Please Read: Welcome to the C-IV GOTM

[Spoony]

Impressive, you can tell I haven't been using this site long! Thanks

 

[LeSphinx]

I've look at the C-iv GOTM Submission Form and I can not wait to play !!!
LeSphinx

 

[DaveMcW]

Are we still doing Conquest/Open/Predator classes? If so, we really need to come up with better names!

 

[Abegweit]

Not necessary for the first time through, I think.

We're all Conquest class now.

 

[LeSphinx]

I'm sure some will challenge themselve with the predator class even for the first c-iv GOTM !!

LeSphinx

 

[FriendlyFire]

Do we need to submitt screenshot of the final turn
as well as an additional save at 1000AD ?

 

[LeSphinx]

I'm sure ainwood will explains us in the GOTM thread...
LeSphinx

 

[ainwood]

Are we still doing Conquest/Open/Predator classes? If so, we really need to come up with better names!

Not initially. Might do that after a few games though.

 

[LeSphinx]

So ainwood, have you got some good news for us for the first c-iv GOTM ???


LeSphinx

 

[MeteorPunch]

How is the spoiler format gonna be? Seems like a no-brainer:

Spoiler 1: Ancient/Classical
Spoiler 2: Medieval/Renaissance
Spoiler 3/End of Game: Industrial/Modern

 

[Abegweit]

It seems to me that spoilers should be based more on map knowledge and specific techs rather than on era. Eras mean a lot less in this game, where you can be in the Medieval Age without having all the starting techs.

For example, the conditions for a first spoiler might be knowledge of iron, horses and contacts with all the civs on your starting continent. Even that's difficult. I have frequently been surprised to meet a new civ when I thought I knew them all. This just does not happen in Civ3. I'm not entirely sure what the difference is, but it is real.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I find it hard to make clear rules. Obviously Astronomy is a critical tech, and anything which exposes modern resources.

I also think that two spoilers are more than enough. Maybe one is enough like they do in the RBC series. The game moves a lot quicker. There are no more hundred hour marathons in Civ4 which makes multiple spoilers less necessary. Good riddance. I may actually complete the odd GOTM.

Back to the point: having just one spoiler would certainly solve the question of where to place the cutoff point.

 

[MeteorPunch]

I agree this may require some discussion here. It's actually possible to get nationalism early and skip the Medieval Age entirely if you so choose. I like having 2 or more spoilers, though. It's fun and a learning experience as you go along. Besides, it is not required, so if you don't want to, don't bother.

Perhaps a "resource based" spoiler. Iron, Copper, and Horses are revealed early on, but perhaps too early in the game for that to be a cutting point.

Another possiblility is turns, say a spoiler at 200 turns for example.

 

[Shillen]

I, too, have been surprised to find another civ on my continent later in the game than I should have. This usually happens when one AI blocks you off completely from another AI and those two AI's don't get along so there's no open borders. So yeah the spoiler threads will be difficult to handle. I don't want to read a spoiler thread and find out some vital piece of information about the game that I hadn't learned on my own yet.

 

[MeteorPunch]

Maybe it will be specific for each game. Ex: Spoiler 1, Starting continents Map, certain resouces, certain techs, etc. I would just like to know in advance though, so I can note to stop and assess what I'll write for the spoiler.

 

[Pazarius]

Any persons found to be cheating will have their games removed, and there is a strong possibility that they will be banned from participating in the future.

Cheating includes (and is not limited to):

1. Playing the game multiple times and submitting the best effort (or even playing to get knowledge of the map, the replaying then starting the game again).
2. Using any sort of programs to edit the game or save files.
3. Altering the XML or using other mods that give you an unfair advantage.
4. Reloading an earlier save-file and replaying turns in a different way. The only time you may reload a save file is to start a new play session, and you must use the save file from the end of your previous session.

Please note that some people believe that reloading (in particular) isn't serious cheating. We, however, consider it to be and have zero tolerance on it. Please also be aware that if you do it, we can detect it, and we will act on it.

I went through a period where the most probable time for the game to crash was during the first turn you played after loading a saved game. I managed to change some settings and make it more stable, but it still does it sometimes.

If it happens again during a Civ4 GotM, wouldn't this be indistinguishable from reload cheating? In both cases you load the same save game file twice. I wouldn't want to be branded a cheater just because the game chooses the most annoying times to crash.

I'm assuming that if the game crashes in the middle of a session, you can just load the last autosave.

I know you won't want to divulge how you detect this type of cheating, but if a game crash is going to invalidate my entry, I'm not sure whether playing Game of the month is worth the risk.

 

[ainwood]

I'm assuming that if the game crashes in the middle of a session, you can just load the last autosave.

Correct.

I know you won't want to divulge how you detect this type of cheating, but if a game crash is going to invalidate my entry, I'm not sure whether playing Game of the month is worth the risk.

If its happening regularly, then let us know via PM or e-mail to gotm@civfanatics.net.

 

[T_Raccoon]

I just started playing the GOTM and i found a minor exploit while playing the game. I don't know if this has been mentioned or not but in the info screen (F9 i think) when you go to Wonders/Top 5 Cities you can get a peek of what other civilizations you're playing against. You don't actually see the picture of the other civilizations city but i think knowing what civilizations you're playing against is a little unfair.

 

[EMan]

@T_Raccoon: Haven't played Civ 4 GOTM yet BUT, in Civ 3 GOTM it was perfectly acceptable to go to the F10-Spaceship screen and look at your opponents!

I know you won't want to divulge how you detect this type of cheating, but if a game crash is going to invalidate my entry, I'm not sure whether playing Game of the month is worth the risk.

Correct.

If its happening regularly, then let us know via PM or e-mail to gotm@civfanatics.net.

This happened to me (GAME Crashes that is) during the final turns of a long-ago GOTM......Most annoying.

Perhaps, to ease the "Guilt" of the Game/System crash Victim, you (GOTM Staff) should REQUIRE an email/PM stating the date of the turn where the reload(s) occurred (plus Saved File?).........99+% of the time it will be a TOTALLY INNOCENT Game/Sytem crash.........as it was with the "Mod" (I assume) to GOTM of long-ago that caused the Game to crash.

Just a Thought.

And Finally....

...I'm not sure whether playing Game of the month is worth the risk.

IT IS!!

 

[jameson]

A short question: what's the naming convention for the savegame to be submitted ? Can we just use the default name or should we use our loginname here?

 

[Dianthus]

A short question: what's the naming convention for the savegame to be submitted ? Can we just use the default name or should we use our loginname here?

You can use any name. Alan's submission page will rename the file anyway.