AI to AI fights are not animated

[Dredd507]

Hi all! I'd like to ask how to make animated battles in Civ4 Complete. Now I'm only informed about "city is somebody's", and even then I see units that fights, I don't see the fight, only then my unit is attacked. How to solve it? Also, it would be nice in debug mode (with chipotle) to see animated all the moves of AI, and fights, of course, like in Civ3. Without that, what the sense to start wars between AIs if I don't see anything? I set "raging" barbarians, they taking AI's city, something else happening - I don't see it. I checked to show enemy's moves, it does not work with it, I mean moves are shown then I see them with religion or espionage, but again no fights here and no moves under fogOW. Please tell me how to see everything (animated).

 

[joanne]

Not sure what you mean, but from what I do understand, that would really slow the game down, and the combat animations are all the same for every unit anyway

BTW I see you've been very active on the forums in the past couple years you've been here

 

[Paw]

I don't think what you're looking for is possible.

As joanne pointed out, I don't think you'd want it anyways, it would make the wait inbetween turns unbearable later in the game I would think.

 

[Dredd507]

that would really slow the game down

BTW I see you've been very active on the forums in the past couple years you've been here

It's OK, I'll wait I just want to see muzzle-beating AI to AI, that's what I like I was not so active on this forum - this is my second post. But I really hope that somebody will tell me what to do to bring animation / life to game. It's just boring without that. In this Civ3 is better.

 

[Psyringe]

This is one of my (few) gripes with the game. I tend to play huge games with dozens of civs, and I actually keep an eye on how they relate to each other and what they do. Apart from the strategic advantage of "know thine enemy", it also helps creating the feeling of a real, believable world history unfolding. Sometimes I witness a war between two AI's and it's really hard to see what's going on. Basically I have to memorize the unit positions before ending the turn, check them again after the turn, and then conclude from the differences what may have happened.

An option to actually see these battles is probably one of my most long-term unfulfilled wishes for Civ4.

 

[Dredd507]

Well, can anyone answer? Is there anybody from 2K or Firaxis? Or just advanced user who knows how? Or it will remain “unfulfilled”? He-e-elp!

 

[Psyringe]

Well, I probably should have made that clearer in my previous post, but there is no way to do that right now. I'm not sure whether it could be modded in, but AFAIK no one has done that in the past 5 years, so apparently we want something that few others are interested in.

 

[Dredd507]

I'm not sure it’s “few others”, anyone who use ‘chipotle’ for sure wants to see all the moves. Seeing battles also good thing, there should be an option to turn off zooming here, leaving it when your units fights. I think it was removed for player oftener choose to start wars himself, not just watched other's, they think it is more interesting and addictive, but not for me, and even if really “few” likes last that I said they should leave such option anyway. None may decide instead of me how to play. Must I remind that I paid for this? In addition, I am informing 2K that if will not see it in Civ5, which I will see from Russian pir8s cheaper before buying official, they will not see even 1 my cent! I am disappointed, and I don't like to be disappointed.

 

[Derakon]

So you're threatening to not buy a game that you've already pirated just because of one missing feature?

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I think the reason that all of the battles aren't shown is the motion sickness factor. Have you ever played with "Show enemy moves" turned on? The camera panning around makes me almost sea-sick.

 

[Amask]

... so apparently we want something that few others are interested in.

I really wanted to be able to see AI battles back when civ IV came out. But I guess the novelty of the new civ game was too distracting to worry about that and eventually I forgot it was even an issue. Maybe that's how it went for others too.

But now that it's been brought up, yea, it would be nice.

 

[CerberusAlpha]

u r all being sarcastic, right? watching enemy moves is unbearable and animations are worthless. a regular game is long enough as it is without that garbage. Also i think fog of war is a feature in games like these so that you dont always know everything that is going on and it creates some mystery and suspense wondering what the rest of the world is like and if its plotting against you.

 

[Derakon]

Different people play the game differently. Just because you and I wouldn't want to see AI vs. AI animations doesn't mean other people shouldn't either.

 

[Psyringe]

u r all being sarcastic, right? watching enemy moves is unbearable and animations are worthless. a regular game is long enough as it is without that garbage.

What's unbearable for you might be enjoyable for others. For me the game is most enjoyable when I play on a super-huge map with 34 civilizations, and when I take the time to name landmarks or battlefields, or even rename units to "Hero of the Berlin siege" or similar. A game usually takes weeks or months, and sometimes I just spend an hour browsing the history log. When the game is finished, I enjoy watching the replay, stepwise, reading everything, which usually takes 4-8 hours. Apart from playing a strategy game, the thing I enjoy most in Civ4 is to see a complex, believable world history unfold. Hence, being able to watch AI-AI fights (or at least being notified that they happened, who fought, and who won, as long as it does happen in an area visible to me) would definitely contribute to my enjoyment.

Now I'm perfectly aware that my way of playing Civ is not for everyone, and that many people would probably find it utterly boring and way too slow, but that's their prerogative - the game is flexible and rich enough to be played in a number of ways. However, I'd like to ask you to be aware that your way of playing the game isn't the only one possible either - so people who are asking for something that you wouldn't enjoy are not necessarily sarcastic, they might just have different preferences.

Also i think fog of war is a feature in games like these so that you dont always know everything that is going on

What gives you the impression that anybody would want to remove fog of war? As far as I can tell, nobody here asked for that.

 

[Dredd507]

Ok, let’s make it clear. I have not yet bought Civ5, official or not. I’m still thinking. Problem of piracy is well known easy to decide: make price of 1 DVD about $6-7, and you will get not just in times – in orders more money, at least in Russia, don’t know how it is in other countries. But! I always buy a game if I liked it, even if pir8 version is better. Example: C&C Tiberian Sun was translated by Russian Group “Uncle Research” not word to word, but with soul, not how in big corporations do. And not just with soul, it was something: Kane was speaking with voice and words of Vladimir Lenin!!! First his phrase in first GDI movie after general Solomon says “show it on main screen” was “Proletarians of all countries, Unite!”. Big board with “Join GDI – we save lives” was in Russian “Join GDI – we save our skin”, GDI was translated as Global Doctrine of Imperialism, and NOD as People’s Freeing Dictatorship (from Russian first letters). Thus all through the game! Official game near to this was not even nothing – just empty place. Nevertheless, I bought it, also because I wanted to know, what did they really was saying. Now, about Civ4. Yes, I want to see all the moves, never mind how long time does it takes. In Civ3, then I play on big map, when with my little help 6th World War started, It could take up to 45 minutes to watch the move, but it worth it and – YES – I LIKE IT! I like animation, I like to see battles, I don’t like when my units die – I like when AI’s do. Am I bad? It is my style of playing. In Age of Empires II, I was not lazy to draw scenario, where all AI were enemies to each other and allies to me. I gave them resources in start, feed them later and was just watching. Yes, I know – it is rare style, but this explains why that is so important to me to have options I was writing about earlier. MOREOVER – Civ4 give the opportunity of this style of game! It allows putting AI up to start war without your participation! Why is that needed if I do not see battles? What is the enjoy? Just knowing they do not trade technologies each other when at war? And that’s all? You may go to hell with this! I will play Civ3 instead. And one more question: how to make/change mods? I was looking for editor in Civ4 directories, but did not find anything. Does it exist?

 

[katipunero]

I like animation, I like to see battles, I don’t like when my units die – I like when AI’s do. Am I bad?

how about gifting the AIs who are currently at war with each other a pile of nuclear weapons?

 

[Dredd507]

With global warming, I don’t think it’s good idea. I tried a couple of times in Civ3 – AI didn’t use it, I don’t know why. Also, I don’t play on high difficulty, so AI usually doesn’t survive until nuclear weapons or I win somehow else. I must repeat my question about mod editor: does it exist? If it is in other forum – put a link, please.

 

[Psyringe]

Well, you already told us to go to hell, after that insult you said that you'll play Civ3 instead of Civ4, and then you advocated piracy on a site which has a strict zero-tolerance policy against any form of piracy in its rules. Given that, I thought (and think) that further answers are rather pointless, sorry.