Newbie Questions 2 - post them in THIS thread please!

[danwhit]

Originally posted by Hurricane

That was a problem with one of the earlier patches. I recommend you to immeditaley upgrade to the latest patch.

 

[danwhit]

Originally posted by Hurricane

That was a problem with one of the earlier patches. I recommend you to immeditaley upgrade to the latest patch.

I am using 1.29f...If I remember correctly and have updated every time a new one came out and it never was fixed. This was what I was worried about...It's probably my disk copy that is screwing it up. I bought it the first day it was out, so its the very first version(I knew better). Does anyone know how I can fix this?

 

[Mad Bomber]

danwit:

Your computer may have misplaced a file from 1.29, try defragging your drive, if that does not work, reinstall 1.29.

 

[danwhit]

My computer has been defragged countless time since I first installed Civ3 and the Foriegn Advisor screen has not worked since the very first day. Even after installing every upgrade. I'm sure this same situation has happened to someone else.

 

[RufRydyr]

Originally posted by Lt. 'Killer' M.
oh, and a nice little quote from the FAQ:


How do I access the advanced espionage missions?

• Click the pentagon next to the city you built the Intelligence Agency in. Once you have planted a spy use the Pentagon icon near the enemy city you infiltrated to execute missions.
  or
• once you have a spy you can press the e button on the right of the lower right hand box (where the active unit is viewed) and then select the civ you want to execute the mission in
  thanx, graeme the mad!

There's also some shortcut keys. I always forget which is which so I just use both until it works.

Planting the spy and using the spy are Shift-E or Ctrl-E. One is for one and one is for the other.

Regarding the planting and use of spies:
Getting caught trying to plant a spy makes a civ less happy or madder at you. Failing when they are furious can precipitate a war. I try to have them happy before trying to plant a spy and giving them a gift if it fails.

When it comes to using spies, the most important use IMO is to see how many troops they have and to view the space race. Not only do spy mission cost way too much, they jeoparidize the spy.

In conclusion, plant the spy right after you build the Intelligence Agency in happy civs and don't do any spy missions (unless you're trying to get them to declare war on you. Your people stay happier longer when you're not the one to declare war in Democracy.) [Note: Before the required tech AND Before building the Intelligence Agency, Espionage only gives you two options.]

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by Lieutenant_Qc
ok thanx!
and sorry Killer I didnt think any such question would be in the* FAQ , and I noticed this thread is named *"Newbie Questions" !

p.s no offence!

no sweat!

on spies: no idea what the chances are - but very low in my experience... maybe 1 in 5 I'd say.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by danwhit
How can I determine which forest or swamp squares will have a bonus grassland under them. A bonus gl is most commonly under a full looking forest or swamp but not always. There is no obvious pattern and the option to clear the land doesn't remover forest/swamp, like it did in Civ2. I have found no info in the manual or on this site pertaining to this situation.

not

Also, I am having trouble with my foreign affairs advisor screen. It only shows pictures of the leaders. I can't get any connections between civs to appear(regardless of clicking on the toggles on the right hand side). I have played the game without correctly using the FA screen since day one. Is the information that this screen gives useful? It seems to me that it would be. Any thoughts on why I am unable to use this screen(Bug or I'm stupid) or how I might be able to use it would be appreciated(also explaining what it is useful for).

establish embassies
shift + click marks several civs at once.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by richard D
Well, I finally won my first game, diplomatically. I played Greece, at Monarchy level, in a setting you could basically describe as Minoan.

Looking back, I reckon I had a pretty easy map - one I would recommend for anyone who's not won a game yet and who fancies trying a non-conflict approach. I saved it at the first move - if anyone thinks it would be worth uploading then I can do so.

I was surprised to win diplomatically, though. I was actually going for a space race win. However, after building the UN, I won on the first vote with everyone voting for me except the other candidate.

It almost seemed too easy. I was third on the score list, and histographically only 1st on things like literacy. Japan was enormous and gradually gobbling up its neighbours.

I can only imagine I won because I never went to war with anyone. Am I right?

Richard

no war increases your chance. but the major thing is that they hate the other guy - so you better get them into a war with him.

 

[billindenver]

Originally posted by ZeekLTK

will they also help me fight the other countries that I didn't sign an alliance against or are they only going to fight the ones I got them to agree me to help with?

I asked them for an alliance but even though they are "Polite" with me, they wouldn't accept 3 techs + 4000 gold. Is this a sign that they are planning to allie with the enemy? Should I try to get MORE stuff to offer them or maybe wait on an allie to bring them into the war? Or are they really going to stay neutral during this whole thing?

No, they won't. They signed onto an alliance against only one civs that attacked you. However, they may end up in fighting the others if one of the countries that Russia or China attacks during the alliance actually has a Mutual Protection Pact with their allies. So, for example, Russia attacks Rome, and Rome has an MPP with China, the Russia will also attack China. Go to your Diplomacy screen and review which countries have alliance versus which have MPP's.

As to Germany, yes, you may need to offer more. I think a better approach might be offering an MPP, since that way, anyone who attacks you Germany will attack.

 

[ZeekLTK]

"As to Germany, yes, you may need to offer more. I think a better approach might be offering an MPP, since that way, anyone who attacks you Germany will attack."

Well the problem with that is that no one has the technology to sign MPPs. I am the leading country in terms of tech and I am just about finished with my first industrial era tech: steam power, which will be done in 2-3 turns.

 

[TimeValue]

Can anyone please show me where I can find exactly what kind of improvements a settler makes to a terrain tile when it founds a new city on it?
Does it irrigate the city? Build roads on it? What's the difference between founding a city on a grassland square and a desert square (what resources will be produced on that square)?
Also, why is it a bad idea to plant a new city on a bonus square, like wheat or cattle?
What I REALLY need is a table explaining what a new city does to the square underneath it in ALL terrain situations....and I can't for the life of me find explicit info on this ANYWHERE!
Can anyone help?
Thanks in Advance

 

[MadScot]

Originally posted by TimeValue
Can anyone please show me where I can find exactly what kind of improvements a settler makes to a terrain tile when it founds a new city on it?
Does it irrigate the city? Build roads on it? What's the difference between founding a city on a grassland square and a desert square (what resources will be produced on that square)?
Also, why is it a bad idea to plant a new city on a bonus square, like wheat or cattle?
What I REALLY need is a table explaining what a new city does to the square underneath it in ALL terrain situations....and I can't for the life of me find explicit info on this ANYWHERE!
Can anyone help?
Thanks in Advance

Cracker posted a long and detailed strategy article on forestry, which included the following summary table of settler effects in forest/jungle squares.

As I understand it, a settler provides a road bonus (extra gold) and shield bonus (extra shield) in the city square. It also provides one population worth of food in the city square, and irrigates it for the purpose of irrigating neighbouring squares IF the city is adjacent to fresh water.

That bit about the food for one population is why you shouldn't build your city on a food bonus square - you get the same amount of food regardless, so save the bonus for a non-city square, rather than waste it on a city square where it has no effect.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[TimeValue]

Thanks MadScot,
I read much of Cracker's opening strategies articles (about forestry, tile power, etc.) and they are great!
I wish they had a more detailed list on all the possibilities for city square resources in the Civilopedia, for instance...but that list you provided was enlightening for the moment...

 

[RufRydyr]

Originally posted by TimeValue
Can anyone please show me where I can find exactly what kind of improvements a settler makes to a terrain tile when it founds a new city on it?
Does it irrigate the city? Build roads on it? What's the difference between founding a city on a grassland square and a desert square (what resources will be produced on that square)?
Also, why is it a bad idea to plant a new city on a bonus square, like wheat or cattle?
What I REALLY need is a table explaining what a new city does to the square underneath it in ALL terrain situations....and I can't for the life of me find explicit info on this ANYWHERE!
Can anyone help?
Thanks in Advance

I hope text will suffice.

Just remember to build on the worst tiles. Desert is a good spot. Since building a city automaticaly clears jungle, building on a jungle tile that appears to have plains under it is also good. I like to build on rivers since aquadects are so expansive.

You need to first determine if this city is going to be one of your 'core' cities or out in the boonies. If the city is close enough to your capital or Forbiden Palace to actually get shields then I wouldn't build on a hill. If it's in the boonies and is only going to get 1 shield of production, then build on the hill, especially if that hill is on a river. Hills give you a defensive bonus.

You get the same amount of food from your city tile regardless of the terrain under it, so build on the crappiest tiles and leave the good ones for working.

 

[billindenver]

Originally posted by ZeekLTK
"As to Germany, yes, you may need to offer more. I think a better approach might be offering an MPP, since that way, anyone who attacks you Germany will attack."

Well the problem with that is that no one has the technology to sign MPPs. I am the leading country in terms of tech and I am just about finished with my first industrial era tech: steam power, which will be done in 2-3 turns.

There is no technology required for MPP's I don't think. All you need to do is establish an embassy in that country.

 

[danwhit]

Originally posted by billindenver


There is no technology required for MPP's I don't think. All you need to do is establish an embassy in that country.

Nationalism is needed before you can sign a MPP, so you won't be able to have one until Industial Era.

 

[Sim_One]

If you don't have roads linked up to a resource in your territory that resource cannot possibly get exhausted right?

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

a resource that has never been linked cannot run out. if it ever has been linked - even if you cut the road - it can.

 

[hbdragon88]

What's improvement pollution? If it's there how come I don't see it as a pollution symbol?

 

[Yzman]

most modern improvements cause pullution. This polution can be seen by opening the city window. Its not the same thing as what you see go on your tiles if thats was your question.