SMAC on Gametap...

[Greatatlantic]

... and I need beginner tips. Simply put, I have no idea whats going on. I haven't quite managed to figure out how to make units yet, nor what I should do with them. Plus, whats "Psych"?

Just in case anyone else is interested, they have a bunch of other sci-fi strategy games, including SE3+4, X-com, Laser Squad Nemesis, and the Homeworlds.

 

[Jim Kata]

Psych is basically like luxuries in civ. They make your populance happier. Fewer drones and more 'talents' will be in the population.

The most important thing to worry about in smac is borders. If you are at peace other civilizations will not cross borders, so it's important to hem in your enemies as much as possible with strategic city placement.

Second most important thing is to explore a lot and pick up unity rovers and tech and crap - you especially need some sea explorers and early sea ability if you are on an island.

Thirst most important is to set up forces on borders near enemy cities. If you go into war fortify near their cities and once they deplete their forces on you move in with rovers and smash their cities. This also keeps you from getting blitzed by spies.

Building wonders (or whatever the fuck theya re called) is also very important, though. Especially the ones that make your capitol do well - and make sure to build your capitol somewhere with good resources, and better yet on a special resource spot like minerals.

It's impossible not to win the game if you can get those satelite production facitilies craked out later in the game, too.

smac is really good, but the autobuilder is super retarded, and it's almost impossible to not win the game long, log before you get halfway through the tech tree, unless you intentionally play very peacefully or get cordoned off into a corner somehow - and even then you can just build lots of sea cities, which the ai almost invariably ignores.

 

[Greatatlantic]

OK, can you give some hints about tile improvements. It seems whenever I build farms it doesn't increase the amount of food coming in. I'm not sure of the benefits of picking things like forests over mines, etc.

 

[Astromarine]

you still owe it to yourself to get a tech victory once, though. I found it to be quite nice. the text of the improvements presents a story that (to me) was very well written. a lot better than "omg you fly off"

 

[Lord Chambers]

I really enjoyed playing as Deirde and having more production from forests than improvements later in the game.

 

[Jim Kata]

OK, can you give some hints about tile improvements. It seems whenever I build farms it doesn't increase the amount of food coming in. I'm not sure of the benefits of picking things like forests over mines, etc.

Just look in the smacopedia. It tells you everything. There is too much to know off the top of your head.

 

[Greatatlantic]

There is an ingame-pedia? How did I miss that.

 

[JoKa]

no idea...ever hit F1?
there's also several tours to take the first time you're playing...
try hitting 'E' oder 'O', those screens are very important, F2-F10 (?) as well...