GameSpot's Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Game Guide

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appendices

Appendix A: Modifying Alpha Centauri Rules

Appendix B: Creating Custom Functions

Appendix C: Creating Maps and Scenarios

Base Facilities and Secret Projects
As with unit special abilities, you can't change the core effects of a base facility or secret project (meaning that the network node will always provide the same bonus to research, no matter how you change the cost or prerequisites). However, like nearly everything in the alpha.txt file, you can customize costs and the prerequisites required for each. The values for a base facility and a special project are a bit different; let's take a look at each.

Here's a sample line from the base facility section:

Network Node, 8, 1, InfNet, HAL9000, Labs Bonus

The first value is the name of the facility. The next value is the start-up cost of the facility (this cost is multiplied by any mineral multiplier specified in the general rules section). The third value is the cost per turn (or maintenance cost) of the facility. The next two values are the prerequisites ("InfNet" and "HAL9000" in this case). The last value ("Labs Bonus") is a brief description of the facility's effect. Each value can be altered, but only the start-up cost, maintenance cost, and prerequisites will have any effect inside the game.

NOTE
Altering the base facilities in a custom scenario could have a great impact on gearing your game toward exploration, diplomacy, or war. Study the special effects of each facility to take the scenario in the direction you wish.

Following the base facilities are the secret projects, some of the most powerful acquisitions in Alpha Centauri. As with the facilities, you can't change the core effect of the secret projects, but you can change the prerequisites, cost, and value of each. Let's look at a sample secret project:

The Cloning Vats, 50, 0, BioMac, Disable, Population Boom At All Bases, 0, 0, 0, 1, 2,

First, as in most lines, you have the name of the project. The second value, here "50," is the cost of the project. The third value is the per-turn cost of the project (secret projects have no maintenance costs, so this is always zero). The prerequisites are next; the "Disable" in the second field indicates that only one prerequisite is required. The next phrase ("Population Boom At All Bases") is the effect of the project. You shouldn't alter this line; it has no effect on the game, and without it, you could forget what the special project does.