22-09-2000 19:29									#1
	SMACX - is it worth it? Full PM-box? Change here!

SMAC is a great game, and I was originally going to get SMAC-X straight away, but all that changed after I played the demo. So is it really worth getting SMACX, solely for the seven new factions and a handful of new techs?

	23-09-2000 09:15									#2
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Depends on what you like or don't like about SMAC. One of the best assests of SMAC is the balance between the factions. Sure you have the Hive horde or the Zelot witch, but all the factions balance and contrast each other.

Now SMAX pretty much destroyed that balance with the seven new factions, but what they lack in anti-cohesion the game gains in new abilities such as techshare. Also there are a host of new unit abilities, buildings and special projects that in my mind greatly enhance the game.

My suggestion is to keep playing SMAC untill you get tired of seeing the same faces game after game doing the same things over and over, then buy SMAX.

	26-09-2000 02:05									#3
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I like it because of the new units, abilities, and projects. I think the new factions are too unbalancing to use against the computer or other people in multiplayer games, but who am I to say? I also like it because it fixed the most annoying bug of all, the maintenance costs of facilities and I think artillery is a bit more effective.

	26-09-2000 03:02									#4
	Increase Your PM Length

Hmmm......great, thanks guys, it looks like I will be getting SMACX after all. I agree that the maintenance cost bug is incredibly annoying, as you can never really see the true state of your finnaces. I'm also glad about the artillery, as it is next to useless in SMAC.

Unbalancing? Let's hope they offer a bit more of a challenge, that's all I can say. I'm also eager to learn exactly what techshare is!

Thanks for the input guys, I'll nip into town tomorrow!

	26-09-2000 19:47									#5
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One of the new factions, the Data Angles, have a special abilitiy called tech share. Tech share works exactly like the SP (forget the name) where you learn a tech when another three factions have that tech. So you get one of the early/mid SPs for free!

Enjoy,

	26-09-2000 19:48									#6
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Also be sure to get the patch... it fixes some of the promblems of the origional release

	26-09-2000 22:36									#7
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There is one important difference between the Planetary Datalinks SP and the DataJacks Techshare ability. You must have the three factions infiltrated as the Datajacks for their ability to work. This isn't a problem if you are the planetary governor, or get the Empath Guild SP, but it DOES mean you won't start getting free tech right from the beginning of the game.

	26-09-2000 22:59									#8
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Yes it does bring some new faction abilities you can play with if you like creating your own factions as well...

	27-09-2000 00:26									#9
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Aren't the Datajacks a bit like the University anyway? So what use would this ability be, as you would always get the tech before anyone else.

Strange.....

	27-09-2000 00:38									#10
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Mark13,

Datajacks/DataAngels are in fact nothing like UoP. UoP is a faction designed to research to the hilt (ala +2 research and free net nodes). Angels could be considered to be the opposite of UoP in that they are designed to steal techs and or steal units/bases via their inherent +2 probe and techshare=3 abilities.

So on the one hand UoP is considered to be the tech kings via hard work and research (albeit some of it via questionable ethics) vs. Angels considered to be the tech scourges via tech stealing etc. Other nuances of SE +'s and -'s aside.

Hope this helps

Og

	27-09-2000 00:45									#11
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Ogie,

Thanks for clearing that one up, it is all clear to me now......

	27-09-2000 07:31									#13
	Increase Your PM Length

You must need the v2 patch, the original version had some issues with special abilities.

	28-09-2000 05:36									#14
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Thanks for the tip, but I have already applied patch 2 (the file smacxpv2.exe, right?).

	28-09-2000 16:15									#15
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Having the Empath Guild is enough, but the ability does not work for techs the others already have - only the ones that are researched after you get the Guild/the Governorship/enough infiltrators. So if one more of the other factions discovers the tech from then on, you should get it.

	29-09-2000 05:29									#16
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Thanks for the explanation!