Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri

[Torplexed]

Anyone try this one in back in the late 20th Century? Was very similar to Meyer's Civilization 2 which preceeded it by about three years. You are the leader of one of several factions that have risen on a giant colony ship headed for Alpha Centauri. You must build cities, establish borders, clash with the other factions and the planet itself. The only thing that bugged me about it was the ability of all the factions to build cities on and under the water. You couldn't use the 'island continet' strategy of Civ2 quite as well. Some of the exotic weaponry was fun.

http://img2.kult-mag.com/photos/00/00/03/75/ME0000037516_2.jpg

[Captain Vlad]

Actually preferred that game to Civilization and wasted countless hours on it. Liked to play the Gaians...one of my longest turn-based strategy wars was when I was attacked by both the Believers and the Human Hive and forced to invade the continent they both occupied.

One thing I loved was the little bonuses and such you got from specific locations and all the landmarks on Planet, which added to the whole 'exploring a new world' feel.

[Torplexed]

Actually preferred that game to Civilization and wasted countless hours on it. Liked to play the Gaians...one of my longest turn-based strategy wars was when I was attacked by both the Believers and the Human Hive and forced to invade the continent they both occupied.

One thing I loved was the little bonuses and such you got from specific locations and all the landmarks on Planet, which added to the whole 'exploring a new world' feel.
I enjoyed playing the Gaians as well. The University Faction was my other favorite as they got all the sweet science and research bonuses. Yeah, the planet was littered with lots of goodies in capsules from the crashed ship Unity which contained surprises pleasant and not. Like you mentioned there were also some great land features to have within your borders like the Garland Crater which boosted your mineral production. I may have to fire it up again someday and see what all I've forgotten.;)

[goldorak]

This game is a real gem, far superior to the civilization franchise.
Its a pity that Meier never considered doing a sequel.
Its one of the few games that is installed right after the os on my computer and is never disinstalled. :cool:
Oh yeah, you don't make manuals like that anymore (this is my rant for modern games that come in a paper sleeve and with a one sheet manual :down: ).

[Captain Vlad]

Those old MPS manuals were awesome. I lost my F-19 and M1 Tank Platoon discs long ago, but I keep the manuals sitting on my bookshelf. They were a good enough info source I might've bought them without the games...

[U49]

Those old MPS manuals were awesome. (..) but I keep the manuals sitting on my bookshelf. They were a good enough info source I might've bought them without the games...

:yep:
Full ack! Me too

[Captain Vlad]

I still remember passages from F-19's, mostly about the differences in radar types and the different methods used to evade detection by them. M1 Tank Platoon probably had the best one, though...loved all the info on the US Army's 'fight the Soviets' doctrince, and how the Russian army's methods differed.

Other nice ones were the manuals from the Dynamix 'Aces' series. Still have those, too.

Homeworld also had a great one.

[U49]

Other nice ones were the manuals from the Dynamix 'Aces' series. Still have those, too.

*Just flipping through the man pages of "Aces over Europe" and "Colonization"*

:roll: haaaaaach, those were the days ... :roll: