03-08-2004 04:48									#1
	Sunspot activity Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

Hello everyone!! I'm new around here and i really like this place. I have played SMAC since 2000. I currently play in the Talent difficulty (yeah... 4 years playing and only advenced 3 levels but I really HATE to lose in this game).

Well I hope that somebody can answer my question: What can I really DO under Sunspot activity??

And another thing... Anyone have experienced a "Volcano Eruption" in the game??

	03-08-2004 05:08									#2
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Under sunspots, you can commit most atrocities without other factions finding out. However, atrocities committed directly against another faction will cause them to hate you forever, and everyone can detect Planet Busters, always.

Volcanic eruptions aren't real common, but do happen. Enjoy your new Mt. Planet.

If you hang around here a bit, you'll be mowing down Transcendi AIs in no time!

	03-08-2004 05:41									#3
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Ok thanks for that.

But I think I wasn't specific about the volcano question. I said "eruption". Not a new volcano on the map, it was a real eruption of the existing one (dust clouds reduces -1energy/square in ALL bases in planet for the nex 10 years and all the land around the volcano turns into rocky squares)

Sorry to repeat the question but I was really shocked to see that (again, 4 years playing and this game continues to suprise me).

	03-08-2004 05:58									#4
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Now that I have never seen.

	03-08-2004 12:29									#5
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#BIGFATVOLCANO
#xs 440
#caption Chief Planetologist
Major Volcanic Eruption near $BASENAME0! Massive
casualties and property damage! Dust clouds will
reduce global energy production for next ten years.


#EATTHIS
#xs 440
#caption Chief Planetologist
Major Asteroid Strike near $BASENAME0! Massive
casualties! Dust clouds will reduce global energy
production for next ten years.

#NOMOREDUST
#xs 440
#caption Chief Planetologist
Dust clouds have abated; energy production has
returned to normal.

Form script file. Interesting, I must admit. I never experienced volcanic eruption, even as I ve seen asteroid strikes about twenty to thirty times.

	03-08-2004 15:21									#6
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Hmm, I wonder what happens to bases planted at the mouth of volcanoes when that happens...

	03-08-2004 19:13									#7
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They are automatically renamed Pompeii

	03-08-2004 19:16									#8
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Nothing happens, I've had this message a couple of times, for me the one I've never had was the asteroid strike.

	03-08-2004 22:45									#9
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quote: However, atrocities committed directly against another faction will cause them to hate you forever, and everyone can detect Planet Busters, always.

What about nerve stapling of captured bases?

Also; can orbital defense pods or flechette defence defend against asteroids? I mean, thats the whole idea of the Space Wars program, no?

	04-08-2004 00:18									#10
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I have experienced the volcano thing and the asteroid strike but that was a looonng time ago. Since 99% of my playing is now PBEM, the default setting is for random events to be off.

	04-08-2004 00:31									#11
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quote: Also; can orbital defense pods or flechette defence defend against asteroids? I mean, thats the whole idea of the Space Wars program, no?

Don't think so. An asteroid strike is a Random Event, so you can't defend against it.

	04-08-2004 01:53									#12
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If you nerve staple a captured base during sunspots, no sanctions will be imposed, but the former owner (observable through the base's graphics) will hate you forever, as you committed an atrocity against that faction.

	04-08-2004 10:06									#13
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By the way, I've been noticing how much an exploit it is to reverse trade bases.

Nothing like exchanging the same base twice (ie. switch captured base A for Ally's base B, then trade B for A) to get rid of its "conquered" status.

Trade before sunspots, nerve staple during!

	04-08-2004 14:57									#14
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Switching bases with the AI? I can't remember doing so offen for the monumental pain (demands) the AI let you go through.

	04-08-2004 18:22									#15
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If I remember Geo, it's easier at easier levels to swap bases...

	04-08-2004 18:32									#16
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Generally, swapping a conquered base (that would have great potential if the extra drones didn't force you to convert 1/3 to half the population to doctors/empaths/transcends seems to work well even with transcend AI.