Alpha Centauri looks to be a worthy successor to Civilization.

• Remember all those poor humans you shot off into space at the end of Civilization 2? Well, by all accounts they made it. The game is based on the fate of the colonists after they reach Alpha Centauri. You get to play the ruler of one of the factions that developed amongst the motely crew during the long flight to the nearest star system to earth.

• The storyline leading up to the game is highly detailed, the tenth chapter of which is the latest to be released on the Alpha Centauri home site.

• There are seven factions in the game, each of them based on philosophical and ethical beliefs. This obviously differs to the set-up of Civilization 2, where nations were involved. Each of the seven factions has varying strengths and weaknesses, depending on the beliefs of the unit. For example, the University of Planet faction is commited to the advance of knowledge and technology over emotional concerns. Other factions are The Human Hive (the master of which is highly charismatic with an eiditic memory), The Peacekeeping Forces (humanitarian), Gaia's Stepdaughters (ecologically minded and democratic), the profit hungry Morgan Comglomerate, The Spartan Coalition (value strength of body and discipline), and two others that have yet to be revealed. As you can gather, Alpha Centauri will offer a rich, deep experience.

• There are multiple paths to victory. Simply conquer the planet with brute force or negotiate your way into the halls of power. Meetings of the Planetary Council give the scope to double-cross your allies using probe teams and manipulate others factions like a true megalomaniac.

• Every time you play the game, a new fractal based planet generator creates an entirely new planet, complete with weather patterns and unique geological formations. The terrain is in full 3D and contoured. Each square on the game map takes into account rainfall, altitude and temperatures. You can terraform, raising mountain ranges and the like. Projects like this can disturb the weather patterns for entire continents, a fact that can obviously be used to your advantage: rain all over your opponents whilst you bask in the sun.

• Discover and murder the unique indigenous life-forms of the planets. As your society impacts increasingly on the eco-system, the planet fights back with Xenofungus and mindworms. Nasty. According to the developers, the planet has "some kind of sentience for you to communicate with and learn about." What kind of madness is this?

• Technology abounds. Eighty futuristic technologies will bring a new meaning to the word complex. Teleporters, time travel, quantum machinery.... Do you build your arsenals or pile currency into developing power sources for your population? As you blunder on into the future you'll have it all: insane weaponary, solid defenses, differing motive types and secret advanced abilities (that will depend on your faction). They'll be super vehicles in the game, each with their own special abilities. Stealth, for example, will allow the vehicle to move around the game map undetected. You'll be able to design units according to your needs. Outfit land and sea units, with multiple types of armor and weaponary.

• Power is money. The currency in the game is literally raw power, with money meaning nothing. This will make such things as power plants extremely valuable indeed....

• Full multiplayer support for six of you to dominate the new world on LAN, modem, Internet or serial connections. Chat live over the Internet with text or voice-over-data technology. Responsive and detailed AI computer players make intelligent decisions, plot with you against mutual enemies, coordinate their actions, and respond to you based on their own self-interest and personality.

• Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is set for release in November this year.

Images:

• University
• Council
• Bulk Matter Transmitter
• Human Hive
• Morgan City
• Diplomacy screen
• Design your own units
• Meditation