I have arrived. Question about starting.

Rx7000

Chieftain
Joined
Dec 12, 2005
Messages
1
Hello everybody, Ive been coming on here and reading for the past few years (the site in general) but havnt been posting. I am a long time civ player (Going back to the original civ) but for some reason I never played Alpha Centauri. I just got it on gog (Along with populous wooo, just found this place and its definetly time to pick up all the gems I missed growing up).

Okay so my question is being new to this game, do I want to play the original or do I want to start with the expansion? From what I have seen the expansion mainly adds two new alien factions that are stuck in perma war, I'm just wondering if I would appreciate the expansion more if I played a few hundred hours in the first one before playing expansion.

Thanks in advance!!
 
Welcome to CFC and the Alpha Centauri forum!

I suggest that you start by playing the expansion (Alien Crossfire, usually called SMAX), but with the seven original factions from Alpha Centauri (AKA SMAC). After you get comfortable with the game, you can, if you wish, add in some of the expansion factions.
 
I hope you don't mind me borrowing this thread, I just have a quick question.

is there any way to upgrade all of your units at once (like in civ 4 its alt u I believe)?

I will answer the original question so I don't derail this thread.

Personally I prefer the original over the expansion, and I recommend playing the original for a couple games before playing the expansion. The original seems to have more distinction between factions and more interesting factions. There is less overlap in ideology. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't play the expansion. It has some interesting ideas.
 
is there any way to upgrade all of your units at once (like in civ 4 its alt u I believe)?

Yes. Enter the unit workshop (Press the letter u). Select from the bottom of the screen the unit type you wish to upgrade. Click the UPGRADE button. You'll be presented with a list of unit types to which the unit in question can be upgraded. Click OK and follow the onscreen instructions. Note:

1. You must have at least one unit type that's "better" than the unit you wish to upgrade.
2. You must have sufficient ECs to upgrade all the units in question.
3. Units that have already moved that turn will still be upgraded, and
4. Any upgraded units that haven't yet moved that turn will be able to move. Multiplayer rules may preclude moving upgraded units.
 
I would also suggest that you play Alien Crossfire but with the original 7 factions. There are a few tech differences between the versions and you might as well use the newer (better(?)) one.

Regarding mass upgrades.

Don't forget that there is a cost associated with upgrading units. In order to upgrade you have to have enough money. For instance, one change that I usually make is to upgrade all standard scouts (1-1 with no abilities) to police scouts (1-1, Police) as soon as the proper tech is available. If I remember correctly it cost 20 to upgrade a single unit. So if you have 20 standard scouts, it will cost you 400 to upgrade all of them to Police.
 
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