What the..??

[Rodgers]

Was playing ToT at cheiftain level with cheat mode in place, removing the limit on number of years you can play for, when out of nowhere a message appears on screen saying "Roman scientists discover the meaning of life etc etc...... you are victorious" - and the game ended. What the hell was that about?

Anyone else had this happen?

 

[Lucky]

Test of Time introduced a 4th type of victory, the scientific victory, besided landing on AC, conquering the whole world and retiring.

This victory is similar to the Transcendancy Victory of SMAC.

If you complete every available tech and wait for a couple of turns, this victory will be achieved. I´m not sure about the exact victory conditions (i.e. number of turns) but that will be it.
The real problem is that Microprose only mentioned this very shortly in the manual.

 

[Mercator]

I think this is all the manual has to say about it:

WINNING
Obviously, you cannot win the Extended Original game merely by successfully landing a spaceship on Centaurus. You still have two ways to win, however. You can conquer the new world in the same way you did the Earth, exploiting the land and vanquishing all opposition. Alternatively (for the not-so-militarily inclined) you can continue the research race toward the goal of Transcendence,
which removes you to a higher plane of existence-far from mundane and petty concerns such as mere territorial conquest.

And I haven't experienced it yet, because I haven't completed an extended original game yet.

 

[duke o' york]

I was hoping that you were playing some kind of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy scenario.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Originally posted by duke o' york
I was hoping that you were playing some kind of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy scenario.

Indeed. On a random turn, you get the message: "Your planet is being demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Don't Panic."

 

[Dell19]

I have played a few extended games but I have only completed one where I researched the last tech, with the alien civilization having been reduced to about 5 cities...