I'm just wondering how many SMAC players choose Alien Crossfire and how many prefer classic. Personally, I like Alien Crossfire because I have more choices for factions. I also like some of the new landmarks, such as the Unity wreckage. Alien Crossfire also lets me play my (usually) favorite group, the Nautilus Pirates.

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"A thousand years scarce serve to form a state; An hour may lay it in the dust." Lord Byron

I play them both, but I like Alien Crossfire a lot better. I play either the Pirates or the Angels. Sometimes, I play the Caretakers. I created my own faction within Alien Crossfire, and I sometimes play them.

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"Shake the world beneath your feet up"
--Johnny Clegg

sorry but i dont agree im a die hard SMAC fan i've tried alein crossfire but it just cant[in my opinon] compete w/ the origanal.

I play the original SMAC, just because from what I've heard Alien Crossfire isn't really worth the investment... I find plenty of variety in the original 7 factions.

Alien Crossfire was what got me make into the AC world. Smac had grown a bit dull and I hadn't played it for a long time until I discovered Crossfire.

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Apolyton Refugee....

I play SMAC only...I hate SMACx...the new factions are lifeless...the pirates for gits and the aliens just a pain in the neck.

I play SMAC for its atmosphere...personable factions and the thrill of exploring and conquering by science, war, diplomacy or economy a harsh new world!

Both, I have smac with no patches on one machine and smax with the lastest patch on another (faster) machine.

I only play Alpha Centauri cos i am to cheap to buy the expansion

Mothman, my feeling exactly. http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/goodwork.gif
You expressed it better than I could have too!

It a good thing you are cheap cus u would of wasted that money http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gifhttp://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gifhttp://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif

I play the original Alpha Centauri. I don't have the expansion pack yet.

What exactly IS Alien Crossfire? I've seen it while passing by in stores, but never really had a close look. I play the original, but if someone could impress me with a description of the expansion version, I might have to grab that as well.

IMO its not worth the buy but who knows maybe im missing somthing (i doubt it) i hear the new factions arent that creative and its exactly like the old one cept has like two new sp and like three new base facilites.

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Somewhere between war and diplomacy is the realm of the spy



[This message has been edited by spycatcher34 (edited August 09, 2001).]

I prefer smax but typicaly use more of the 7 old factions than of the new ones.

I prefer SMACX - it has a higher version number, so I think it has some of the bugs fixed (but which I don't know). I also like the new Landmarks.
I play my forever Duckland custom tribe a lot which is a very commercial-militant faction. But then, http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif the militant aspect http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif is just for http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif preemptive self-defense.

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<FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><FONT size="2"><FONT COLOR="green">"Duckland must put an end to war before war puts an end to Duckland"</FONT c>
-- J.Quack Kennedy</FONT s></FONT f>

SMACX is not a necessity, but personally my favourite faction from all the 14 are the Manifold Caretakers.

What are the characteristics of these 'Caretakers'? +what, -what, etc.

The Manifold Caretakers:

Faction Features:
+1 Planet, +25% defensive strength, Recycling Tanks free in each base.
Starting Techs: Biogenetics, Information Networks, Centauri Ecology.
No Social Engineering restrictions(but Planned is their Agenda).

Features(because of being alien):
No Trade(Use Energy Grid instead: +1/2 energy for every installation build, +2 for every Secret Project)
Doesn't participate in Parlament.
All units have Deep Radar ability.
Bonus Techs: Progenitor Psych, Field Modulation.

Also, Caretakers may not win by Trascend, but can achieve Progenitor Victory(which is easiest, I think), and Mind Worms tend to avoid them.

Sounds like a 'super' faction almost. No negatives? Do they unbalance the game at all?

Don't think so. Remember they cannot win by Trascend or Diplomacy. Also, all human factions are automatically "aggresive" towards them, and the other alien factions(in a game with aliens, there can't be only 1 alien faction; minimum of 2) have a perennial Vengeance with them: an alien cannot sue for peace with an alien, never.

...And the way that they acquire money is different. They don't have normal trade. They get their money from the Grid, and each improvement or wonder counts for a certain number of energy points. Plus, they can't participate in council elections, or other stuff.

The Manifold Usurpers, the other Alien faction can, however, win by Transcendance.

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"Shake the world beneath your feet up"
--Johnny Clegg

Originally posted by Cunobelin Of Hippo:
Sounds like a 'super' faction almost. No negatives? Do they unbalance the game at all?

With only one of them in then can (supposedly but not actually fixed by the patch requiring that in one alien faction is in both must be). The hardest game I have played was a transcend level when I accidentally put in two Caretakers and no Usurpers faction. The got along real well wiping out AI human factions (which I would then rescue with probe missions) until they got to be # 1 & 2 in size and declared vendetta on each other, then when they were not looking I gassed the hell out of them.

Alright, first of all I can point out that I've as of yet only played the original SMAC, but I am curious to trying out the Crossfire version. But I am most curious to these new factions, and alien whatnots. Would anyone care to enlighten me as to their nature and whatnot? I've picked up a few so far, but not by far enough to sate my need to know. :lol:

Either write it here, preferably, but not necessarily, with the bonuses and abilities. Just a short sum-up, I must know..! :scan:

... ooor send me a private message, either way works.

Hey, Alien, here's the lowdown on the AC factions:

Cult of Planet
Leader: Prophet Cha Dawn
+2 Planet
-1 Economy
-1 Industry

Free Brood Pit at every base upon discovery of Centauri Genetics.
Mind Worms do double police duty.

Cha Dawn is an aggressive bloke, whose priorities are to explore and conquer. He starts out with Centauri Ecology, and Social Psych. He's a Greenie, and hates Wealth.


Cybernetic Consciousness (Cyborgs)
Leader: Aki Zeta-5
+2 Efficiency
-1 Growth
+2 Research

Immune to the negative effects of the Cybernetic social choice.
Can steal research when conquering a base.

The manual says that Aki is passive, but I know better! Believe me, she isn't. Her priorities are to Explore and Discover. She starts out with Applied Physics, and Information Networks. Her social choice is Cybernetic, and she hates Fundamentalist.


Data Angels
Leader: Datajack Sinder Roze
+2 Probe
-1 Police

Gains a free Cover Ops center at every base upon discovery of Pre-Sentient Algorithms.
Gains any technology known to three other infiltrated factions.

Roze is erratic--sometimes she's nice, sometimes she's nasty. Her priorities are to Discover and Build. Her social choice is Democratic, but she has an aversion to Power.


Free Drones
Leader: Foreman Domai
+2 Industry
-2 Research

Bases that revolt have a 75% chance of joining the Drones.
Bases generate 1 less discontented workers (drones).

Forman Domai is erratic--mostly, he's nasty. His priorities are to Build, and Conquer. he starts out with Industrial base. His social choice is Eudaimonic, but he hates Green.



Manifold Caretakers
Leader: Guardian Lular H'minee
+1 Planet

Free Recycling Tank in every base.
The Alien factions (Progenitors) have an Energy Grid in lieu of commerce--every two base facilities built adds +1 energy per turn at that base. Secret projects are worth 21/2 energy per base.
The Caretakers get a 25% bonus on defense.

Both nonhuman factions perform a Space survey prior to landing, which reveals all land masses.
They automatically get Non-blind research.
All of their units have the Deep Radar ability.

H'minee is aggressive, and her priorities are to Explore, Build, and Conquer. She starts out with Progenitor Psych, Field Modulation, and Centauri Ecology. Her social choice is Planned, but she has no aversions to other social or ecological choices.

The Caretakers will do all that they can to prevent a faction from winning by Transcendence. They win by building the Resonance Communicator, which will sommon warships from their home world. When these arrive, it's all over--for everyone! They are also locked in a battle to the death with the other nonhuman faction, the Usurpers.


Manifold Usurpers
Leader: Conquerer Judaa Maar
+1 Growth
+1 Morale

The Usurpers get a 25% bonus in offensive combat.

Judaa Maar is aggressive--a very nasty being! His priorities are to Conquer and Build. he starts with Progenitor Psych, Field Modulation, and Biogenetics. His social choice is Planned, but he is averse to the Democratic social choice.

The Usurpers can win either by Transcendence, or by building the Rhe Resonance Communicator.


Nautilus Pirates
Leader: Captain Ulrik Svensgaard
-1 Efficiency
-1 Growth

The Pirates can build enhancements in deep sea terrain upon the discovery of Advanced Ecological Engineering.
They get +1 minerals in ocean shelf squares.
They start out with prototypes for the sea colony pod, and the sea former.
Free Naval Yard in every base upon the discovery of Doctrine: Initiative.
Upon discovery of Adaptive Doctrine, all combat sea units have the Marine Detachment ability.


Ricky is erratic--towards the nasty side. His priorities are to Explore and Conquer. He starts out with Doctrine: Mobility, and Doctrine: Flexibility. His social choice is Power, but he has no aversions.


Well, that's the scoop on the new factions. There's a ton of other stuff about AC, but I think this will suffice for now. Most of this is based on my own observations. Hope this helps.

Ahh yes, it certainly does. Naturally I expect, like you said, there's more to Crossfire than the new factions, but I must admit they were the ones I was the most curious about. :goodjob:

I've copied down the facts, and I am all happy with it. Though of course I will in due time make my own observations ( as soon as I get a hold of it ), but the opinions are noted and appreciated as well.

Somehow I have this feeling my local SMAC friends will grow nuts with me if I, as I plan, go for the Free Drones. :lol: They are annoyed enough when their bases revolt and turn away from them, without those bases popping over to their man competitor most of the time.

Well well, thankies for the info.

I always play as the Free Drones, because they fit best to my own ideologies.:D

Now of course the big question remaining is ... * beats the poor innocent drums to create a dramatically suiting noise * ... where do I get it?

:confused: I've been scouting around for it on the Net, but so far the only conclusion I've come to is that they don't produce it any longer, and that it's dang hard to come across. :cry:

Oh well. I'll have to keep searching indeed. And yes, the Free Drones seem appealing. :) But as the scandinavian I am, I will of course have to align with Captain Svensgaard of the Nautilus Pirates more than once.

Originally posted by thealien_83
?

:confused: I've been scouting around for it on the Net, but so far the only conclusion I've come to is that they don't produce it any longer, and that it's dang hard to come across. :cry:



This is correct and the FAQ at Firaxis states that there are no current plans to make another production run. Get a copy used or new whereever you can find one.

Actually, three cheers for me!

:goodjob: Hooraah! :king: Hoorah! :love: Hoorah!

I did find it, and not only Crossfire at that, I found that one of the local stores here in lil' ol' Sweden actually had more than one copy of the Alpha Centauri Plantery Pack ( Alpha, Crossfire and some strategy guide ) for a very acceptable price. Needless to say, it's ordered now and I'm here, twiddling my thumbs and waiting for the order to arrive.

:P