[REFERENCE] Difficulty Levels - Spreadsheet

NeverMind · Feb 07, 2006, 05:38 PM

+ CIV
+ Warlords

Patches 1.74 and 2.13w - nothing changed
BtS spreadsheet to be posted soon

Here is a full scale Excel spreadsheet of Civ4HandicapInfo.xml. This file defines differences among Civ4 Difficulty Levels. The only change in Warlords is iAnimalAttackProb. Vanilla values are in brackets.

All elements of the Civ4HandicapInfo.xml:

Spoiler:

List of available Goodies (20 entries for each level):

Spoiler:

And the Excel spreadsheet :

Angus Khan · Feb 17, 2006, 08:18 AM

Nice, I hadn't seen these numbers before. It is interesting to see what parameters Firaxis chose to ramp up the game's difficulty. Good job making this clearer.

kulgan · Mar 10, 2006, 12:09 AM

Apart from many of the others I note that "igold" is zero on all counts. Any idea what this is for?

5cats · Mar 12, 2006, 12:24 PM

I'd be guessing that's the starting gold amount, however, don't we start with 10 gold in lower levels??

NeverMind · Dec 27, 2006, 06:46 AM

I made new reference charts for difficulty levels. The charts now represent all elements of Civ4HandicapInfo.xml. Check images in the first post.

Tekee · Apr 18, 2007, 03:40 PM

This is great but I need more help in explaining it haha :P

omnipotent_1 · Oct 22, 2007, 06:15 AM

Can you explain the modifiers for AI a little more in depth? I'm trying to figure out the growth rate for AI at each difficulty level. I usually play Noble, and it seems like no matter what I do the AI always grows faster. The modifiers as shown in the spreadsheet don't make much sense. It seems like the numbers are opposite what they should be, but I'm probably not understanding the meaning of each percentage.

For example, the iAIconstruct percentage for Settler is 160% for AI? Can't be true.

Wessel V1 · Oct 22, 2007, 09:46 AM

160% means 160% time, so it is true

Lower means better here.
Congratulations to everyone who can win a Deity game

omnipotent_1 · Oct 22, 2007, 02:28 PM

Deity... right. I can barely scrap by in Noble. Now, according to the modifier, the AI growth rate is 100%, as you say, time. Does that mean it is equal to the human player rate?

Way_Traveler · Feb 10, 2008, 10:52 PM

Interesting that you get 5 free wins against barbs in settler... I thought there were no barbs at that level!

Sarassin · Jan 20, 2010, 06:19 PM

IUnitCostPercent is 50 on noble, while iAIUnitCostPercent is 100... does this mean that the human player get cheaper units than the AI at that difficulty?

A description of the various variables would be great. (The obscure stuff like IStartingLocPercent)

adiuvat · May 10, 2010, 01:55 PM

necro. I'd like to find a modern version of this, or if it's changed. I *could* just look at the xml files.. yawn.

Ansive · Jun 27, 2011, 04:34 PM

Sorry for the bump but I seriously got tired of looking in the xml file every time I wanted to compare difficulties.

Here's the same table with values for BTS v3.1.9
Orange rows contain modified (new) values.
Taken from ..\Steam\steamapps\common\sid meier's civilization iv beyond the sword\Beyond the Sword\Assets\XML\GameInfo\CIV4HandicapInfo.xml

Spoiler:

Big thanks to NeverMind for his work.

stfoskey12 · Jul 06, 2011, 02:46 PM

I find most of this very helpful. I can't understand some parts like the iStartingLocPercent, and I don't get why there's an i before every factor, but other than that, I find it very helpful.

The_J · Jul 06, 2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stfoskey12

I can't understand some parts like the iStartingLocPercent

i can't see this value anywhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stfoskey12

and I don't get why there's an i before every factor

That just shows that this value is an integer value, a whole number (in contrast to float values = decimal values).

Crispy007 · Sep 23, 2011, 11:09 AM

One question I have. How does a scout affect the percentages when popping a hut?

Ansive · Sep 23, 2011, 11:15 AM

The Barbarian Weak and Barbarian Strong choices are removed when using scouts (so on Emperor you're left with 14 goodies at 7.14%). Distribution stays the same.

Sir Spanky · Oct 06, 2011, 11:11 AM

The i stands for player in the XML code while AI stands for, well you guessed it, the AI.

reljanovic · Jul 14, 2012, 11:39 AM

This was great trying to figure out the differences, but I've been told Noble is the most "even" level where human and the AI are getting the same(or none) perks etc, but looking at the chart it doesn't look like it, care to explain why there is no "100% equal" level?

The_J · Jul 14, 2012, 12:15 PM

I guess only Firaxis might be able to answer your question :/.

Mar 10, 2006, 12:09 AM	#3
kulgan New Noble Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 64	Apart from many of the others I note that "igold" is zero on all counts. Any idea what this is for? __________________ My quest for eternal life began before I was born.

Dec 27, 2006, 06:46 AM	#5
NeverMind Proud to be Russian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Moscow, Russia Posts: 592	I made new reference charts for difficulty levels. The charts now represent all elements of Civ4HandicapInfo.xml. Check images in the first post. __________________ Civ4: Rulers of Russia \| Gigantic Worlds \| Mountains: back to service \| Main Screen Mod \| AI Attitude Unfold \| Static Leaders and Movies \| Blitz \| AntiCorp Col2: Russian America \| 2-Plots City Radius \| Abandon Colony \| Static Leaders \| Earth Maps - - - - - - - - - - - - CivGames.com - My Civ-blog. You are always welcome! And Let's Tweet about Civ!

Apr 18, 2007, 03:40 PM	#6
Tekee Bahama Mama Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pidoria Posts: 2,173	This is great but I need more help in explaining it haha :P __________________

Jul 14, 2012, 12:15 PM	#20
The_J Say No 2 Net Validations Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Germany / Netherlands Posts: 24,993 Images: 51	I guess only Firaxis might be able to answer your question :/. __________________ Civ4-BtS-Mod "Mars, Now!" BtS: 18 Civs on a world map - and your choice, which! Steam eats the souls of little gamers!!!

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Feb 17, 2006, 08:18 AM	#2
Angus Khan Chieftain Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 30	Nice, I hadn't seen these numbers before. It is interesting to see what parameters Firaxis chose to ramp up the game's difficulty. Good job making this clearer.

Mar 12, 2006, 12:24 PM	#4
5cats Warlord Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 297 Images: 4	I'd be guessing that's the starting gold amount, however, don't we start with 10 gold in lower levels??

Oct 22, 2007, 06:15 AM	#7
omnipotent_1 Chieftain Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2	Can you explain the modifiers for AI a little more in depth? I'm trying to figure out the growth rate for AI at each difficulty level. I usually play Noble, and it seems like no matter what I do the AI always grows faster. The modifiers as shown in the spreadsheet don't make much sense. It seems like the numbers are opposite what they should be, but I'm probably not understanding the meaning of each percentage. For example, the iAIconstruct percentage for Settler is 160% for AI? Can't be true.

Oct 22, 2007, 09:46 AM	#8
Wessel V1 Emperor Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Nijmegen Posts: 1,256	160% means 160% time, so it is true Lower means better here. Congratulations to everyone who can win a Deity game

Oct 22, 2007, 02:28 PM	#9
omnipotent_1 Chieftain Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2	Deity... right. I can barely scrap by in Noble. Now, according to the modifier, the AI growth rate is 100%, as you say, time. Does that mean it is equal to the human player rate?

Feb 10, 2008, 10:52 PM	#10
Way_Traveler Warlord Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 149	Interesting that you get 5 free wins against barbs in settler... I thought there were no barbs at that level!

Jan 20, 2010, 06:19 PM	#11
Sarassin Prince Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 334	IUnitCostPercent is 50 on noble, while iAIUnitCostPercent is 100... does this mean that the human player get cheaper units than the AI at that difficulty? A description of the various variables would be great. (The obscure stuff like IStartingLocPercent)

May 10, 2010, 01:55 PM	#12
adiuvat Chieftain Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7	necro. I'd like to find a modern version of this, or if it's changed. I could just look at the xml files.. yawn.

Jul 06, 2011, 02:46 PM	#14
stfoskey12 Prince Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: 35° 56' N 79° 02' W Posts: 470	I find most of this very helpful. I can't understand some parts like the iStartingLocPercent, and I don't get why there's an i before every factor, but other than that, I find it very helpful.

Sep 23, 2011, 11:09 AM	#16
Crispy007 Chieftain Join Date: May 2009 Location: dry dusty alberta Posts: 34	One question I have. How does a scout affect the percentages when popping a hut?

Sep 23, 2011, 11:15 AM	#17
Ansive Warlord Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 182	The Barbarian Weak and Barbarian Strong choices are removed when using scouts (so on Emperor you're left with 14 goodies at 7.14%). Distribution stays the same.

Oct 06, 2011, 11:11 AM	#18
Sir Spanky Chieftain Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 76	The i stands for player in the XML code while AI stands for, well you guessed it, the AI.

Jul 14, 2012, 11:39 AM	#19
reljanovic Chieftain Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 45	This was great trying to figure out the differences, but I've been told Noble is the most "even" level where human and the AI are getting the same(or none) perks etc, but looking at the chart it doesn't look like it, care to explain why there is no "100% equal" level?

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