SMAC or SMACX

grimreap · January 2, 2001, 20:19

I have the planetary pack which has both but I tend to play SMAC a lot more, I don't know why but SMACX just seems daunting and a lot tougher (this is mainly due to the extra native life forms, although thinking about it i could just play on rare lifeforms setting).

Which do you lot prefer out of SMAC and SMACX?

Wiglaf · January 2, 2001, 20:25

Aww, now that's a tough one. Here's what I think of SMACX's new features:

1) The Factions - way too unbalanced..aliens?
2) The Base Facilities/Techs - some too overpowered and window dressing, could do without.
3) The Native life - I like this for the variety
4) New Unit Designs - Good but window dressing
5) Expanded Story - Horrible. Aliens? Worthless.
6) Faction Edit - Horrible, buggy. Worthless.

The changes, while good and welcome, really are pointless. I prefer SMACX to SMAC because of the native life and small added features, but if I could pick again, SMAC($40) would be worth more than SMACX ($65). It's not worth the extra dough IMO.

Edit - woah, that rhymes

[This message has been edited by SMACed (edited January 02, 2001).]

grimreap · January 2, 2001, 20:36

hmm, you're a poet and you didn't know it!

Crickey it's half-past midnight here, i think i should get some sleep (still not recovered from new year!),
...
maybe another beer!

Anyway, I got both SMAC and SMACX for just £10 (together) so I was just wondering which one you "experts" ( well some seem to be

) thought was best. Normally I'd spend hours on each, no doubt, but unfortunately A-Level finals are just aroun the corner (boohoo).

(i didn't over-do the smilies and bracketed "thoughts" did I?)

Misotu · January 2, 2001, 20:54

I like the additions in SMAX (although I have to admit that I haven't used the faction editor so SMACed might well be right about that).

The way I feel about it is this: I like the SMAC factions better, and I still think the Hive is the strongest AI faction. I don't know whether it's because I played SMAC for so long before SMAX came out, but for me the originals still have more distinct personalities ... although I'm starting to get quite fond of Sven.

In terms of the extra facilities/techs, the biggest thing that SMAX put right, in my opinion, was sea nutrients and energy. The balance between land and sea is much improved - minerals on land, nuts/energy from the ocean (assuming you're a forest fiend like me). Coastal bases generate more food than inland bases - and that makes sense to me.

Many of the secret projects are worthwhile and make sense - the Cloudbase and the Energy Grid for starters.

The Aliens ... well, yeah. I'm not so bothered about them although they can be tough little competitors in the early days if they're close.

Generally I choose to play one of the original factions, but in a SMAX environment without the Aliens. So yes, I'd say the add-on pack is a must-have.
[This message has been edited by Misotu (edited January 02, 2001).]

Wiglaf · January 2, 2001, 21:19

quote:

Anyway, I got both SMAC and SMACX for just £10 (together)

Awesome deal - originally they must have been higher?

quote:

although I have to admit that I haven't used the faction editor

Don't - it seems harmless, but it ruins the faction and/or the game. It's that bad. Stick with changing the alpha(x).txt file.

I never play original SMAC anymore, just the expansion (it's more complete) - so (especially now) SMACX is a must buy, no doubt.

Kirnwaffen · January 2, 2001, 23:28

When it comes down to it, I'd have to say that I enjoy the new factions presented in SMACX. I also saw many of the features that I felt were missing in SMAC incorporated. While all this is nice, I have to say that SMACX lacked stability in any way, shape, or form. Despite the bugs, however, I side with SMACX because I feel that it is more complete than SMAC (figuratively. Literally, there seem to be several hundred lines of code that someone seems to have misplaced, generating a rather apalling bug list

)