Changes to Factions

[Husky325]

Some people have said that the original factions could be over matched by the SMAX factions. I have made some adjustments to the originals that not only helps them, but puts them more in synch with what they would really be like

Believers:
Free Rec Commons - after all the first thing these guys would build when the open a base would be their church- which would keep people happy. A religious society would have fewer unhappy people
Replace -1 Planet with -1 Economy : No reason for them to be anti-environment
Impunity - Fundy


Gaians: +1 Minerals & +1 Energy (in addition to the +1 Nutrients) for fungus squares

Hive: Kept the same (Immunity Efficiency)
Note that Yang alone can go to his preferred society choice (Police State) on Turn 1

Morgan: Did the most changes here
1) Increase the Pop limit from 4 to 5. This will allow them to catch up with the rest of factions with Ascetic Virtues
2) Give them a +1 Industry and a -1 Planet: They should be the best producers on the planet, yet we know Morgan is no friend of the environment
3) Change his preferred system from Free Market to Wealth. There is a BIG change between +1Econ and +2Econ. Morgan alone can reach this by using Wealth. Free Market has some really nasty negatives


Peacekeepers : kept them the same

Spartans: Impunity Power

University : Another new tech : BioGenetics
(This gives them one of the two prereqs for SotHB)

[Verrucosus]

Re: Changes to Factions

Originally posted by Husky325
3) Change his preferred system from Free Market to Wealth. There is a BIG change between +1Econ and +2Econ. Morgan alone can reach this by using Wealth. Free Market has some really nasty negatives

That's an excellent idea. I'm not that fond of the SMAX factions anyway because they do not feel as much fleshed out as the classic ones, but I will have to try this change at some time for classic SMAC. AI-Morgan's obsession with Free Market seems to be one of his biggest handicaps. In your games after making the change, did you see a more competitive Morgan?

By the way, I'm sorry that, so far, no one could help you with the technical question in the other thread. I'm not enough of a computer wizard myself and this forum has become a bit slow recently. It's worthwhile to keep checking, though.

[bdanv]

Re: Changes to Factions

Originally posted by Husky325
Gaians: +1 Minerals & +1 Energy (in addition to the +1 Nutrients) for fungus squares

Gaians are my favourites in a SMAC game, but I think this is too much. They will need no terraforming at all.

Anybody interested to play a 'fast' PBEM (1-2 turns/day) with this changes on?

[Hydro]

A few comments:

Believers – a -1 eco is much worse than -1 planet, in my opinion. A -1 eco will truly cripple early research, which is challenging for the Believers anyway since they get no research for 5 years (or is it 10?). The free rec commons might work – maybe think of it as a free temple? This is a huge gift, particularly at higher levels where drones start almost immediately. With a free rec commons the Believers will never have to worry about any development at all – just Blood Makes Grass Grow.

Also, my understanding is that the Believers aren’t anti-environment. Rather, they are anti Planet and have great difficulty understanding a possibly sentient planet-wide intelligence (which largely contradicts the tenants of a human-centered monotheistic and fundamentalist religious view). Therefore they just don’t ‘get it’ due to their fixation on human spirituality and are not open to new ideas (hence, -1 research and -1 Planet). By comparison the Gaians are predisposed to ‘get it’ because of their philosophy.

Gaians – wow, those are powerful changes. I never thought the Gaians needed any real help, assuming they use their Planet bonuses. Or were you thinking more AI to AI? Or the Gaians as an AI faction?

Morgan – your changes make sense, especially the -1 planet (from a rape-the-environment attitude, not aesthetic philosophy). Your SE preference is good since it maximizes his +1 eco. I can only remember one game where Morgan was any challenge at all as an AI, and that was where my Gaians ignored him – until his satellites started taking out my ODPs and he started dropping troops in my territory!

Spartans – OK with this one. It makes sense to me. Perhaps make Immunity Power contingent on getting a tech level?

Uni – don’t need ANY help. They are a powerhouse as it is.

Lastly, if you’re looking to spice up the game I suggest trying the SMAniaC Mod. The AI improvements are significant. The mod factions are problematic and minimally developed, even if they have potential.

Hydro