Getting started, Alien Crossfire, and sequels

[MeiRen]

Yo,

So, I was a big fan of the game back in z day. I just dug out my disc and am really loving it. A couple questions:

Any good strategy guides around? My play is, ummm, perhaps not at its maximum level?

Any tips for using the automation? I find the micromanagement kind of frustrating, but my attempts to use some of the automation have been sort of poor.

Any idea where I might find an Alien Crossfire disc? Mine has been lost to the sands of time, and the local shop says they're out of print.

Has anybody heard anything about sequels, or further uses of the IP? I know there was a pen and paper RPG, anybody know if it was any good?

Anybody playing online games these days?

Awesome site, btw.

Yours,

Alex

[Marid Audran]

Re: Getting started, Alien Crossfire, and sequels

Originally posted by MeiRen
Yo,

So, I was a big fan of the game back in z day. I just dug out my disc and am really loving it.

My condolences. SMAC indeed has a high recidivist rate. However, you're amid those who understand, and more importantly, condone.

Any good strategy guides around? My play is, ummm, perhaps not at its maximum level?

The freeware version of Velocyrix's Strategy Guide (attached) will bring you up to speed. Get yourself a full thermos of coffee, it's a long read, but extremely comprehensive (and well worth the time).

Any tips for using the automation? I find the micromanagement kind of frustrating, but my attempts to use some of the automation have been sort of poor.

Outside commands like "auto remove fungus" and "auto roads" automation on formers does a poor job (just look at the AI's terraforming job, to get an idea), and should only be activated once you've done most of your core terraforming and the rest is just gravy. Likewise, using governors for your bases is a bad idea since they build things without rhymne or reason, or the bigger picture in mind. Like the automated formers, governors should only be used in bases you don't care about and/or you're on your way to a transcend/conquest victory and you don't need to supervise them. For most of the game, however, some micromanagement will be required to build a strong faction.

Any idea where I might find an Alien Crossfire disc? Mine has been lost to the sands of time, and the local shop says they're out of print.

It's been out of print for some time now. I was lucky to nab mine at a second-hand software shop years ago, and it was rare then. Your only recourse is on ebay or amazon.com, where copies are auctioned off at exorbitant prices (it's become something of a semi-collector's item). I myself have backed-up my personal copy of SMAX so if anything amiss happens I'll be prepared.

Has anybody heard anything about sequels, or further uses of the IP? I know there was a pen and paper RPG, anybody know if it was any good?

I think there was a SMAC setting for GURPS, but I haven't played it personally. Table-top PnP versions of computer games are sort of beside the point, in my opinion (even if it's the greatest computer game of all time).

As far as sequels go, there is a fan-based project in the works to convert the engine for Civ IV into a SMAC/X mod, in-progress here:

http://apolyton.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=24

The official word is that no sequel has been planned or announced; only vague speculation in Firaxis employee interviews.

Anybody playing online games these days?

http://apolyton.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=101

Ask and thou shalt receive. Be sure to read the FAQ first.

Awesome site, btw.

It's home.

Regards,
Marid Audran
Director of Psychological Warfare,
The Lord's Believers

[Zoetrope]

MeiRen: also see Civilization Gaming Network's "SMAC Academy" pages, as they comprise succinct detailed strategic advice:

https://www.civgaming.net/smac/academy.shtml

As for automation: the best and only efficient automation is fully specified. In SMAC the options are limited, but you can (1) queue production in each base, (2) specify up to (3?) waypoints for a land or sea patrol, (3) specify the paths for road and magtube construction, (4) set units to wake up when an enemy approaches closely (a simplistic early warning system), (5) set fighters to intercept.

Regarding build queues, you can write queues, save and load them, which saves time when you want to perform the same build sequence in multiple bases.

Air patrols are tricky to automate because aircraft run out of fuel, so if any obstacle (such as a rival's unit) happens to block the specified path, a needlejet may crash before it can make it safely back. You might think that not using the full range would help, but unfortunately (as is soon discovered) the jet will endeavor to use all its movement points.

The other pain re patrols and other excursions is that if a friendly base is en route, certain units will stubbornly stop in the base, losing all movement points until the next turn. I've never agreed with this decision (especially for the units concerned), but I don't know of any way to switch it off. If anyone does know how, would they please inform me?

Fighter interception is dodgy: my own (as opposed to the AI's) fighters seem to have inordinately low strength (losing badly) when attacking automatically, even though when used manually they easily win against the same enemy aircraft.

So I often instruct my fighters not to attack until I give the order specifically, but they will still frequently attack enemy aircraft spontaneously.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Zoetrope

Fighter interception is dodgy: my own (as opposed to the AI's) fighters seem to have inordinately low strength (losing badly) when attacking automatically, even though when used manually they easily win against the same enemy aircraft.

So I often instruct my fighters not to attack until I give the order specifically, but they will still frequently attack enemy aircraft spontaneously.

This may clarify things

1. When your interceptors scramble it is because an enemy air unit has attacked the base and the interceptor scrambles to defend. That resolution is resolved weapon versus weapon with no added bonuses to the interceptor. Often the bomber is superior/ undamaged and the interceptor dies

2. When you use a fighter manually, it is attacking a bomber hanging in the air during your turn, This combat pits the interceptors weapon plus a bonus against the ARMOUR of the bomber -- since weapon exceeds armor throughout the game and most bombers are unarmoured anyway, the result is an easy kill.

This scramble result is the reason I don't usually build many interceptors except for air cover for units. A SAM rover will not scramble and can easily kill 2 bombers a turn.

When I attack someone I will likely target their bases with interceptors since I have a reasonable chance of killing them during my turn while each interceptor represents a dead unescorted bomber if he r gets to use him on his turn.

[Kataphraktoi]

Any idea where I might find an Alien Crossfire disc? Mine has been lost to the sands of time, and the local shop says they're out of print.

Go to your 'control panel' and check a PM from 'kataphraktoi'

As to your other Q's...

Any good strategy guides around? My play is, ummm, perhaps not at its maximum level?

Any tips for using the automation? I find the micromanagement kind of frustrating, but my attempts to use some of the automation have been sort of poor.

If you dont like micromanagement screw it and dont worry about playing great.

here is a rough pile of links with some great stuff. you particularily have to check out cgn acedemy

[Kataphraktoi]

This scramble result is the reason I don't usually build many interceptors except for air cover for units. A SAM rover will not scramble and can easily kill 2 bombers a turn.

SAM rovers attack armour of the aircraft instead of its weapon like a SAM jet right? ill have to look into these units for a defense i have to stage against air units...hadnt used these before, doing my darndest to always be attacking

[Zoetrope]

Although I under-use specialist units, when the going gets rough I do enjoy placing SAM, Artillery, or Empath on Rovers.

A favorite covert (and officially illegal) unit is the SAM Probe Rover (aka "Aston Martin JB.007"). En route to their targets, Yang and Miriam often leave quantities of lone needlejets over my territory which is quite a nuisance. Fortunately, James Bond clones (with their "licence to steal") turn the tables nicely.

Just as with probe cruisers, it may be desirable to make the JB.007 a predefined unit to encourage the AI to "buy" stray aircraft, thus helping to clear the skies of other computer players' jets (or of ours if we're careless).