Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[lymond]

Is there a way to run Civ4 in a "windowed fullscreen" mode? I want to run it in a window, to make alt-tab easier, but the top part of the window cuts off some of the screen. The screen gets shifted down, and the bottom bit gets cut off. I run it with a 1920x1080 resolution, and I didn't see another option that worked better in a window.

Best I can do when running Windowed mode, is to hit the Maximize box in the very top right. It will adjust and stabilize the screen, and fix it above the desktop taskbar. Even so, there can be a bit of scrunching with fonts, but otherwise I see everything - nothing is cut-off. ( I have Windows and 1920X1080 rez)

Best way to navigate the map in Window mode, if not aware, is to click and hold the mini-map. Little odd at first but you get used to it. Ha..I actually find I tend to do that in full screen mode as well.

 

[f1rpo]

[...] I run it with a 1920x1080 resolution, and I didn't see another option that worked better in a window.

In My Games\Beyond the Sword\CivilizationIV.ini, arbitrary screen dimensions can be set through ScreenWidth= and ScreenHeight=. I find that using a slightly lower height than in fullscreen (e.g. 940 instead of 1024 on my antiquated monitor) avoids or at least reduces the scrunching lymond described. I still have to maximize manually to shift the window in the right position. Caveat: Launching the game in fullscreen with these custom dimensions results in a crash for me. So I've made a shortcut to Civ4BeyondSword.exe for windowed mode that loads a copy of CivilizationIV.ini which I've placed in the BtS install directory (same directory as Civ4BeyondSword.exe) for simplicity; it's then enough to add a space and ini=MyIniFileName.ini to the target field of the shortcut.

 

[TruePurple]

How much does having a spy on a tile increase your chance of catching enemy spies? Does it only work on the tile they are on and not help at all with surrounding tiles? Do spies get better at catching enemy spies if they haven't moved for a few turns? Do more spies on a spot have more chance of catching enemy spies? If so, what are the numbers?

 

[AcaMetis]

Per The Complete Guide to Espionage, 1.5% if you've got open borders with the civ the enemy spy belongs to, 3.75% if you don't. Only on the tile they are on and not any surrounding tiles, correct. No, the stationary bonus is only relevant to offensive spies. No, the bonus does not stack.

 

[TruePurple]

"1.5% if you've got open borders with the civ the enemy spy belongs to, 3.75% if you don't"

Per turn chance of catching them if your spy is present? Is AI spy presence irrelevant or have the same effect?

 

[AcaMetis]

It's a flat increase to the chance to catch them, not one that increases by that amount per turn. And AI spies will have the same effect on your spies if you're in their territory, yes.

 

[TruePurple]

It's a flat increase chance to catch them every turn? As in every turn there is base chance + 1.5% chance to catch them?

Do spy specialists act like spy units in cities for catching enemy spies? Is there no point/benefit in stationing a spy in a city with security bureau?

Unlike any other happiness generating terrain, forest preserves only benefit those cities within their fat +? Do they benefit multiple cities at once? If you have a national park city sharing forest preserve tiles with another city that is working that tile, does the national park city still get the extra specialist?

 

[AcaMetis]

Correct.

Specialists do not count as spies for that purpose, no. Don't know if a Great Spy does, but I assume not and even if it does there's obviously much better uses for a Great Spy anyway. The benefit doesn't stack, so there's indeed to point in doubling up on Security Bureaus and defensive spies.

Forest Preserves only work if they're in a city's BFC, but they do benefit every city who's BFC they're in regardless of which city "owns" the tile. A National Park city, however, must own a forest preserve tile in order to gain a free specialist from it. It doesn't need to work the tile, but it does need to own the tile.

 

[TruePurple]

And you don't know if great spy as a specialist in the town for sure doesn't count for defensive spy purposes?

A National Park city, however, must own a forest preserve tile in order to gain a free specialist from it. It doesn't need to work the tile, but it does need to own the tile.

By owning it, you mean within the BFP but not worked by another city/grayed out from having been worked on another city?

Does hanging gardens bonus population only apply to cities made at the time of making it? Or do new cities start out with 1 more population?

 

[AcaMetis]

A Settled Great Spy definitely not, but a Great Spy standing on a tile as a unit I'm not sure. Either way it doesn't really matter because there's better ways to use a Great Spy regardless.

Within the National Park city's BFC and grayed out in every other city that shares that tile in their BFC, yes.

 

[TruePurple]

Does hanging gardens bonus population only apply to cities made at the time of making it? Or do new cities start out with 1 more population?

 

[Samson]

Does hanging gardens bonus population only apply to cities made at the time of making it? Or do new cities start out with 1 more population?

Only applies to cities made at the time

 

[TruePurple]

But the anti-pollution applies to future cities?

 

[AcaMetis]

The bonus to ? Yes, that does.

 

[TruePurple]

So you don't recommend one turns a super spy into a specialist? Even with representation government civic? Can super spies run missions like regular spies?

Is turning a super spy into espoinage points recommended? Do you get more points from sending it to further cities like with the merchant? Or is it all about the same?

 

[lymond]

So you don't recommend one turns a super spy into a specialist? Even with representation government civic?

I often settle the Gspy, if I get one early. Nothing wrong with that...

Is turning a super spy into espoinage points recommended? Do you get more points from sending it to further cities like with the merchant? Or is it all about the same?

Running the spy mission for a lot of points is useful if you plan to steal techs. Probably the best way to use it on highest levels. Pretty sure the amount you get is static.

 

[TruePurple]

Can super spies run missions like regular spies? No, right? What is the static amount of espionage they get?

 

[AcaMetis]

You certainly can settle Great Spies, especially with Rep. I just find them more useful as impromptu scouts (Great Spies are invisible to all other units and ignore closed borders), Golden Age fuel, Scotland Yards if I know I'll be doing a lot if espionage over the course of the game or Infiltration missions if there's one rival in particular I'll be targeting.

Great Spies cannot run missions like regular spies, no. The amount is not static, it's at least dependant on game speed (quick WB test got me 3K on normal speed, 9K on Marathon).

 

[rah]

The most annoying thing was that with a normal spy you don't get the option to auto explore. It never quite made sense.

 

[AcaMetis]

Probably because it would wander around a random AI's territory, inevitably get caught and risk imposing a diplo penalty.