OT's CivBE release party thread

[Guynemer]

I just remembered that the original SMAC was released on my 21st birthday.

Considering that I don't drink, there is something very poetic about that.

[Sava]

So I'm guessing there's supposed to be a menu screen here, yeah?

yeah they need to put something on that screen, like hey YOUR PC DIDNT CRASH WE'RE JUST LODAING

i initially thought my machine froze

[Lorizael]

Well, I've tried a couple times now and it never gets past that screen without crashing. My laptop plays Civ5 and I meet the minimum requirements for CivBE, but only just barely in the graphics card department (Core I3 integrated graphics)

[regexcellent]

How the **** do I build the exodus gate? I have 13 purity and ****, and the requisite tech.

[self biased]

i should actually be able to sit down to this soon!

[Guynemer]

The good:

Really like the Tech web. I'm sure, in time, people will identify min/maxing strategies through it, just like the National College Gambit in Civ5, but for now the possibilities seem nearly endless.
The quest system is a nice call back to Civ 4 and works very well with the sci-fi theme, as well as the overarching philosophical themes of the game.
Espionage is SO MUCH BETTER than Civ5. Probably the best espionage mechanic since... well, probably SMAC. I managed to succeed in "call for worm attack" on the Slavic capital, and a few turns later, that city was just ****ing GONE. It no longer existed. Bad ass.

The bad:

Other than the "favor" mechanic, diplomacy is exactly the same as Civ 5; diplomacy is the weakest part of Civ 5, and it is the weakest part of Beyond Earth (after only one playthrough, granted).
Missing some hallmarks of the series--where's my demographics screen? I love the little minutiae like that, makes me feel more immersed in the game. Where's the replay and stats after the game is over?
The personalities of the different leaders and factions are not nearly as immediately gripping or identifiable as they were in SMAC.

The not terribly surprising:

Yeah, it is Civ 5 in space, just like SMAC was Civ 2 in space. I don't have a problem with that.
It is not SMAC 2. Honestly, for people like us, I don't even think an actual SMAC 2 would be "SMAC 2". It is still very, very good.

[kentonio]

The good:

Really like the Tech web. I'm sure, in time, people will identify min/maxing strategies through it, just like the National College Gambit in Civ5, but for now the possibilities seem nearly endless.
The quest system is a nice call back to Civ 4 and works very well with the sci-fi theme, as well as the overarching philosophical themes of the game.
Espionage is SO MUCH BETTER than Civ5. Probably the best espionage mechanic since... well, probably SMAC. I managed to succeed in "call for worm attack" on the Slavic capital, and a few turns later, that city was just ****ing GONE. It no longer existed. Bad ass.

Haha, I agree on the espionage but I had the other two down as things I really disliked.

[Wiglaf]

BUT ISN'T THE COMBAT AI STILL A BIG PROBLEM? THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

[Guynemer]

I tend to be a builder, managed to avoid open war with the AI other than getting dragged into war with ARC due to alliances, never had to fire a shot.

The alien AI seems... cromulent. Uses their ranged units well.

[kentonio]

My only combat with the other civs so far was one of them deciding me killing the aliens was bad, and then rolling a decent sized army over two of my outposts extremely efficiently.

Alien AI is great. I love the way you can never tell if they're going to completely ignore you or just rip your face off en masse.

[self biased]

:taps microphone: is this thing on?

http://www.twitch.tv/selfbiased_at_apolyton

[kentonio]

It says you are offline.

[Sava]

sb and i are playing now

i am streamiong the match

http://www.twitch.tv/jack_madadov

[self biased]

i'll figure out the whole streaming thing tomorrow. honest

[regexcellent]

****ING BULL**** I beat the game and it didn't give me the achievements.