Original SMAC(with patches) vs. SMACX

[sgsmitty]

Which is better the original SMAC or the Planetary Pack SMAC

[yavoon]

I think more thought of gameplay and balance and that stuff went into smac.



there ar emore cool features in smax.

[Flubber]

I agree with yavoon. (Yavoon are you shocked?)

I usually like playing Smax for things like fungal towers and thermocline tranducers but the Smax aliens are way overpowered-- they can be fun in single-player but are banned from MP since the player starting next to them usually has a huge disadvantage

[sgsmitty]

Given the fact that with the Planetary Pack you can choose which groups exists in the game (all old, all new, any combo) then is it generally thought that SMACX is better?

[yavoon]

there are lotsa features in smax that aren't neccessarily well thot out. they changed a lot of things in smax besides the factions.

[WhiteElephants]

I like using the old factions of SMAC with the new features of SMACX, particularly since the upkeep bug is fixed with SMACX and not SMAC.

[Purple]

SMAX all the way! I like to mix up the original factions with the new ones and the aliens, even though the latter are overly strong. In my experience they usually fight each other, especially if they are closely located on the map, and this tends to keep them distracted for a little while.

[Bkeela]

Smac X is just and expansion pack, so it is a bit silly to suggest it is better than the original. They arn't entirely seperate games.

Bkeela.

[JerryK72]

Originally posted by Bkeela
Smac X is just and expansion pack, so it is a bit silly to suggest it is better than the original. They arn't entirely seperate games.

Bkeela.

I agree 100% Although I like the factions in SMACX better. They are more fun to play.

[Method]

nòt to méntîon you dônt hàve to play with thé belìevers in yoûr gamès . (if you're wondering about the aççénts i jùst instâlled the frénçh keyboârd on my çompûter . dôn't wòrry, i wònt do ît àgaìn.)

[gwillybj]

Originally posted by TKG
nòt to méntîon you dônt hàve to play with thé belìevers in yoûr gamès . (if you're wondering about the aççénts i jùst instâlled the frénçh keyboârd on my çompûter . dôn't wòrry, i wònt do ît àgaìn.)

And here I was trying to brush the gnats off the monitor.

As to the thread's question, when I first got SMAC (EA Classic box with manual, map, and techtree) I got all bothered that I couldn't find SMAX. Now I couldn't care less because of all the things I can mess with (and mess up) in SMAC.
The more I read about what's different in SMAX, the less I feel any lack. Some of it sounds to me just too goofy and/or weird.

[TresXF]

i prefer the original smac with patch 4.0.

my scenarios and add-ons are designed for smac4.0 coz not everyone own the extension pack.
and second: the ingame logic and story is much better (imho).
the smax-aliens are too ...

[johndmuller]

As has already been said, I like the original factions better, for the most part, than the new ones added with SMAX; perhaps some of that is due to having started off with SMAC (only) for a long time and getting to know (and love/hate ) those factions much more intensely. I don't think that I have played as all the new factions even yet, although now I always play SMAX in SP unless I am specifically testing something out in SMAC for MP use.

While the two are fundamentally the same, there are a few things that were new in SMAX that I definitely miss when playing SMAC; particularly:

• the capability for Yang and Morgan to pop boom with GA;
• the mitigation of the Hunter-Seeker's (or certain SEs) absolute probe immunity by Algorithmic Enhancement;
• the increased variety of Native Live;
• the Pirates (although I don't think they go with the story line very well); and
• Marine Detachments (which should have been in SMAC too).

As for the rest of the additions, some of them (like cloning by pods) are fun and some (like the CBA) may be a bit too generous, but none are so significant to me so as to significantly diminish my enjoyment of good old SMAC.