Please Read: Welcome to the C-IV GOTM

[Sharpe_]

Hi. Sorry I'm new to the forum so don't know where to ask this. Please redirect me to the correct place if needs be.

I want to ask if anyone is able to play Civ IV GOTM on Steam's version of BOTS?

The Mac BUFFY mod runs fine on its own, but when I try to open the downloaded GOTM save file I get the error: "The save file you have selected is protected to ensure that the assets in your mod folder have not been changed".
I suspect it might be because the Steam version has some different assets to the version the save file was originally made in.
I'm definitely using the final version of BOTS, with the correct BUFFY mod.

Anyone know anything about this?
Thanks for your help.

 

[leif erikson]

If I recall correctly, the STEAM version changed to a different multiplayer platform and, thus, the assets changed.

Go to STEAM, click on Civ4 BTS, right click and in the menu, click on Properties. In the next menu, across the top you'll see BETAS on the right side, click on it. Under BETAS you'll see "Select the beta you would like to opt into". Click on the arrowhead on the right and select "original_release_unsupported-Original Release -" and that should realign the assets.

 

[Noble Zarkon]

You may also need to follow some of these instructions.

 

[Sharpe_]

Thanks both. That is definitely the correct fix if you are running BTS on windows. As per these instructions I also found. But sadly I'm on a mac...
There is no BETA for the mac version because it was never affected by the steam multiplayer update. Which means the error might have another origin.

Such a shame as I was really looking forward to playing a GOTM. If anyone hears of somebody playing GOTM via Steam, on a mac - I'd love to hear.

Cheers for your help anyway. Much obliged.

 

[AlanH]

Thanks both. That is definitely the correct fix if you are running BTS on windows. As per these instructions I also found. But sadly I'm on a mac...
There is no BETA for the mac version because it was never affected by the steam multiplayer update. Which means the error might have another origin.

Such a shame as I was really looking forward to playing a GOTM. If anyone hears of somebody playing GOTM via Steam, on a mac - I'd love to hear.

Cheers for your help anyway. Much obliged.

Please run the Mac Asset Checker that I created, and post the text it produces. This may identify the problem. It’s attached to the first post in the MacBuffy thread

 

[Conquistador 63]

I should have known already after all those years of playing GOTM, but I have a simple question: in the turn immediately after we win, is it ok to take additional actions (e.g. conquer one more city just for additional points) and then save/submit this last save?

 

[lymond]

I should have known already after all those years of playing GOTM, but I have a simple question: in the turn immediately after we win, is it ok to take additional actions (e.g. conquer one more city just for additional points) and then save/submit this last save?

No

 

[Xcalibrator]

No

But it won't have any effect on your score, since the GOTM software looks at the game state at the beginning of the turn. (I got fussed at once for experimenting with this. )

 

[Master_Of_Ideas]

Hello altogether,

I found the GOTM as I was searching for additional ways to learn the game. Actually I am quite good at beating prince, outrunning the AIs in classical age, but I want to grow to monarch or emperor. So I thought, it could be interesting to play some of the Prince or Monarch games and read how others did it to compare with myself.

But I found no savegames here. Just the spoiler- and starting-threads. So where can I get the savegames? An is there any table, where the first 220 GOTM games are listed?

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Hello altogether,

I found the GOTM as I was searching for additional ways to learn the game. Actually I am quite good at beating prince, outrunning the AIs in classical age, but I want to grow to monarch or emperor. So I thought, it could be interesting to play some of the Prince or Monarch games and read how others did it to compare with myself.

But I found no savegames here. Just the spoiler- and starting-threads. So where can I get the savegames? An is there any table, where the first 220 GOTM games are listed?

Hi Master_Of_Ideas and welcome to GOTM.

Each starting thread contains a link to where you can download the game while once the competition is open (Search each starting post for the text, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save >>>here<<<).

Alternatively, if you want to play old games, there are a couple of ways to download the saves: You can still use the game announcement thread - the links to download the starting saves still work for older games, you just won't be able to submit once you've played a game. Or - if you already know the number of the game you want - just go to the GOTM home page at http://gotm.civfanatics.net/. On the right side of the page there's a drop-down listbox for completed games that will let you get to each game.

For extremely old games that have been created using a different Civ patch, you'll no longer be able to open the starting save because Civ patches aren't backwards-compatible. But you can still download and play from the WorldBuilder file for each game -there's a link to download each WorldBuilders on each game results page.

 

[Master_Of_Ideas]

Hi Master_Of_Ideas and welcome to GOTM.

Each starting thread contains a link to where you can download the game while once the competition is open (Search each starting post for the text, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save >>>here<<<).

Alternatively, if you want to play old games, there are a couple of ways to download the saves: You can still use the game announcement thread - the links to download the starting saves still work for older games, you just won't be able to submit once you've played a game. Or - if you already know the number of the game you want - just go to the GOTM home page at http://gotm.civfanatics.net/. On the right side of the page there's a drop-down listbox for completed games that will let you get to each game.

For extremely old games that have been created using a different Civ patch, you'll no longer be able to open the starting save because Civ patches aren't backwards-compatible. But you can still download and play from the WorldBuilder file for each game -there's a link to download each WorldBuilders on each game results page.

Ahhh... I see. Thank you. I will try a bit with the old games and look, how others made it. Maybe I join an actual game thenafter
The game of november looks quite interesting.

Question:
The HoF-Mod is just for submitting and doesn't change things, right?

 

[lymond]

Ahhh... I see. Thank you. I will try a bit with the old games and look, how others made it. Maybe I join an actual game thenafter
The game of november looks quite interesting.

Question:
The HoF-Mod is just for submitting and doesn't change things, right?

The BUFFY mod (BTS HOF mod) includes BUG, BULL, and HOF Mods. BUG and BULL provide UI/info enhancements to the game. Almost everyone one uses these mods in some form or fashion, and I highly recommend that you do as well. HOF Mod portion assists staff with vetting aspects of these competition, and I believe adds some minor patching to the game.

Some folks use BUFFY to play all their games regardless, as it does have all the features of BUG/BULL anyway and those folks often play GOTM and HOF games here as well as forum games like you've been doing so far. You can also simply install BUG/BULL via the Custom Assets method, which does not require actual loading of the mods and you can even play with existing games. Another great option is the BAT mod which is BUG+BULL + Graphic enhancements (I actually use this mod most).

fyi - BUG and BULL are synergistic mods with BULL basically being an enhancement mod to larger BUG mod. The two are totally integrated, but can be install separately as well.

 

[Pangaea]

Ahhh... I see. Thank you. I will try a bit with the old games and look, how others made it. Maybe I join an actual game thenafter

Admittedly people usually don't write much, but sometimes you can get nice insights into why people did this or that in their games when you read the update threads from 1AD and 'game finished'. Best to read those after you have played, so you don't get spoilered about the maps, and can then compare with what you did. And of course, if you plan to play one of the current or upcoming games, you can't read those unless you have played to 1AD/completed the game.

A general note about a fair share of the BOTM games is that there are often unusual situations set up from the start, that we can't get with naturally generated maps. This makes it exciting to play, but can also make it more difficult. Perhaps there is a super strong enemy unit somewhere in the world, maybe you start with great people or a strong unit of your own, maybe there are teams, etc etc.

I would recommend to play some active games because it's fun to compare with what others did, and sometimes you can learn from your own mistakes and what others did. Oh, and it's nice for the GOTM crew to see more games submitted

 

[krikav]

I have been suprised at the lack of overlap between S&T games (Nobles club etc) and BOTM games. (Why so few play both)

But if you want to learn the most, I think that playing some shadow games and the nobles club games and ask alot of questions is probably the way to go.
BOTM is abit more designed to be a friendly competition which is fun and dandy but perhaps not as inducive to learning.

 

[Qgqqqqq]

I've been playing some old GOTM, and I was wondering if there were any you'd particularly recommend, with interesting or unique starts. E.g. I really enjoyed the Three Musketeers one.

 

[Smiregal]

Here are four very old Maps that still Stick with me. All of them are Botms. But Not at the Same difficulty as the three musketeers. 47 Game of Thrones. 71 greece with a carrack. 91 Lord of The Rings, and my all time whillem Sushi map botm 96

 

[Fine_Distinction]

I loved the Lockdown special, BOTM 194. It is a very unique, pandemic special and and tons of fun. Musketeers were also quite good, Noble donut (still running) has also interesting map. I also like "always war" one where we got longbows at start, don't remember the name, but it was Rome ~170

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I loved the Lockdown special, BOTM 194. It is a very unique, pandemic special and and tons of fun. Musketeers were also quite good, Noble donut (still running) has also interesting map. I also like "always war" one where we got longbows at start, don't remember the name, but it was Rome ~170

The Rome/always war one with longbows was BOTM 195 - the game after the 'lockdown special'.

I'd also give a shout out to BOTM 208 - @kcd_swede's very clever Willem game in which 4 different map-types were stitched together and you started with a galley in the centre of the map, allowing you to sail and settle in your preferred map type: Lakes to the NE, Fantasy Realm to the SE, Inland Sea to the SW, or rainforest to the NW. I've replayed that one quite a few times and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[Qgqqqqq]

What does BOTM mean, as opposed to Game of the Month?

I tried the GoT one, but gave up once I realised there were 4700 (!) tiles. I'm cleaning up the Atlantis one, but Noble is a bit too easy. I also abandoned the Roman one (before posting here) once I was down to one opponent and the distances were too large.

 

[Fine_Distinction]

BOTM is BTS (beyond the sword) game of the month