I wish I liked this game...

[stwils]

I am trying to learn Civ2 - and I really want to like it. But so far I just don't. Maybe it is because I don't know what is going on, and the tutorial in the game really doesn't help much.

For example, I just don't get the little figures who blink. I can move them sideways etc with the number keys but I don't know why I am moving them.

And then it says I have 1 move. But I can move him several more times.

The computer will say "turn over press enter." I can press enter, and nothing happens. Sometimes I have to press it a lot.

I have been playing Age of Empires for over a year and I love it. It is visually fun and full of excitement for me.

I respect Sid Meier so much as the father of all strategy games. That's why I want to like and play Civ2.

But I just don't get it. I wish I could have the simple abc's of how you play. Not pages of strategy. Just a few basic things I need to do to operate the game so I can get started.

stwils

 

[canis lupis]

The 'blinker' is the active unit that you are currently in control of. What to do with it, depends on the type.
Settlers can build roads, irrigation, start new cities, and such.
Military Units can attack the enemy. (move around to find where they)
It appears you move him more than once because you don't have any other units to move and the other moves are new turns (watch the year indicator near the middle upper right of your screen, ever turn it changes (early in the game it jumps alot of years per turn))
roads also let you move extra squares per turn (1/3 of a move on roads)

The computer will say "turn over press enter." I can press enter, and nothing happens. Sometimes I have to press it alot

That means your units are busy and couldn't do anything during that turn, it takes several turns to do somethings like build roads.

If you have the advisors turned on in your game preferences they will give you some general advice on what to do sometimes.
(as you learn, you will learn when not to listen to them. or turn them off entirely)

Keep at it and you'll get addicted like the rest of us. <IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/biggrin.gif" border=0>


[This message has been edited by canis lupis (edited April 05, 2001).]

 

[stwils]

Thanks. But I am still in the dark.

Everyone says this game has great depth, and I am sure it does. Just wish I could get the first page of the "how to's" digested.

It just seems so tedious right now for me. You all are having fun, but I am just not into it yet.

Is there anywhere that tells just the fundamentals of playing Civ2? Not all the details, just the basics of what to do and why?

stwils

 

[gar13]

well... the manual would do that

 

[Smash]

1st thing to do is go into FILE/GAME OPTIONS and enable "wait at end of turn"

Read the manual especially the "concepts in" sections.

Consult the in game civlopedia.Aside from a few minor misprints,all the info you need is in there.

Be patient.This game's learning curve is not steep.There is much to learn.

This a very large question.

 

[RedWolf]

I'll tell you a little story. Many years ago I got Civilization in a 3 pack of Microprose games (came with my CD Rom drive).

Just like you I fired it up and said "What the hell is this garbage?" - "why is that little square blinking?" - "What is going on?" - "these graphics suck" - "why is nothing blowing up or shooting like in Doom?"

I then turned it off and never looked at it again - probably for 3-4 months. then one day having nothing to do I flipped through the manual - read the entire thing front to back. By the time I was done I was like "wow - this game sounds so cool". So on a P.A. day from school I sat down and started. I lost my entire day and had the greatest time. Before I knew it I was hooked.

To this day - no other game has ever provided me with the hours upon hours of enjoyment that Civilization (and later Civ 2) has.

My advice - read the manual and keep playing. it'll be worth it. And yes - the early years can be somewhat boring in civ... just keep in mind what you have to look forward to - A Mighty empire than spans the entire globe!

Originally posted by stwils:
Thanks. But I am still in the dark.

Everyone says this game has great depth, and I am sure it does. Just wish I could get the first page of the "how to's" digested.

It just seems so tedious right now for me. You all are having fun, but I am just not into it yet.

Is there anywhere that tells just the fundamentals of playing Civ2? Not all the details, just the basics of what to do and why?

stwils

 

[Kev]

I know that you said that the tutorial was not very much help, did you mean the tutorial setting for the game or the tutorial sample game that you can load and play?

When I first began, I was equally confused until I played the example tutorial game. The computer walks you through just about every beginning step, and I thought it explained much of the basics pretty well. After it, I was able to start learning in a "real" game setting. Having the tutorial setting on while you are playing your own game probably won't be much help until you have the basics down in the first place.

If you tried the sample game and found that it did not help, I would suggest trying it again. Something will click I assure you, and with help from the great people on this forum you will be complaining about lost sleep and low work/school production in no time.

------------------
Diplomacy - the art of
saying "Good Doggie"
until you can find a rock

[This message has been edited by Kev (edited April 05, 2001).]

 

[Archbob]

The game is one of the deepest games ever made. You must balance research, war, and economics. The unit blinking is the current unit's turn, it gets so many moves a turn. if you only have 1 units then each moves counts as 1 turn in the game.

Try reading the manual, it won't help much, but it will give you the basics.

------------------
<FONT COLOR="blue"><FONT face="lucida handwriting">"And this is how it all began, where did we mess up?"
</FONT c></FONT f>
Check out Civworld Forms

 

[Smash]

Ok I answered a little better at the "other place" so I better do it here to.


You aren't gonna see much when you press enter.No fishing boats casting nets,no workers gathering berries.It is all conceptual.You might see barbarians or other civilization's units later.They may even attack or intiate a diplomatic session but no fancy graphics.

The game is very large in concept.Don't expect to know much for awhile.Thats the fun.
When you get stuck,check civlopedia and/or come here.

Keep expanding and exploring.More cities and clear the "black"

Each city has citizens.These citizens work the surrounding land.Conceptually.They produce A.sheilds B.food and C.trade arrows.
A.Sheilds are what you build stuff with.ie-City A produces 5 sheilds.It will take 2 turns to build a 10 sheild warrior.

B.Food is used to feed the citizens and any settlers that are supported by that city.Any extra food beyond that demand is "stored" in the foodbox.When that foodbox is filled,your city grows larger by 1 citizen icon.This icon represents 1000s of people.

C.Trade Arrows are what is used when you set your tax,science and luxury rates.The more arrows you produce,the more you can assign to any or all of the 3 tax categories.

Research Monarchy ASAP.Ceremonial Burial,Code of Laws and Alphabet are required before it can researched.You'll have to acquire at least 1 non Monarchy pre-requisit along the way.When you get it,hold a revolution and switch governments.

You'll see a difference in gold,science and production.You should begin to understand how and why science research works and the value of new advances.Each new government form produces different amounts of resources and science.

Units have individual characteristics and abilities.Some are good for defending while others are better for attacking.Settlers improve the land and build new cities.Caravans deliver goods for profit to other cities and aid in construction of wonders.Diplomats have a range of tasks they can perform.Some units move 1 square while others move 2 or 3.Ships are for the sea and can carry units to other lands for settling,exploring and military campaigns.

You have 3 main areas to consider:
Military-defend your cities and/or take cities from others
Science-new technologies allow better units,city improvements and wonders of the world to be built.
Economics-good old fashioned cash.You can buy stuff with it.Units and city improvements can be rushed by buying up what is left in the sheild box.


Wonders of the World have different effects on your civilization.They are good and you should build some at some point.Consult civolpedia for their effects,cost to build and the technologies required for them to become available.
Beginners will find The Great Library and The Hanging Gardens quite useful.Then again,so will experienced players

Possibly The Great Wall also.


Thats a tiny scratch of the surface.

There are no stupid questions.




[This message has been edited by Smash (edited April 06, 2001).]

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

You posted this question elsewhere, didn't you? The game isn't that hard. Just take it one steo at a time. Your first unit, the settler, builds cities and improves terrain around your city, to make the land more productive. The Warrior defends the city from attack, attacks other units, and can take other cities if it survives combat. He isn't much, but you can get better units to fight with. How? Research, that's how. How fast your research things is tied to your city size and any science improvements in it, as well any trade routes established and the kind of terrain your people are working in. When you build your first city, you will be asked what you want to build there. Your chioces are limited in the begining, but through research, you can learn how to build better city improvements, so you see, science is very important in this game. Go slow, and ask questions. lots of people here are good players, and will be glad to help.

------------------
<IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/blast.gif" border=0><FONT size="4"><FONT COLOR="blue">All knowledge begins with the Phrase:</FONT c><FONT COLOR="red"> I don't know</FONT c></FONT s><IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/ninja1.gif" border=0>

 

[GenghisK]

Try to start with Civ1. It's "less" complicated (less units & techs) but as deep as its successor...
I'll tell you my own experience. 8 years ago, I couldn't stand people who loved strategy games. I only played arcade or driving games. When my dad got a Mac, there was no game but Civ. I was "forced" to play it. Now I wonder why the hell Sid didn't released it earlier

Oh, it took me a while to understand the concept, since it was totally different from arcade/action games mentality. I got my 1st "interesting" Civ game after 9 or 10 attempts... So keep on, guy. You'll see. One day, you'll become a zombie and forget social life, like me

------------------
Genghis K.
<IMG SRC="http://www.leader-values.com/images/Genghis%20Khan.gif" border=0>

 

[Mongol Horde]

I sometimes worry that people who post questions like that have ripped off civ and don't have the manual. Not very good to assume that I know but sometimes it just smells too fishy.

 

[stwils]

Well, I can assure you that I have not ripped off anybody or anything. I bought Civ2 several years,but never played it before. I have the manual - 196 pages published by Microprose that came with the game. I also have a huge fold out sheet called "Advances Chart with Terrain & Unit Specifications."

Just because I am having difficulty getting the real hang of the game does not mean I did not acquire it honestly.

Please be careful making such hurtful and false accusations

stwils

 

[GenghisK]

You know, the best way to improve your skills in a game is... to play it. Reading 200 pages can be boring. Not playing and learning from the previous "failures". A tip, anyway. If you're really novice, start with only 3 civ, on a small map and (most important) on a "plenty of islands" map. Thus, you can have time to develop quietly, in peace. Of course, it's not good for trade (in fact yes, trading in the same continent is less interesting than between 2 islands, that's normal) but at least, it prevents war...
Also try to go straight do Democracy. You don't want war first, but techs.


------------------
Genghis K.
<IMG SRC="http://www.leader-values.com/images/Genghis%20Khan.gif" border=0>

 

[stwils]

Thanks for helping, all. I printed everybody's suggestions out. So today, I will bury myself in the manual (groan), especially the "concepts in" sections like Smash said - and then try again to play this tutorial game.

You know, I once played a little bit of Sid Meier's Gettysburg on a friend's computer. I think I was expecting to see something like that with Civ2. Those graphics were beautiful. And the little soldiers were - well just what you'd want them to be! It was almost like playing with the toy ones you played with as a child.

Looks like this is more a game of concepts and thought and less of moving units and clicking around.

Hope I get use to it. I want to like it.

Thanks again. Will be back when I come up for air.

stwils

 

[Valdy]

First time I ever played Civ 2 I thought the very same thing. That was 4 years ago, and although I go through phases of not playing it, I still keep coming back to it!

 

[gar13]

my first time i played was really funny

i had 3 cities, and was TOTALLY surrouned by the russians, who owned the rest of the world...

i really tried to fight them off too, but it got really boring, and soon i just started another game (which i won)

 

[SlowwHand]

Why don't you read some strategies, either here or Apolyton?

I wouldn't like the game either if I didn't even know what "the blinking unit" is.

------------------
It's In The Way That You Use It

ICQ 51553293

 

[vladmir_illych_lenin]

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'RE SAYING??????

You are comparing Chess to Milton Bradley's Snakes and Ladders! (Civ to AOE)

(j/k)

My advice: read the manual. You don't have to read every word. Skim through it and you'll have a basic idea of how to play, like founding cities, diplomacy, and warfare. If you want more detail information like successful strategies, caravans, high scores, etc. just post here or <a href=http://apolyton.net>here</a>