Random Questions

[our_man]

I loaded up SMAX there a few days ago; I hadn't played it in ages so I decided it was due for a revisiting. While randomly checking out the readme for the fixes by the SMAX v2.0 patch some cryptic items of text caught my eye. Random questions for anyone who's still out there:

In the readme it refers to the fact it is now possible to 'rescue' captured faction leaders in v2.0. Anyone have any idea what affect this has and how to go about accomplishing it?

Alien factions. I've never, ever managed to have an alliance with either of them; the best I can ever hope for is a peace treaty. Has anyone ever managed to enter an alliance with them either via mutual interests or via unconditional surrender?

Help me satisfy my curiosity!

[bdanv]

In the readme it refers to the fact it is now possible to 'rescue' captured faction leaders in v2.0. Anyone have any idea what affect this has and how to go about accomplishing it?

You can do it by succesfully probing the headquaters of the fraction that captured the respective leader. If you rescue him, he will start over again and will serve you for the rest of the game.

[

[Hydro]

I've never had an alliance with the aliens, although the other 'human' AIs do on occasion.

My typical tactic with the aliens is break out the gas pods and paste them. After you're done you'll have peaceful coexistence.

Hydro

[our_man]

Originally posted by bdanv


You can do it by succesfully probing the headquaters of the fraction that captured the respective leader. If you rescue him, he will start over again and will serve you for the rest of the game.

[

Wow! That's pretty cool. I'll give it a go tonight. That should also make a submissive pact with one of the alien races possible (Usurpers were just killed by CoP) if I break him out.

[Darrell01]

A lot of times when this happens, I'll give them some tech or run a bunch terraformers to the little island they end up on and turn the place into an energy and food paradise to increase my trade. I know it doesn't justify the turns it takes to set them up, but its fun.

On a side note, alien factions cannot be rescued to my knowledge. I'm not sure if alien factions can rescue. I've also never rescued Svensguaard, so I don't know if they set up a sea or land base.

[Maniac]

I seem to remember rescuing aliens.

[xalien]

Aliens get a good headstart so they usually have a power lead early on and become very arrogant with their demands so it doesn't take too long to start a war and spoil the relationships for the rest of the game. Being a good targets for tech probing and nerve gas doesn't help it either.

I had a pact with Caretakers at least once, IIRC they had only a small continent and were struggling against Usurpers.

Sometimes rescuing faction leaders can be quite a slap in a face - when playing pirates I've rescued Santiago and she landed on the island full of boreholes next to my HQ. That was VERY annoying, I ended up building the 2nd base for them further away, declared war, captured the first one and made them to submit again.

[CEO Aaron]

The weird placement of rescued factions and relocated escape pods is one reason I tend to avoid the nutrient/energy farm tactic, as those expanses of highly terraformed but unoccupied territory frequently attract such events, as well as being difficult to defend properly.

[Hydro]

It's generally easier just to establish a base where you want (out of the way) and gift the threatened faction the base before they are eliminated. Granted they are not 'subsurvient', but they will be generally happy to have you as a friend.

Hydro

[molly bloom]

I rescued Miriam once. She ended up on a very small fungus saturated island with a monolith occupied by a fungal tower and beaucoup de worms.

It was amusing and sad at the same time to keep checking in on her as she never grew...

[CEO Aaron]

Yet again we witness the hopelessness of the AI when dealing with terraforming.

[Hydro]

Sometimes AI terraforming isn’t all that bad. I’ve seen some good examples of AI terraforming in the SMAniaC Mod. Of course he prohibits the dreaded farm+mine combo by making mine terraforming tech come later in the tech tree. The AI also has ‘super fungicidal’ formers for free, so they can function better wither fewer formers - they never seem to build enough. I’m not sure why but all the SMAniaC AIs build forests – maybe he gave forests a greater weight in for the AI algorithm? Regardless, that is good since forests are one of the best terraforming investments you can make.

I’ll post a few snapshots to show ‘good’ AI terraforming in a few days. Well, ok – not ‘good’ but at least it is functional.

Cheers!
Hydro