SMAC vs. Civ3

[Gargantua]

Greetings
Reading all posts and thinking about Civ3 again, I have this question:
What is the difference between SMAC and Civ3 in principle? What does Civ3 have that SMAC doesnt?
Units?in SMAC you can create your own. Technologies? SMAC's technologies are wonderful once you understand them. Dimplomacy? SAMC is shining there.Maybe AI?
Not sure, but I have this feeling that Civ3 is just "simplified"
version of SMAC with better graphics and some user-friendly interface.

Any thoughts?

 

[Sparrowhawk]

Even if Civ3 was just a rehash with better graphics it would be worth it. I could only ever play SMAC for so long before I got sick of the reds and purples everywhere.

However, it's not just a rehash, and here are the main differences:

1. Culture - SMAC had borders, but they were the same size for all cites. Culture controls Civ3 borders, and small cities can be swallowed up by opposing larger cities.
2. Armies - ground units can be grouped into armies that pool their HPs
3. Setting - Civ3 is set on good old familiar earth, and there's always the thrill of doing better that your historical predecessors.

There's lots of other differences too, but these are the main ones that come to mind. Anyone else got anymore major ones?

 

[LKendter]

4. - 16 civs!
5. - hugh maps (256x256)


People are welcome to add more #s

POST #200

 

[c92nichj]

I agree
The thing I couldn't stand with SMAC was the terrible graphic, if just the graphic had been better I wouldv'e played it more than two times.

 

[Jive]

One thing I liked about SMAC, was the little quotation the game would show after the completion of a tech development. Such as ummm: "God does not play dice." from Einstein; which I thought was very interesting.

 

[DaEezT]

Originally posted by Gargantua
What is the difference between SMAC and Civ3 in principle? What does Civ3 have that SMAC doesnt?

IMO it would haev been easier if you would have asked: What do Civ3 and SMAC have in common

Civ3 has: more civs, no 3D terrain, no fungus, unique units, no unit customization, different diplomacy, different trade, strategic resources, different goernment system, different winning conditions, culture, different civ specific abilities, different handling of air units, etc.

 

[RouTaran]

#6 - Bargining Table, trade anything you want raning from world maps, units to resources, treaties and cities.
#7 - New resource feature. 3 types of resources. Strategic - Most units require a resource to build (Horses and Iron for Knights) Luxury - Make your peeps happy. Bonus - works the same way as the wheat and game did on Civ. Furthermore the resources are not unlimited, they are depeleted over time.

#8 - Civ specific units and abilities. Eg. Egyptians are Industrous and Religious and their special unit is the War Chariot (upgrade of regular chariot)

#9 - Golden Ages. Your civ enters a golden age when you win your first battle against an enemy civ (not the barbies) with your special unit or build a wonder that corresponds to your civ abilities. When this happns, all your cities pritty much double their output for the next 20 turns. Wonders are not tagged with the attributes. Eg. The Great Wall has Industrous and Militaristic. The Chinese are Industrious and Militaristic, when they build it, they enter their golden age.

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

RESOURCE TRADING

'nuff said.

Though I did admire the Diplomatic model of SMAC and if it's been improved upon for Civ 3 then....wow...

 

[BigDog_Civ]

plus you can continue playing in Civ 3 which is always pretty cool