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Alpha Centauri

Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 20:26
by Caydr
Just for kicks, I popped this game into my computer. I'd forgotten about having it since I have so many other games to occupy my attention when I need to relax. (Spring, Galciv2, Civ4, TA, HL2 being the most common ones)

Well for starters, it didn't run. That did put a damper on things for a while. Then I got the XP patch and changed an INI setting, and yesterday I finished my first game of AC in a long, long time.

I'd forgotten what a great game it is. This game is almost certainly more advanced than Civ 4 in every department except graphics. Its AI is comparable to such games as Galciv 2 or Civ 4, which have been lauded by many as having fantastic AI for a TBS.

I like to play as Morgan. Having tons of cash is always nice. Lets me bribe other civs and rush more production... good stuff. 4 boreholes and solar generators everywhere inbetween with maximum efficiency and high industrial = pure ownage.

This is probably still the best TBS ever made. Galciv 2 is the only other game to come close in terms of customizability.

I think the only thing that bothers me, AT ALL, about this game is that I couldn't figure out a way to tell the governor AI to stop building mind worms, locusts, isles, etc. Since I often play the style of fewer, but much stronger units, the governor tends to pick mind worms instead because they're so cheap. WELL I DON'T WANT NO STINKIN MIND WORMS!!!

Anyone else still play this game?

(anyone know how to tell the governor to stop building native life forms?)

Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 20:53
by Tim Blokdijk
Well,.. eeh.. have the governor shot?

Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 21:24
by Zoombie
I hate the Believers. For one thing, even when I try to be nice to them, they ask for 'tithes'! What the hell are those, any way? So I just say "Opse! I seem to have dropped a planet buster on New Jerusalem! My mistake"

Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 21:39
by unpossible
Zoombie wrote:I hate the Believers. For one thing, even when I try to be nice to them, they ask for 'tithes'! What the hell are those, any way? So I just say "Opse! I seem to have dropped a planet buster on New Jerusalem! My mistake"
and she's a ginger :P

Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 21:45
by Foxomaniac
Alpha centauri is possibly the best TBS game ever made indeed.

I have it - AND teh expansion!

Alien crossfire :O.

FYI, if you don't have Alien crossfire - you can get it from the underdogs , fore free =P.

Favorite Factions : Gaians, Uni, Peacekeepr(jack of all trades, master of none) and both alien factions.

the alien factions are rather unbalanced though - I keep them out of the game - unless i'm controlling one =p.

Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 21:51
by Das Bruce
Zoombie wrote:I hate the Believers. For one thing, even when I try to be nice to them, they ask for 'tithes'! What the hell are those, any way? So I just say "Opse! I seem to have dropped a planet buster on New Jerusalem! My mistake"
Tithes are bribes for god... :roll:

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 01:53
by Caydr
A tithe is a tenth of your income, or alternatively just X amount of money to keep your newly-deceased relatives out of hell.

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 03:07
by Zoombie
Yeah. Well I still go to war with the B's at every opertunity, as every faction!

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 09:18
by SwiftSpear
They pretty immediately make the belivers the bad guys in AC. While none of the other races are pixies and rainbows to get along with a few of them are expecially grating. The sciency guys and the belivers top the list IMO.

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 09:28
by unpossible
I prefer to be the science guys - research advantage FTW!

...and they hate those Believers :P

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 09:32
by SwiftSpear
unpossible wrote:I prefer to be the science guys - research advantage FTW!

...and they hate those Believers :P
Ya, me too, but they were the biggest arrogant pricks if you were a different race and had to deal with them diplomatically. If I was any other race I just tended to eliminate them as soon as possible.

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 12:10
by Cabbage
I liked to play hte giains.... sexy voice! :o

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 16:01
by Foxomaniac
IMO the gaians rock - their main advantage is early game - especailly if native life forms are abundant.

Mind worm invasion ftw :D.

Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 16:09
by Zoombie
Mind worms were cool. Also did anyone notice that each of the sides was just a facet of human politics, exaggerated to ludicrous extremes so that there can be no peacefully coexistence?

Posted: 24 Jun 2006, 05:47
by Journier
nope, never ever noticed that.........................................................................................................................................................
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/ sarcasm

actually im sure most did notice that, and that was the plot of the story, everyone joined whatever group they felt met there needs the best and went to planet with them.

What do you feel the alien races are?

Posted: 24 Jun 2006, 15:40
by Foxomaniac
The Alien Races are divided into two types :

1st type : The Evil, Human-hating, Planet exploiting ones (Usurpers or something like that...)
2nd type : The "gentle", able to coexist with humans, caring about their planet's enviroment ones (The Caretakers).

as I said, they're fun but quite unbalanced, their stats give a huge advantage early game.

Posted: 24 Jun 2006, 21:04
by Drone_Fragger
I stopped playing this game because it was confusing as hell, And then i realised you could only play for 50 years. what the hell?

Posted: 24 Jun 2006, 21:12
by Targ Collective
Most likely because it was the demo. You'll have to buy the full version, you can get the link from the Home of the Underdogs (http://www.the-underdogs.info, I think).

Posted: 24 Jun 2006, 21:18
by Drone_Fragger
I paid for the full game and got a disk. How is that the demo?

Posted: 24 Jun 2006, 21:34
by Foxomaniac
Look for it on limewire/WarezP2P if you're desperate, good luck dling it all though, v. little people have it.

You can grab the expansion from the underdogs.