How is this game?

Hey guys, kind of new to turn based games and man do I love them. It is becoming my favorite type of strategy game. Anywho, after playing several TB games like Civ 5 and fallen enchantress legendary heroes, even Dominions 4 was thinking about trying this game out. Is t worth my while even though it is an old game, and how steep is the learning curve? How does this game compare to Galac civ 2 and the civ games? Thanks...

Antmf said:

Hey guys, kind of new to turn based games and man do I love them. It is becoming my favorite type of strategy game. Anywho, after playing several TB games like Civ 5 and fallen enchantress legendary heroes, even Dominions 4 was thinking about trying this game out. Is t worth my while even though it is an old game, and how steep is the learning curve? How does this game compare to Galac civ 2 and the civ games? Thanks...

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For its time, SMAC/X is second to none. Easily the highest-quality turn-based game produced in the 1990s; almost everyone would say it is better than either Civ2 or Civ3. How it compares to later games (Civ4 especially) is harder to say. Civ4 took a lot SMAC's original ideas, like social engineering, and implemented them in an even broader and richer way (Civ4's civics).

The graphics, of course, are very much out-of-date, and I think for some people that's bothersome enough to make the game hard to play. But I can't think of a better old TBG to get into.

The learning curve... well, if you'd played Civ2 or Civ3, it wouldn't be too bad, but Civ5 and other more recent games have ventured further from the model, so it might take some time to get used to. The tech tree, exacerbated by Blind Research default, can be the most confusing part of the game. But playing at middling levels to start will help you build up your abilities, and we're here to give advice if you need it. The AI is not given crushing advantages at high difficulty levels the way it was in games like Civ3 and Civ4, so you won't get crushed in your first game at Librarian (except maybe by an early game rush by the Believers!).

Definitely check it out.

While legenday heros has its charms and civ5 is what it is I keep coming back to this litte jewel. The social values you make have impact
on how other factions percive you even the native life that makes you wish you put a defender in that newly planted city,
All in all great for a game made 99.

I didn't get AC when it was in stores, because I didn't know it was there...
only much later i get it and ... WOW such an amazing game.

SID MEIER is the best.

It's still my favourite game like Civilization (with a space setting anyway) and its definitely better than what Galactic Civilizations series has to offer in my opinion. Before I continue on if you are considering purchasing it go through Good Old Games (in case you didn't know about them).

As Hightower has kind of already covered you need to be prepared for the dated graphics, alot of people I've suggested it to either get turned off instantly by them or it takes them a few hours to but it into the back of their mind before they just start enjoying the game for what it is.

Buy this game. Play it. You will not be disappointed.

I played it way back when, shortly after a seemingly decade-long career as a Civ 2 enthusiast. I just picked it up again a few months ago, and it has lost none of its playability.

Like others have said, the graphics are a bit dated. That said, I'm a pretty forgiving gamer and I have no problem looking past mediocre graphics if the gameplay is up to snuff. SMAC blows other games in this genre out of the water, in that aspect.

-tojop

smashyou said:

Like others have said, the graphics are a bit dated.

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If you don't like the pink fungus, a player called wgabrie made a version of texture.pcx file which turned the fungus a frothy gold color - much easier on the eyes IMO! FYI for anyone who is interested in downloading this file.


D

Quite possibly the best game ever made. And that's not nostalgia talking as I've only started playing it for a couple of days now lol. Can't believe I missed out on this for so long.