Frequently Asked Questions

[BlackArchon]

No problem.
I posted it there: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=8895710#post8895710

But even when it is a bug, I do not really understand one game mechanic, perhaps you can explain it a little bit further:
All units have a certain amount of magic resistance, which is usually 0%. When a unit is a puppet and it casts a spell, the target hast +20% magic resistance. Other magic resistance-affecting promotions are Channeling II and III, each grants -10% to magic resistance of the target (according to Civilopedia). So if I create a puppet by a mage with Channeling III, the target should have +20-10-10=0% magic resistance, shouldn't it?

But then there is also Metamagic I, II and III, each grants -5% to enemy's magic resistance (also according to Civilopedia). So if I have an archmage with Channeling III and Metamagic III, he should have -(10+10+5+5+5)=-35% to enemy's magic resistance. Is this also right?

So if this archmage casts Domination, which raise the target's enemy resistance by +10% (according to Civilopedia), the target should never be able to resist this spell, because -35%+10%=-25% and my archmage should always be successfull. Even a puppet by this archmage should always be successfull (-25%+20%=-5%).

Is all this right so far? If it is, why are archmages (at least in my games) not always successfull when casting Domination? Or am I completely wrong and magic resistance only affects damage spells?

 

[Emptiness]

So if I create a puppet by a mage with Channeling III, the target should have +20-10-10=0% magic resistance, shouldn't it?

Yes.

So if I have an archmage with Channeling III and Metamagic III, he should have -(10+10+5+5+5)=-35% to enemy's magic resistance. Is this also right?

Yes.

So if this archmage casts Domination, which raise the target's enemy resistance by +10% (according to Civilopedia), the target should never be able to resist this spell, because -35%+10%=-25% and my archmage should always be successfull. Even a puppet by this archmage should always be successfull (-25%+20%=-5%).

If I understand correctly, there is a cap on spell success of 95%. No matter how much you lower your enemy's spell resistance they still have at least 1 in 20 chance to resist, as a set minimum.

Is all this right so far? If it is, why are archmages (at least in my games) not always successfull when casting Domination? Or am I completely wrong and magic resistance only affects damage spells?

Actually, I don't think magic resistance affects damage spells at all. Being resistant to the particular type of damage being done will lower the amount you take, but magic resistance will not give you a chance to escape unharmed. Notice that Puppets also have -10 spell damage as a separate penalty; I assume this is necessary because the +20% enemy spell resistance penalty does nothing to affect damage done by damage spells the Puppet casts.

 

[BlackArchon]

Ok, thanks for your clarification.
Do you know in which files I can find the programm code for this calculations? I want to check my thoughts.

 

[Emptiness]

That I know nothing about, sorry. Someone else will have to point you in the right direction.

 

[Pickly]

How many turns do games last? I've read in some threads about people reaching turn 600 or so, which is longer than a regular game, but haven't been able to find exact numbers for how long games last. (I'm not sure if this information is simply well hidden, or if I just missed it in a really dumb way, but I haven't found it in forum searches or in the civilopedia.)

 

[chrissifniotis]

How many turns do games last? I've read in some threads about people reaching turn 600 or so, which is longer than a regular game, but haven't been able to find exact numbers for how long games last. (I'm not sure if this information is simply well hidden, or if I just missed it in a really dumb way, but I haven't found it in forum searches or in the civilopedia.)

In standard games a Time victory is achieved after 690 turns. I've always found that a strange number for a Time victory.

 

[Pickly]

Thanks

 

[Ricter]

I've started a game as Balseraph. I've got Loki, but I don't seem to get any gold from his Entertain ability. I'm just sending him in to my towns and casting it.

With Disruption, it doesn't show a lowering of culture of the towns either - their culture total seems to be unaffected entirely.

On another totally unrelated note, people seem to be rather upset with you if you Disrupt and raze their cities. Huh.

 

[mcwill123]

Go to your neighbors city and try entertaining, if you want to make a few bucks. I always try to use Loki to steal new cities. After 5 or 6, the neighbors are really unhappy about it. Oh well....

I've started a game as Balseraph. I've got Loki, but I don't seem to get any gold from his Entertain ability. I'm just sending him in to my towns and casting it.

With Disruption, it doesn't show a lowering of culture of the towns either - their culture total seems to be unaffected entirely.

On another totally unrelated note, people seem to be rather upset with you if you Disrupt and raze their cities. Huh.

 

[Emptiness]

The owner of the Entertained city pays the gold that Loki earns. If you use it in your own cities you lose and then gain the fee, so the size of your treasury remains the same.

I noticed that (Disruption not reducing culture) too, in this current patch. I seem to recall that previously it would actually reduce the culture total by 1, but I'm not sure when that stopped happening or whether it was intentional.

 

[Ricter]

Thanks for the answers.

 

[Ricter]

I've started a new game as Lanun, and I've developed into the game quite a bit. I'm looking at the Foreign Trade civic, and struggling to figure out if that the civic will make or lose me money. I basically have trouble understanding trade routes in general.

I see many people recommending using it, for the extra trade route, but it seems that many of my cities have trade routes that only add +1 GP. Yet I have Open Borders and can't seem to get the trade routes with other empires.

Also, my other civic that I'm enjoying is Arete. I'm running Aristocracy, but to be honest, I'm wondering if the cash from that would be beaten by a cottage economy with theocracy or republic. What Cultural Values should I be running? None really seem that appeasing - I'm thinking of running Scholarship just for the extra hero.

Now, I'm more looking at this for future reference - so if for example, I should be running a cottage economy with republic instead of aristocracy, I'd like to know that for my next game.

 

[a_civilian]

Now, I'm more looking at this for future reference - so if for example, I should be running a cottage economy with republic instead of aristocracy, I'd like to know that for my next game.

There was a big discussion about this a while back, "How good is Aristocracy really?"

 

[Ricter]

I see mentions of "sailing around the world", particularly as Lanun, however, I'm not sure how to complete this (sailing from edge to edge doesn't complete it). How do you get this and what does it do for you?

 

[a_civilian]

Only works with cylindrical maps (maybe toroidal too, never played them). First to circumnavigate the world (meaning have a tile explored at every longitude, map trading counts) gets +1 movement for all naval units.

 

[Ricter]

Thanks again for the answer.

Also, in some older threads, I see mentions of using pirate coves to making land squares into water. How do you do this?

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

you don't, it's outdated info

 

[BlackArchon]

Are there any hints on how to prevent OOS errors? They seem to occur heavily when I play the Clan of Embers.

 

[Ricter]

I'm have a lot of problems with OOS errors as well - I use direct IP connection for my MP games, and the people connecting to me are both on the same network, if that helps at all.

 

[Tamed]

Quick question: Can I play FFH online without a ton of OOS errors now? Last I played was patch J and every game around turn 150 we had an out of sync that would literally end the game.