Quick Answers (formerly Newbie Questions)

[AlanH]

Originally posted by Padma
I'm pretty certain the discussion came out as "they know the map". They act, in most cases, like they don't, but when it comes to settling near resources, etc., they take advantage of that knowledge.

(I just wish search was back on so I could check my memory. )

From my limited experience, it's my impression that the AI civs know the full world map as at 4000 BC, complete with all land masses, current and future resource positions. They also seem to know all troop locations. But I think they have to learn about civ boundaries and city locations by exploring or by buying territory maps.

My evidence, as I say, comes from limited game play:

I reckon they know the static world map, because of the city placement decisions they make that can only make sense later, once you know where the resources are. Also, in my GOTM20, England got the Lighthouse and immediately a galley beelined to the other continent across the shortest gap. That was evident from the maps they traded immediately afterwards.

They seem to know which cities have the weakest defence. I've never seen them attack a city with four defenders if there's another with only one.

I'm pretty sure I've seen a change of behavior by AI civs after I sold my map. I had an unclaimed space in the center of my territory when all other available land on the continent had been taken. As soon as I sold my map two civs sent escorted settlers across my space heading directly for the unclaimed area (no ROP, of course, but when did that ever stop them?)

I'd love to see search back as well, BTW. But I'd like to see a stable server first

 

[WillJ]

@AlanH: Hmm, they know the map, but not boundaries. That makes sense. I guess that's what I'll assume (until evidence is provided against it).

 

[Grille]

Originally posted by superslug
NEW QUESTIONS: If a bomber (and fighters for that matter) are wounded, will they heal simply by fortifying them in a city? The city in question has an airport, will this make them heal quicker, or is it a prerequisite? Also, will they automatically reactivate when fully healed like other units do? Thanks! NEW QUESTIONS:

(In vanilla),
air units will heal if you fortify them. If the city has an airport, the unit will be at full health in the next turn (AFAIK, it won't become automatically active again then - just as every other unhealthy unit that fortifies in a city). However, you could just press space to heal the air unit, that's much easier than fortifying them and searching for them later. They won't heal if you assign them to a duty (bombing, AS mission etc). Btw, interceptors will become active after an AS mission, so you don't need to check their health status manually.

 

[Bamspeedy]

The AI knows the map and all troop locations. I set up a scenario, and at 4000 BC I declared war on a civ on the other side of the world (pangea map). His troops (deity level) bee-lined straight for my capital.

The AI knows where everybody is, and the resources. But he must uncover the tiles to be able to use them for trading purposes, and to add value to his 'map'. Even though the AI knows where you are, if he hasn't met you yet, he won't bee-line straight for you to make contact (or to make contact with other AI). His exploring units will just go in their semi-random pattern uncovering tiles, and if they happen to meet you, that is when they make contact.

I have given the AI the map of the whole world, and it took them thousands of years to finally meet their neighbors (when their borders finally bumped up against the other civ's borders). Since they knew the whole map, they disbanded all their scouts and had no reason to explore.

 

[WillJ]

Thanks, Bamspeedy. So how do you explain AlanH's experience of the AI suddenly moving units in to settle an unclaimed area in his empire just after giving them his map?

 

[pdescobar]

Quick and hopefully easy one; being lazy and blaming the lack of search

When is it, aside from starvation, that the food box completely empties even with a granary under standard rules?
Is it growth from 6->7 & 12->13?
Or when settler/worker builds take you from 7->6 & 13->12?
Or some other time?

 

[DaviddesJ]

The food box never empties, if you have a granary. When you grow from 6 to 7, you only have 10 food in the box which holds 40. If you shrink from 7 to 6, then you have a max of 10 food in the box, even if you had more before.

 

[pdescobar]

I coulda sworn they patched in an exception for the granary effect because of a potential exploit... Ah well... Danke.

 

[Lenvik]

Originally posted by pdescobar
I coulda sworn they patched in an exception for the granary effect because of a potential exploit... Ah well... Danke.

Yes, earlier a city going from size 7->6 would keep all its food, and if a city with a granary grew from size 6->7, half the food box would be full after the growth. So a size 6 city could grow to 7, get 20 food, build a worker, go to size 6 with 20 food (equals full food box) and grow again immediately. Now, a city going from 7->6 or 6->7 gets max 10 food, removing the potential exploit. In fact, they overdid it, as it would have sufficed to make sure that a city growing from 6->7 just got 10 food. That way, no "free food gain" would have been possible.

 

[pdescobar]

Ah, *light bulb appears over head.* Now I understand. I was mis-remembering what the "exception" was and didn't recognize it in the first response. Thanks for the extra-clear explanation Lenvik

 

[NewDestroyer]

Whats a farmers gambit?

 

[jagerchick]

I want railroads but I can't find coal anywhere except within another civs borders, but they're so far behind, they don't know they have it so I can't trade for it with them. Is there anything I can do? I mean, aside from just giving them the technology they need to discover it.

 

[superslug]

I want railroads but I can't find coal anywhere except within another civs borders, but they're so far behind, they don't know they have it so I can't trade for it with them. Is there anything I can do? I mean, aside from just giving them the technology they need to discover it.

You have three choices:
1) As you said, give them the tech, or wait for them to develop it and trade, which may or may not happen depending on your relations and how many sources of coal they have.
2) If it's close to the border, you might could induce culture flipping a city, but this is hard.
3) War. If you have a technological advantage, a short focused brutal tactical strike may be in order.

 

[hbdragon88]

If it's close to yours, fight for it. Coal is danged expensive and you do not want to rely on another civ to supply it for you. I paid a hefty price for coal, kept it renewed for ages. But if you do have to pay, pay in gpt so the deal can be renewed, never in lump sum.

 

[jagerchick]

I think my only choice is is to fight them for it. I just didn't want to have to do it because 1. they are far away 2. I have a better relationship with them than the other surviving civs & 3. they have a lot of cities, and so do their next-door neighbors. I only wanted the railroads so I can het there faster for the final showdown. Looks like my plans have changed. Thanks!!

 

[Salisa]

Whats with building the Pyramids and several of my cities on the same continent do not display the seperate storage box of food indicating a granary?

Why can the AI sail their galley units over the deep ocean with impunity especially when i built the light house? I have watched on several ocassions while the AI sails their galley back and forth never sinking?? This allows them to expand much more then they should on island maps many times destroying any chance for a peaceful game

Does the AI get unlimited gold??

and I think we should have the right to reclaim our shields as gold when we loose more then 50 of them when the AI builds your wonder first, I like long games but repeatedly watching my major cities do nothing but waste time building wonders you never get to complete is a pieve, I like the old way of being allowed to rush a wonder

I know these have maybe been asked before but the opening post said not to worry just post your questions

 

[DaviddesJ]

Originally posted by Salisa
Whats with building the Pyramids and several of my cities on the same continent do not display the seperate storage box of food indicating a granary?

If your food box is less than half-full, the divider line for the granary won't be displayed, but this doesn't mean it's not working (i.e., when your food increases to half-full, the line will appear, and when you grow, you'll keep half your food).

Why can the AI sail their galley units over the deep ocean with impunity especially when i built the light house? I have watched on several ocassions while the AI sails their galley back and forth never sinking??

The AI doesn't do this. You must be confused. Of course, if they can sail from coast tile to coast tile in a single turn, then they can cross sea without sinking, so long as they don't end the turn on sea or ocean.

If you have screenshots where the AI has a galley at end of turn on sea or ocean, and doesn't have a wonder or tech that permits this, many people would be very interested to see it.

Does the AI get unlimited gold??

No, of course not.

and I think we should have the right to reclaim our shields as gold when we loose more then 50 of them when the AI builds your wonder first, I like long games but repeatedly watching my major cities do nothing but waste time building wonders you never get to complete is a pieve, I like the old way of being allowed to rush a wonder

A good place to post requests for changes to the game is the Civ3 Conquests - Requests, Fixes, & Changes forum. It's not very likely it will get changed in Conquests as a result, but it's more likely than just posting it here.

 

[NewDestroyer]

whats a farmer gambit

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by NewDestroyer
whats a farmer gambit

Since you have asked the same question twice already and no one have yet answered, I'm not 100% sure about the answer but I think it has something to do with milking for the high score where you try to hit the domination limit real fast then farm all the way to 2050 AD.

 

[Salisa]

Daviddes, I will try the galley question again but I may have my saved game still, so you can see i am very correct the AI does in fact sail safely over many turns in the open ocean..

My last statement is nothing more then that, I don't expect it to be changed. I am new here so forgive the fact I just put it all together...
Now, how about a game where you can watch them sailing around?, instead of just a screen shot? Where would I post it , if I infact can do this again?