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From: ebert@parc.xerox.com (Robert Ebert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Empire Builder
Summary: Also Strategic Conquest
Message-ID: <1991Mar11.190133.28136@parc.xerox.com>
Date: 11 Mar 91 19:01:33 GMT
References: <27D83383.5777@ics.uci.edu> <12322@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Sender: news@parc.xerox.com
Organization: Xerox SSU
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If you like the Empire Builder demo, you'll also be interested in Strategic
Conquest, now from Delta Tao.  (The same folks who are doing Spaceward Ho!)
Strategies and play are very similar to Empire Builder.  I would guess that
Empire Builder is a follow on to the original Strategic Conquest, since it
includes some things that are improvements, but also makes things more
complicated.  (Why you'd care what the name of a city is is beyond me.)

Strategic Conquest doesn't offer as much control over the various nuances
of city production and piece orders, but it provides a much smoother look and
is (IMHO) easier to control your pieces.  In StratCon, you end up hand moving
pieces more often, but you also don't worry about them going off and doing
strange things.

I also prefer the graphics in Strategic Conquest.  They look, well, more
polished, and the screen is much less busy.  You see what you need to see,
and not much else.  When I tried the Empire Builder demo, I couldn't stick
with it because it seemed overcomplicated.  The same thing happened when
I tried XConq.  (A game for X/UNIX)  Strategic Conquest makes good use of
the Mac interface.

I don't remember what the shareware fee was for Empire Builder, but Strategic
Conquest goes for something like $35, it's not copy protected, and comes with
a cool manual.  (Hardcopy, NOT FullWrite...)  You can order from Delta Tao
at (408) 730-9336.  [They'll even send you the game with a SASE and an invoice,
and then you send them the money.  No COD hassles.  Lots better than ShareWare.]

			--Bob

P.S.  I have no relationship with Delta Tao other than as a *very* satisfied
customer.