Strategy Guides

Nubclear · July 21, 2002, 22:56

Ah yes, my birthday is coming up, and even though im.....old enough, my family continues to buy presents for everyone (Aren't we nice?

)

So, I thought I'd get a strategy guide. I want a big one, informative, easy to read, yet cheap. I don't want to spend too much money....

Any suggestions?

Mr. President · July 21, 2002, 23:24

The Velociryx one seems to be quite popular, although I've never read it myself.

Never saw the point, really - I'm happy with the way I play and don't see any need for someone to tell me exactly what to do in every second of my game from beginning to end.

I think you can get it at Amazon.com. Just search for the name of the game.

Nubclear · July 22, 2002, 06:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. President
The Velociryx one seems to be quite popular, although I've never read it myself.

Never saw the point, really - I'm happy with the way I play and don't see any need for someone to tell me exactly what to do in every second of my game from beginning to end.

I think you can get it at Amazon.com. Just search for the name of the game.

Tried searching for it, but i could not find it.

Major Guz · July 22, 2002, 06:56

Try this link:

http://www.booksurge.com/author.php3...ntID=GRTU00118

I copy-pasted it from a thread regarding vel's online strategy guide elsewhere on this forum.

Nubclear · July 22, 2002, 07:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Major Guz
Try this link:

http://www.booksurge.com/author.php3...ntID=GRTU00118

I copy-pasted it from a thread regarding vel's online strategy guide elsewhere on this forum.

Um....didn't vel post this guide on the internet....For free?

Major Guz · July 22, 2002, 07:11

No, this is the link for his book at booksurge $14,95 or something), the link for his free online guide i dont know, but you can come there via networknode.org, then going to the link that takes you to alpha centauri stuff. From there it is somewhere in the files archive.

By the way Happy birthday soon!!

Major Guz · July 22, 2002, 07:13

And yes, this guide online is for free, I downloaded it last week and i personally find it very useful.

Major Guz · July 22, 2002, 07:15

http://1st-euro.net/AC/tools.html

This page lists all tools and Vel's strategy guide is amongst them (190K zipped,560k unzipped, 189 pages)

Darius · July 22, 2002, 11:45

Support Vel. Buy his book.

Proserpine · July 22, 2002, 12:19

The version of Vel's guide on the net I think is only V2.0. The version you can buy is V4.0. I would expect that the later one will have (even) more useful stuff in it.

And of course, if you buy it, you get a nice printed copy, and you support Vel! What more could you ask for?

Velociryx · July 22, 2002, 12:57

As always, thanks guys! I had no idea version 2.0 was still running around out there, but that's good to see! You'll prolly find some version 3.0's out there free as well, but I'm betting that v1.0 has gone the way of the dinosaur (I know I don't have a copy anymore, but if anybody does, that'd be something....go back and look at it in its earliest stages!).

Anyway, highly recommend getting one of the free versions, and if you regard it as helpful to your game, then I think you'll find the latest version (the one available via the booksurge link) even moreso.

Mr. Pres....not to worry....that's not how my guide is written. It's true, you *can* use it as a roadmap to get you from point A to point B, but it's not really intended to be a: "Okay, on turn three, do this." kinna treatment. Just another pair of eyeballs looking at various aspects of the game to lend a different perspective....

-=Vel=-

Nubclear · July 22, 2002, 15:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Velociryx

As always, thanks guys! I had no idea version 2.0 was still running around out there, but that's good to see! You'll prolly find some version 3.0's out there free as well, but I'm betting that v1.0 has gone the way of the dinosaur (I know I don't have a copy anymore, but if anybody does, that'd be something....go back and look at it in its earliest stages!).

Anyway, highly recommend getting one of the free versions, and if you regard it as helpful to your game, then I think you'll find the latest version (the one available via the booksurge link) even moreso.

Mr. Pres....not to worry....that's not how my guide is written. It's true, you *can* use it as a roadmap to get you from point A to point B, but it's not really intended to be a: "Okay, on turn three, do this." kinna treatment. Just another pair of eyeballs looking at various aspects of the game to lend a different perspective....

-=Vel=-

Vel, what are the differences between 2 and 4?

Velociryx · July 22, 2002, 15:26

Hey man! Version 4 incorporates the changes brought about by Alien Crossfire, organizes and expands on all the existing information, includes specific "how to" instructions that go hand in hand with several of the concepts discussed, and in general, rounds out the things that are perhaps too-briefly touched upon in older versions. And, there's an essay at the back called "Doctrine: Defense" that you might find interesting.....

-=Vel=-

Nubclear · July 22, 2002, 15:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Velociryx
Hey man! Version 4 incorporates the changes brought about by Alien Crossfire, organizes and expands on all the existing information, includes specific "how to" instructions that go hand in hand with several of the concepts discussed, and in general, rounds out the things that are perhaps too-briefly touched upon in older versions. And, there's an essay at the back called "Doctrine: Defense" that you might find interesting.....

-=Vel=-

Okay....What are the changes from version 3 to version 4?

Velociryx · July 22, 2002, 17:08

More of the same. Further refinements along all points, v3 didn't have the step by step "how-tos" nor the Doctrine: Defensive essay, was not as "tight" of a document, and there were some areas that, upon further reflection, I thought weren't given quite enough attention in v3, so expanded them.

The difference between 2 and 4 is almost a total re-write. The difference between 3 and 4 is....I dunno....40% or so? Significant, but not a total re-write.

-=Vel=-

Adalbertus · July 22, 2002, 17:41

Quote:

what are the differences between 2 and 4?

The special difference between 2 and 4 is 2. It's unique:
2+2 = 2*2 = 2^2 = 4

Method · July 22, 2002, 17:57

oh! and its the only even prime number!

i don't see what that has to do with guides though...

Vel, isnt v3.0 still on your homepage? 2.0 was topped here for the longest time.

Alex · July 22, 2002, 21:50

v3.0 can be obtained here...

http://smac.ask-klan.net.pl/eng/data...s/velguide.htm

On that site you can find both versions, 2.0 and 3.0.

MariOne · July 23, 2002, 07:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Proserpine
The version you can buy is V4.0.
...
And of course, if you buy it, you get a nice printed copy, and you support Vel!
...

At Booksurge, the printed book comes at ~15$, while the e-book (pdf actually) comes at ~8$ (and you can download it for free IF you purchase the printed, while you wait for the shipment).

Problem is, shipping fees to Europe was quoted last week at 13.30$.
That almost doubles the cost for the printed item, and brings the actual cost difference to get the printed copy over the e-book up at >20$ instead of mere 7$.

I don't think it's justifiable, thus I bought the guide, but contented of the e-book (besides, I'll print it on the office color laserjet, at company's expenses, and after his retirement my father became an amateur bookbinder...).

Vel, I figure that the higher cost of the printed edition (i.e. those 7$) only goes to cover the printing and binding expenses, the "contents" being the same. I hope I didn't take anything away from you by opting for the ebook in the end.

MariOne · July 23, 2002, 07:09

BTW, Tassadar, when you reply to the last post, you don't need to quote it verbatim!
It's only useful to use the quote option when you reply to a part of a whole post, or when the post you're replying to it's not directly above your reply...

Just a suggestion...

Velociryx · July 24, 2002, 15:26

No worries MariOne, that's a good plan for those living on the other side of the pond....IIRC, GU/BookSurge briefly had a printing arrangement with a company based in England, specifically to fill orders placed in Europe, but I think that company went under....

-=Vel=-

Adalbertus · July 24, 2002, 17:42

I (living obviously in Europe) got the e-book version, but honestly, I think it is the worst electronic version you can make of a book (other than providing a 4x4 matrix per letter

): Each page of the electronic (PDF) version contains two pages, namely 1 and 2, 3 and 4, etc. with no way to get a good printout. I would see the difference in price as the cost for the company to provide a bound and printed version. And for this, I see it as a very unfriendly action to provide an "e-book" which neither can be printed neatly nor takes advantage of special "electronic" features as cross-references etc. I'm a bit disappointed (but not about your work, Vel, the biggest problems I saw in V3 disappeared).
I've not read the Prima strategy guide, and I probably won't do because I've the impression that it is a company who wants to make profits on strategy guides, and in this case it is issued so quickly that they weren't able to find those tricks I'm unable to find before I get their guide ...
Vel's guide really helped my gameplay (I'm not as die-hard a player as I am as a singer

), but for those who take a real pleasure to find everything themselves, VeL's guide is a spoiler (too good), a typical work of a fan.

gwillybj · August 6, 2002, 03:39

Quote:

Adalbertus said:
I've not read the Prima strategy guide...

I bought it shortly after buying the game. I read through, cover-to-cover, both the Manual and the Prima Guide before even installing the game. Turns out the Prima Guide is mostly just a printed b&w version of the Datalinks, but annotated with good hints, tips, insights, etc., and a truly helpful chapter about customizing.
I give it

for content but

for price. I got the Prima Guide for only $4 at a discount store. I might not have bought it if I had to pay the cover price. It's still available, afaik.
Edit: I apologize if the above is ambiguous, but, to clarify: This post is in favor of Prima's guide.

Lefty Scaevola · August 6, 2002, 14:43

Booksurge would not post the capsule review I submitted for Velociryx's 4.0 guide.

"I got the smax guide by Velocyrix and now the BABES are all over me. I having so much sex now I hardly have time to work. Every time I read a new chapter, I get a couple of new super models or other hot babes. All this and I have not even read the chapter on fusion powered implant enhancement or quantum powered sex toys yet."

at booksurge.