11-02-2001 23:44									#1
	Another SMAC Ultimate SP Challenge Increase Your PM Length

This is truly masochistic but displays the AI's awesome strength under the right conditions, which are as follows. AT Transcend level play as Yang on a Tiny Planet/30%-50% water/native life rare/erosive forces weak/cloud cover minimal/victory via trancsdence or conquer only/do or die/spoils of war/intense rivalry/no unity survey/no unity scattering/bell curve/iron man. GL! Best I've manged is 2 bases, one at pop 4, the other at pop 2, nary a former, 1 rover, 1 base conquered (UoP), energy level to 64, 101 yrs before eradication, 1% rating. Haven't managed to find the best way up the tech tree. "Drone riots" & "turn complete" becomes tedious/momotonous, but at least the game moves along at a very rapid pace - nothing but a shooting war.

If this is old news/ground, plz forgive this post. But doing a search re Tiny Planet, only got 9 hits & this scenario was not discussed. Pro'ly impossible, but I'm gonna keep trying.
[This message has been edited by Lucy In The Sky (edited February 11, 2001).]

	12-02-2001 23:23									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

I've done all the tiny planet old factions, plus some of the new. I use your settings except abundant native, except for Gaians, and Cult, and no spoils. I found hardest to be Morgan(getting started is a pain). Easiest was Usurpers with a 2199 conquer win.

Sounds like a quick game. I might try it again with your settings and take some notes.

Tips just from looking at it.

1. Formers. Go for this tech first. Then build lots of formers.

2. Lots of Colony Pods. Use Hives growth strength.

3. Meet and Greet to exchange techs and explore.

4. save your ecs to go police and then planned ASAP

5. Get the Weather Paradigm. Great for all those formers and allows condensers and 4 nut squares prior to Gene Splicing.

Good Luck!

	13-02-2001 02:25									#3
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I have never played on a tiny map, so excuse my ignorance, but can tinkering with the basic settings like that lead to a super tough or unwinnable game? I had tinkered with the settings on larger maps and never found a huge difference.

Is directed research allowed/ necessary to be competetive ?? If so I will have to re-acquaint myself with the tech tree after so many double-blind games.

One other question -- why Yang ?? Is there a reason that Yang is the challenge rather than some builder style faction with morale negatives for the inevitable early fighting

	13-02-2001 04:56									#4
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cbn, I dunno, but I'm exploring the possibility of impossible parameters. Yang because I find him the most difficult to play, even on a Huge planet under more benign/preferable parameters.

b_c, Thx for the tips. Find myself eradicated well before I can get the former train rolling. Have abandoned the Yang survival quest for now & will return to that scenario some other time.

Am now playing as Santiago (my fav) & have lasted a little longer, tho not doing much better. I'm not past level 2 anywhere on the tech tree & pacted w/powerful/large neighbor Miriam. Was poised to take Lady G's sole base & gain coastal access but Miriam's already got Air Power & she muscled her way in before I could do so. So......trapped along the So edge of the map & the only way out is thru Miriam's territory. Hope I last long enough to give that a whirl.