How do you make SMAC more challenging and fun to play?

[TeddyBlue]

Has anyone esle noticed how easy SMAC is to beat even on Trancend. All you do is just spread out like a plague and when one or two of the factions ticks you off you just anihilate them, cause they don't put up to good of a fight, then you virtually got it in the hat.
What all can you do to make the game more challenging and fun. Anyone have any suggestions?
PS notice I said "challenging and fun".

 

[Enkidu]

Try playing on a higher difficulty level? <IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif" border=0>

[This message has been edited by Enkidu (edited August 26, 2001).]

 

[Father Time]

Try just playing with a limited number of bases?

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

Compared to Civ 2, AC is near impossible at the higher levels

The AI is far superior.

To challenge myself, I play as different factions that I normally would not. i.e. the University. I also try for 'other' non recognized victory paths, like 'dividing' the other factions from each other and fostering peace.

 

[Lord Owen]

Though I have won in Trascend level, I don't win every time! There are lots of factors that affect each game: too much fungus, hordes of worms, desertic territory, being isolated in an island, the Unity Pods you find... all make the game more easy or more difficult. In my last game, I as the Morgans had to expand in a land full of "arid" tiles; and the Peacekeepers landed in the Monsoon Jungle! Despite all my efforts and an army of terraformers, when my pop was 20, Lal's was 60 and growing. Eventually he ate all others, I included.

You can always play a custom faction with -2 Planet in a fungous land, for example. Or play a custom faction with -5 in any or some fields. Or simply play the Believers with Slowered Technology!

I don't need to win, though. What I love is to build and watch my empire grow. I like even watch my empire fall! Is like roleplaying, like hearing a story.

 

[Sukenis]

Play Transcend with Ironman on.

If a war faction play a huge planet.

If building faction. Play a small land based map.

Custom make the planet into a world that does not fir my faction (example would be heavy native life forms for the Believers of Morgans).

Try going free market with the Hive. Play the Believers and avoid combat at all cost.

The list could go on and on. I normally win though.

 

[TeddyBlue]

Those are some good ideas that may prove interesting.

I was wondering also was there any changes to the alpha.txt you could make that would make it more interesting. And are any of the scenerios any fun to play?

And I like your style of play, Lord Owen.

[This message has been edited by TeddyBlue (edited August 27, 2001).]

 

[Lord Owen]

Thanks, Teddyblue.

To make defensive war more effective, I often modify alpha.txt increasing armor values and weapon costs.

Also, I have modified alpha.txt so I can now build Sensors, Airbases, and Bunkers at sea(with Doctrine:Initiative, Self-Aware machines and Supertensile solids respectively). Someone has done something similar or knows of a patch that allows to build Monoliths?

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

Has anyone played on 'Intense Rivalry'? I've never bothered.

Give the Believers a crappy probe rating and try them out.

 

[Lord Owen]

Intense Rivalry makes all faction leaders "Aggresive". I tried it, but there's little difference when playing Trascend...

 

[FearlessLeader2]

You could always try creating a powerful faction, and playing against it. I created the Borg, and gave them immunity to efficiency penalties, and a high growth rate, ability to steal tech, etc... I hardly ever play unless it is against them. A ridiculously powerful enemy forces one to get clever... I can't even beat them with the godlike and in all other ways utterly superior Gaians without some luck. Of course, true to form, I did saddle them with a -2 Probe rating, because they never pay attention to 'away teams'...

 

[Terje]

Try to edit the 'alpha.txt'. You could, as an example, make your citizens eat 3 or 4 nutrients per turn, increase the mineral cost of units (though this would work the other way around too, giving your opponents fewer units), increase the maintainence cost of base structures, or something completely different. They limit is your own imagination (and, of course, the 'alpha.txt'file...)!