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C#156 CTP2 PBEM-SHOULD WE GIVE UP?
(3 March 2001, 23:21 | Misc) Solver is discussing the possibility of ever being able to play pbem on ctp2 in this week's column: CTP2 PBEM-SHOULD WE GIVE UP?. Comments can be posted in the forums
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- DanQ
OMNI GOES MAD (5 NEW FILES)
(3 March 2001, 19:54 | CtP2) Help! Omnigod has gone into a "creative craziness" state, doing one map after the other :)
Map of Ontario-NY and surrounding areas
Map of Middle East
Map of Africa
Map of the United Kingdom
Also, an excellent new scenario by "Hannibal Ad Portas" has been posted
Ancient Meditteranean Scenario - SPQR (6MB!)
These should keep you busy for the weekend... :) - MarkG
IGN-PC PREVIEW
(3 March 2001, 00:18 | Civ3) GameSpot UK is not the only online gaming network to create a preview of Civilization III based on information obtainable from the official CivIII website in recent days [see story below].
IGN|PC has posted a similiarly-styled preview of the game with eleven screenshots, compiled by IGN staffer Steve Butts.
The one additional and distinguishing feature of this preview is a poll put to viewers asking what their favourite current Civ title is. At the time of the posting of this news item, CivII is in a commanding lead with 57.7% of the popular vote followed by Alpha Centauri at a distant 21.1%. Civ, the classic title that launched the franchise, stands in third at 14.7% while both the original and sequel Call To Power titles are tied for last at 3.1%. - DanQ
FIRST CIV3 PREVIEW
(2 March 2001, 11:30 | Civ3) Laura Stobart at ZDNet contacted us this morning to let us know of GameSpot UK's just posted two-page preview of Civilization III. This is the first known preview of the much talked about upcoming addition to the Civilization series.
And what a sequel it promises to be, writes the previewing team. Although few details are known about the core gameplay elements, several postings on the Firaxis website have provided an insight as to what new features players can expect.
The preview is built entirely on the information presented on the official Civ3 website which was updated just yesterday [see story below]. Eight screenshots accompany the text. In conclusion, GSpot UK's preview team comments on the game's anticipated release.
The last whisper heard from Hasbro, before being swallowed up by Infogrames, suggested a Christmas release was on the cards. Although the we are licking our lips in anticipation of such a timely release, Sid Meier's drive for perfection is likely to make an early 2002 launch more realistic.
And to be honest, we've waited this long, so another month or two shouldn't be a problem. - DanQ
BUG REPORT FROM U. OF T.
(1 March 2001, 20:00 | SMACX) A University of Toronto student has discovered an interesting bug in Alpha Centauri, one that is also present in the expansion Alien Crossfire. Andrew Krupowicz emailed us the following report:
I've noticed there's another bug in SMAC (which also happens in Alien Crossfire), which affects both single and multi-player games: you can control the allocation of workers in an opponent's bases!
All you need to do is infiltrate another faction (or become its pactmate). Then open up the base reports screen (F4) and click on the citizens (not the name of the base). Continue clicking until all the workers have turned into doctor or empath specialists.
Consequences
AI: I tried this against the computer and hypothesized that it would reset its citizens back to the original setting. It didn't.
The lack of workers started a nutrient shortage, so the AI put a few workers back to work, but not all. Production & Energy collection were therefore crippled.
Humans: A human opponent who doesn't get a nutrient shortage type message may have one base, or several bases, crippled for an extended period of time unless s/he personally investigates every base.
Countermeasures
Clearly this is a bug and not a game feature, so my hope in bringing this to the attention of the SMAC community is to make this another cheat that must be officially "outlawed" at the outset of multiplayer games.
Krupowicz told us that he originally posted a note about this bug in the alt.games.firaxis.alpha-centauri newsgroup. - DanQ
CIV ICQ ACTIVE LIST
(1 March 2001, 19:33 | Misc) Pieter-Jan Schut, who goes by the nickname "AnArChY", informed us via email this afternoon that he has setup an ICQ Active list for all Civilization players out there.
The list ID# is 110102795. If you have any questions/difficulties with the list etc., contact Schut directly. - DanQ
