Civilizaton IV v. Alpha Centauri

[WhipperSnapper]

All of this talk about Civilization V makes me wonder, how did Civilization IV and Alpha Centauri compare to one another? Was one better than the other? (I've played Alpha but never Civ4.)

 

[Martimus]

I don't consider the two games all that much alike, honestly. AC was more like Galactic Civilization 2 than Civ IV. Civ IV was kind of an expansion of Civ III, while fixing some of the issues with the latter. The AI still kind of sucked in it though.

 

[JujuFish]

Alpha Centauri is my favorite turn-based strategy game ever. I'd love to see an Alpha Centauri 2.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Alpha Centauri is like Civlization IV with full unit customization, so SMAC it is.

 

[minmaster]

civ for the masses, smac for the more hardcore gamers.
that's how it'll always be.

 

[mfenn]

SMAC is one of the best games ever made. It's certainly the best 4X game ever. Civ IV is pretty, but they added too much crap to the game (esp. with BTS) to make it fun.

 

[Arglebargle]

SMAC is one of the best games ever made. It's certainly the best 4X game ever....

Absolutely!

 

[GoodRevrnd]

You guys are nuts. BTS improved the game in every way. My only real qualm with Civ4 is that once you hit industrial it just drags a bit too much. SMAC unit customization is highly overrated due to the way they balanced the units. You ended up just making your typical infantry/recon/tank units anyway. This isn't to say I don't like SMAC, as it has many other merits to it. I just don't think the unit customization deserves anywhere near the amount of praise it receives.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

They both had their strengths. That said I like SMAC better, but still play both occasionally.

 

[Schadenfroh]

civ for the masses, smac for the more hardcore gamers.
that's how it'll always be.

The console franchise Civilization: Revolutions appears to be more geared towards the masses than the PC's Civilization franchise.

 

[Magusigne]

Pax Imperia II.

 

[datalink7]

SMAC all the way. I love CIV IV but SMAC is one of my favorite games of all times (and where my username comes from).

 

[paperfist]

The console franchise Civilization: Revolutions appears to be more geared towards the masses than the PC's Civilization franchise.

Why do you say that? I'd find it hard to believe that Rev has outsold Civ especially since the ladder has been out for decades.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Why do you say that? I'd find it hard to believe that Rev has outsold Civ especially since the ladder has been out for decades.

Where did he imply it outsold anything. Just because it plays to the lowest common denomenator doesn't mean it was successful.

 

[lozina]

what talk about Civ v? Sorry I am out of the loop!

I would love to see an Alpha Centauri before Civ 5 though .. SMAC2 is long overdue!

Edit: Nevermind about Civ 5 - I just stumbled upon the announcement! Excuse me while I go find a spatula to scrape my lower jaw from the floor....

 

[Via]

Have to go with AC on this one.

 

[Maximilian]

SMAC for me, it just made more sense and was sci fi to boot.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

alpha centauri is my favorite turn-based strategy game ever. I'd love to see an alpha centauri 2.

qft

 

[paperfist]

Where did he imply it outsold anything. Just because it plays to the lowest common denomenator doesn't mean it was successful.

Actually, I over looked the key word 'geared' to the masses so I retract my remarks.

I still disagree though, Rev is geared to console players certainly, but I don't think that makes it geared to the masses. If Rev was on the PC as well as Civ I think Civ would out sell it 10 to 1.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

It sounds like there is some demand for a SMAC-2. I'd like a sequel to Alpha Centauri, too. I wonder what's getting in the way of one. (Probably publishing contracts and other intellectual property issues.)

 

[minmaster]

The console franchise Civilization: Revolutions appears to be more geared towards the masses than the PC's Civilization franchise.

well i was talking strictly on the PC.

but BRING ON SMAC 2.

or whatever its gonna be called...

beta centauri!

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

It sounds like there is some demand for a SMAC-2. I'd like a sequel to Alpha Centauri, too. I wonder what's getting in the way of one. (Probably publishing contracts and other intellectual property issues.)

From what I understand, EA owns the rights to SMAC basicly cockblocking firaxis, which is ironic considering the whole reason SMAC got made was because some company was cockblocking the civ franchise at the time.

 

[Whitecloak]

i dont know but i been told
jesus got a network node

SMAC baby!

 

[lothar]

From what I understand, EA owns the rights to SMAC basicly cockblocking firaxis, which is ironic considering the whole reason SMAC got made was because some company was cockblocking the civ franchise at the time.

If a company was cockblocking the Civ franchise at the time, how were they able to release Civ IV?

 

[paperfist]

There's a couple of SMAC like mods:

SMAniaC:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=134088?referrerid=3088

Planetfall:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=252829

There's also a mod for FreeCiv though it looks dead:
http://freecivac.sourceforge.net/

If a company was cockblocking the Civ franchise at the time, how were they able to release Civ IV?

EA owns the license:

http://www.totalvideogames.com/Sid-...039d-Love-To-Make-Alpha-Centauri-2-12792.html

"In the interview, Meier confirmed that although EA owns the Alpha Centauri brand, "we would certainly love to make a new Alpha Centauri for today's gamers." In response, EA representatives said that "[whilst] we can't think of anyone better suited to doing another Alpha Centauri game...it would be inappropriate to comment further while EA has an active tender offer for shares of his current employer."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Meier%27s_Alpha_Centauri

"While not being a direct sequel of Civilization II, Alpha Centauri was considered a spiritual successor of that much-acclaimed game, because it had the same general principles and was made by many of the original developers. At the time, the future of the Civilization franchise was in dispute since Sid Meier and Brian Reynolds had left Microprose to found Firaxis. Unable to make Civilization III, the two made Alpha Centauri instead, beginning the game where the storyline had left off in Civilization, with mankind leaving Earth to travel to Alpha Centauri. Alpha Centauri was also built on the Civilization II engine modified for voxel graphics."

My guess is somewhere down the line when Microprose changed hands several times EA ended up with the license while Firaxis got Civ and others:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microprose