20-08-2004 23:01									#1
	Alien crossfire Get a bigger avatar today!

Is the game balanced? the aliens seemed to be far more powerful than the humans. The university's advantage is in tech but the caretakers totally beat them to it.

	20-08-2004 23:04									#2
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There are lots of threads discussing this, if you want to do a search (nudge).

No, it's not as balanced as SMAC. But the diversity of factions and abilities make for many new avenues of strategy.

	20-08-2004 23:31									#3
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quote: the aliens seemed to be far more powerful than the humans.

Naturally, but they are supposed to be quite intolerant in diplomacy. No commerce, (which is often greater than the energy grid, and say, +3 Econ makes no difference whatsoever, and +4, and +5, less of an impact) no participation on the council, therefore no chance of universal infiltration without Empath Guild....

	21-08-2004 00:28									#4
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The aliens are intentionally overly strong in order to force the humans to either ally with one of the aliens, and thus p!$$ing off the other, or the humans can band together to fight off the aliens. Either way, it forces strategies rarely employed in vanila SMAC.

	21-08-2004 02:22									#5
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quote: Originally posted by livid imp The aliens are intentionally overly strong in order to force the humans to either ally with one of the aliens, and thus p!$$ing off the other, or the humans can band together to fight off the aliens. Either way, it forces strategies rarely employed in vanila SMAC.

But there can only be 7 players at a time though

	22-08-2004 04:36									#6
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aliens are tough, but a lot of it depends on their starting location. But if they start in the monsoon jungle- watch out!

	22-08-2004 21:51									#7
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If you're lucky, they might just start next to eachother and kill eachother's military. Of course, it would be bad if one of them one and became a superpower, then you're really screwed...

Ultimately, the advantages of the aliens, except maybe the resonance crap, are either not as good as the humans, or aren't long term advantages. Most are short term. The problem is, if those 'short term' advantages kill you, it doesn't matter if they're long term or not...

	23-08-2004 20:49									#8
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quote: Originally posted by grobnok But there can only be 7 players at a time though

Yaaaahhh....what is your point?

	23-08-2004 21:05									#9
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quote: Originally posted by Dissident aliens are tough, but a lot of it depends on their starting location. But if they start in the monsoon jungle- watch out!

Of course that statement really can apply to any faction starting in the monsoon jungle.

I recently started a game where Miriam landed in the MJ. Before I found her I couldn't understand why Miriam of all people was keeping up with me in the power graph. Then to my horror I find her alone, in the MJ, ahead of me in tech, with about 4x as many bases as I have and she doesn't like me. Thankfully she is on an island and the AI is rather stupid when it comes to water-born invasion.

	24-08-2004 05:18									#10
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yeah that's true. MJ is just too powerful (unless I start in it- then it's okay )


But I think the usurpers are a bit more powerful than the believers.

	24-08-2004 07:50									#11
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[QUOTE] Originally posted by Commy
If you're lucky, they might just start next to eachother and kill eachother's military. Of course, it would be bad if one of them one and became a superpower, then you're really screwed...

That is exactly what happened to me. The usurpers killed off the care takers very early in the game and quickly became the dominating force in the game. Now much later in the game I have just caught up to them as we are about equal in power and the only other surviving faction is the pirates but they are quite a step down.

	25-08-2004 00:19									#12
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quote: Originally posted by Dissident But I think the usurpers are a bit more powerful than the believers.

Not once you factor in GAS!

You can wipe out both Alien factions within a few rounds with gas and not hear a peep about it from your fellow humans. I typically don't put Aliens in my games cause once I get 6x-1-? units, they are nothing more than grease stains.

	25-08-2004 00:49									#13
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Can you planetbust them with impunity as well?

	25-08-2004 01:51									#14
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I think so, but I dont know for sure. I'm not much of a PB kinda guy. Three attacks from a inexpensive gas chopper takes out a level 7 city. AI really isn't worth a PB, too stupid. I could see using them in MP though.

	25-08-2004 04:37									#15
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I don't think you can PB them. But gas is king!

	29-08-2004 04:41									#16
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quote: Originally posted by livid imp ahead of me in tech

When ever this happens and if I can't catch up and suprass her in 10 years I start a new game.

	29-08-2004 04:56									#17
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Play it for a challenge! You should be good enough to win despite setbacks. Of course, it all comes down to having fun, but I don't see how fighting a stronger (if stupid) opponent is less fun than fighting a weak, stupid opponent.

	29-08-2004 05:18									#18
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I have to keep my dignity in the game. I usually don't have a higher military rating than the believers so that's the challenge. but the university falling behind the Gaians? that's just shameful.