General questions about TOT from a semi-newbie

[Starke Von Oben]

Hello!

I have been playing CIV/FW for over 10 years now, and have just today received a copy of TOT from Amazon (for £4 you really can't go wrong).

I've just installed it, updated it to 1.1 but would like to ask some general questions before I go any further:

1. I've always enjoyed having my own custom graphic set for Civ2 (Units/Cities/Icons/etc), if I intend to do so with TOT which files and in what folder do I modify? Do I have to switch off animation in order to do this?

2. As regards scenarios, is it as simple as FW? Do I merely need to make a scenario folder and load the scenario or is there more to it?

3. Is the AI more sensible in TOT, or is it still all-out aggressive? It would be good to actually have an alliance for a change...

4. I notice that the original graphics are in the main TOT folder: why is this? Is there an option to select vanilla graphics?

5. Has anyone made a standard high-res units.bmp/terrain/cities in the style of Curtsibling? I recall his graphics from the old apolyton site, and they were very impressive.

Cheers!

-Starke.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Welcome to CFC!

Alas, I don't have the knowledge to answer most of your questions. How the AI acts depends on whether you play the Original game, Original Extended (includes the Alpha Centauri aliens), Lalande (science fiction game), Midgard (the fantasy quest game), or just the plain fantasy game.

I can honestly say that the Lalande alien civs (there are 3 that you can either play or have as enemy factions) are utterly vicious - toward each other. Part of the challenge of the game (if you play a human faction) is keeping the aliens alive long enough to get the tech you need to progress farther. At some point, you will be stopped unless you have certain techs, and the only way to get them is from the aliens. And for most of the game, you cannot talk to them - you haven't discovered how! You may find yourself in the position of having to defend them against really aggressive alien Barbarians, since they will insist on defending themselves with Bombii instead of Kineticores...

How it would turn out if you choose to play an alien civ instead of human, I'm not sure. I've tried, but it requires a different strategy, since you get different techs, units, and again - you won't be able to communicate with the alien humans for most of the game.


In the Original Extended, you have the option to start the game on Alpha Centauri. This is what I prefer to do, as I have a whole, entire planet all to myself. The downside is in acquiring tech, since there's nobody to trade with. The solution is to build The Great Library ASAP. Apparently it works, even over 4.3 light-years!

I don't know anything about modded units or scenarios, so will turn the thread over to those who do know.

 

[Starke Von Oben]

Hello, another question (this time regarding Civilization Classic Collection):

This is the copy of Civ2 that I have: does it need updating, and if so what updates?

Thanks again!

EDIT: Thank you Valka D'Ur for the insights, I just this morning found Catfish's Cave so all my graphic needs have been taken care of (TOT has such ugly vanilla graphics :-/).

 

[Catfish]

1. I've always enjoyed having my own custom graphic set for Civ2 (Units/Cities/Icons/etc), if I intend to do so with TOT which files and in what folder do I modify? Do I have to switch off animation in order to do this?

The graphics files (BMPs and/or SPRs) in the folder corresponding to game type, eg, Original folder for the Original game, Fantasy folder for the Fantasy game. If your mod doesn't use animations, then yes to the second question. If it doesn't use static sprites, either, then you'll need to disable those as well; see here.

2. As regards scenarios, is it as simple as FW? Do I merely need to make a scenario folder and load the scenario or is there more to it?

Same as FW. As with all versions of Civ2, make sure you save your games in the correct scenario folder.

3. Is the AI more sensible in TOT, or is it still all-out aggressive? It would be good to actually have an alliance for a change...

It's the same aggressive AI as MGE. There's a 3rd-party patch for it. I'll attach a pack that includes multiple patches and fixes for ToT 1.1 that I gave to a family member. It includes the following:

• Timbatron's CPU fix
• Rebel's No-CD crack
• Mousep's Aggressive AI patch
• Julius Brenzaida's No Limits patch
• MastermindX's 64-bit compatibility patch
• Catfish's Midgard scenario patch

I've not tested the AI component. Make sure you apply the official 1.1 patch first. If you get an alert from your anti-virus software, it's a false positive.

4. I notice that the original graphics are in the main TOT folder: why is this? Is there an option to select vanilla graphics?

They appear to be developmental files. No, but I posted a classic mod pack for ToT some time ago.

This is the copy of Civ2 that I have: does it need updating, and if so what updates?

Don't know much about it other than it's MGE with all the FW and CiC scenarios included. There's a patch for the UK version at the bottom of this list.

Edit: The attached file is obsolete. For a comprehensive all-in-one ToT patch, go and grab yourself the latest version of the Test of Time Patch Project.

 

[Starke Von Oben]

Thank you so much Catfish!

Also, I am so pleased to have found that TOT graphic replacement on your site - I couldn't bare to play TOT with those dull graphics, it really has opened the game up.

Have you considered making a tileset for freeciv?

 

[Catfish]

Never played FreeCiv. I sniffed at it once upon a time.