Mapstat

[braclayrab]

I read this in an SG:
"Due to the fact I forgot to put Mapstat back on auto a lot of cities riot. (Sorry team)".

What does this mean and how can I use Mapstat to prevent riot? I have Mapstat but it only seems to tell me the terrain counts...

 

[bingen]

Get the latest version of Mapstat. Have it running in the background. It can be set to auto monitoring the autosave. If citizens are about to riot the Happiness tab will be blinking in Mapstat.

 

[Dell19]

Not sure how valid it is having a program that runs in the background and helps you avoid one of the problems that can occur whilst managing a civ...

 

[IbnSina]

It doesn't tell us anything we couldn't find out using standard game tools, but we would have to spend ten minutes checking what mapstat can in a few seconds. I use Dianthus' CrpMapstat.

 

[Dell19]

Perhaps there is a limit where tools can be too helpful. I guess I don't really have a problem with it, although it would give a slight advantage since you are far less likely to miss a city and watch it go into disorder on the next turn.

 

[braclayrab]

I think as long as you understand that it's possible to do, and could do it yourself, it's kosher. Whether or not I"m just justifying it, I'm gonna use it.

 

[Tomoyo]

I don't like utilities... Historically many leaders had incompetant advisors.

 

[Kayak]

I don't think that Mapstat qualifies as an advisor does it? My bcomputer doesn't advise me (yet). I find it extremely useful for all of that info that I forget ion the "heat of the moment" or that I what to see all in one place.

 

[Dell19]

It provides a similar role... About to finish a turn? Minimise the game and check that no cities are going to revolt.

 

[satchel]

I've recently started using CrpMapStat and I like it a lot. Dianthus wrote it very carefully to ensure that it provides no spoiler information - so it doesn't tell me anything I couldn't figure out for myself if I had the patience to check every turn. But that's me - I play just for myself, and I'm neither a terribly ambitious nor a competitive player. If you are trying to challenge yourself you may choose not to use such a utility. If you are in a competitive game (or a cooperative environment like a SG) you should definitely check with the other players before using such a utility.

 

[superslug]

It's perfectly legal for Hall of Fame use.

 

[Randy]

It's perfectly legal for Hall of Fame use.

You can use it GOTM also. It is a great tool. All info fyom it can be found with out it. But it is so nice to have a few screens to check every thing you need to check before you end a turn.

 

[Charles 22]

I've recently started using CrpMapStat and I like it a lot. Dianthus wrote it very carefully to ensure that it provides no spoiler information - so it doesn't tell me anything I couldn't figure out for myself if I had the patience to check every turn. But that's me - I play just for myself, and I'm neither a terribly ambitious nor a competitive player. If you are trying to challenge yourself you may choose not to use such a utility. If you are in a competitive game (or a cooperative environment like a SG) you should definitely check with the other players before using such a utility.

I agree completely. That utility has taken 98% of any frustration I had with the game out of it. The only thing I want to know, though, is if the AI has very many rebellions? This utility almost makes it impossible for rebellions, for from what I recall only something happening during the turn you didn't account for, like a luxury being pillaged, can catch you offguard into a riot. I love putting the rebellions to be practically nil, but how the AI manages does concern me a bit, buit onlt a bit, because the AI gangs up on me so regularly I'm not too concerned with it's problems just yet.

It also saves a huge amount of time wondering what amount of money and techs the AI have. That part of the game was irritating enough for me before this utility that I pretty much ignored what the AI's had throughout the game. Only when I had a tech I was pretty sure nobody else had, would I check things for a few turns. It ought to be a standard part of the CIV program as far as I'm concerned. How many people have tossed this game away in frustration for all the frustrating things this utility helps with?

 

[MikeH]

I use Ainwood's CivAssist, which pretty much does the same thing. I don't consider any of these utilities to be cheating, if Firaxis had made the game interface more usable we wouldn't need them. I hope they've been looking at these utilities in designing Civ4 to find out what information players want to be more accessible.