At long last....

[Velociryx]

v4 covers the differences between smac and smax, same strategy treatment for the new factions as the originals, includes several "how tos" that go into detail 'bout how to perform several key functions in-game (how to set up a pop boom, perform an underrun, big round of tech steal, etc), and other such stuffs...

-=Vel=-

[furrykef]

Vel's guide is gradually being integrated into a wikibook; more details here (SMAC thread) and here (original Civ3 thread).

Or view the wikibook itself:
http://wikibooks.org/wiki/Civ - The whole wikibook
http://wikibooks.org/wiki/Civ:Alpha_Centauri - Just Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire

Thanks, Vel. How do you like it so far?

- Kef

[Hydro]

Did you get written permission from Vel to appropriate the work that he labored to consolodate into his book? Granted, he worked with others to pull the book together, but it is largely his effort and coordination that made it happen.

Unless you did I suggest SMAC/X folks boycott your 'product' since you are taking potential book sales from Vel.

Hydro

[Enigma_Nova]

You'd have to be insane to buy Vel's guide. You can learn all of his tricks by yourself for free.
Most people on this board could improve on that guide easily.

I support the wikibook idea.
Why pay to be told the obvious when you can tell the obvious for free?

[Hydro]

Quoting/copying the text of a published book without authorization is plagiarism, and copyright is designed to protect the intellectual capital of those who work to produce it. Quoting Vel’s work in any form requires, at a minimum, a clear acknowledgement, and likely express written permission.

The reasons for buying Vel’s book are simple. First, his ideas are clearly and concisely laid out and explained. Most writers have to struggle with clarity and, in some cases, basic writing skills. This comment is not made to impute those who would contribute to a knockoff of Vel’s Guide, but it is more a nod to Vel’s skill at prose and his clarity of thought. Second, I truly doubt there is anything truly new to be said about SMAX. Vel spent a lot of time generating truly origional thoughts about SMAC/X and writing down his observations, and then compiling those of others (with their permission and acknowledgement). Minor and trivial variations on these tactics are possible, I suppose, but I suspect that they would be have very limited application. Lastly, purchasing his SMAC/X Strat Guide is a ‘thank you’ for his work and leadership that helped form the ethos of the Apolyton SMAC forum. Visit other forums and you will find they are either dead or nasty places filled with flamewars that scorch new players and drive off others.

I suspect that the proposed wikibook will be derivative of Vel’s Guide. It may give others a chance to re-hash what exists in disjointed places across the forum but I suspect that little that is new will be forthcoming.

Finally, if it everything about SMAC/X is ‘obvious’ then why bother with a wikibook in the first place?

Hydro

P.S. – you may guess that I have strong opinions of those who illegally appropriate software and other electronic intellectual property (I see it as no different from stealing from a store). I am even more protective when it involves those I respect, since stealing their work is a disservice to them and their efforts.

[Velociryx]

Hey guys, and thank you, Master Hydro!

Kef wrote to me about the project he is embarking on, and I support the idea wholeheartedly (having often been a fan and supporter of 'open source' type projects), giving him permission to freely use anything he wishes to of my work here in the forums (which, by extension, includes all the previous iterations of the strat guide, as I had made a public statement expressing my desire that those works be considered public domain).

At first glance, this would seem quite akin to shooting myself in the foot where book sales are concerned. After all, v 4 of the strat guide was built on the framework of the earlier versions, and if *those* are public domain, then it follows that there would be less incentive to purchase the latest iteration of the guide, and perhaps there is some truth to that.

On the other hand, these forums, and in particular, all of you who were here when I was a total neophyte, feeling my way through SMAC's complexities have given so much to me, it seems a proper tribute to all of you to give something back in return.

SMAC is....getting a little long in the tooth.

Okay, that's not accurate....it's positively ancient by computer game standards, and perhaps this latest project will generate a whole new wave of enthusiasm for the game we're all still here talking about years later.

If that happens, and given that I'll be mentioned in the credits, perhaps those newcomers to the game will be curious to know what's in the book.

-=Vel=-

[furrykef]

I think you guys were a little too quick to call me on this ; in the threads I linked to, I did clearly state (at least I think) I got Vel's permission. I have no intention of stealing anybody else's work, taking undue credit, or anything but doing a service for the Civ community, including the SMAC/X community, by assisting in helping compiling the best guide ever. Do you really think Vel's guide is the best it could possibly be? Sure, it's a Hell of a great read as it is. But now suppose, even if we weren't to change a word, it were all neatly organized, cross-referenced, hyperlinked, with lots of neat little tables and full-color pictures, including full references for the tech tree, etc. (sure, you can get them in the game, but wouldn't it be great if it were one click away?). Now what do you think? And on top of that anybody can improve upon it further -- more professional typesetting, correct typoes, reword confusing sentences (one of the best ways to get a good revision is to have somebody else's eyes look at it). Don't get me wrong, Vel did a great job and set a very high standard for a guide. But should we stop there?

And hey, even with all this, I'd still buy Vel's book if I had the money: it's nice to have it on paper, nicely typeset, and easy to thumb through. Unlike a wiki, you can take it anywhere. Though, I just bought an Epiphone Les Paul (really nice guitar), though, so I kind of don't have the money...^^; Really, though, as has been pointed out, much of the information is already freely available. I don't think we need to worry about "sticking up for the little guy", especially when the "little guy" doesn't mind.

- Kef

[Enigma_Nova]

Originally posted by Hydro
Legal Blah Blah Blah blah

Said to a man who thinks his own judgement eclipses the law on any given issue?

First, his ideas are clearly and concisely laid out and explained.

As opposed to a Forum or a Wikipedia where, should an idea be inconcise or unclear, it can be clarified...

I truly doubt there is anything truly new to be said about SMAX.

I made a thread on something new, but it got flamed to death.
There's always information, but there's always ignorance to prevent information becoming knowledge.

purchasing his SMAC/X Strat Guide is a ‘thank you’ for his work and leadership that helped form the ethos of the Apolyton SMAC forum.

You can donate money to Velocyrix as a thank you regardless of whether a Wikipedia exists or not.

Visit other forums and you will find they are either dead or nasty places filled with flamewars that scorch new players and drive off others.

It's true of all forums, including Apolyton.

Finally, if it everything about SMAC/X is ‘obvious’ then why bother with a wikibook in the first place?

What is obvious to the wise is oblivious to the ordinary.
I could offer my thoughts on issues.

[Enigma_Nova]

Originally posted by furrykef
by assisting in helping compiling the best guide ever.

Can we stop with the brownnosing in here?
Velocyrix is a mortal, a mortal with error. He cannot offer all possible wisdom on any subject, SMAX included.
Apolyton has its flaws as well. Its people are terribly narrow-minded and obcessed with past order.
Posters of Apolyton are -not- going to make the best guide ever. Buster said it best: "Too many cooks spoil the broth".

These things are, at best, a few SDs above average. They are not perfect, nor are they the best of their class.

correct typoes,

*typos (I made the same mistake for many years)

[Hydro]

Vel – as always, you are a gentleman, and very generous.

FK – I withdraw any objections to your project. I wish you well.

EM – We’ll have to agree to disagree.

Hydro

[furrykef]

Originally posted by Enigma_Nova


Can we stop with the brownnosing in here?
Velocyrix is a mortal, a mortal with error.

So are you: you misspelled "Velociryx". If you think I speak of Vel with too much reverence it's probably just because I have loads and loads of respect for the guy (a look at the other FAQs on GameFAQs will show why) -- and I'd never actually talked to him until now, either via PM or on a thread, so it's kinda like meeting Santa Claus. (I'm sure you find that thought amusing, Vel. ) But of course I do realize he is a mortal with error or I likely wouldn't have proposed this project in the first place.

He cannot offer all possible wisdom on any subject, SMAX included. Apolyton has its flaws as well. Its people are terribly narrow-minded and obcessed with past order. Posters of Apolyton are -not- going to make the best guide ever. Buster said it best: "Too many cooks spoil the broth".

I'm sorry, but I'm confused as to the point you're making here...you suggest "too many cooks spoil the broth", but support the idea of a wikibook, which is an inherently collaborative project? Although of course my experience with a wiki is certainly not "too many users spoil the wiki", and I've made hundreds of edits on wikis; probably over a thousand if you include all the edits on all the wikis I've used.

I do think a wikibook would naturally result in the "best guide ever", though, just as I feel Wikipedia will result in the best encyclopedia ever, because wikis have exhibited a tendency to improve over time, never the reverse. Is Wikipedia the "best encyclopedia ever" yet? Heck no. But eventually, it will be.

These things are, at best, a few SDs above average. They are not perfect, nor are they the best of their class.

I'm sorry, but I don't know what SD stands for...

*typos (I made the same mistake for many years)

Well, crap! Ain't that ironic?

Originally posted by Hydro
FK – I withdraw any objections to your project. I wish you well.

No offense was taken; I always find some kind of resistance whenever I first post about these kinds of things.

- Kef

[Skanky Burns]

Including the words "with his permission" in the first post may help somewhat in that regard.

[furrykef]

Hehe, yeah. I'll remember that.

- Kef

[Enigma_Nova]

Originally posted by furrykef
So are you: you misspelled "Velociryx".

you suggest "too many cooks spoil the broth", but support the idea of a wikibook, which is an inherently collaborative project?

Wikibooks aren't perfect, but they are better than a one-sided point of view.

I do think a wikibook would naturally result in the "best guide ever",

It keeps improving, so every successive addition makes a new best guide.
So long as people are adding to it, there is no 'best guide ever' since someone will edit the wiki and make a better guide.

I'm sorry, but I don't know what SD stands for...

Standard Deviation.
A measure of how abnormal stuff is.

[furrykef]

Originally posted by Enigma_Nova
It keeps improving, so every successive addition makes a new best guide.
So long as people are adding to it, there is no 'best guide ever' since someone will edit the wiki and make a better guide.

Yes. But I think that property alone makes it a better guide, in addition to the actual content. And of course it would still be the "best ever" and have room for improvement, in which case the improvement will then be the "best ever", etc. Unless you consider the phrase "best ever" to include the future as well as the past, but it's often not used in that sense. When the Comic Book Guy says "Worst Episode Ever", you know he thinks the next will probably be even worse.

Thanks for the clarifications, by the way. I wish I could work on the thing some more now, but I'm struck by a cold or some such...

- Kef

EDIT: damn that's a lot of smilies.