What is better--SMAC or SMAX

[Commy]

I feel I had to ask...

Which do you all think is better, the good ol' original SMAC or the upgraded, new and improved SMAX?

Basically, which would you rather play?

If you don't own SMAX or have never played it, please don't vote...

[Frankychan]

We gotta pick only one? Where's the 3rd option?

[Commy]

What would this third option be?

[Frankychan]

'Doesn't Matter'?'

[Petek]

Originally posted by Commy
What would this third option be?

It's a long-standing Apolyton tradition to offer an alternate option in all polls. Usually, this option is simply called the "banana" option. In this forum it's usually called "xenobanana". It's equivalent to "none of the above" or "doesn't matter" as FC said.

Doesn't always make sense, just a tradition.

[Frankychan]

Shhhhh!

I was gonna say banana, but I decided to be serious.

[Lord Nword]

Smax... but it ain't new

[fender]

I have both, and don't play Crossfire at all. I did at first, and for quite a while. I find the "new factions" to be contrived at best. They don't add anything new to the game, often repeating the same things the original faction leaders say.

As far as the game itself, it shouldn't have ever been a new game. At best it should have been a FREE upgrade, or patch, not an expansion pack. Just a way of getting a few more bucks out of the fans.

I find the original game much more pure, untainted by the success the game was to achieve. The factions are believable, well except for Miriam being so aggressive. This is not a Christian trait.

They do however have real personality. I can't say this for SMACX. Sometimes it's hard to not think of them as actual people, in there actions. The way they carry them out of course leaves a lot to be desired though, from a tactical stand point.

I did play the original factions in SMACX for a bit, but the game itself is just not as good. A SP or two are just too powerful, and everything else is just fluff.

Well, at least we have a choice as to which one we like. To each their own.

[Mark123jansen]

I think the original SMAC factions are Waaaaaaaay better (especially balance wise) then teh SMAX factions, but SMAX just adds so much more options to the game.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Mark123jansen
I think the original SMAC factions are Waaaaaaaay better (especially balance wise) then teh SMAX factions, but SMAX just adds so much more options to the game.

Including the ability to much more easily customize your faction choices. I play SMAX exclusively, usually with the original 7 factions. IMO the best of both worlds.

[Dis]

SMAX with the original 7 factions

[Kirov]

Originally posted by Dissident
SMAX with the original 7 factions

Exactly.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Dissident
SMAX with the original 7 factions

Excellent


I have played a bit of SMAC lately and I really miss a few things like more varied natives and the thermoclines to make sea tiles more crawlable


While I agree that the initial 7 factions are somehow a better overall fit, there are things I like about Smax.

For instance..... the pirates annoy the heck out of me and I like that. The drones have become my favorite faction and I like that the data angels are strong yet seem to be consistently underated by people

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

SMAX original 7.

[Alex]

Cannot vote, never played SMAX. But I have a feeling, as fender said, that the original factions are better...

But even if I had played SMAX I wouldn't vote because the absence of the 'xenobanana' option is truly a shame and should never be encouraged.