RKade8583: Is there even a reason to play SMAC when we get SMAX too or am I missing something?

RKade8583: So the comparison is more Fallout 1/Fallout 2 as opposed to Civ 5 G&K/BNW?

BlaneckW: I prefer the original's tech tree and don't consider the expansion factions to have much depth; philosophically, and that they are weaker (save the overpowered aliens) than the original factions and thus unbalanced against them. The expansions new secret project's (wonders) are also overpowered in my opinion. For isntance, air is already powerful and a critical turning point in the game, and one adds even more to it. Programming-wise, the expansion also removes faction-specific AI. People like the expansion because people like more, but I don't think it's a better game.

tinyE: Other threads mention playing SMAX with the new factions 'turned off' to get a nice combo of the two, but how to I 'turn off' factions? I see how to change them but not actually turn them off.

korell: Load up Alien Crossfire and start a new game. After you choose your ruleset you then get to choose your faction. There are three images above the faction choice which controls which factions the game uses. From left to right they are the original factions, the new factions and a random mix of old and new factions. Underneath the images you then select which faction you want to play.

So, to turn off the new factions you just use the original factions from the faction select screen.