University.
It suits my preferred playstyle, because I'm a PvE builder. If I played PvP, I might choose something else, but I don't.
I do get the irony in Zakharov's statements like: "The first living thing to go through the device was a small white rat. I still have him, in fact. As you can see, the damage was not so great as they say." and find them funny.
i.e., if you're a partisan to any particular faction, of course you won't find any of them fun. All are poked fun at in SMAC, except perhaps Lal. If he's supposed to be funny, I missed it, probably because I'm hugely partisan to his cause, although have never played Peacekeepers.
As a builder type, if I can survive getting to Superstring Theory before any other faction, it's game over for any other faction (really supply crawlers are. Some consider them an exploit since the AI doesn't use them, the AI also cheats at higher difficulties).
Either one is pretty easy with University/Free Market/Wealth and spending the money to hurry build. There is no point in going Free Market/Wealth unless you do. If you haven't yet acquired the tech necessary to defeat your NPC neighbors, the more money you have, the more money it will take to appease them. Spend the money, and they will ask for less.
I do draw a line at ICS (infinite city sprawl), but that's because I don't usually don't need to, despite the fact that NPCs do use it. I'd use it in a heartbeat if necessary. If I played PvP, of course I would use it, and any other means allowed by the game rules.
Edited Note: You will have to change out of Free Market when you decide it's necessary to leave your territory or build air units, but that's easy enough to do. And ironically, Superstring Theory in real life should give someone pause who believes in science only, without understanding the science themselves, and instead accepts scientists as many religious people do clergy.
“A brave little theory, and actually quite coherent for a system of five or seven dimensions–if only we lived in one.”
— Academician Prokhor Zakharov, “Now We Are Alone”
made me laugh, too, back around the turn of this century, when I first played this game. I've been playing video games since Pong, but SMAC is the oldest game I still play when newer games disappoint. The number of dimensions have since increased required to make the physics/math work out in String Theory in real life. As far as I know, there is still no testable proof for any of it. And even though retired, I still try to keep up with it, while eating popcorn.
i.e., take all of SMAC/SMAX factions as laughable extremes, and play the one that works best for your preferred playstyle, rather than your preferred real life ideology.
Post edited September 24, 2021 by Liralen
