While Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri superficially resembles Civilization, the game incorporates such sweeping changes to the latter's civilization-building model as to give this game a completely new.

• WW: August, 2000, Mode(s), Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is a, considered a to the. Set in a depiction of the, the game begins as seven competing ideological factions land on the planet Chiron ('Planet') in the. As the game progresses, Planet's growing sentience becomes a formidable obstacle to the human colonists., designer of, and, designer of, developed Alpha Centauri after they left to join the newly created. Released both Alpha Centauri and its expansion, Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire, in 1999. The following year, both titles to while ported them to. Alpha Centauri features improvements on Civilization II 's, including simultaneous multiplay, social engineering, climate, customizable units, alien native life, additional diplomatic and spy options, additional ways to win, and greater -ability.

Alien Crossfire introduces five new human and two non-human factions, as well as additional technologies, facilities, secret projects, native life, unit abilities, and a victory condition. The game received wide critical acclaim, being compared favorably to Civilization II. Critics praised its science fiction storyline (comparing the plot to works by,,, and ), the in-game writing, the voice acting, the user-created custom units, and the depth of the. Alpha Centauri also won several awards for best game of the year and best strategy game of the year.

Alpha Centauri and Alien Crossfire feature similar gameplay. Chertezhi golovki bloka cilindrov. 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 game with a science fiction setting, is played from an perspective. Many game features from 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). 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.

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, 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. 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. 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, takes Planet-wide actions and determines population victories. In addition to futuristic technological advances and secret projects, the game includes alien life, structures and machines. 'Xenofungus' and 'sea fungus' provide movement, combat, and resource penalties, as well as concealment for 'mind worms' and 'spore launchers'. Immobile 'fungal towers' spawn native life.