Frequently Asked Questions

xyzxyz said:

You won't get past the industrial age (my experience w/ 32-bit OS, 3GB switch, 4GB total RAM and a Huge Map with 8 remaining Civs). Once everyone sports an airforce (with all those unit animations), the MAFs will get you. I'll start another game now with a 64-bit OS and 8GB RAM and see how far I'll get. However, I'm a bit pessimistic. Even though BtS is apparently IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE, that's still just 4GB it can access as a native 32-bit application.

If anyone has attempted to play on a Giant or Huge Map on a 64-bit system and survived to see the Modern Age, please let me know. It'd make my game more enjoyable knowing I stand a chance to see it through...

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I have successfully made it to modern era on my XP machine with 3GB switch and medium graphics setting. After the MAF in the industrial era I deleted the cache before loading the game. I did not another MAF until the modern era. I think some of the problem is occurring because obsolete graphics are being stored in the cache and then swaped into graphics memory even though they aren't needed. I could be wrong and more tollerant of the occasional MAF.

So if I switch back to low graphics I might get through a game? Is that what you're saying?

Does the video card make a difference too? If you have a video card with more video RAM, does that help do you know?

Does more anti-aliasing cause a problem or is that just to do with speed?

The Rusty Gamer said:

So if I switch back to low graphics I might get through a game? Is that what you're saying?

Does the video card make a difference too? If you have a video card with more video RAM, does that help do you know?

Does more anti-aliasing cause a problem or is that just to do with speed?

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I played two games (Warlords - Total Realism Mod/BtS - ROM AND) on huge maps (and a moderate number of Civs) with 32-bit OS and 3GB switch, and MAFs showed up in both cases once airplanes got airborne and the landscape gets busy with all these moving animations. Once that happens, nothing really helps. I ran it down to the crudest screen resolution, 0 anti-aliasing, lowest graphics setting (including nerfing everything graphics-related in the .ini file), and still got a MAF crash every third or fourth turn. Given the long load time, that kills the game experience (immersive makes it fun; impossible if you spend 10 minutes every 30 minutes recovering from a MAF crash). I didn't try cleaning the cache, so I can't offer an opinion if that's the cure-all I might've missed.

As to 64-bit OS: if anyone knows first hand that it's possible to play ROM AND thru to modern age on a Huge or Giant map (and 12-15 starting Civs) - i.e. you have done it and - please drop me a hint. Thanks!

The Rusty Gamer said:

If you have a video card with more video RAM, does that help do you know?

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No. It's an overflow issue, not a speed issue related to the video card. As someone else summed it up somewhere: "Civ IV eats RAM for breakfast". That's why I wonder if even a true 4GB of RAM under a 64-bit system are sufficient to enjoy a complete game on a Huge or Giant map...

xyzxyz said:

No. It's an overflow issue, not a speed issue related to the video card. As someone else summed it up somewhere: "Civ IV eats RAM for breakfast". That's why I wonder if even a true 4GB of RAM under a 64-bit system are sufficient to enjoy a complete game on a Huge or Giant map...

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Civ 4 eats RAM like a hobbit.

What about lowering the resolution? My expereiments were mainly in 1600x1200 but what about something lower like 1024x768?

NBAfan said:

Civ 4 eats RAM like a hobbit.

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Ohhh, I like that comparison.

That's why I wonder if even a true 4GB of RAM under a 64-bit system are sufficient to enjoy a complete game on a Huge or Giant map...

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I have a x64 system and I use 8GB of ram, but only 512 MB of video ram. When AND went stand a lone I could play well into the Modern era on Noble level. But ...I usually had the game won by then. PLUS I always disabled Revdcm main component Revolutions as, at that time, it (revdcm) still had some critical bugs (and from a personal play preference I just don't like the Revolutions part). I also never use the Vassals option. And I started to disable Barb Civ and Barb World (the former had some wierdness/problems/bugs? and the 2nd was mainly precautionary, just in case).

I could also play RoM2.92 but RevDCM most definitely has to be disabled (older buggy rev version). But you have to be careful with Start as Minors and Barb Civ. Or else the number of CIVs in the game would get out of hand. And it's been my eXperience that if you have more than 28 Civs in the Game for RoM or AND the likelihood of a MAF/CTD was greater/more likely to occur.

Type of Map used also can come into play. The maps that allow very early AI interaction coupled with the number of AI also affect if or when you might get a problem to happen.

I usually use 7-10 AI on Huge maps (archipelago, lakes. Continents(6 at least) being my preferred maps), No Vassals, No Revolutions, and No Barb Civ. Start as Minor rarely.

JosEPh

JosEPh_II said:

I have a x64 system and I use 8GB of ram, but only 512 MB of video ram. When AND went stand a lone I could play well into the Modern era on Noble level. [..] I usually use 7-10 AI on Huge maps (archipelago, lakes. Continents(6 at least) being my preferred maps), No Vassals, No Revolutions, and No Barb Civ. Start as Minor rarely.

JosEPh

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Thanks! I took your advice and restarted a game I had just begun yesterday evening (Snail on Giant map). The pace and the size of the map made me queasy anyway. The risk of encountering MAFs after spending many an evening at that game speed to advance past Industrial made me rethink. Plus, I played a Marathon/Huge game with a 32-bit OS earlier (and got MAF inundated post-industrial), so by restarting with new setting (Marathon/Huge/10AI/Terra/NoVassals/NoRevs/NoBarbCivs), I'll have a good comparison if switching my system to a 64-bit OS really makes a difference. I'll post my experience. But don't expect to read from me anytime soon. It's gonna be a long haul...

First off, great mod-mod. Sad to see the developer go but really enjoying it so far. Played RoM and FFH2 for ages and have been guest-lurking in CivFanatics for years

Two questions I hope someone can answer regarding multiplayer.

1. Most importantly, is there a way to remove Debug option menu in AND during multiplayer games? In RoM it did not contain ways to basically cheat by fundamentally changing game mechanics on the fly. Also is there a way to set these options ahead of time as we would want to customize them, especially great things like terraforming, xUPT system, etc.

2. Not being able to connect using standard 'Internet' option, is there a way around this? Right now Direct IP works fine but it would be great if we could setup normal lobby games so that people can join back up easily if they crash or go OOS.

1.) AND is all about the user-experience and customizibility. Setting tons of options on the fly, arguably improves gameplay, as you can increase the difficulty if you feel it's too easy, or vice versa. Of course these can be used to cheat, but but they don't have to be. Knives cut both ways.

2.) Hardly any mods work in the lobby. Gamespy is a crappy service.

How do I edit the requirements for a vassal state to break away?

BtS/Mods/AND/Assets/XML/Globaldefines.xml

as in FREE_VASSAL_LAND/POPULATION_PERCENT ? Lowering those?

Small question: Which features are able to be used ably by the computer? I could meddle with this thing until the cows come home (now that my computer's back) but I don't want anything that the computer can't use well. I remember LOR had a bit in the readme about why this or that wasn't on by default and I'm curious if that still stands.

rkade8583 said:

Small question: Which features are able to be used ably by the computer? I could meddle with this thing until the cows come home (now that my computer's back) but I don't want anything that the computer can't use well. I remember LOR had a bit in the readme about why this or that wasn't on by default and I'm curious if that still stands.

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Most AND features have AI components in them. I can't name any off hand that don't (excluding some RevDCM features).

Such as?

rkade8583 said:

Such as?

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"...I can't name any off hand..."
Read his post please.
Play yourself and experience for yourself, OK?

My thoughts for the awesome dynamic civ naming:
1) For all civs that have Islam as the state religion, why can't their name have Sultanate or Caliphate instead of Kingdom. A Sultan or Caliph is the leader of a muslim state.
2) Same thing for Hindu civs. They should be named Rajahnates instead of Kingdoms. They requirement should be the same as the Kingdom name. (Monarchy civic)
3) And for a Khanate, you could either have it for steppe civs only or have a specific requirement for the civic options.
4) I know Shogunate isnt very popular, but having it would still be awesome. The requirement could be vassalage, monarchy, and/or Nobility.

And if you dont want to base the names off of religion, then maybe off of having very specific civics?

And instead of most civs haviind fief or duchy. Then add unique vassal names depending who they are a vassal to

Baron03 said:

My thoughts for the awesome dynamic civ naming:
1) For all civs that have Islam as the state religion, why can't their name have Sultanate or Caliphate instead of Kingdom. A Sultan or Caliph is the leader of a muslim state.
2) Same thing for Hindu civs. They should be named Rajahnates instead of Kingdoms. They requirement should be the same as the Kingdom name. (Monarchy civic)
3) And for a Khanate, you could either have it for steppe civs only or have a specific requirement for the civic options.
4) I know Shogunate isnt very popular, but having it would still be awesome. The requirement could be vassalage, monarchy, and/or Nobility.

And if you dont want to base the names off of religion, then maybe off of having very specific civics?

And instead of most civs haviind fief or duchy. Then add unique vassal names depending who they are a vassal to

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Looks doable and interesting enough that I will try to implement 1 & 2 and if that works who knows.

Edit: Sultanate is already used for Persians, Ottomans and Sumerians and Caliphate for the Arabian civs! So it is based on specific civ not religion.

The basic code is - if enough cities then Kingdom or Queendom based on leader gender and Principality if there are not enough cities. Are there equivalents for Rajahnate?