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I've dabbled in Civ IV for about a month or so now, and have come to some conclusions from the SMAC-ist viewpoint. Be warned this review rambles somewhat in its observations.
Civ IV is a good game. Occasionally a very good game. I wouldn't call it excellent, and certainly not superb. Most regulars here have played Civilization in one of its incarnations over time, even if they haven't broken down and bought the latest edition (or are indifferent to it). That said, there's little need to drive home the obvious appeal to the series; revisionist history, the joy of managing the reins of an empire, filling the dictator/messianic-complex within us all when it comes to strategic games. The same single-build queue, single-unit dueling combat, food/shield/trade arrow system is still here in place. There have been some cosmetic changes, of course, (luxuries are now called "culture," which also controls zones of control and city radius) and a lot of game-play revisions to the mechanics. Corruption/Waste has been scrapped, and so has the old system of settler building (city growth is now in abeyance whenever one has a settler/worker being built), meant to "kill" ICS. Support costs with shields is obsolete; riots are a thing of the past. There a number of other additions; promotions (a sort of poor man's SMAC workshop), civics (ditto to SMAC's social engineering) religion, and a more involved and complicated trade system (which is thankfully automated depending on diplomatic ties and effected passively by facilities in a city).
There is a lot to like and there has been a lot of forethought in re-hauling the mechanics of the old system whilst retaining the same basics that have been in place since Civ I. The biggest problem is that Civ IV lacks the moxie that SMAC has, the serious intent, the tendrils of complexity that spiral down below the surface model into the bowels of the blue deep. One of these is atmosphere: Civ IV is far too bright, playful, coy, and shiny for my taste. The leader heralds in diplomacy crack glib jokes instead of speaking in grandstanding tones befitting a historic despot or president. Diplomacy is a little too streamlined to feel like a tense bargaining session, more like just another F-key advisory screen with a wildly squirming CGI puppet. Much of the allure and mystery is taken out by everyone laying their cards out of the table in what "can" and "can't" be traded or obtained.
Zone of control restrictions are a bit overkill this time around; one can't even *think* of trespassing into a rival civ's territory sans an open borders agreement without declaring war. Even ocean squares! I preferred the old method of a treaty of friendship where you had a few turns of a "grace" period with the AI bugging you to withdraw before they forced the issue. Ditto for you, when there was always a heart-stopping moment, especially with a powerful warmongering faction with an axe to grind, when a polite request for they to withdraw their units would often result in full-blown vendetta. Diplomacy in this game is rather ham-fisted and obvious. Also, despite customized "traits" and special units and such the rival civs still feel largely homogenous; I don't feel terribly different next to Genghis Khan vs. Ghandi, whereas in SMAC/X, make no mistake, having Yang for a neighbor is a different ball-game from Deidre Skye. The factional pluses/minuses and well as SE preferences and aversions demand a different gameplay approach, and they ideologically *feel* different as well, like real people with real agendas (and different base graphics).
The progress of the storyline in SMAC/X is definitely a darker, more sinister affair then Civ IV. The former has everyone in a hostile environment with dangerous native psionic alien life, clinging tenuously to survival, with many mysterious of Chiron to unlock and a long road ahead. The later feels like an overly cloying themepark through the signposts of human history; it's too gregarious, too colorful, too tension-free. Even sacking cities takes on the feel of an ACME cartoon. They played it way too safe on including religion in the game to the point where Firaxis almost shouldn't have bothered; sure, there are "religious wars" and tension betwixt enemy civs but every single faith replicates the *exact* same effect on your empire, in the interest of not offending anyone. Instead of Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, etc, they might as well been favorite animals. You like the Zebra? Boo! Badgers rule!
Espionage? Forget it. Basically gone. Probes are such a lovely addition in SMAC/X, with a lot of flavor in influencing strategy, especially with factions like Believers, University, and the Data Angels. No such corresponding unit in Civ IV, except by late-game when no one longer cares, and the options are still pathetic compared to SMAC's espionage counterparts.
Barbarians are, and never will be, a match for mind worms, not in terms of strength but in terms of novelty. Mind worms definitely *are* different combat units and completely alien to the human and AI players, down to mode of attack and defense. Civics are welcome but somewhat tame compared to SMAC, to the point where many options almost do too little, whereas in SMAC every society model has major ramifications. Too many Civ IV civics become obsolete too quickly, whereas I find ways to breathe life into most of the SE models long into the game. I actually think the promotion system is done nicely, obviously influenced by SMAC's workshop but a sound and novel idea. Great People add a lot of color to the game, and are exciting to look forward to being born, so Civ IV does have its innovations. A good thing about Great People are their versatility in assigning them a task: add to the workforce as a permanent, free specialist? Gain a free tech? Create a special building? And these vary with the stripe of GP: Artist, Engineer, Merchant. Also, players are guaranteed one, eventually, so long as you put the effort into they being born. Superior to Alien Artifacts, I'll grudgingly admit, though AA have un undeniable cool factor. City Health is a nice idea to tame city growth rather than the old Aqueduct/Sewer idea (Hab buildings in SMAC). No more pollution (though there is global warming)...which is nice, except that ecodamage, especially noticed in those typed interludes, is an exciting challenge in SMAC/X, both economically, ecologically, and militaristically, when you inspire the wrath of a nest of livid, freshly popped boils and locusts!
AI does perform a lot better than earlier games, including SMAC. However, this is more because many aspects of empire maintenence and gameplay have been streamlined and simplified, rather than improvements to the AI. It does know how to coordinate attacks better, I've found, especially invasion forces at sea, and uses combined forces sometimes with surprising effectiveness. However, the real reason the AI excels is that factors in embedded in the game's mechanics previously that the AI was abysmal at are now erased. The AI will no longer tie up its production with a bunch of units because mineral/shield support is now abolished completely. You now have "unit maintenence," costing gold each turn. Corruption/Waste (what would be inefficiency in SMAC) is similarly abolished. In its stead? Each city must maintain its existence each turn with, you guessed it, gold each turn. Facilities, however, no longer cost any money to maintain, but now civics do. Terraforming is greatly simplified. Now you have *one*, count 'em, *one* terraforming improvement per square. This makes it a lot more difficult for the AI to botch it up, especially since the most important ones: Farm, Cottage, and Mine, are available early on and still remain the most useful ones throughout most of the game. Stuff like lumbermills and windmills are mostly gravy (though workshops have some merit), to give the illusion of varied choice, however, I have to say that the terraforming options in Civ IV are nowhere near the complexity of choice of variation of SMAC. By abolishing differing attack/defence values it is now much harder to effectively wage war in Civ IV. Catapults/Cannons (what would be artillery in SMAC) are no longer optional, but *necessary* if you want any hope of capturing an enemy city. It makes war somewhat of a wearying and dubious proposition because time flies by so fast in Civ; really, from the medieval period it will be the industrial age before you know it, and the AI *will* overpower you in tech, it's a foregone conclusion, Virginia, unless you cement a lead and maintain is assiduously. Yes, Civ IV cheats a great deal as well with behind the scenes production bonuses and probably a bunch of other unlisted stuff embedded in code, and willingly trades tech with other civs a lot more readily (and fairly) than it will ever trade with you.
Also, besides gameplay gripes I go back to atmospheric panache, the little things that adorn the game to make it memorable, make it stick, make you feel it in the marrow. Leonard Nimoy is a nice choice to read the tech blurbs, his warbly baritone oozes erudition, though his delivery often leaves a lot to be desired, usually because it's monochromatic or the blurb is unusually campy and it's hilarious (for the wrong reasons) for Nimoy to utter it. He got a little tiresome for me, admittedly. The great variety of people used to quote techs in SMAC, and not just techs, but Projects and Facilities, pretty much dwarf his one-man show.
The Wonder Movies suck, and there's no gentle way to put it. Extremely bland, like a presentation of some architectural blueprint program that would be sold alongside office software like Resume Builders and Photoshop and Norton Utility-type programs. I quickly turned them off a couple of games in (SMAC's I still leave on, and leave an impression in the soul light-years beyond Civ IV. FMV is still a good technology for this sort of thing, in my opinion).
The music in-game is quite lovely; this is possibly Civ IV's strongest suit, with different classical arrangements to reflect the times, they are a-changin'. The Gregorian chants had to be my favorite, admittedly. The opening theme song for Civ IV, although I'm in the minority here, I find hideous and loathsome to listen to. I know it's the Lord's Prayer in Swahili, but to be me it's so Lion King that the subtext screams: "Walt Disney Presents: Civilization IV." Which isn't too far off-base in chronicling the ebb and flow and cosmetic feel of the overall game, which again, is very bright, coy, playful, and entirely lacking in real drama or darkness. It's an all ages-appropriate game, sure, but then so is SMAC/X in my opinion, which is more foreboding and atmospheric without having questionable content.
And the Civilopedia? Don't ask. Imagine it's one of those Playskool mock lawn-mower machines with the colored balls in the bubble, and the Datalinks is a Ferrari grasscutter with an extendable hedge-trimmer, weed-wacker, and martini mixer in the instrument panel.
In spite of all its shortcomings compared to the genius of SMAC, the best game ever made to me, even *seven* years after its release, warts, bugs, ugly isometric tiles and all, Civ IV is still a pleasant enough game. I enjoy playing it, but it doesn't WOW me nor does it really stick in memory, like the numerous skirmishes and custom scenarios in SMAC/X have over the years. Overall I'm more liable to load up Sid Meier's Pirates! than Civ IV because it's simply more fun, at least considering his proclivities for game design. The sort of colorful burlesque sheen is more appropriate there. I hope that the SMAC-mod design crew for Civ IV conversion try to retain the soul of the original game, because working with Civ IV's bells, whistles, and plastic surgery they have their work cut out for them.
I still find myself, after all these years, at work or at a cafe with a hazy look in my eyes, looking over the horizon, dreaming of the fungal fields of Chiron and her foster children, the crafty ape called Man.
Civ IV is a good game. Occasionally a very good game. I wouldn't call it excellent, and certainly not superb. Most regulars here have played Civilization in one of its incarnations over time, even if they haven't broken down and bought the latest edition (or are indifferent to it). That said, there's little need to drive home the obvious appeal to the series; revisionist history, the joy of managing the reins of an empire, filling the dictator/messianic-complex within us all when it comes to strategic games. The same single-build queue, single-unit dueling combat, food/shield/trade arrow system is still here in place. There have been some cosmetic changes, of course, (luxuries are now called "culture," which also controls zones of control and city radius) and a lot of game-play revisions to the mechanics. Corruption/Waste has been scrapped, and so has the old system of settler building (city growth is now in abeyance whenever one has a settler/worker being built), meant to "kill" ICS. Support costs with shields is obsolete; riots are a thing of the past. There a number of other additions; promotions (a sort of poor man's SMAC workshop), civics (ditto to SMAC's social engineering) religion, and a more involved and complicated trade system (which is thankfully automated depending on diplomatic ties and effected passively by facilities in a city).
There is a lot to like and there has been a lot of forethought in re-hauling the mechanics of the old system whilst retaining the same basics that have been in place since Civ I. The biggest problem is that Civ IV lacks the moxie that SMAC has, the serious intent, the tendrils of complexity that spiral down below the surface model into the bowels of the blue deep. One of these is atmosphere: Civ IV is far too bright, playful, coy, and shiny for my taste. The leader heralds in diplomacy crack glib jokes instead of speaking in grandstanding tones befitting a historic despot or president. Diplomacy is a little too streamlined to feel like a tense bargaining session, more like just another F-key advisory screen with a wildly squirming CGI puppet. Much of the allure and mystery is taken out by everyone laying their cards out of the table in what "can" and "can't" be traded or obtained.
Zone of control restrictions are a bit overkill this time around; one can't even *think* of trespassing into a rival civ's territory sans an open borders agreement without declaring war. Even ocean squares! I preferred the old method of a treaty of friendship where you had a few turns of a "grace" period with the AI bugging you to withdraw before they forced the issue. Ditto for you, when there was always a heart-stopping moment, especially with a powerful warmongering faction with an axe to grind, when a polite request for they to withdraw their units would often result in full-blown vendetta. Diplomacy in this game is rather ham-fisted and obvious. Also, despite customized "traits" and special units and such the rival civs still feel largely homogenous; I don't feel terribly different next to Genghis Khan vs. Ghandi, whereas in SMAC/X, make no mistake, having Yang for a neighbor is a different ball-game from Deidre Skye. The factional pluses/minuses and well as SE preferences and aversions demand a different gameplay approach, and they ideologically *feel* different as well, like real people with real agendas (and different base graphics).
The progress of the storyline in SMAC/X is definitely a darker, more sinister affair then Civ IV. The former has everyone in a hostile environment with dangerous native psionic alien life, clinging tenuously to survival, with many mysterious of Chiron to unlock and a long road ahead. The later feels like an overly cloying themepark through the signposts of human history; it's too gregarious, too colorful, too tension-free. Even sacking cities takes on the feel of an ACME cartoon. They played it way too safe on including religion in the game to the point where Firaxis almost shouldn't have bothered; sure, there are "religious wars" and tension betwixt enemy civs but every single faith replicates the *exact* same effect on your empire, in the interest of not offending anyone. Instead of Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, etc, they might as well been favorite animals. You like the Zebra? Boo! Badgers rule!
Espionage? Forget it. Basically gone. Probes are such a lovely addition in SMAC/X, with a lot of flavor in influencing strategy, especially with factions like Believers, University, and the Data Angels. No such corresponding unit in Civ IV, except by late-game when no one longer cares, and the options are still pathetic compared to SMAC's espionage counterparts.
Barbarians are, and never will be, a match for mind worms, not in terms of strength but in terms of novelty. Mind worms definitely *are* different combat units and completely alien to the human and AI players, down to mode of attack and defense. Civics are welcome but somewhat tame compared to SMAC, to the point where many options almost do too little, whereas in SMAC every society model has major ramifications. Too many Civ IV civics become obsolete too quickly, whereas I find ways to breathe life into most of the SE models long into the game. I actually think the promotion system is done nicely, obviously influenced by SMAC's workshop but a sound and novel idea. Great People add a lot of color to the game, and are exciting to look forward to being born, so Civ IV does have its innovations. A good thing about Great People are their versatility in assigning them a task: add to the workforce as a permanent, free specialist? Gain a free tech? Create a special building? And these vary with the stripe of GP: Artist, Engineer, Merchant. Also, players are guaranteed one, eventually, so long as you put the effort into they being born. Superior to Alien Artifacts, I'll grudgingly admit, though AA have un undeniable cool factor. City Health is a nice idea to tame city growth rather than the old Aqueduct/Sewer idea (Hab buildings in SMAC). No more pollution (though there is global warming)...which is nice, except that ecodamage, especially noticed in those typed interludes, is an exciting challenge in SMAC/X, both economically, ecologically, and militaristically, when you inspire the wrath of a nest of livid, freshly popped boils and locusts!
AI does perform a lot better than earlier games, including SMAC. However, this is more because many aspects of empire maintenence and gameplay have been streamlined and simplified, rather than improvements to the AI. It does know how to coordinate attacks better, I've found, especially invasion forces at sea, and uses combined forces sometimes with surprising effectiveness. However, the real reason the AI excels is that factors in embedded in the game's mechanics previously that the AI was abysmal at are now erased. The AI will no longer tie up its production with a bunch of units because mineral/shield support is now abolished completely. You now have "unit maintenence," costing gold each turn. Corruption/Waste (what would be inefficiency in SMAC) is similarly abolished. In its stead? Each city must maintain its existence each turn with, you guessed it, gold each turn. Facilities, however, no longer cost any money to maintain, but now civics do. Terraforming is greatly simplified. Now you have *one*, count 'em, *one* terraforming improvement per square. This makes it a lot more difficult for the AI to botch it up, especially since the most important ones: Farm, Cottage, and Mine, are available early on and still remain the most useful ones throughout most of the game. Stuff like lumbermills and windmills are mostly gravy (though workshops have some merit), to give the illusion of varied choice, however, I have to say that the terraforming options in Civ IV are nowhere near the complexity of choice of variation of SMAC. By abolishing differing attack/defence values it is now much harder to effectively wage war in Civ IV. Catapults/Cannons (what would be artillery in SMAC) are no longer optional, but *necessary* if you want any hope of capturing an enemy city. It makes war somewhat of a wearying and dubious proposition because time flies by so fast in Civ; really, from the medieval period it will be the industrial age before you know it, and the AI *will* overpower you in tech, it's a foregone conclusion, Virginia, unless you cement a lead and maintain is assiduously. Yes, Civ IV cheats a great deal as well with behind the scenes production bonuses and probably a bunch of other unlisted stuff embedded in code, and willingly trades tech with other civs a lot more readily (and fairly) than it will ever trade with you.
Also, besides gameplay gripes I go back to atmospheric panache, the little things that adorn the game to make it memorable, make it stick, make you feel it in the marrow. Leonard Nimoy is a nice choice to read the tech blurbs, his warbly baritone oozes erudition, though his delivery often leaves a lot to be desired, usually because it's monochromatic or the blurb is unusually campy and it's hilarious (for the wrong reasons) for Nimoy to utter it. He got a little tiresome for me, admittedly. The great variety of people used to quote techs in SMAC, and not just techs, but Projects and Facilities, pretty much dwarf his one-man show.
The Wonder Movies suck, and there's no gentle way to put it. Extremely bland, like a presentation of some architectural blueprint program that would be sold alongside office software like Resume Builders and Photoshop and Norton Utility-type programs. I quickly turned them off a couple of games in (SMAC's I still leave on, and leave an impression in the soul light-years beyond Civ IV. FMV is still a good technology for this sort of thing, in my opinion).
The music in-game is quite lovely; this is possibly Civ IV's strongest suit, with different classical arrangements to reflect the times, they are a-changin'. The Gregorian chants had to be my favorite, admittedly. The opening theme song for Civ IV, although I'm in the minority here, I find hideous and loathsome to listen to. I know it's the Lord's Prayer in Swahili, but to be me it's so Lion King that the subtext screams: "Walt Disney Presents: Civilization IV." Which isn't too far off-base in chronicling the ebb and flow and cosmetic feel of the overall game, which again, is very bright, coy, playful, and entirely lacking in real drama or darkness. It's an all ages-appropriate game, sure, but then so is SMAC/X in my opinion, which is more foreboding and atmospheric without having questionable content.
And the Civilopedia? Don't ask. Imagine it's one of those Playskool mock lawn-mower machines with the colored balls in the bubble, and the Datalinks is a Ferrari grasscutter with an extendable hedge-trimmer, weed-wacker, and martini mixer in the instrument panel.
In spite of all its shortcomings compared to the genius of SMAC, the best game ever made to me, even *seven* years after its release, warts, bugs, ugly isometric tiles and all, Civ IV is still a pleasant enough game. I enjoy playing it, but it doesn't WOW me nor does it really stick in memory, like the numerous skirmishes and custom scenarios in SMAC/X have over the years. Overall I'm more liable to load up Sid Meier's Pirates! than Civ IV because it's simply more fun, at least considering his proclivities for game design. The sort of colorful burlesque sheen is more appropriate there. I hope that the SMAC-mod design crew for Civ IV conversion try to retain the soul of the original game, because working with Civ IV's bells, whistles, and plastic surgery they have their work cut out for them.
I still find myself, after all these years, at work or at a cafe with a hazy look in my eyes, looking over the horizon, dreaming of the fungal fields of Chiron and her foster children, the crafty ape called Man.
. At this point in time. Many of the games on my hard drive (Im talking single player type of games im sure you know) are ones produced 4-5 years ago. Still playing MOO2 , hell Id be playing Originall MOO if I could ever figure out a way to get it to run on XP 
. A lot of new titles unfortunatety...suck . CiV IV, maybe I can wait till it hits the $20.00 and under Bin at Staples. SMAC still is far and away the best TBS game I have ever experienced, the civ franchise has left a bad taste in my mouth, there must be an unwritten rule on the industry that says 'Take older, well -respected Title, Do not hire or consult any of the original progammers\designers, completely ignore the user communnity, add massive amounts of hype , produce crap destined to be deleted from HD within 2-4 weeks.
.
and be evil,like you can in RL, and not shown in civ. civ,i mean,who gives a damn why anyone wins. but in smac, i can see the people as more real
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