir, 3, 0, 3, 4, DocInit, Fossil, 000000000

Tech45: Industrial Economics, IndEcon, 0, 0, 5, 2, Indust, None, 000000100
Industrial Economics, IndEcon, 0, 0, 5, 2, IndBase, None, 000000100

Tech56: Threshold of Transcendence, Thresh, 0, 1, 3, 4, SecMani, TempMec, 010000000
Threshold of Transcendence, Thresh, 0, 1, 3, 4, Eudaim, TempMec, 010000000

Tech58: Centauri Empathy, CentEmp, 0, 1, 0, 6, Brain, Ecology, 000000000
Centauri Empathy, CentEmp, 0, 1, 0, 6, Brain, CentAwe, 000000000

Tech59: Environmental Economics, EnvEcon, 0, 0, 4, 3, IndEcon, EcoEng,  000000100
Environmental Economics, EnvEcon, 0, 0, 4, 3, AdapEco, EcoEng,  000000100

Tech60: Ecological Engineering, EcoEng, 0, 0, 3, 4, Ecology, Gene, 000000000
Ecological Engineering, EcoEng, 0, 0, 3, 4, CentAwe, Gene, 000000000

Tech61: Planetary Economics, PlaEcon, 0, 0, 4, 3, AdapEco, Integ, 000000100
Planetary Economics, PlaEcon, 0, 0, 4, 3, EnvEcon, Integ, 000000100

Tech66: Advanced Spaceflight, Space, 2, 4, 2, 3, Orbital, SupLube, 000000000
High Orbital Flight, OrbitHi, 2, 4, 2, 3, OrbitLo, SupLube, 000000000

Tech67: Homo Superior, HomoSup, 3, 2, 1, 4, BioMac, DocInit, 000000000
Homo Superior, HomoSup, 3, 2, 1, 4, BioMac, CentGen, 000000000

Tech70: deleted, deleted, 0, 0, 5, 0, Disable, Disable, 000000000
Heavy Rocketry, RocketH, 0, 0, 5, 0, EcoEng2, RocketL, 000000000

Tech77: Orbital Spaceflight, Orbital, 0, 4, 3, 3, DocAir, Algor, 000000000
Low Orbital Flight, OrbitLo, 0, 4, 3, 3, Algor, RocketH, 000000000

Tech78: Progenitor Psych, PrPsych, 0, 2, 3, 4, None, None, 000000000
Centauri Awareness, CentAwe, 0, 2, 3, 4, CentEco, Psych, 000000000

Tech79: Field Modulation, FldMod, 4, 2, 0, 2, PrPsych, Ecology, 000000000
Field Modulation, FldMod, 4, 2, 0, 2, CentAwe, Physic, 000000000

Tech81: Adaptive Economics, AdapEco, 0, 1, 5, 2, PrPsych, IndEcon, 000000000
Adaptive Economics, AdapEco, 0, 1, 5, 2, CentAwe, IndEcon, 000000000

Tech85: N-Space Compression, NewMiss, 4, 0, 2, 0, Orbital, BioMac, 000000000
N-Space Compression, NSpace, 4, 0, 2, 0, BioMac, OrbitLo, 000000000

Tech86: String Resonance, BFG9000, 8, 0, 0, 0, SecMani, ConSing, 000000000
String Resonance, BFG9000, 8, 0, 0, 0, ConSing, TempMec, 000000000

Tech87: User Technology, User, 0, 2, 0, 0, Disable, Disable, 000000000
Inspector Gadget, Gadget,  0, 2, 0, 0, HomoSup, MatComp, 000000010

Tech88: Transcendent Thought, TranT, 0, 2, 0, 0, Thresh, ConSing, 000000000
Transcendent Thought, TranT, 0, 2, 0, 0, BFG9000, Thresh, 000000000

[Buster's Uncle]

And this remains compatible with made-for-x stuff like scenarios?

I suppose it would be good to have a look at what is and isn't cross-compatible between unmoded vanilla and x...

[gwillybj]

And this remains compatible with made-for-x stuff like scenarios?

I suppose it would be good to have a look at what is and isn't cross-compatible between unmoded vanilla and x...

I truly don't know. I've never tried it that way, mainly because it makes the Progenitors impossible to use. With all the renamed and changed techs, I have a feeling it wouldn't be compatible. Everything that Yitzi did works with it.
These changes were made to provide an alternative for use with the SMACFacPack (a Yahoo! Group that developed a set of seven non-Progenitor factions), to go along with my huge maps (usually 360x180), and, especially, to make the game last longer for solo players.

[diessa]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I'm relieved that there is interest in and existing work completed on this idea.

@gwillybj It's good to know that tech tree modifications can be made. Your compatibility with Yitzi's ongoing project would have been one of the things I'd look for in any modifications. I enjoy keeping interludes and quotes/voiceovers on still; however, I don't mind there being silence if the quote has been changed. Your ability to recite so many of them speaks to how good of a feature they are!

Out of curiosity, why did you disable sea colonies? (Did I read that correctly?)

@Nexii The advantage to "pruning" SMAX to make it like SMAC is that you can reap the benefits of the newer engine. If SMAX didn't have some structural improvements, I would continue to play SMAC. However, I think that it has something to offer. I generally agree with your points about aliens next to my point that they should be kept a mystery. (I.e., who did make the borehole cluster?)

I feel uncertain about how I would want to "expand" the original universe. My first step would be to consolidate. I'm watching Dio's work with the redone factions with interest. My tastes for factions may be more minimal, though; I like the existing number of statistic modifiers for each faction currently.

@Dio Thanks for confirming that those direct video/menu switches can be made.

I agree that compatibility is one of the most desirable objectives to aim for in this idea.

[Yitzi]

Replace the expansion opening video with the original

This could be done extremely easily, but making it an option (for those who prefer to use the new one) would be trickier.  However, there is a simple workaround: In the movies subfolder of your Alpha Centauri folder, there are two movies labeled opening and openingx; these are the original and expansion opening videos.  The game will play whatever is named openingx, so if you rename openingx to something else (or delete it, though that will prevent you from switching back) and either rename opening to openingx (which will cause SMAC to crash if you play it instead) or copy it and name the copy openingx (if you want to be able to play SMAC as well), SMAX will play the original opening movie.

Replace the opening screen and menu with the original

Could probably be done with .exe modding, though as far as I can tell that's just colors and the name.  I don't think it could be done without .exe modding, though.

Replace the expansion tech tree with the original

This can be done using just modding of the alphax file.

Disable some of the expansion supply pod events, such as the Mk. 1 Battle Ogre

This would require .exe modding.

[Buster's Uncle]

I suspect the menu buttons in the opening screen are .pcxs like the rest, and I would advise leaving the start game procedure alone - the faction select screen is better, and I think the point of the mod is mostly blue and no aliens/Cha, which you don't have to select. -What to do about the random factions option would need thought, though.  I think best to leave it alone and just not use it...

[Yitzi]

I suspect the menu buttons in the opening screen are .pcxs like the rest

Actually, I think the buttons are mostly done by a procedure; all that would need to be changed, then, is the color.

[Buster's Uncle]

I'm too lazy to look into it, but there's a million tiny image files that do similar things.  You may be right, though.  Two or three colors, if so.