From Readme files of Pirates and Civ4

Pirates
Minimum System Requirements
Operating System: Windows® 98/Me/2000/XP
Processor: Pentium® 1.0 GHz or higher
Memory: 256 MB RAM
Hard Disk Space: 1.2 GB Free
CD-ROM Drive: 4X Speed
Video: DirectX 9.0c-compatible 32 MB video card with Hardware T&L support
Sound: DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card
DirectX®: DirectX® version 9.0c (included) or higher

Civ 4
Minimum System Requirements
Operating System:

Windows® 2000/XP

Processor:

1.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent

Memory:

256 MB RAM (Windows 2000) / 512 MB RAM (Windows XP)

Hard Disk Space:

1.7 GB Free

CD-ROM Drive:

4X Speed

Video:

DirectX 9.0c-compatible 64 MB video card with Hardware T&L support (GeForce 2/Radeon 7500 or better)

Sound:

DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card

DirectX®:

DirectX® version 9.0c (included) or higher

From the first post it seems to me the requirements of the 2 games are the same.
Supposedly C4 and Pirates use the same graphics engines.
I can run pirates ok on my Pc.But for C4 I have black terrain and cheshire cat leaders.Pirates runs slow and choppy.
I have
win xp pentium4 1.5ghz 256mb ram 40GB harddisk
I intend to ask same questions in email to tech support.

The difference is (I believe) that the version of DirectX required for Civ4 is slightly different - its DirectX9.0c-plus-a-few-files.

From the first post it seems to me the requirements of the 2 games are the same.
Supposedly C4 and Pirates use the same graphics engines.
I can run pirates ok on my Pc.But for C4 I have black terrain and cheshire cat leaders.Pirates runs slow and choppy.
I have
win xp pentium4 1.5ghz 256mb ram 40GB harddisk
I intend to ask same questions in email to tech support.

Now I know
Just looked at http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_msr.htm
and for windows xp 512MB ram is required not 256 MB
the 256mb minimum is for windows2000

Pirates works fine with me, but Civ gives me the "cat" and "black terrain" problems, even with the latest DirectX and latest videocarddrivers installed. :(

The difference is (I believe) that the version of DirectX required for Civ4 is slightly different - its DirectX9.0c-plus-a-few-files.
I installed the directx9.0c from the c4 install
So I think it is a memory issue

Well now I know my graphics card is only 32 MB. Which is below required for C4 and pirates.But I can play pirates.So for me it could be memory or graphics card or both.I want my money back. I cant afford more RAM and a new graphics card and the $52 I paid for the game.:mad:

This is why I don't get the TnL issue. Pirates works fine on my laptop, swordfights can get slow at times, but thats the worst of it. I have the black terrain, cheshire cat problems with civ4. Maybe a ram extension will help.