Love CII/PtW--Want a new game--SMAC the answer?

[gwillybj]

Lazerus asked:
By the way does anybody know if its a set thing where factions start in relation to each other? Everytime ive played Yang and deidre has been in the game aswell shes ALWAYS next to me complaining about planned

It is random, but the smaller the map and/or the less abundant the rainfall, the more likely it is you'll frequently start in or near the same place.
One thing you could try is changing the order of the factions in alpha.txt in this section:

#FACTIONS
GAIANS, GAIANS
HIVE, HIVE
UNIV, UNIV
MORGAN, MORGAN
SPARTANS, SPARTANS
BELIEVE, BELIEVE
PEACE, PEACE

Changing the order here will help mix up the randomizing a little more. If you don't want to edit alpha.txt, you can load the factions into the slots you want when you start a new game, then pick the one you want to play. I've done this when I wanted to play a faction other than the Gaians, but also wanted to land first. I've also switched places with the Peacekeepers in the seventh slot.
If you do this in SMAC, your flag color will match the slot position: 1-Gaian Green, 2-Hive Blue, 3-University White, 4-Morgan Yellow, 5-Spartan Black, 6-Believer Orange, 7-Peacekeeper Teal/Purple.
In SMAX, the flag colors are read from the chart in the lower left corner of the faction's main pcx file.

[gwillybj]

Lazerus asked, re solution 3) tap to rivers.
Does anyone ever bother doing this? Am i missing out on a decent terraforming action here?
Since i normally play Hive i prefer 3-4 boreholes for my energy and crawled mines and condensors for minerals and nutrients. Base radius is normally filled with (other then boreholes) just forests.

I'll say first that I play solo-only, by choice, and never rush through a game, so "former-turn" efficiency means nothing to me.
I mention that because I make a practice of tapping aquifers at every opportunity - if I don't it's because I simply forget or my formers are busy elsewhere and don't become available for it because other earthworks are more important. I don't ever use boreholes, mirrors, or condensors, and I rarely forest-and-forget (but I always forest arid squares that are not rocky). So, after all that, any Farm+Solar squares can only benefit from the addition of a river because of the added Energy.
Since their exact path can't be foreknown, I try to drill new rivers where they will flow through developed lands.
If I am drilling in an undeveloped area, I try to do it as high as possible, right at the peak. If it misses some otherwise good spots, I drill again near them if possible.

The tricky thing about rivers is global warming due to ecodamage (and sea rises due to melting the polar caps) and the resultant elevation changes. If they cause a river to be diverted, every unit, every terrain enhancement, and every base in the new route will be washed away in a flash flood. I've had terrain enhancements disappear from the old route as well.
I suspect the same would happen if solar shades are launched or increased, causing the sea level to drop and elevations change and rivers divert.

I've seen this occur only when a river is diverted by global warming (or melting the polar caps). Drilling to an aquifer and creating a new river does not wash away anything - but, there are two entries in Script.txt that would indicate otherwise:

#DROWNMINE: "Our terraforming has caused the loss of one or more units near $BASENAME0."
#DROWNYOURS: "$FACTIONADJ1 terraforming has caused the loss of one or more units near $BASENAME0."

I have drilled many tens of rivers, and diverted others by raising or lowering land with Formers, and have yet to lose a unit through which the new route flows. On the other hand, I have lost units to rivers rerouted by elevation changes caused by global warming (or melting the polar caps).

[Sikander]

I don't drill for new rivers because I use a lot of boreholes, and the rivers tend to run right into them and disappear. That said, rivers are really handy in certain situations. Aside from that really handy +1 energy per square, they also can raise the moisture level of the squares they pass through. They seem best suited for people who are using a lot of farm / solar combinations and energy parks.

[Frankychan]

Wow, you guys are pretty hard-core. I don't use that many boreholes unless

1) they're at my SP base
2)they're at my main military supply base
3)I need major minerals

I've personally found that when I use boreholes...Planet likes to kick the crap out of my bases.

[CEO Aaron]

Tapping Aquifers used to be one of my preferred methods of raising my energy, before I started using tighter base spacing and boreholes/condensers for my terraforming model. If you're the all-forest type of player, I think rivers can be VERY worthwhile. Likewise if you plan on making a raised energy park, drilling a few rivers through it can squeeze out still more energy out of the same real-estate. Sikander is right, however, boreholes will make your rivers go underground, so it's not efficient to mix the two.

[MariOne]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
Well here's an opinion from someone who actually likes Civ3 ( I think I'm in the minority of 1 here!)
...
I find I end up in decision hell....
...
There's too much to cope with. I need some restrictions!

For a CivIII-lover, yours is a balanced and equilibrated stance, that we have no problems to respect and accept!

For many of us, what unsettles you is indeed the final extra making SMAC so different and outstanding.

[Spiffor]

I have decided to play SMAC/X again, after forgetting it for years. I have lost my copy, and had to take the one at the Underdogs. Now, it says my CPU (a simple Pentium 4) isn't supported, and crashes after I click OK.
Is there any way to circumvent this ?

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Yup its the old Force Oldvoxel =1 thingy IIRC.

Check the FAQ topped in this forum.

You'll likely still get the message but once you click OK the game should play OK.

Good Luck and welcome back

[Spiffor]

It works !
Thanks