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Title: Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri: Prima's Official Strategy Guide by Chris McCubbin, David Ladyman, Sid Meier ISBN: 0-7615-1584-4 Publisher: Prima Lifestyles Pub. Date: January, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.99

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Average Customer Rating: 1.71 (14 reviews)

Rating: 2
Summary: plenty of reference, hardly any strategy
Comment: While it's generally agreed that Prima's guides are often letdowns, the Civilization-type games have usually been a noteworthy exception to the trend. Until now.

There are 28 pages (out of 320) of straight strategy. There's a useful section in the back on customizing 'modpacks'. The bulk of the rest of the book is a description of the base enhancements, techs, secret projects, and so on--all of which is available in the game with a mouseclick. (They do at least offer some suggestions on the relative values of the items.) They deemed it worth their time to include an index.

What's missing is: an in-depth look at play as each faction; some hints on designing your own units (and how to get the most out of the fairly clunky unit design interface, about the only clunky part of the game's UI); and a meaningful sense of the diplomatic aspect of the game (which can be important).

Mileage will vary, but compared to what Civ fans are used to this guide doesn't measure up.

Rating: 5
Summary: Liked the Software, Liked the Book
Comment: The book is a good reference when playing the game. The information in the strategy guide contains more information than the game's on-line help. The strategy guide has a cross reference to easily find information in the guide and in the software manual. For me, the quick reference makes the game play more enjoyable.

I particularly liked Appendix C, which gives insight on how to modify the game play. Alpha Centauri has seven players. The computer players have certain personalities. Quite frankly, there is one personality I do not like to play with. By changing a file, I was able to change offending personality.

Rating: 2
Summary: Alternative manual - not strategy guide
Comment: The official strategy guide to SMAC was a disappointment. In retrospect, I realize I should have heeded the warnings in the other reviews. The beginning is good, with nice tips on general gameplay and the various victory types, but then it reverts to nothing more than a rewrite of the game manual and online help.

The Alpha Centauri strategy guide pales in comparison with the corresponding book for Civilization II, which is required reading for any Civ2 fan.

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	Title:Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri ASIN: B00001NTSO Publisher: Electronic Arts Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99
	Title: Sid Meier's Civilization III: Advanced Strategies (PTW & GOTY) : Prima's Official Strategy Guide (Prima's Official Strategy Guides) by DAVID ELLIS ISBN: 0761540636 Publisher: Prima Games Pub. Date: 05 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.99