For example Master of Orion features the Klackons, ant-like insects that build fast and spread fast. Right now it's been too long with both games for me to judge if the factions really are similar to those of SMAC, or if they aren't just common video game tropes of the time. The only thing old games like this can do on Steam is count your playtime (if you don't need to launch them via a differently-named third party exe), otherwise you have no benefit versus a better-patched DRM-free version like you'd typically find on GoG. Further the more prominent role of the 'shrines', which are of course a major plot point and welcome resource in smacx.

The fact that Deadlock is a clone becomes even clearer in 'Shrine Wars' as the user interface, tech tree especially, imitates smacx perfectly. Those elements are the factions of Deadlock, although they _are_ the smacx factions in disguise (Tarth = Spartans, Cht'Cht = The Hive, Maug = University, Uva Mosk = Gaians, Humans = Morganites, Cyth = Hive/Believer mashup, Re'lu = 'Peacekeepers') and those awesome but mostly useless defensive facilities (they just look cool, especially the simple Laser Defense, for my taste). Who else here is an avid SMACX fan and uses this game, in particular, as a surrogate and because it's simply available on steam, unlike Smacx? Why isn't smacx available on steam? )Īnyways, these games are very similar and while I find smacx clearly superior to Deadlock, there are a few elements from the latter, that I do miss when dusting off my old Thinkpad with my last remaining 'install' of that timeless classic. This game is essentially a 'Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri' clone, which brings me to my main question or topic. This is slightly fixed in its successor 'Deadlock II -Shrine Wars'. Loved it since back in the day, but the main drawback is its rather clunky colony management, foremost unit movement and control and workeforce distribution.

It took a few tweaks to get going, but thanks to other user's advice it was really easy. Just played this game for a couple of hours.

Play deadlock planetary conquest online