Need help!!!!!!!!

[stamoum]

Just bought civ3. I have played civ2 for many years and really enjoyed it. But for some reason my civilization is growing very slow. My computer civs are way more advanced than mine. I make little money. My scientific research is going terrible slow.
I expand my cities. Build roads and mines. Build city improvments.
Etc etc.. What the hell am I doing wrong??? Please help me!!!

 

[andvruss]

First, welcome to CFC ! Second, read the War Academyhere , it shall help you tons.

 

[bosamar]

When I made the switch to Civ3 the learining curve was a bit high. You just have to play ALOT of games to get used to it. It took me about 12 games before I got the hang of it. Start at Cheiftain but don't stay there. You need to challenge yourself with the higher levels which all play just a little different from the next.

Don't give up. You just have to get over the hump. I think its better to learn on Tiny or Small world first. Games move much faster this way.

On the other hand if you start on a large world you may not come in contact with another civ until well into the Middle Ages. This may give you time to build your civ.

Some of the hard lessons I've learned are:

* You must have a supply of Iron ASAP. This is very important because if you don't you will not be able to build Swordsmen who are the best early attackers in early wars.
* Build the core of your civ ASAP = at least 6-8 cities ASAP.
* Two defenders per city ASAP.
* At least one worker per city for roads, etc.
* Get to Monarchy or Republic ASAP.
* Build Barrackd, Granary, Temple, Marketplace before Wonders.
* Don't build Aqueduct until City Size 5 or 6; you are just wasting money if you build early.
* Set Barbarians at Roaming and ransack their huts. There is gold in them there hills....
* Set play Prefs for both Warmonger and Peaceful game. This gives you the best chance of winning. There are actually four ways to victory in Civ 3: Cultural, Dipolmatic, Domination, and Histographic.

And the answers to your biggest problem: Resource and City Construction:
* You MUST watch your status screen EACH TURN.
* At the very start (Turn 1) set your Science slider to 70%. Keep an eye on it and as soon as your cash flow goes negative turn it down to 60% etc.
* Keep an eye on your cash flow each turn and always set your Science slider for maximum cash flow without going into the deep negative numbers.
* Leave the entertainment slider at 0% until the Industrial Age.
* Seek out resources and build a colony on them. Always protect them with a good defender. You MUST build a road to the Colony for it to be of use.

 

[silver 2039]

There is no need for colony's simply build cities on resourses colonies are useless.

 

[bosamar]

Originally posted by silver 2039

There is no need for colony's simply build cities on resourses colonies are useless.

Not totally true.

Some resources are located in a bad city location or too far from your civ's core. It's best to get them for your civ before your AI civ gets it.

The time it takes to build a settler vice using an available worker could mean the loss of that specific resource. I've had many resources "stolen" from me in this manner. Damn AI.

 

[silver 2039]

The Ai will build a city right next to your colony so it gets the resourse now. Colonies are only temporaryand it is a waste of a worker. I would rather build a settler and have a secure source of a resourse or luxry.

 

[stamoum]

Thanks for all the help. I'am getting better. I sure love this wonderful game!!!!!!!!

 

[jeannie]

Originally posted by stamoum
Thanks for all the help. I'am getting better. I sure love this wonderful game!!!!!!!!

I found it very useful to start at Chieftain and start with smaller than 'standard' map sizes and fewer civs than the max allowed for the map size, adding civs; then moving to larger maps until I could win regularly with standard-sized maps and the max # of civs for standard maps. Then I moved up to Warlord, etc.

Starting with smaller maps and fewer civs made it possible to get through the learning curve more quickly. (For me, it takes about 20 hours of play time to win on a standard sized map.)

On Chieftain, it's fairly easy to get a scientific lead on the other civs, but as you move up to higher skill levels.

DEFINITELY look at the War Academy articles!