SMAC vs SMAX: what's different?

[Trifna]

Dissident, I guess I understand you very well. It's coherent, and the plot is not stretched to fit the game. The factions are simply something that makes sense, while giving each one a true identity something differentiating it from others, complete in itself. Each faction is really a regroupment of people of a certain ideology, a certain vision.

I liked SMAC
(and wonder when they'll finally announce a SMAC 2 )

[Mart]

I like to play SMAX with all original factions. Exactly as you say because of the feel to it.

From SMAX I especially love The "Unity" Wreckage.
Additional planet lifeforms like fungal towers and spore launchers I find quite interesting.
Some additional abilities are good too, like marine detachment. It is so awesome to send some old "marined" foil to catch some newest designed cruiser of an enemy faction.

Originally posted by Trifna
(and wonder when they'll finally announce a SMAC 2 )

I think it is more likely someone else will finally do a smac2-like game. I have impression that Firaxis prefers higher profits from civ line games. Still more people feel aversion to stuff labeled "science fiction"...

[Major Guz]

Originally posted by Dissident


IBut somehow I find the original better balanced and it had a better feel to it. And the plot seems better, because you don't have to explain the other factions or aliens. It seems simpler with 7 faction leaders from the original ship. And the 7 faction leaders just seemed to fit with one another. It's hard to explain.

Perhaps I feel that way because I played the original first, and for so many games. I just can't get into the new factions. The originals are still the best.

Same for me here, I mostly play SMAX gameset, but with the original factions., it feels better playing that way.

[Dis]

Originally posted by mart7x5
I like to play SMAX with all original factions. Exactly as you say because of the feel to it.

From SMAX I especially love The "Unity" Wreckage.
Additional planet lifeforms like fungal towers and spore launchers I find quite interesting.
Some additional abilities are good too, like marine detachment. It is so awesome to send some old "marined" foil to catch some newest designed cruiser of an enemy faction.


I think it is more likely someone else will finally do a smac2-like game. I have impression that Firaxis prefers higher profits from civ line games. Still more people feel aversion to stuff labeled "science fiction"...

actually I should do that. Play SMAX with the original factions. The unity wreckage is pretty cool. Fungal towers annoy me, but they add more challenge into the game. Early on you can't take those things out- at least I can't.

[Sikander]

Add my name to the list of those who play SMAX with the 7 original factions. The best of both worlds. I rarely make an exception, usually to play the Pirates or something.

[WotanAnubis]

Personally, I play SMAX with a combination of as much pacifist factions as possible. I'm not a big fan of war since it always interferes with my production plans, so... yeah.

[CEO Aaron]

I frequently play SMAX with varying combinations of human factions. The Aliens are annoying and don't really mesh well with the rest of the game, and detract from the gritty near-future feel that I liked about the original. However, I do like the new SPs and techs.

[Gibsie]

The last times I played it I would always have the factions randomly selected, then check the civilopedia-type thing to see who else was in the game and then restart until I was playing with 7 human factions, except for the pirates. I hated the pirates. I suppose there's a way to delete factions if you edit the game, but I never thought to do that.

[gwillybj]

I, too, SMAX (solo) with the SMAC-7, with an edited alphax.txt. Also, I've acquired quite a collection of custom factions, along with a few I've tossed together.