Help! Start with Civ4, Warlords, or Beyond the Sword?

[New2Civ]

Hello!

I just got the Civ4 bundle from d2d, and I finally installed all 3 games.

I am basically a Civilization newbie, so which game should I start playing with?

I hear Beyond the Sword is the newest, so should I start with that one? Or just go with the tutorials in vanilla Civ4?

Does the content from Warlords exist in Beyond the Sword, or do I have to play them separately?

Thanks! I'm overwhelmed by all the information

 

[renegadechicken]

Hey, welcome to the forums!

I suggest starting with the "Vanilla" CivIV and the tutorials. CivIV has a bit of a learning curve, so the tutorials will help a lot. The expansions (Warlords and BTS) add quite a bit, so you might want to get used to the game before jumping into the game with ALL the features.

We were all "newbies" once, so feel free to jump back on here anytime and ask questions! Most here are happy to answer your questions or point you to the handy articles on this site. Good luck, and happy Civ-ing!

 

[Aemilius]

Does the content from Warlords exist in Beyond the Sword, or do I have to play them separately?

All content from warlords, except for the scenarios, is included in BtS.

Oh, and welcome to the forums.

 

[JujuLautre]

If you begin, after the tutorial in Civ4, I advise you to begin with warlords, where there are two *main* changes with vanilla civ: unique buildings were added, and 3 traits were added (which resulted in many changes for the different leaders regarding traits).

In Bts, loads of contents are added, but there is no drastic change as there was in Warlords, so even if you're unfamiliar with the new stuff when you go to BTS, you will not be lost, because everything in warlords is still here.

 

[JonathanStrange]

I'd start with the tutorials myself but after? I'd probably head straight for BTS because the changes in Civ IV are going to be new either way but BTS has so much great content. I don't see it being too important either way though; myself I never played Warlords (though I had it installed) until long after BTS. I could easily see a new player understanding and enjoying any of the Civ or Civ expansions. This is a beautiful game that can be enjoyed even when you're not playing optimally.

 

[so18apm]

I bought the "complete" edition recently myself. I started with Civ IV, then worked my way through Warlords, then BTS as I became familiar with the additional gameplay changes compared to the original.

 

[phungus420]

Hey, welcome to the forums!

I suggest starting with the "Vanilla" CivIV and the tutorials. CivIV has a bit of a learning curve, so the tutorials will help a lot. The expansions (Warlords and BTS) add quite a bit, so you might want to get used to the game before jumping into the game with ALL the features.

This is not good advice.

Just go straight to BtS. Vanilla is in no way more user friendly then BtS (in fact I'd argue the opposite is true).

If you have no experience with Civ games at all, you might want to try the tutorial first though. After that juts go to BtS, vanilla and Warlords would be a waste of your time.

 

[New2Civ]

Well, thanks, I just played thru the tutorial! It took a LONG time, wow.

Now I'll jump onto BTS, so there's no point to playing Warlords is there?

Thanks for the responses!

 

[JujuLautre]

As I said previously, I believe there is: BTS brings tons of new stuffs. So either you are brave enough to get everything at the same time during your first game, or you start with warlords.

 

[JonathanStrange]

Brave? BTS or Warlords, it's all new to him. At least with BTS, he wouldn't have to be unlearning stuff that changed from the vanilla Civ IV or Warlords expansion.

Although...a truly ideal approach would be to start with Civ 1, switch to Civ 2 second week, Civ 3 week 4, etc. Why should he skip to the good stuff? (Not to say the earlier Civs weren't tasty in their day...) So I challenge him to do the historical approach that many a Civ vet had to do.

 

[guenzak]

Brave? BTS or Warlords, it's all new to him. At least with BTS, he wouldn't have to be unlearning stuff that changed from the vanilla Civ IV or Warlords expansion.

Although...a truly ideal approach would be to start with Civ 1, switch to Civ 2 second week, Civ 3 week 4, etc. Why should he skip to the good stuff? (Not to say the earlier Civs weren't tasty in their day...) So I challenge him to do the historical approach that many a Civ vet had to do.

Actually if that is the case he should start with Alpha Centauri

I just picked up the complete bundle. I haven't played since civII so I started with vanilla. Not through anyone's advice just my decision. My brain can only handle so much at one time. So far so good

 

[gingerbill]

Well, thanks, I just played thru the tutorial! It took a LONG time, wow.

Now I'll jump onto BTS, so there's no point to playing Warlords is there?

Thanks for the responses!

now you done tutorial go straight to BTS . Be silly to learn the game playing warlods and then have to learn BTS afterwards . Theres no point in playing warlords if you have BTS .