my first post

[Laser Eyes]

hi all. This is my first post. I just discovered this game Alpha Centauri. For years I've been playing nothing but first person shooters. Nowadays I can appreciate other genres and I can see what I've been missing out on.

So I've gone back to play all the games I missed out on and Alpha Centauri is one of them. And to think that I could have been playing it all these years!

I'm still reading the manual and learing how the game works. I do hope you will forgive me for the noob questions but I am still fairly new to strategy games.

First why doesn't AC have the usual graphics options such as resolution, texture detail etc...? Is it like a fixed display that can't be changed?

Second I'm a little confused about the formers. The manual lists all the possible uses of formers and the keyboard commands to do so. However there is an option to set them to full automation. I'm confused. I guess my question is why wouldn't I simply use the full automation option? Why would I take the time and effort to give a command to every former every turn if I can simply automate?

P.S.
Oh how I wish there will be an Alpha Centauri 2. I would pay a lot for such a game if it was made to the same high standard as the first one but with updated graphics and technology. I bet I'm not the first person to wish for that! What's the story on it?

[Verrucosus]

Welcome Laser Eyes,

it's always great to see new players discovering this gem of a game. It both rejuvenates discussions and makes people here remember their own first steps at Alpha Centauri.

1) Graphic Options: Apart from the display settings that can be changed through the "Game" menu, there are some graphics settings that can be changed through the the preferences file (AlphaCentauri.ini) in the main folder. For example you can add a "Video Mode" line for resolution and set it to 800 or 1024. The details are explained in the readme.txt file.

2) Former Automation: First of all, automated formers aren't remotely as efficient as those directed by a player with some experience. The complexity of terraforming is staggering and, unfortunately, the artificial intelligence in this game is not quite up to it. More importantly, doing it yourself is part of the fun. It's okay to automate them while you concentrate on learning other stuff, but in the long run you should try it out for yourself. It's easy to underestimate the strategic (and sometimes tactical) importance of terraforming, but in the end the economic strength of your empire depends on the productivity of each square. Lengthy essays have been written here about the art of terraforming, but I'd suggest, you start experimenting by yourself before digging them up.

3) Sequel: The studio that produced Alpha Centauri certainly did not forget about the game. (They even included a "Map of Planet" in their recent game Civilization IV. They also did a poll on possible sequels in which Alpha Centauri did very well.) The problem seems to be that the rights still rest with a different company (the original publisher). Also, the lead designer (who did an excellent job at creating a unique atmosphere for Alpha Centauri) has founded his own studio and has concentrated on real time games since. Nevertheless, I'm confident that there will be a sequel eventually (its potential is too obvious to pass on), but it may be a few years down the road. In the meantime, the original game is still there to be explored and enjoyed.

I'm sure the thread will be filled with more detailed comments in no time. For the moment, I hope that you will have as much fun playing the game as I had when I discovered it eight years ago.

Verrucosus

[Laser Eyes]

Thanks for the welcome!

Can I just clarify the graphics option. If I don't set any resolution in the Alpha Centauri.ini file does that mean the game will run at the resolution I have set on my desktop, whatever that may be?

Also when starting up a game why isn't there an option for the number of factions? Does every game always have all seven factions?

[Solver]

Wow, welcome... it's pretty awesome to discover SMAC for the first time .

Verrucosus gives good answers, I'd like to add that you have to remember that SMAC is a 1999 game - setting resolution through the INI file only or such "archaic" methods were common back then.

You play with seven factions, yes. As you play more you'll notice that the game is really designed around all seven and it just works that way. That said, maybe modders have come up with a way to play with fewer factions.

I am, myself, very eager to see a sequel. Firaxis sure remembers about SMAC but one problem is indeed that EA owns the rights, so a sequel could probably not be produced legally unless EA coughs up the rights.

[Petek]

Originally posted by Solver
I am, myself, very eager to see a sequel. Firaxis sure remembers about SMAC but one problem is indeed that EA owns the rights, so a sequel could probably not be produced legally unless EA coughs up the rights.

Here's a recent message from Brian Reynolds about the SMAC rights. His post may be found here.

Ha ha! Alpha Centauri has I suspect been kind of trapped in "Triple IP Voodoo Purgatory". I think the IP itself probably still belongs to Electronic Arts; the right-to-develop probably still belongs to Firaxis where most of the artists still work plus the current "Civ team" and Civ4 engine; and substantially all of the original designers/programmers/writers who created the "world" now work at Big Huge. So it would be kind of like trying to put the Beatles back together (though at least no one's dead), and THEN you could deal with the question of whether there'd be a big enough market for it to make it worthwhile.

I suppose if the powers-that-be perceived enough of a market for it, then Firaxis (i.e. Take Two) and EA could unwind the IP rights and do some kind of follow-on with the Civ4 engine. My guess is don't hold your breath. It would be interesting to see though... if they go for it my advice to them is hire a designer/writer with a philosophy degree!

Brian

[Petek]

Originally posted by Laser Eyes
Thanks for the welcome!

Can I just clarify the graphics option. If I don't set any resolution in the Alpha Centauri.ini file does that mean the game will run at the resolution I have set on my desktop, whatever that may be?

The following entry from our FAQ explains how to control the resolution at which the game runs:

10) Q: How do I get SMAC/X to run in a higher resolution/window?

A: Edit the Alpha Centauri.ini file and add 1024 to the Video Mode headings, e.g., Video Mode=800 or Video Mode=1024 forces the screen resolution to either of these two sizes(800 x 600 and 1024 x 768 pixels, respectively) . It isn't possible to run SMAC/X in anything other than a full screen.

You also may add the line DirectDraw=0 to Alpha Centauri.ini (and remove any Video Mode= lines). This setting will force the game to run at your native Windows resolution.

[dmm1285]

I suggest you go play the game for 6 months - 1 year before coming back and reading the strategy posts, the less you know about Alpha Centauri, the less fun it is. Truthfully, I kinda wish I never found this forum, I got vastly better at the game, but ruined the fun/challenge. Be careful what you read.

[Laser Eyes]

Originally posted by dmm1285
the less you know about Alpha Centauri, the less fun it is.

Do you mean to say "the less you know about Alpha Centauri the more fun it is"?

My inexperience with strategy games might mean SMAC overwhelms me and I give up. I have to strike a balance between not spoiling the fun and not losing my way. I think I'll try and work things out on my own and look for help when I need it.

[gwillybj]

mho,fwiw

Originally posted by Petek
You also may add the line DirectDraw=0 to Alpha Centauri.ini (and remove any Video Mode= lines). This setting will force the game to run at your native Windows resolution.

Just for kicks I tried this earlier this evening for my new 19" flat-screen at 1200x1024 and the result was . I took that line back out.
On my PC, the resolution defaults to 1024x768 without the Video Mode line. I think it looks real nice, and I don't get a headache like I did with my old 14" 800x600 monitor.

[vyeh]

Originally posted by Laser Eyes
My inexperience with strategy games might mean SMAC overwhelms me and I give up. I have to strike a balance between not spoiling the fun and not losing my way. I think I'll try and work things out on my own and look for help when I need it.

Start at the lowest difficulty level. Peacekeepers is a nice faction to start with; it doesn't have any obvious strengths or weaknesses. DO go through the tutorial - it will help you get a hang of the interface and various commands.

Since your experience is first person shooters, you might start your first games with everything automated - use governors for your bases, automate any formers your bases create.

Once you get comfortable with the combat, then start looking at other aspects. Some things that give SMAC its complexity:

(1) Secret projects
(2) Formers (basic and advanced terraforming options)
(3) Supply crawlers
(4) Design workshop (especially the special abilities)
(5) Probe teams
(6) Psi/native units
(7) Ecology
(8) Social engineering
(9) Diplomacy

It can be fun to browse the game's data files and the manual (although the manual does have mistakes) as your gameplay raises questions.

Finally, ask questions. Although there used to be some posters who would suggest you should search the forum, at this point, there is so little activity that many of us would welcome answering sincere questions (we may provide a link to a post or a thread which answers your question).

Just a little layout. At Apolyton, there are three forums. This one (which contains the fiction subforum), the creation forum (which includes the creation of a AC mod for Civ IV), and the multiplaying forum (which also includes the democracy game subforum). There is also two forums at civgaming.net. It is very quiet, except for 4 games going on in the multiplaying forum. There is a subforum at civfanactics.com. It became quieter when a lot of those people went off and started a forum called "Centauri Preserve". Civgaming.net contains the SMAC Academy, which has a lot of articles. You should scan the FAQ at the top of this forum (there is a running joke that no one really looks at threads once they become stickies).

At this point, you really only need to visit this forum. It is the most active one and the one most relevant to your needs.

[Petek]

Re: mho,fwiw

Originally posted by gwillybj

Just for kicks I tried this earlier this evening for my new 19" flat-screen at 1200x1024 and the result was . I took that line back out.
On my PC, the resolution defaults to 1024x768 without the Video Mode line. I think it looks real nice, and I don't get a headache like I did with my old 14" 800x600 monitor.

Odd, the video mode command works just fine on my 19" flat screen running 1280x1024. In this thread, others reported varying results with the command.

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Solver
I am, myself, very eager to see a sequel. Firaxis sure remembers about SMAC but one problem is indeed that EA owns the rights, so a sequel could probably not be produced legally unless EA coughs up the rights.

While I was over at EA Games this evening looking to see if they are going to address Vista versus SMAC(X) (they did), why I checked their Legal Notices section: while they list Sid Meiers Golf, they do not list Alpha Centauri. FYI.

D

[Laser Eyes]

Originally posted by vyeh

Finally, ask questions. Although there used to be some posters who would suggest you should search the forum, at this point, there is so little activity that many of us would welcome answering sincere questions (we may provide a link to a post or a thread which answers your question).

Thanks vyeh. I was hoping that SMAC gamers would be so obliging. I've got other questions already.

If I click on one of the buttons at the top of the base control screen other than the center "Governor" button, that other button will light up. But no matter what I do I can not get back to the default with only the center button lit up. By clicking on the "Governor" button repeatedly it toggles between both it and the other button both lit or neither lit.

edit: There is a square next to a base that has the following characteristics:

Flat & Moist
Forest
Road

According to the Resources MFD that square is producing 1 Nutrients, 2 Minerals and 1 Energy.

My question is shouldn't the square be producing 2 Nutrients, one for the square being moist and one for the square having a forest?

According to the manual "a moist square produces 1 nutrient per turn" (p 37) and a forest provides a bonus of 1 nutrient (p 154). That means the square should produce 2 nutrients per turn.

[MoNoLitH]

Maybe a bit off topic, but I don't see how EA could own the rights to SMAC/X. It's essentially the same game as Civ2 with a graphical update and added complexities. The underlying code is very very similar.

Strange.

[Solver]

Well, it is a separate game, so it's entirely possible, legally, for SMAC rights to be owned by someone else than whoever owns the Civ2 rights (Take2 now). However, Darsnan's info is good .