SMAC, duh.

Well now that im playing MOO2, (and enjoying it, and definitely already gotten my moneys worth of gameplay) Im starting to reflect on differences from Civ2, and other TBS. Now that Ive played Civ2, SMAC, Imp2, Moo2 and a couple of TB war games, Im starting to feel ready for a good TBS versus TBS discussion.
So whats the best TBS of all time, and why. Feel free to include BOTH recent releases and oldies. Focus here should be on gameplay and innovation rather than setting() or graphics. My focus is on the SP experience, but comments relating to MP are welcome.
"A person cannot approach the divine by reaching beyond the human. To become human, is what this individual person, has been created for.” Martin Buber
SMAC, duh.
"Luck's last match struck in the pouring down wind." - Chris Cornell, "Mindriot"
SMAC

SMAC/X

SMAC![]()
Cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test. Thank you for helping us help you help us all!

People's Tactics
I'm kind of funny. I prefer SMAC over SMAC/X I think.
So my vote only goes to SMAC![]()

SMAC vanilla gets my vote.
It blended the brilliant game mechanics of Civ, with my favourite subject: Sci-Fi.
MoO II is my second choice.
Voluntary Human Extinction Movement http://www.vhemt.org/

SMAC
"The boastful seeks the company of parasites." (Spinoza)
Lately I've been playing Battle for Wesnoth the most. If I had to vote it'd probably be for SMAC as it's clearly the best of the Civ series.
Eschewing obfuscation and transcending conformity since 1982. Embrace the flux.
NOT SMAC. That game was meh for me.
C3, or (are boardgames allowed?) A&A.

SMAC +1
Caesar 3 was good (considering it's release date) but not that good. Besides, it was RTS, not TBS.
best multiplayer TBS = Stars!
best singleplayer TBS = SMAC/X.

Well I loved SMAC, but for those who recall my old avatar know I am going for Moo1.
BTW I love Stars as well. Homm2 is not far off either.
Normalise to time frame and I'd have to vote Civ2.
Best currently is EU2 (And it is a tbs even if the turns do go by continuously 'till you hit pause.)

Paradox's games are not TBS.But if they were, they'd be my choice. Otherwise, SMAC (NOT X, bleh).
Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. -Isaiah 41:10
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. - Zephaniah 3:17

Alpha Centauri: Alien Crossfire
(\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
(='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
(")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

Another vote for SMAC. I'm currently bored of the TBS genre. Its a phase I go through. And of all the TBS games I have, SMAC is the one I most frequently go back to when I'm itching to play a TBS. It has plenty of what most TBS games I've played are lacking: depth and personality.
The most fun I have with it is not so much the gameplay (though that is definitely top notch and one reason I just love this game). Its more the challenge of entering the mindset of a faction leader whose ideology I don't agree with (Morgan for example), or a faction whose ideology I just love... to hate (Believers). And coming up with a story for each game.
"Corporation, n, An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility." -- Ambrose Bierce
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." -- Benjamin Franklin
"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction." -- Thomas Jefferson

Love so many TBS games. Like Call to Power2 moded-SMAC can design units-Superpower moded- .But The number one TBS for me is Call to Power2 has all the right elements.
Tough call, but I'd go with Master of Magic, closely followed by Master of Orion 1 and Civ II.
Civ3![]()
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God? - Epicurus

SMAC.
Depth, atmosphere, incredibly balanced factions, you're always discovering new things in the game and it has the best strategy guide of all time.![]()
'Yep, I've been drinking again.'

SMAC & Civ2 (it's a tie)
Civ2 because of how great it was back in 1996 to be utterly addicted to the game.
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

I cant play civ or smac for longer than an hour anymore, its just so BORING when you could be using Public Works and stacked combat in CtP2.
Call to Power 2: Apolyton Edition - download the latest version (12th June 2011)
CtP2 AE Wiki & Modding Reference
One way to compile the CtP2 Source Code.
Civ2 and Civ1 are way up there
I need to find my copy of Civ2 MPGE
Jon Miller
Jon Miller-
I AM.CANADIAN
GENERATION 35: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.
Woah, look at all those SMAC people. Could you, like, elaborate on what makes it so good? I got it back when it was just released, and played it for maybe a week before getting bored. Should I dig out the CD and play it again?
As it stands, I really don't know which of the games I played I like most, so I will just go by the rough estimate of the total number of hours I played that game. If so, then Civ2, and HoMM2 are on top of my list. Civ2 is obvious enough, but HoMM2 bears a little explanation. I think the whole series is different enough from the approach taken by Civ/MoO/CtP/... to almost maybe go into a different genre, but they are still TBSs and great ones at that (I especially liked the second installation, like I said. They kinda went downhill from there, IMO).
PS: Oh yeah, and speaking of CtP... Anyone like that game? I recently saw a post by Gamecube here somewhere, and the link in his sig led me to the CtP forum... Curious.

Civ2, it was the first TBS and computer game I played, next MoO2.
Same hereWoah, look at all those SMAC people. Could you, like, elaborate on what makes it so good? I got it back when it was just released, and played it for maybe a week before getting bored. Should I dig out the CD and play it again?![]()
, I never tried SMACX, it wasn´t released here
![]()
The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power.
Join Eventis, the land of spam and unspeakable horrors!

Hmmm..I have to go with Masters of Orion 2- I found the diplomacy better, the tech tree simple yet powerful, but the kickers were making multi-species empires and having vast tacical battles, instead of sending unit after unit.
I like SMAC and think it a better game than any historical civ, but in terms of fun, I have to go with Civ2, closely follwed by C3C.
If you don't like reality, change it! me
"Oh no! I am bested!" Drake :(
"it is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong" Voltaire
"Patriotism is a pernecious, psychopathic form of idiocy" George Bernard Shaw
Civ2 was the one one that gave me the biggest 'WOW!' at the time of release
I think I'd have to say MoO2.
Bookmarks