Editing Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (section)

==Gameplay==
[[File:SMACx-DiploScreenshot1.jpg|thumb|alt=Horizontal rectangle video game screenshot that depicts a digital representation of an alien planet. In the foreground is a series of smaller screens that cover the majority of the image. The smaller screens have black backgrounds and display information about the game's current state as well as options to alter that state. In the background is a reddish-brown planetscape viewed from an isometric perspective. The planet is inhabited by small structures and life forms.|''Alpha Centauri'' and ''Alien Crossfire'' feature similar gameplay. Diplomatic actions are handled in pop-up windows, while combat and unit movement are handled on the isometric field shown in the background. Information such as unit health and status changes are displayed on the black field across the bottom.]]

''Alpha Centauri'', a [[turn-based strategy]] game with a [[hard science fiction]] setting,<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle |{{cite magazine |last1=Carter |first1=Tim |title=Review – Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=April 1999 |issue=177 |page=208 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_177/page/n211/mode/2up |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |quote=PROS: Wonderful "hard" sci-fi setting}}|{{cite web |last1=Cachinero-Gorman |first1=Alex |title=Alpha Centauri |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/sid-meiers-alpha-centauri/ |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |access-date=November 11, 2023 |date=May 4, 2017 |quote=[...] Reynolds and his team worked tirelessly to imbue every inch of their game with the cool, atmospheric melancholy so dear to hard sci-fi.}}|{{cite magazine |last1=Peckham |first1=Matt |title=Interview: Sid Meier's Civilization Beyond Earth Might Be the Alpha Centauri Sequel You've Been Waiting For |url=https://time.com/59516/sid-meiers-civilization-beyond-earth-might-be-the-alpha-centauri-sequel-youve-been-waiting-for/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |publisher=Time USA, LLC. |access-date=November 11, 2023 |date=April 12, 2014 |quote=[...] Beyond Earth, which Firaxis is announcing at PAX East today, may finally bring an end to Firaxis’ hard-sci-fi, turn-based, planet-bound 4X [...] drought. But it’s not Alpha Centauri 2.}}}}</ref> is played from an [[Isometric graphics in video games|isometric]] perspective. Many game features from ''[[Civilization II]]'' are present, but renamed or slightly tweaked: players establish bases (Civilization II's cities), build facilities (buildings) and secret projects (Wonders of the World), explore territory, research technology, and conquer other factions (civilizations).<ref name="Shah2000p1"/><ref name=Tito2005p1/><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Noer |first=Michael |url=https://www.forbes.com/1997/07/25/sid.html |title=Sid starts up. Again |magazine=Forbes.com |date=July 25, 1997 |access-date=2010-08-07 |archive-date=2012-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025014949/http://www.forbes.com/1997/07/25/sid.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="kickstartnews.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.kickstartnews.com/reviews/games/alpha_centauri.html |title=Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri |publisher=Kickstartnews.com |access-date=2010-08-07 |archive-date=2014-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221174125/http://www.kickstartnews.com/reviews/games/alpha_centauri.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to conquering all non-allied factions, players may also win by obtaining votes from three-quarters of the total population (similar to ''Civilization IV''{{'}}s Diplomatic victory), "cornering the Global Energy Market", completing the Ascent to Transcendence secret project, or for alien factions, constructing six Subspace Generators.<ref name=Shah2000p1/><ref name="2067Battleground">{{Cite news | last = Herz | first = J.C. | title = Game Theory; On 2067 Battleground, 1999 Political Passions | work = The New York Times | date = March 18, 1999 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/18/technology/game-theory-on-2067-battleground-1999-political-passions.html | access-date = November 6, 2009 | archive-date = July 25, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100725071000/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/18/technology/game-theory-on-2067-battleground-1999-political-passions.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=Shah2000p5>[[#Shah2000|Shah (2000)]], p.5.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=6&Page=2 |title=Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire |publisher=Insidemacgames.com |date=September 18, 2000 |access-date=2010-08-07 |archive-date=2012-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316175623/http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=6&Page=2 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The main map (the upper two-thirds of the screen) is divided into squares, on which players can establish bases, move units and engage in combat. Through [[Terraforming in popular culture|terraforming]], players may modify the effects of the individual map squares on movement, combat and resources. Resources are used to feed the population, construct units and facilities, and supply energy. Players can allocate energy between research into new technology and energy reserves. Unlike ''Civilization II'', new technology grants access to additional unit components rather than pre-designed units, allowing players to design and re-design units as their factions' priorities shift.<ref name=Edge2006p1/><ref name=Primap230>[[#Prima|McCubbin (1999)]], p.230.</ref> Energy reserves allow the player to upgrade units, maintain facilities, and attempt to win by the Global Energy Market scenario. Bases are military strongpoints and objectives that are vital for all winning strategies. They produce military units, house the population, collect energy, and build secret projects and Subspace Generators. Facilities and secret projects improve the performance of individual bases and of the entire faction.

In addition to terraforming, optimizing individual base performance and building secret projects, players may also benefit their factions through social engineering, probe teams, and diplomacy. Social engineering modifies the ideologically based bonuses and penalties forced by the player's choice of faction.<ref name=Tito2005p1/><ref name=Edge2006p1/><ref name=Shah2000p2/><ref name=DD898p2/><ref name=DD898p1>[[#DD|Train (August 11, 1998)]], p1.</ref> Probe teams can sabotage and steal information, units, technology, and energy from enemy bases, while diplomacy lets the player create coalitions with other factions. It also allows the trade or transfer of units, bases, technology and energy. The Planetary Council, similar to the [[United Nations Security Council]], takes Planet-wide actions and determines population victories.<ref>[[#SMACManual|Reynolds (1999)]], p.132.</ref>

In addition to futuristic technological advances and secret projects, the game includes alien life, structures and machines.<ref name=Shah2000p1/> "Xenofungus" and "sea fungus" provide movement, combat, and resource penalties, as well as concealment for "mind worms" and "spore launchers".<ref name=Shah2000p4/> Immobile "fungal towers" spawn native life. Native life, including the seaborne "Isles of the Deep" and "Sealurks" and airborne "Locusts of Chiron", use [[psionic]] combat, an alternate form of combat which ignores weapons and armor.<ref name=Shah2000p4>[[#Shah2000|Shah (2000)]], p.4.</ref> [[Monolith]]s repair units and provide resources; [[Artefact (archaeology)|artifacts]] yield new technology and hasten secret projects; [[landmarks]] provide resource bonuses; and random events add danger and opportunity. Excessive development leads to terraforming-destroying fungus blooms and new native life.

''Alpha Centauri'' provides a single player mode and supports [[Modding|customization]] and [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]. Players may customize the game by choosing options at the beginning of the game, using the built-in scenario and map editors, and modifying ''Alpha Centauri''{{'}}s game files.<ref name="maximumPC">{{cite journal | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0QEAAAAAMBAJ&q=game&pg=PT85 | title=Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri – Intelligent life in space | author=Jr. Durham, Joel | date=May 1999 | issue=5 | volume=4 | journal=Maximum PC | pages=80 | issn=1522-4279 | access-date=2020-10-20 | archive-date=2023-09-23 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923061110/https://books.google.com/books?id=0QEAAAAAMBAJ&q=game&pg=PT85 | url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to a choice of seven (or 14 in ''Alien Crossfire'') factions, pre-game options include scenario game, customized random map, difficulty level, and game rules that include victory conditions, research control, and initial map knowledge. The scenario and map editors allow players to create customized scenarios and maps.<ref>[http://www.civgaming.net/smac/acad_scened.shtml "The Scenario Editor"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005032121/http://www.civgaming.net/smac/acad_scened.shtml |date=October 5, 2015 }}, Civilization Gaming Networks.</ref> The game's basic rules, diplomatic dialog, and the factions' starting abilities are in text files, which "the designers have done their best to make it reasonably easy to modify..., even for non-programmers."<ref>[[#SMACManual|Reynolds (1999)]], p.207.</ref><ref>[http://www.civgaming.net/smac/alphaxguide_v1_3.html "Alpha(x).txt editing (v. 1.3)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923204416/http://www.civgaming.net/smac/alphaxguide_v1_3.html |date=September 23, 2015 }}, Civilization Gaming Networks.</ref> ''Alpha Centauri'' supports play by email ("PBEM") and TCP/IP mode featuring simultaneous movement, and introduces direct player-to-player negotiation, allowing the unconstrained trade of technology, energy, maps, and other elements.<ref name=DD1298p2>[[#DD|Reynolds (December 9, 1998)]], p2.</ref>