I recently purchased the Alpha Centauri Planetary pack. It's well worth the money.

What you get:

- Alpha Centauri
- Alien Crossfire expansion
- (Thick) Printed manuals
- printed Strategy Guide (by Prima, $19.95 value)
- Tech Tree Poster

All for $39.95! <IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/smilies/cwm30.gif" border=0>

What a waste of money, it's hardly like most people here need a manual to play these games now and well the addon pack looks like an utter waste of money it just doesn't add enough.

I agree with the not needing the manuel thing, if you've played Civ II then it isn't much of a leap, I never read the manual myself but strategy guides (Vel'shttp://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/biggrin.gif) I do read.

Dont get cocky.

If you know civ II then yes, it will help, but there is so much more to SMAC than what you have learned in civII.

Example: Do you know what a Thermal Borehole is? Do you know how long it will take to build and the effects on the environment?

Do you know the difference between missles and the gatling laser? The gatling has a power of 5 and the missle 6, but there is more to it. Missles are particle damage while gatling is energy damage.

There is alot to Alpha Centuri that has never been seen before with Civ II. Dont think you can waltz in without needing a read through with the manual or that great article.

Peace all.

Ed's right SMAC [in some aspects]is a totaly differnt[and good]game than civ2