SMAC is being severely spanked...

[Alex]

... at the GalCiv forum, more specifically in this thread.

We already discussed how weak the AI in SMAC is, but our beloved game is being so dissed out there that somehow I thought it was unfair...

[CEO Aaron]

No need to start an inter-board flame-war, if those morons can't appreciate a better game when they see one, it's their loss. And when are people going to stop crying about the AI? If you want to play a game that a computer has a chance of beating you at, Chessmaster is quite challenging.

[Frankychan]

*yawn* Why should I care what some bozo's are thinking in another thread. If they had any brains, they would be in this thread and witness the glory that is Sheng-ji Yang.

But then again.....if we can't say anything nice, we shouldn't say anything at all.

[Frankychan]

additionally, we would already have a bias for AC and they have a preference for whatever game that waste of plastic is. So no matter what, I don't think there would be objectiveness in the debate.

Take THAT GalCiv!

[Jamski]

Hey, I started playing GalCiv yesterday, and its going straight into my select list of games that I'll play for ever. It will join SMAC, Civ1, Colonisation and MoM. There is no higher honour I can imagine for a game to say it is as good as SMAC, but I will say so for GalCiv.

SMAC:
Graphics : adequate
Sound : adequate
AI : interesting
Gameplay : strong
Replay : infinite
Feel : involving

GalCiv:
Graphics : adequate
Sound : adequate
AI : strong
Gameplay : strong
Replay : don't know yet
Feel : pretty involving

Overall I would recommend GalCiv to anyone who likes SMAC. In a way it's the real sequel to SMAC and MoO2.

(SMAC stays as my No.1 game though )

-Jam

[Maniac]

I'd say the SMAC AI isn't very good, but that's only because SMAC is the most deep and complex game in the entire Civ series. No wonder then the AI performs better in other games!

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by War of Art

SMAC:
Graphics : adequate
Sound : adequate
AI : interesting
Gameplay : strong
Replay : infinite
Feel : involving

GalCiv:
Graphics : adequate
Sound : adequate
AI : strong
Gameplay : strong
Replay : don't know yet
Feel : pretty involving

Please define "pretty" in this context. More involving or less involving than SMAC?

pret·ty
adj. pret·ti·er, pret·ti·est
1 Pleasing or attractive in a graceful or delicate way. See Synonyms at beautiful.
2 Clever; adroit: a pretty maneuver.
3 Very bad; terrible: in a pretty predicament; a situation that has reached a pretty pass.
4 Ostensibly or superficially attractive but lacking substance or conviction: full of pretty phrases.
5 Informal. Considerable in size or extent: a pretty fortune.

adv.
1 To a fair degree; moderately: a pretty good student.
2 In a pretty manner; prettily or pleasingly.

Nit-picky this morning, aren't I?

[Lazerus]

Nitpicking so much so that you should be slapped Making him have to replace pretty with fairly, which would mean as of right now abit less.


Smax - best 4x strategy game I've played.

[Solver]

GalCiv isn't same stuff for the look & feel of it... I am yet to see ANY game with a better atmosphere than SMAC has. See, all those tech voiceovers, excellent personalities for each faction leader, and lots of other stuff gives SMAC a fantastic atmosphere. And storyline... uhmm .

Now, GalCiv, IMHO, doesn't have that much of a fantastic atmosphere of feeling to it.

As far as the AI goes, well, I hope they get Soren Johnson working on it for SMAC 2, then the AI could be quite appropriate, even with all the (amazing!) complexity.

[Jamski]

adv.
1 To a fair degree; moderately: a pretty good student.

...and...

2 In a pretty manner; prettily or pleasingly.



Yes, its not quite as involving as SMAC, for example the Drengins are not as "evil" as the Hive - but they're still pretty** evil. However SMAC is far ahead in this dept. compared to almost every game. GalCiv does provide both more of a challenge, and more routes to victory - its a bit deeper. A worthy No.2 - every fan of MoO2 or SMAC should buy it.

(**Pleasing or attractive in a graceful or delicate way )

-Jam

[Alex]

Originally posted by CEO Aaron
No need to start an inter-board flame-war,

I wasn't trying to start one, after all we're all Apolytoners... I just wanted to see some brilliant minds mounting some good defense (with sensors and bunkers) against that cruel assault.

[CEO Aaron]

Well, unfortunately if I reply, there _will_ be a flame-war. I have extraordinary troll powers, after all.

Seriously tho, I bought Gal Civ, and while I haven't played it much, I was sort of hoping for something that at least reflected 4 intervening years of improving graphical technology.

As to the gameplay and such, I'd really need at least another 3-6 months of playtime to make a valid comparison. There were levels to SMAC that I was completely oblivious to for an awful long time, and the same might be true of Gal Civ.

[Maniac]

May I ask what "4x" means?

[AnubisJJ]

E(X)plore, E(X)ploit, E(X)pand, E(X)terminate

[Maniac]

Ah thanks.