The level above Transcend

[Avenoct]

It would be nice to have a name for that, so if you think of one, post it!

Super-Chironians Volume One: The Generalists
Gaians2S, Hive2S, Morgan2S, etc.

Super-Chironians Volume Two: The Builders
Gaians2H, Hive2H, Morgan2H, etc.

I thought I'd upload the factions I've been playing with to simulate such a level. These are original Smac factions, but are, shall we say, supercharged. I have only been able to beat them once.

For Smac-only players, just dump the factions into your game folder. They won't overwrite anything because they have different names. To play, click on the load faction option in the game set-up, and, load the faction you want to play. This brings us to names....

I created two super-faction sets. The first is generalized for any planet. It's suffix is '2S' for Second-set-Standard-World. I recommend them for most games. The other set is signified by a '2H' suffix, and, as you might have guessed, is designed for Huge worlds. These guys are great builders, but are suckers for diplomacy.

Apparently you Smax folk can't use custom factions without going into the alpha.txt and changing the factions lines at the end of that file. It doesn't sound too difficult, and if you want a hand, let me know.

Optional Stuffs: How to play, and Graphics and all that.

You won't notice anything different at first, and that's good! Just as at first each level of Smac seems the same, so it is with super-factions. The advantages that they get do catch up with them in the mid-game.

Graphics optional: I didn't include any graphics because they are the original factions. However, if you want their proper faction-graphics to be displayed you'll want to duplicate and rename the basic faction graphics to match. In other words, grab the Hive.pcx, Hive2.pcx, and Hive3.pcx and rename a duplicate set to Hive2S.pcx, Hive2S2.pcx, Hive2S3.pcx, for each faction.

-S-

[Zakharov VII]

Ooh, sounds like a blast! Gotta give this a try right away !!

Z

[Zakharov VII]

Hope you like - don't feel you have to read the whole thing, I just enjoyed writing it !!

Provost Zakharov Report to the General Assembly, MY 2101-2140

Very Short Summary-

It is a harsh world we now live in. The competition is fierce, yet we have overcome many challenges already. We have secured our position as Governer over the other factions, yet only with some shady dealings with Matsamu...er...Yang...yes, him

Survey of the World and of my Competition:

Standard sized planet, average precipitation/rockiness/native life
Competing against 6 Supertranscends Type S (not H)

Very Long Detailed Report-

2101 - We land on this harsh planet. The land is dry, but we have found a particularly green sprout of Nutrients. This should feed our city during its early stages of development. Meanwhile, Formers are being prepared based on our studies of Centauri Ecology to begin preparing for when the Nutrient Resource will not be enough to feed our citizens. We have begun exploration with our lone scout patrol, and have sent our colony pod on a risky mission to establish a second base.

2102 - Our scout has stumbled on some of the wreckage of the Unity, and recovered the data on Industrial Base which was lost in the crash. Meanwhile our colony pod has searched the nearby vicinity and located more Nutrient resources that will help feed the base when established.

2104 - Our scout has located some energy supplies from the Unity - 25 Energy Credits - just enough to Hurry our Former at University Base

2105 - Our new base site gets more and more attractive - our colony pod has finished its search and found abundant supplies of Minerals.

2106 - We have established Baikonur on these minerals, to make immediate use of both them and the Nutrients nearby. Our researchers have also made inquiries on where to direct their studies - it has been determined that it is in the best interest of our people to research Biogenetics. Meanwhile, our Scout has some worse luck with pod popping - he has discovered some of Planet's native life. Let's hope it's amiable

2107 - It's not. A scared but surviving Scout has reported that the aliens attacked his mind directly. Being the great researchers we are, our intellectual capacity was enough to thwart these Mind Worms, as our Scout describes them. Our Scout, however, is broken and in dire need of rest. Collapsing among some Unity Pods, he had a much-needed rejuvenating snack of the Nutrients within.

2108 - Our researches are proud to unveil their data on Biogenetics, and proudly report that it is the first breakthrough on Planet. Our legacy as the intellectual superpowers lives on, even among such high-powered competition. They are now studying the Psychological state of our poor Scout, as it should prove useful in uncovering how the human brain reacts to traumatic situations.

2111 - Our scientists have compiled a detailed report on the Social Psychology of humans, and are eagerly working on uncovering the rest of the Secrets of the Human Brain.

2113 - Our scout saw something that looked like a tree and napped under it. He felt much better the next day. Now that he has his wits about him, he reports it's not a tree, just something tall and brown. He calls it a Monolith. He certainly gets to name lots of stuff, eh? Speaking of people going crazy, our researchers say that they will have figured out all the Secrets of the Human Brain in exactly 0 years. Strange how these brilliant researchers can be so dumb sometimes.

2114 - Our researchers report that they're running a year behind. Therefore, they have completed their studies of the Secrets of the Human Brain. They also said that this is the kind of stuff they live for, and so put in some 23 hour days researching. Weird people. At least we have data on Planetary Networks to show for this obsessive pursuit of knowledge. I tell them I want more information on Industrial Economics, but they're burned out and won't work. So I went over to the local yoga club and asked them to look into various meditational techniques. They say they'll figure out Centauri Empathy in a few years. Then they started meditation and I couldn't snap them out of it. What weird people I have working for me.

With all this new data, I thought we'd use it to set up a Planned economy, but my Economics Advisor says that he doesn't have enough Energy to run around getting all the papers in order to do so. Oh well. Maybe our researchers will re-discover caffeine and he can get himself back together for the switch.

2115 - Our Scout reported something exciting. He was talking really fast, but we think he said "There's this ridge and it's really special! A good site for a base! Pholus!" Since he's so good at naming things we'll just call it the Pholus Ridge.

2116 - Our Scout has found another of the relaxing Monoliths, and has calmed down considerably. He now explains that he didn't say "Pholus", but he had found a Unity Rover amid the wreckage, and was telling our colony pods to "Follow us" to the good base site. Well, until anyone has any better ideas, we'll stick with Pholus Ridge as the name.

2117 - I fired the Economics Advisor and gave a speech to my workers - "I want a planned economy. Here's 40 EC's in cash, now do as I say" and that was that. Amazing what you can do if you do it yourself!

2118 - Our Scout found another piece of the Unity. It's supercharged with electricity. Maybe we can harness the Energy for our own use.

2119 - In a grand coincedence, Baikonur and University Base share the honor of finishing our first base facilities at the same time. Two recycling tanks. That 40 EC's really got our workers motivated! In other news, our meditators woke up with the knowledge of Centauri Empathy. Also, when I told them about our new facilities, they said their new psychic instincts tell them that Lal finished his first facilities in 2115. I think I'll go back to letting my scientists do the research!! They're back in action, and FINALLY looking into the Industrial Economics I wanted so many years ago. Finally, I started a Recreations Commons at Baikonur. I want them to get really happy so they don't interrupt my work on the Empath Guild which my weirdo psychics are demanding.

2120 - My psychics, having woken up fully now, have told me I'm the Unsurpassed ruler of Planet at the moment. I hope they're not just trying to kiss up to me ...I asked the psychics about my Scout, who hasn't reported for a few turns. They assured me he is helping us majorly. They have good news for me this year, huh?

2123 - That Recreation Commons is done, so Baikonur has started the Empath Guild. They'll be done by 2146...sooo long!

2124 - University Base builds a Colony Pod!! Also, at long last, I have a report from my Scout! He has be foraging for minerals and has enough to build a whole new Colony Pod! He was a bit disappointed when he found out that we just built one, but I assured him it's OK, we'll just use the minerals to build another next year! He says he's lost contact with the Rover...not good...

2125 - Weird psychic-people are appearing out of nowhere at Baikonur to help with the Guild. At least we have another person in the workforce!

2126 - our Scout finds an Alien Artifact near Baikonur...wonder what it does?

2128 - Our researchers have emerged victorious once again! They finally have the data on Industrial Economics like I wanted. I whined to them about Automizing our Industry, but they're sick of the Industrial stuff. So after long arguments I'm letting them scribble some weird Calculus equations that are supposed to help our children. Whatever.

In other (better!!!) news, the Alien Artifact arrived at Baikonur for study. Upon contact with our Network Node, it spontaneously combusted. Amidst the wreckage was a data pod. Guess what it contained?? Data on INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION!!

Also, in my do-it-yourself attitude, I went down to my local stock broker and invested 40 EC's. 10 is invested into Provost's Energy Harvesting, Inc, 10 is invested into advancing the sciences, and the last 20 is invested into the Worker's Union (I didn't know we already had unions on Planet!). This should help everyone but the military (what military?), who is really sore and demoralized that I didn't put any funds into them. Back to the workers - they're so pleased, they told me they think they can knock off 3 years of build time of the Empath Guild - new estimate is in 2140

2129 - Relativity School has been founded, near that first Monolith.

2131 - That good ol' Scout has been busy - he found another super-Energized pod...also with Lal's commfrequency!! As much as I wanted to make contact with other people, I was worried...will he extort me for tech? I decided to leave him alone.

2133 - Zarya - Sunrise founded by a two Nutrient Resources - one land, one sea

2135 - Our scientists presented me with a series of unintelligible equations. I asked what we can do with them...they said they'll help the children. Whatever! I'm hungry - I'm gonna ask them to figure out how to Splice Genes to make better food! Mmm...better food...

2137 - Another Mind Worm! Due to symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (so diagnosed by our self-titled Psychics), our Scout's will faltered upon combat with these creatures. He survived, but barely - he needs to head back to one of the Monoliths. I also authorized a secret project, the Weather Paradigm, at University Base. I don't actually WANT it - I'm running a keep-Planet-Forest-Green-Without-Actually-Running-Green-Economy agenda - so the fancy terraforming isn't important. I figure, however, that I can change this to something more useful later.

2139 - BIG NEWS!!!! Guess what? I found more Nutrients! Got you there, huh?

2140 - BIG NEWS!!!! No, really, HUGE NEWS! Empath Guild finished, right as schedueled - now that all the workers can well, um, go home, the base has experienced population growth - bringing with it drone riots. And I thought they people would *LIKE* the Empath Guild! Well I guess the new generation just isn't as Nerdy or Weird as we are.

With the Empath Guild comes lots of fun stuff, however. My psychics linked their minds to human life all over Planet and extracted intelligence from all corners of the globe (wow, they're being usefull!) Turns out the Gaians will get that Weather Paradigm that I don't really want in 4 turns, so it's lucky I don't want it!!

I called up Santiago - she was very nice, we shared lots of data - I ended up learning how to touch my toes, swim, run fast, and make big explosions! In other words, my military (when I get around to building it) is now more Flexible, Mobile, and can make big explosions with the new Physics I learned from Santiago. We signed a Treaty, but she has no need of a Pact. Hmph.

I called Morgan - he had no data I wanted, but he was quite pleasant. For my information on Flexibility and Automation, we swore a Pact. I don't care much for implementing a mass transit system, so I'd be more than happy if Morgan did so in his empire.

I called Yang - he was actually much more kind than I thought he would be. He signed a Treaty for just Industrial Economics. No Pact, but no threats either.

I called Deirdre - she was also pleasant. She gave my cooks new recipies using Spliced Genes, and I'm looking forward to dinner tonight very much! She also signed a Treaty for my lessons on how to touch your toes (without a military, that's all Doctrine: Flexibility is good for )

Miriam wasn't nice - we just mutually agreed to stay out of each other's way.

Lal is very pompous - he is my competition in the election for governer. He threatened me for awhile, and I didn't give in, so nothing got accomplished. I asked to sign a Treaty for my Goodwill and Friendship, but he said that his friendship can't be bought. If Goodwill and Friendship is a monetary unit, maybe I can use it to buy some yummy Gene-Spliced Fungus for dinner!

Anyway, back to the topic - I called Council to elect governer....and if you took 2 seconds to read the short summary you should know what happened. But in detail, Lal had 28 votes. I had 15. Morgan had 12. Everyone else Abstained. It was 27 - 28. I needed help. I smiled sweetly at everyone, and that didn't do anything. I grimaced threatiningly at everyone, and that didn't do anything. I jingled some cybercoins and Yang looked very pleased. For 128 EC's I bought his 5 votes. Yang's not doing to well, eh? But it was enough to get me elected! Now I'm getting (drumroll, please!) 19 RAW energy from commerce each turn!!

Results as of MY2140:

14 EC's per turn
33.6 tech per turn
168 tech cost - breakthroughs every 5 years
15 votes
Empath Guild
Planetary Governer
Treaty/Treaty/Pact/Treaty/Truce/Truce

Z

[Avenoct]

2140 is about when the AI's bonuses should start catching up with them on that size map...good luck on the next leg Zakharov.

-S-

Oh, and I still need a name for the level above Transcend...maybe Superscend?

[Zakharov VII]

Got some time to play, then I'll put up another 20-40 years - this should get ugly, with the AI starting to grab SP's. I think I'm alone on my continent, so I'm going for Bio-Engineering after restrictions are raised so I can pump out a nice clean navy. I'll feel a lot better once that "wall" is raised .

It may not be too smart, but I've decided I don't want to use crawlers - it slows down my computer too much, and I enjoy the extra challenge . I might use 2-3 to hurry a SP, but not the 100+ I had going in my tech stag game

Oh yes - thanks for taking the time to listen to my story

Z

[Zakharov VII]

<--~--~--~--~BLLEeeep...begin transmission-->

Provost Zakharov's Report to the General Assembly, MY2141-2180

A Little Longer than Last Time Summary:

Our dominance is unquestioned at this point in time. We have 5 Secret Projects (the important ones !), everyone else COMBINED has 4. We are working on 3, and no one else has any of the techs to build them. Our diplomatic relations are a bit, well, unlikely - Pacts with Morgan (normal), Santiago (weird), and Miriam (scary!). We also are quite congenial with our dear friend Yang, with whom we have a treaty. Together, Santiago, Morgan, Miriam, and I are a super-strong Researching Team - I recently got Doctrine: Air Power from Morgan, and will get Superconductor from Santiago in 9 years, and Advanced Subatomic Theory from Morgan in 3. We, ourselves, are researching Pre-Sentient Algorithms, and will be in great shape to get Mind/Machine Interface next. Then, Superconductor will be ready and we can snatch Applied Relativity. Or, if the wars with Deirdre and Lal heat up, we can take Fusion Power instead.

Detailed Report:

2141 - Last year we got Gene Splicing from Deirdre, rendering our efforts in that field redundant. Therefore, we are focusing our efforts in figuring out this darnded ecosystem we live in. Not so we can help it, but rip it apart . No, just kidding, we want to understand it because it will put us on track to figuring out how to make our trees more productive.

2142 - Deirdre finishes the Weather Paradigm. I don't care, it wouldn't do anything for me

2143 - Figured out how Ecological Engineering, now my tireless researchers are looking into the Economic potention of the Environment. Meanwhile, we found Zoloto-Gold on that "Pholus" Ridge, and finish another Colony Pod at Baikonur. It is now focusing its efforts on finishing the Virtual World, the prime source of entertainment for our society of Nerds and Geeks. Who needs a Hologram Theater when you can spend all day gazing into a Network Node?

2145 - Deirdre, the tree-hugger she is, wants our data on Ecological Engineering. I squeeze Intellectual Integrity off of her to make the deal fair. She accepts - big mistake, as you my followers shall soon see (evil laugh)! As a result, I spend 60 EC's in a rigorous training program to bring all my garrisoned Scouts up to speed on new Non-Lethal Methods.

2147 - Relativity School completes its Colony Pod. We are in a brisk period of expansion, are we not? Morgan starts constructing a massive Planetary Transit System - I hope he can reap the benefits of this one, because he's my friend . Back to our continent....Mir Lab founded

I still haven't spoken to Lal - I don't like him. He's too pompous. So I call up Santiago - and she must have read my mind! We Pacted over dreams of executing Lal. Nothing personal to our dear Lal, of course . To help aid the (non-existant - I'm not bothering with military!!) war effort, she transmits data on Nonlinear Mathematics for a good meal (AKA Gene Splicing).

2148 - Our dear Scout (specially upgraded so that he could retain the name "Scout" and not be changed to "Police Infantry" - Yes, I am crazy!) has found another Unity Rover! Let's hope this one fares better than the last one. To sweeten the pod, there was some yummy Nutrients in it .

2149 - Our Scout and Rover make discoveries at the same time - the Scout is soothed by another Monolith, while the Rover...well...is in a state of shock after being transported to the other end of the continent (my colonized end) through a dimensional gate. I guess the lesson here is, "Kids, don't play with machinery you don't understand!"

2151 - Morgan announces the completion of his Merchant Exchange project. Lal, disgusted that he didn't get it, changed to working on the Virtual World. Uh oh, we have competition! His is done in 18, ours in 17...let's hope we can maintain the advantage.

To help Baikonur grow and, thus, complete the Virtual World faster, I decided to let the people elect their rulers under a Democracy. They're happy now, and if I get the Virtual World, I'll be happy too !

Also, during my pleasant chat with Morgan congratulating him on his Merchant Exchange achievement and wishing him luck on the Transit System, he mentioned he was researching Gene Splicing. Being the good friend I am, I saved him the trouble for 25 EC's.

Back to our continent (again), we found Monitoring Station by abundant Nutrients and Energy. Meanwhile, our trusty Scout has found another Alient Artifact! Wheeee!

2152 - Environmental Economics researched! Now I want Planetary Economics for even better trees!!

2154 - Zarya-Sunrise makes a Colony Pod - I hope the support hit doesn't hurt too much!

2156 - Baikonur. Bad news: Mind Worms nearby. Announcing commencement of the First Alien Wars. Good news: Grows to size 4, so Virtual World in 11 to Lal's 13. My dear, flustered Rover that got dimensional-gated over killed the first worm to win the first battle of the War, but two more are At Large. The Scout had better luck, and pops 100 EC's!

2157 - Morgan finishes his Transit System! Whoohoo! But there's bad news: the Mind Worms finish off the Rover, making that the first battle lost of the War. I just can't keep one intact, can I??

In super-wonderful news, the Alien Artifact was linked to a Network Node...drumroll please...PLANETARY ECONOMICS! I hurried the Human Genome Project (did I mention I started that?) at University Base so I can start the Ascetic Virtues soon (I like the Virtu-techs, huh?)

2158 - Miriam calls and complains, but doesn't really threaten me or anything. We end up exactly where we started at the beginning of the conversation. Oh well.

My researchers are looking into Neural Grafting, now that they no longer have to research Planetary Economics.

The Police in Baikonur killed the first Mind Worm in the First Alien Wars, but there is still one more out there...

2159 - My psychic intelligence personnel report that the Spartans and Gaians signed a Treaty and that the Spartans are being attacked by the Gaians. It's not my problem, whatever they're going through!!!!!

I "encouraged" workers at Relativity School to finish off the Tree Farm with about 100 EC's. I love my people!

5160 - Our researchers have finished their studies on Neural Grafting, and now are "unlocking the last secrets of human genetics" as my lead researcher (hey, that's me!) put it.

In triumphant news, the First Alien Wars came to a grand conclusion when the weakened Police of the beseiged Baikonur killed the last of the opposing forces in a decisive victory. The spoils gained from this final skirmish numbered 40 EC's, not too bad!

Heartened by this news, I tried to stop war in all parts of Planet. So, Santiago, my dear friend, complied with my request to make peace with Deirdre. So that whole confusing mess is settled!

5161 - Drone Riots at Relativity School!! That base has really taken off with the Population Boom thing ever since I switched to Democracy. I "encouraged" the workers to build a Recreation Commons, so everything should be fine soon.

5162 - Now that Relativity School is back in action, they're working on the Ascetic Virtues! In only 27 years, if all goes well, we shall have this wonder!

Our Scout adds to the pool of good news, popping Mineral Resources and 100 EC's!

We also found Okieta-Discovery by a Monolith and sea Nutrients!

FINALLY, Virtual World is almost done...but not done enough for me! 200 EC's later, it'll be done next turn

2163 - WHOOHOO! Virtual World! Now we can all gaze into the wonders of the Network Node, and imagine the...oops, sorry, this Virtual World thing is really quite distracting! University Base's Tree Farm should sprout next turn, due to some *cough*intervention*cough* on my part.

2164 - Ouch. Miriam is 2 years from discovering how to produce Sythetic Fossile Fuels. Time to make a Probe Skimship!

2165 - Children's Creche is sped up at University Base.

2166 - Relativity School is at 7 population, the maximum current habitation facilities can accomidate. With all this production, the Ascetic Virtues will be done in 13 years!!

Baikonur's Tree Farm hurried...

2167 - Lal, still sore that I beat him last time, called council. I laughed in his face as his jaw dropped when he noticed I had Santiago's support. 93 votes to his 56. I guess I was retained

The Children's Creche at Baikonur is hurried, to commence a population boom there.

We also completed our research on Bio-Engineering, and have focused our efforts on Cyberethics.

The Morgan Inc Habtastic Housing Complex has been hurried at University Base, as the population is around level 6 at the moment, and with a population boom...

2168 - Grrrrr...rrr....rr...r...Lal gets the Command Nexus. I knew this was coming, but grr. Oh well. I got the Virtual World

Never to be outdone, I started another Secret Project of my own. The Longevity Vaccine at University Base. Completion Estimate: 18 Years.

2169 - How convenient! Miriam builds a sea base right next to my base building the Probe Foil! Obviously, I'm encouraging production to finish right away!

Noticed slight drone activity in University Base. Anticipation its growth due to population boom, I allocated 10% of all energy towards, put simply, making people happy. I cut away from labs, because with all these Tree Farms and Secret Projects in production, I need some cash to get them moving!

2170 - Due to increased measures to make people happy, two size 3 bases, Zoloto-Gold and Monitoring Station, experienced Intellectual Golden Ages. How nice.

2171 - I couldn't sleep last night...something was bugging me. I consulted my Psychic Friend, and I was informed Deirdre's Citizens Defense Force would be finished next turn. I suddenly had an outrageous instinct to beat her to it, especially since she has no other projects to change to. I called up Morgan (no, not in the middle of the night, when it was morning again, silly!), asked for some $$. Result: 538 EC's from him, but I have to pay him 9 each year for 100 years. OK, fine. Change Relativity School from Ascetic Virtues to Citizen's Defense Force...and hurry it for...EXACTLY 538 EC's! University Base's Longevity Vaccine was changed to the Ascetic Virtues due to these changes.

Morgan also mentioned he's wrapping up his research in Sythetic Fossile Fuels, and he'll be glad to share it when he gets it in three years. So I decide to abandon the probe effort, and pop 100 EC's with it instead .

2172 - And so begins the Second Alien Wars. Mind Worms are spotted near University Base...Baikonur starts a prototype of Empath/Trance/Synthmetal Rover, to be completed in 2 years. Meanwhile, Relativity School finishes off the Citizen's Defense Force, so I hurry a MorganSolutions Housing Complex so Relativity School can prepare a Rover too.

2173 - Started production of that Rover at Relativity School, and finished a Tree Farm at Zarya-Sunrise. Very tense atmosphere, with the inevitable advance of the Mind Worms...

2174 - Hehe, sometimes I feel bad for Lal. My probe foil fell into a tidal wave, and washed near Lal's territory. So I probed away a coastal rover from Lal, and used it to kill his colony pod I found nearby! Hahaha!

I restarted the Longevity Vaccine at Baikonur, now that the Rover prototype is complete...

2175 - POP! Yes, finally, a POP! Wait, was that an echo...or...oh no! Two pops! Must be the advancing Mind Worms...

Started the Neural Amplifier at Relativity School, since its Rover is now complete.

The Mind Worms are now positioned right next to Relativity School's Former. Our brave Scout steps in to protect it...

2176 - And falls, honorably defending our Former. With the delayed advance our dear Scout caused, the Rovers catch up and
mutilate the worms. Thus ends the Second Alien Wars.

This was also a big year, in other aspects of our empire:

A Colony Pod is completed at Monitoring Station, which is now devoted soley to making Pods until the continent is full.

I called up my dear friend Santi (we're close enough that I can call her that and not be beaten silly). We shared lots of data - I ended up with High Energy Chemistry, Optical Computers, and Polymorphic Software. We were both very pleased with the deal.

That infamous Probe Foil popped 25 more EC's, and mind-controlled another Rover, which kills a Supply Crawler...meanwhile, the first kills a Former.

Now that we no longer need to devote our attention to Polymorphic Software, our scientists are looking into Advanced Military Algorithms.

And finally...I called up Deirdre. She was VERY uncooperative. I think our friendship is collapsing...

2177 - ...So I will pounce on the chance to betray Dee (which I can call her, since we're vicious enemies ). Miriam and I signed a Pact over the matter...we're great friends!

I looked over at Dee's tech status, and she has Planetary Economics now...but her Ascetic Virtues aren't coming for a long while...

Now that have 3 pacts, I felt confident the Global Trade Pact would pass. It did, 4 to 2, with Morgan, Miriam, Deirdre (whatever!), and I Yaying, Santiago Abstaining, and Yang and Lal Naying. Now I get tons of commerce income!

2178 - My psychics bring troubling news...Dee's Ascetic Virtues will be done in 1 year! I don't know how it happened, but I must spend 248 EC's on this matter right away!

2179 - FINALLY, the long overdue Ascetic Virtues! Sea Formers were started at University Base, to take advantage of Nutrient and Energy resources nearby in the sea. Right now they're covered in fungus, so they're not good to eat/harness.

Advanced Military Algorithms discovered - getting...drumroll, please...PRE-SENTIENT ALGORITHMS! I notice Morgan has Air Power, so I ask him for it, 275 EC's find their way into his pocket...er...datalinks...er...whatever they're stored in, and I get my Air Power!!

2180 - Sea Former done, so I can get to work on Planetary Datalinks at University Base!!

Statistics as of MY2180:

103 EC's per turn
Democracy, Planned, Wealth, 50% Economy, 10% Psych, 40% Labs
190.8 tech per turn
1125 tech cost
Pre-Sentient Algorithms in 5 years
Techs every 6 years
Superconductor from Santiago in 9 years (as stated in the summary)
Advanced Subatomic Theory from Morgan in 3 years (as stated above)
8 bases total
87 votes

<--End Transmission--~--~--BLEeee~-->

Z

[Kassiopeia]

- God
- Jumala
- Supreme Being
- Spirit
- Planetbeing (personal favorite)
- Planetmind (another personal favorite)

[Avenoct]

Ah, some suggestions! Let's see, Citizen, Talent, Librarian, Thinker, Transcend, Jumala? Naaaaa..... Maybe Supreme Being, or Xeti?

Zhakarov, thanks for the turn post...how 'bout a summarry at 2220 with some notes about how you think the Supreme Beings are doing?

-Smack

[Zakharov VII]

Will have some time to play fairly soon, and I'll use my handy-dandy infiltration (double infiltration from Governer and Empath should do something ) to find out how my good friends are doing. I know, however, that Yang isn't doing well - but he started on a small island, and Miriam's bothering him

Z

[T-hawk]

Great report! Love the notes on Pholus Ridge and the special upgrade of your Scout. A couple confusing points:

It was 27 - 28. I needed help. I smiled sweetly at everyone, and that didn't do anything. I grimaced threatiningly at everyone, and that didn't do anything. I jingled some cybercoins and Yang looked very pleased. For 128 EC's I bought his 5 votes. Yang's not doing to well, eh? But it was enough to get me elected! Now I'm getting (drumroll, please!) 19 RAW energy from commerce each turn!!

You can make deals for votes after you see what everybody's voting? I didn't know that - how do you do it?

2164 - Ouch. Miriam is 2 years from discovering how to produce Sythetic Fossile Fuels. Time to make a Probe Skimship!

Morgan also mentioned he's wrapping up his research in Sythetic Fossile Fuels, and he'll be glad to share it when he gets it in three years.

Where do you see how long it will take for the AIs to finish research? And I've definitely never seen anyone say they'll be glad to share something after they get it.

Are these perhaps SMAX features? I only have SMAC.

[Zakharov VII]

Glad you like it !

I'm about to finish off the next 40 years, then I'll post those...about your comments...

I could see what everyone was voting - I think I've always been able to. Then, as long as I click on them before I myself vote, I can bribe them...

If you have infiltration access on or are Pact Brothers with the faction (you get infiltration into ALL factions with Empath Guild or governership), you can click on their little icon on the Lab Status screen (F2) to see what they're researching, how long it will take, and what techs they have. You can also look at any of the screens (Energy, Base Operations, Military Command Nexus, etc) for the infiltrated factions, making infiltration a very good idea !

And Morgan didn't say right out he'd share it with me, but I'm usually good at getting what I want with Pact Brothers (here, take some Energy Credits...now give me what I want! Fine, have it your way, I'll give you Ethical Calculus (or whtatever) for Synthetic Fossile Fuels)

Z

[Avenoct]

Zak,

You DO write great turn-posts...ah, I wish I had you on the Beta team for Aldebaran! We really needed someone with that skill. Maybe you should hire out as a beta-tester for various games?

I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know how to bribe people from the actual vote screen either...never tried clicking on their face...thought it would be seen as rude...

-S-

P.S.
I just 'turned the corner' on a game as the gaians vs. a mixed bag of 2S and 2H factions on the huge map of Chiron. I started near Yang and boxed him in, then made him submit when I got impact weapons. Still, I'm behind in tech (not too unusual for Deirdre in the Mid-game). Nonetheless I'm chalking it up as a win. I like HUGE maps with the tougher factions because it's terribly difficult to get the early tech-trade edge while everyone is being all peaceful and friendly-like.

[Zakharov VII]

I'm so glad you like the reports ! If there's anything that you want me to do for Aldebaran, I'd be happy to do it! I still haven't finished exploring all the new factions (only played Galactics and Lovers), but will go back to finish the rest after finishing off this game .

This is a biggie, I don't think I can write all 40 in one sitting (my hand-written notes of these 40 take up as much space as the first 80 years!)...it WAS a long 40 years, but now I'm getting into the summary

Anyway, I think I'll write 10 now, and edit the post later to add the rest!

Provost Zakharov's Report to the General Assembly, MY 2280-2220

Very Very Short Summary:

We're going to win. Um, yeah, that's about it

Detailed Report:

2181 - Ah yes, we're going full speed to Pre-Sentient Algorithms. Things are looking bright. Most importantly, we just finished a Sea Former at University Base. Actually, you can forget about the Sea Former now because you're never going to hear about it again .

We are doing everything we can to speed up our Hunter-Seeker Algorithms (Copyright (stupid symbol comes up as a ) 2179, Provost Zakharov). At Zarya-Sunrise, I personally visited (well, personally cybervisited, but that's the big thing these days) the workers to instruct them on our most secret of "secret" projects. We have announced to the world that we are working on the Longevity Vaccine there, but we are really using the preliminary knowledge we have to design the basic network for the Hunter-Seeker Algorithms. Upon completion of our studies in Pre-Sentient Algorithms, we can use this foundation to implement the "hunter-seeker" part of the project. Then we can laugh to our enemies when (if, more likely ) they throw some probes against us.

2182 - We found Koppernigk Observatory (don't ask me, I don't name these things - we're testing a pre-sentient computer by asking it to make names for us - this was one of its BETTER ones !)

2183 - Lal annouces the commencement of the Planetary Datalinks. Now why would he annouce his "secret" projects to the world? I only annouce ours because I know there's nothing anyone else can do about it ! Anyway, we have nothing to worry about, we're finishing about twice as fast (13 years to his 25, according to our psychics). We also contacted Morgan, and we shared data (my Intellectual Integrity for his breakthroughs on Advanced Subatomic Theory).

2184 - Zoloto-Gold (NOT Zarya-Sunrise, there's a difference ) has started "experimenting" with a Neural Amplifier. This isn't a Neural Amplifier like the one we're working on at Relativity School, but one to make people more intelligent. This is to gear them up for when we can build a Supercollider (Copyright 2183, Provost Zakharov), which was envisioned as a use for this Subatomic Theory Morgan presented us with. We have to work out the rough edges on the Relativity, but we can get a start on it now.

In other news, Budushii Dvor was founded (why can't this computer figure out intelligent letter combinations? I mean, "ii" and "dv"??)

2185 - Finally, our researchers have discovered Pre-Sentient Algorithms! Now, you can have a basic conversation with a computer, without being able to tell that it's a computer, not a human! That is, you can't tell until it spits out an "ii" or "dv" at you...

Also, our Probe Skimship was floating around in the fungus, looking for pods, when it bumped up against the hull of another ship. Being a primitive ship (without a deep radar), it couldn't see through the gloom and fog around the fungus, so couldn't see whose ship it was. However, they brainwashed it immediatly, so none of the crew could tell us who it belonged to either...anyway, we have a new Impact Skimship!

Finally, Dee started the Planetary Datalinks. We think she got the prerequisite technology from Lal, as our psychics report that Lal visited her while she was dancing naked through the trees....Anyway, I digress...her Datalinks will be complete in 8 years, soon, but not soon enough to stop us from getting there first...because...

2189 - Sufficient funds were invested to finish both the Longevity Vaccine and Planetary Datalinks this year!!

In other news, Lal dumped off two troops, a #2-2-1 (Laser Squad) and a #6-2-1 (Missile Squad) on the shore near Mir Lab. Appropriate measures were taken - works Hurry to finish a Plasma Sentinal at Mir, and 2 Missile Penetrators (our first air force!) at the two bases that just finished secret projects.

We also have new designs for a Superconducter from Santiago, our dear friend.

Climactic Research was founded (isn't the computer doing much better now that we've perfected pre-sentience?).

Finally, I have fired my computer secretary (my scientists assured me that this pre-sentient computer would be just as good as a human) and have reverted back to a human scribe after the computer recorded 125EC->Bel Morg as one of my exploits for this year. It's something about 125 Energy Credits and Morgan, but I have no idea what this "Bel" is. Not the Believers, because I always refer to Miriam instead of her faction.

2190 - Speaking of Miriam, she and Santiago are at it again, so I politely asked them to call a truce. Lal's troops have been dealt with, and my scientists have asked for a new field to study. They're working on Applied Relativity so that we can get this Supercollider I designed so long ago off the ground.

I have halted constant production of Colony Pods at Monitoring Station because our continent is filled!

Morgan was generous today, and bought Advanced Military Algorithms and Planetary Economics for 150 EC's each! And *I* asked for money, he didn't come up with this on his own!

Our Probe Foil reports that they subverted the transport Lal used, just to humor me .

More later - I have to eat!

Z

2190

[Zakharov VII]

About time I got going again!

By the way, I also tried the Super-Huge Factions (the -H ones) on a huge map (duh). Wow! Their industrial might is impressive! It's very demoralizing when I look at a base of Santiago's and she has 3 nutrients per row! Of course, she's already at pop-boom, but seeing the +7 is just...scary. I'm unsurpassed now, finally planetary governer, big tech lead, all the recent SPs (missed HGP, ME, WP (didn't want - going no crawlers/all forest in preparation for the NCC succession ), and CN).

But anyway, back to the report:

Provost Zakharov's Report to the General Assembly, MY 2181-2200
Cyberpage 2

2191 - Our scientists have finally made Einstein's forumlae work! After perfecting Applied Relativity, we can now finish off the Supercollider at Zoloto-Gold! 400 Energy Credits should make a job well done.

Based on our experiments on grafting the brain, our scientists are now looking into actually meshing the mind and machine.

Baikonur's Hybrid Forest has been sped along, as we have great plans for a Cyborg Factory that we want to get off the ground.

2192 - Baikonur has annouced commencement of the Supercollider, but as before, this is to cover up our secret work on the Cyborg Factory. The machinery is being manufactured for the factory, and as soon as our scientists crack the Mind/Machine Interface, they can be integrated into the humans to create the first Cyborgs, ever.

We have founded Mendelev College. We have space for but one more base on our continent!

But we'll have plenty of other places for bases (I've taken to poetry lately ). Our probe foil has sighted a Lal base near Morgan. It's garrisoned with a Probe Team, but once that's taken care of, it should be cheap...

2193 - Our planes our closing on "the" Lal base. Currently they're stopping to refuel at our good friend Morgan's, but they'll be up and running by the year's end.

Our dear probe team has found a Unity Rover of Lal's near the base, and has subverted it. We have immediately outfitted our new Rover with state-of-the-art Missile Launchers.

2194 - Lal extorts me. "Hi Lal, I'm about to conquer a base of your's, you're in no position to make demands...Muahahahaha!"

The Hunter-Seeker Algorithm is up and running! All bases and units are wirelessly hooked up to the main server at University Base. Think of it as the ultimate anti-virus program, the ultimate firewall .

Our scientists, stimulated by the advancement of computer defense, have perfected the ultimate weapon, the binding of mind and machine. Baikonur can now officially work on the Cyborg Factory.

Our scientists are now looking for more efficient power sources.

2196 - ZZZZzzzzz....POP! These pops are really starting to annoy me. I *do* need my sleep!

The Neural Amplifier has been perfected. All citizens (and mind worms) are encouraged to drop by their local clinic and get a brain enhancement today!

That base of Lal's, UN Great Refuge, has been seized. Our planes demolished the defense and our new Missile Rover paraded through the streets. It was the very first conquest on Planet!

Morgan is one greedy fellow...I had to pay him 325 EC's just for his data on Silksteel Alloys!

2197 - GrrrrrrRRRRRrrr...a Gaian copter (how did they get Mind/Machine Interface?) has assaulted our Former. We shall have revenge!

2198 - I had a dream, that one day all people will be equal...EXACTLY equal! As in, cloned . Sketchy plans have been given to Relativity School for Cloning Vats. They have begun production under the guise of making Cyborg Factory. It'll be quite awhile before technology is sufficiently advanced to complete them, though...

Otkrietia-Discovery has started a Missile Tactical, to intercept future air assaults when (if) they come.

UN Great Refuge has produced a Cheap Drop Troop, which has parasailed into UN Aid Station after our planes "emptied" it out. A new base!!

Morgan has Fusion Power...but he, as I said, is one greedy arrogant.....um...person. I'd like to see him be haughty when I send in some probe foils!

2199 - Lal tries to be elected. This was just sad. I have 288 votes on my side (the Spartan-Morgan-Believer-University coalition), to his 122 (the Gaian-Peacekeeper alliance).

Another year, another drop. We seize UN Information Agency. To our great delight, Lal had positioned his Command Nexus in that base. Consider us more morale-y!

We also dropped into UN Equity Village. It's amazing what some penatrators and a Cheap Drop Troop can do.

Morgan finally listens to reason - he trades his methods on Fusion Power for our data on Bio-Engineering.

2200 - Our scientists, having abandoned their inquiries into power sources, are working towards the technological level that will allow us to finish off the Cloning Vats. Immidiately recognizing the importance and grasping the concepts of Retroviral Engineering, they are now working full speed to Biomachinery, which should finally allow us to automate the cloning process.

Morgan and Miriam are at it again, but they love me so much that they'll sign a treaty for my sake .

Z

[Blake]

Two excellent additions to super AI factions, with rather subtle effects are:
+4 to +8 Police
Free Rec Tanks

Rec tanks helps make up for the AI's bad terraforming, and really helps early growth / expansion / tech rate.

The police effect kicks in later when the AI starts commiting suicide by building an airforce under FM, or (god formid) accidentely pop-booming under Planned and assinging half it's population to doctors (ugh).
+4 Police is so the AI is still penalised under FM, while getting easy drone control under planned/Green. And we all know how much the AI loves filling it's bases with useless units, they may as well earn their keep.
+8 is farewell to drone worries 4ever (every unit quells two drones, even under FM ). And they can even run FM and Cybernetic....

IMO, Growth and Industry bonuses arent very good on Transcend, because it is too obvious the AI is cheating, they still get plauged by the drones and support and the fact they already get a heft bonus to Industry and Growth.

In SMACX, free clean (FREEABIL, 16) can be quite usfull for preventing the AI being moronic.
Techshare also has potential..
free research/credits per base dont actually count against the '8' ability limit so also have potential..

I've attached the super AI's I use... these AI's are real mean and have the original priorities.
I'll probably change the Priorities of Zak and Santiago, because it seems if a faction has neither Explore or Build they totally neglect terraforming...
However they remain strong for pretty much the whole game... in SMAX they get free clean, they dont in SMAC, other than that they should work in either. They simply overwrite the original SMAC 7. (make a backup first, and dont overwrite the faction you want to use).

Changes to every faction:
+4 or +8 Police
free tanks at each base
free clean
1 former at start
And then changes to each faction... morgan always has +2Econ, etc..

[Avenoct]

Yeah, right after I made my last post I remembered the techrate, 50 option to give the AI 50% off research, but the one problem with giving the AI better research is they then make even better pets.

I agree that the industry/econ/talent type bonuses are WAY too obvious and that Police is a better route for subtlety. The Rec tanks is a bit harsh, but I agree on the Former...some factions just never build formers until they have to. I'm thinking about adding a crawler as well, just for fun.

I discovered an odd thing about the 2H factions. They are wimps at diplomacy until the mid-game, and for some strange reason they get very uncooperative and downright hostile then. Not sure, but I think passive settings are really 'delayed-aggression' settings or that once the AI discovers some particular tech, or someone breaks the B-drone limit, or something, they go nuts.

-Smack

[Zakharov VII]

Very cool !

The police is really a neat idea, and the free tanks should help the AI out too.

School's back in full swing, so this'll have to wait for the weekend

Z

[Avenoct]

Z,

Sounds like you have that game in hand anyway...I think I'll apply Blake's ideas to a faction-set and set them at war against my set in an all-AI blood-match...

Also, I think I'll make a few varieties this weekend and upload a super-faction variety pack...maybe 6-7 varieties. Any further suggestions anyone?

[Blake]

Free rec tanks is not too powerfull, it happens to be exactly the bonus given to the Alien factions in SMAX.

The AI's main two failings are it's inability to terraform, and the fact it places it's bases too sparsely... a single free former just doesn't give the AI (Zak, particullary) enough terraforming power.. so maybe if you designed a Super Rover former in AlphaX and gave one to each AI, these can terraform at about 3 times the rate of a standard former...

The base placment cant really be helped... but I'm working on designing a map which is enjoyable to play for the human player, while the AI is capable of terraforming it effectively...

Here is the key:
AI's reliably plant forest on Flat/Moist and Flat/Arid terrain at <999.
AI's reliably farm+solar Rainy/Rolling 1000+. So you make sure that the %age of land which is above 1000 is quite small, but of high quality (ie rainy+rolling), that all land <999 is flat. This gives a small number of +2 nut tiles to help early expansion, but the vast majority of terrain gets forested.

Incidenetly, when i was testing my prototype for AI map design I discovered another reason the AI terraforming sucks. Those damn AI just cant leave each others formers alone, Zak and Sanitago started scrapin' and destroyed virtually every former they had between them.

My latest prototype works very well. I think I could improve it even more by messing with the worldbuilder in AlphaX (it may even be possible to generate maps the AI can play properly on...). The terrain is a little boring, but nowhere near as bad as the "Everything arid" way.

[T-hawk]

What precisely is it that Yang as AI does that works so well? By the time I get to him with Fusion Copters, he's always got his land filled with bases and terraformed wall-to-wall (not always wisely, but terraformed.) If we could figure out what makes him tick...

It can't just be the +growth and +industry. Is it just the Explore, Build priority pair? Is it his Police and Support ratings from his agenda? Part of it is his free Perimeter Defenses, since he'll never get conquered early by another AI (unlike poor Morgan, heh.) What causes that AI, and only that AI, to pack the bases so close together? Like ICS for humans, it works quite well (until Quantum PBs, heh heh.)

Has anyone tried giving all the AIs the Fanatic attack bonus? Maybe that makes them more likely to attack with their needlejets instead of wandering around endlessly...

[Avenoct]

It can't just be the +growth and +industry. Is it just the Explore, Build priority pair?

Yes, it is! Explore roughly equals CP's and territory claiming, while build = facilities. Once Yang gets his Rec Tanks and Rec Commons, he goes bannanas, and in about 1/8 games (probably the random faction-strategy you can access in the SE), he fully ICS's. As to terraforming, I don't find him any better than the Morganites, Gaians, or PK's.

-Smack

[T-hawk]

Actually, I goofed -- Yang's priority in HIVE.TXT is Build and Conquer. Not Explore. Which is what he does -- build lots of infrastructure and then tons of military.

What I can't figure out is what makes him still build lots of colony pods, and put them so close together. Morgan's priority is Build, and he doesn't make loads of pods. Miriam and Santiago have Explore/Conquer and Discover/Conquer, and neither of them run ICS like Yang. And all of them never have as much terraforming as Yang usually does.

I'm not sure what the free Perimeter Defense does. Since the AI usually builds them for almost all bases, that's 50 minerals that he can apply towards improvements or formers or pods. But he's also just as likely to build his ninth and tenth Silksteel Sentinels.

[Blake]

I suspect Yangs behaivour is hardcoded by faction-slot, I've taken away his bonuses and he still ICS's. (other factions also have hard-coded behaivour, Cha Dawn from SMAX starts 6 years later than the others)

However other AI's can be encouraged to do the same by setting some priorities in the Scenerio Editor, like "build lots of CP's", "Build lots of formers" etc, etc

[Avenoct]

I'd wondered if they were hard-coded! The Smax information does confirm it. Thanks Blake.

[Cybergod]

Hmm... Interesting stuff on this thread! Keep up with the reports! - How's it going?

I was wondering, as you know I have been boasting about my up-coming mod, almost finished the version 1 (version is going to be the result of public beta testing which will be done right after version 1 is released), but I wanna ask you somethin'...

Is it really neccessary to have super-AI factions? If so, I can't implement those in my mod , since I already used up the free slots with every faction have a special unit(s), facilities, etc. at start and I can't put things like "TECHCOST, 50" or whatever. What do YOU think I should do?

[Avenoct]

I suspect that for 90% of players, superfactions are not necessary for a mod because the major enjoyment will come from the newness of the whole thing, relearning a tech-tree or other mechanics, so I wouldn't sweat it. Looking back at Aldebaran I think I made the right choice to use super-factions because I wanted to make an improvement to Smac in general while simultaneously adding some goofiness and variety to gameplay. But when making a mod, it's pretty tough to make the game harder AND broaden the game experience at the same time. I'd probably go with highly customized scenarios in the future simply because some folks are intimidated by using super-factions in the first place. Rule #1 of software design: Make it so damn easy that a monkey could use it.

-S-

[Cybergod]

Originally posted by Avenoct
Rule #1 of software design: Make it so damn easy that a monkey could use it.

You mean the KISS rule:

Keep It Simple Stupid! Smiley, to be polite

BTW, I just play the "normal" Aldebaron, without the superfactions.

[Cybergod]

Erm... did I just kill your thread?