social engineering is somewhat unfair

[SPasmofiT]

Let's take "Planned Economy" for instance...
In my oppinion, each SE choice should modify ALL parameters:
"Planned" secures jobs, so a +1 Morale should be there!
On the other hand, centralization leads to probe vulnerability, so -1 Probe should be a must.
You should also have an economy +1 (It's an economical system!)
research -1, IMHO (trust me, I lieved in one)
... and so on ...

I wish SMAC2 will have a more itnegrated politics system, because I kind of got sick of the same rover-on-rover slugfests!

[cbn]

I agree. If you take the various systems, Police State, Democracy, Planned, Fundy you could make arguments that there should be modifiers on many more factors than the standard 3 modifiers per SE change. In real life such governmental changes would probably affect all the factors. However in real life you also rarely have absolutes in your economies, there are usually shades of a whole bunch. For example is the US --Power, Wealth or Knowledge? China-- Planned or are there now elements of the Free Market? Is there a truly Green economy out there??

I suspect that they left things simpler to prevent the idea of extra powerful SE choices (imagine if there were other possible industry boosters for Yang or Domai-- or if everyone could use wealth with some other SE choice to get to +2 Econ without the major trade-offs of FM) and also to protect the poor AI a bit. The AI has trouble enough using SE choices effectively as it is.

[Solver]

This adds faction individuality. Othwerise, just play Call to Power instead. For example, Morgan will be better running Market, and all the factions, unless Marr and H'Minee are more or less balanced in the game.
Actually, SE is interesting, for you can improve your anything, depending on what you want in the game - building, momentum rush, or perhaps, subspace generators.

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Solver the "Running Beer" - http://www.aok.20m.com

[Chowlett]

If it really bothers you, you can change the SE effects in the alpha(x).txt file(s) I believe. If you find the right section it's fairly self-explantary

[Fitz]

I had fun by doubling the bonuses and penalties of all SE choices for a couple of games. It makes FM way less appealing, and Wealth a little more (-4 Morale hurts though).

Just don't play Yang if you do this. You really clean up if you do.

I also played with all AI factions getting double bonuses (only AI) for a while. Kinda fun.

Edit: oops, I mean't you're too powerful.
[This message has been edited by Fitz (edited April 20, 2001).]

[Jokka das Trevas]

quote: Just don't play Yang if you do this. It really hurts him.

Why? He's immune to effic, you know. Am I missing something?



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Long live THE HIVE!

[Alinestra Covelia]

Yang has no immunities in the earlier versions of SMAC. I well remember having to somehow muscle along with a -4 to efficiency. Not good!