The Hive has 9 lives?

civ2yahoo · August 4, 2002, 11:17

I just got Alpha Centauri a week ago after a long time playing Civ2. I've developed a taste for conquest in all the civs these days just because otherwise I slip into complacence and lose my cities.

So I'm playing as the spartans, as they seemed to fit me well, and I manage to destroy both the Hive and University factions rather quickly. But then, to my surprise, the Hive restarted (I forgot to turn that setting off I guess), and he restarted only a few squares from where I had just destroyed him. So I destroyed him again. Then I found him restarted yet further south in my continent, then I destroyed him again and so on.

I've destroyed the hive 5 times, and yet he's still lurking out there? Restarting in Civ2 was fine, because it was actually a different civ and it didn't happen more than twice with the same color.

Meanwhile, that destroyed University faction had regrown somewhere and taken the tech lead.

I've also destroyed the peacekeepers once, which is meaningless, they've probably regrown again as well.

Does anyone actually enjoy playing with restarting factions?

Since the faction still hates you after restarting, it seems like war becomes pretty pointless, except as a sometimes quicker way than building cities.

I'm not really having much difficulty with the game itself outside of restarting, although I'm sure I'm missing many aspects of my game that need tweaking for alpha centauri.

Anodyne · August 4, 2002, 12:28

Hmm... now this is new. Usually I'm disappointed by the fact that factions almost never seem to restart! Most of the time, restarting occurs in my games only if the Faction's been destroyed early in the game. Usually by mindworms in the very beginning.

In fact, I've only once had a faction that was destroyed by me to restart.

Method · August 4, 2002, 13:31

it seems that sometimes factions will restart even with the option off. i never turn it on, but one time the caretakers destroyed the university early on (i didn't get the "faction erradicated" message but several university bases were in their possession) and yet they re-appeared halfway across the world.

also when i asked him to end his war with H'minee he said something like "Never! H'minee and her ruthless followers must be crushed!" when he had 2 bases to the caretakers' ~20.

with the option on though it does seem like the AI will just restart forever. i was playing the spartans and believers vs. hive scenario (which has standard rules on), and yang (miriam too) would just keep restarting no matter how many times i PBed him.

Tau Ceti · August 4, 2002, 14:58

Actually, any faction that is eliminated before 2200 is restarted, no matter how many times it has happened before. After 2200, there are no restarts.

Method · August 4, 2002, 15:07

i still find it odd that i'll get restarts with it off

Anodyne · August 4, 2002, 15:28

TKG> In your first case, it seemed that one of the University colony pods had stumbled upon a dimensional gate and teleported halfway across the world...

civ2yahoo · August 4, 2002, 23:48

My forces just walked over everything they saw with hardly any resistance, because I was ahead in techs (this is my first game so playing on easiest level)

So its still before 2200. And there have been a lot of factions on my island, so thats probably why it was so noticeable.

Just makes me prioritize colonizing everywhere instead of my old strategy of hamstringing the enemy till they die.

Archaic · August 5, 2002, 01:29

Did you actually *occupy* the opposing factions bases, or did you just destroy them (ie. Attack a size 1 base and destroy its last garrison unit.). If you capture, no matter what the year, they shouldn't respawn unless some faction manages to free them from your punishment sphere. If you don't, they'll always escape before 2200, and will just be utterly destroyed after.

Urban Ranger · August 5, 2002, 02:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Ade
TKG> In your first case, it seemed that one of the University colony pods had stumbled upon a dimensional gate and teleported halfway across the world...

Is this just in SMAC or also in SMACX?

Main_Brain · August 5, 2002, 07:26

The Chances for Dimensonal Gates are minimal

If almost I get them on water but very very seldom on Land.

Flubber · August 5, 2002, 08:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Main_Brain
The Chances for Dimensonal Gates are minimal

If almost I get them on water but very very seldom on Land.

hmmm-- I get them relatively often and always on land-- On water I get a tidal wave which usually does not push me that far

aaglo · August 5, 2002, 08:39

You didn't wipe out Yang. Only his stunt-doubles.

Method · August 5, 2002, 10:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Is this just in SMAC or also in SMACX?

SMAX, hence the caretakers.

fluffy · August 6, 2002, 06:24

Another way to restart them (in SMAX at least) is to free the captured leader after the faction is destroyed - this has the advantages:

> can happen at any time
> faction goes into submissive alliance with you (even if at war before, but not if atrocities if i remember right)

the trick is to leave the final base empty, and get another faction to capture it, as I've never seen the AI free a leader

Xian · August 7, 2002, 22:27

how do you do the interrogation and free captured leader stuff? it says "(s)he is waiting for your interrogation" but i never get the option

Flubber · August 8, 2002, 01:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Xian
how do you do the interrogation and free captured leader stuff? it says "(s)he is waiting for your interrogation" but i never get the option

The idea is that the faction that captures the last base of an opposing faction also captures their leader and holds them at their headquarters. Lets say the AI Hive eradicated the AI Gaians. you could free the Gaian leader by performing a probe action at the Hive HQ

you never get to interrogate a leader other than that movie you see of a torture chamber whenever you eradicate a faction

HighCouncil · August 10, 2002, 05:49

That is no problem for Boris, the crazy nuke launcher, my russian vodka friend!!

Poduce as many colonization pods and the CHEAPEST foot soldiers and nuke (not the regular, the red ones)

. First, launch em ALL!! Destroy everyting!! NO MAN, wife or child must survie!!! THEY shall burn!!! AND DIE!!!! To prevent restarting, colonize every centimeter!!! The foot soldiers should be enough to protect your pods from the viruses and the other scum. When you've done right, the other factions should be too weak now, to attack your pods. Althrough you play with the spartans, your high morale should be your second weapon. So go out and WHACK!!!

Boris says, you should kill the capitalistic nations for mother russia!!

HighCouncil · August 10, 2002, 05:51

Yang sucks!