Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[JoeM]

What's the basics of setting up a multiplayer game with a few friends online?

 

[a4phantom]

I think units become unavailable to build once you have the techs (and resources) to build ALL the units that your unit could upgrade to. So, for instance, once you get both Rifling and Chemistry, I'd expect that Maces would become obsolete.

That was my thinking on why macemen and thus the replacement of City Raider foot soldiers would come to an end with Chemisty. So I'll stockpile macemen and report back on when maces really do become unavailable.

Update: I kept an eye on things and macemen ceased to be an option when I researched Chem. So I should have stockpiled them.

Update2: Gherald says the same and adds that pikemen become unavailable at the same time.

 

[s.c.dude]

is there a more extensive history of the cfc. including the great spam thing and the rush before each sequel and not the one in the main page i want to know more

 

[Civrules]

is there a more extensive history of the cfc. including the great spam thing and the rush before each sequel and not the one in the main page i want to know more

Of course, there was a huge rush when Civ4 came out. It was very, very busy as you might imagine. There should be a rush for the expansion as well, but not anything close to what it was like on Civ4's release (actually, the rush obviously didn't last a day, it took up a longer time).

 

[Gherald]

I think units become unavailable to build once you have the techs (and resources) to build ALL the units that your unit could upgrade to. So, for instance, once you get both Rifling and Chemistry, I'd expect that Maces would become obsolete.

That's about right. Maces and pikemen become obsolete when you have both Rifling AND Chemistry.

I often postpone researching chemistry when fighting Russia in multiplayer, for obvious reasons.

 

[JoeM]

Ah, go on. Someone give me the SP with online play!

 

[Gherald]

Ah, go on. Someone give me the SP with online play!

 

[mbye]

What is the number of free (non upkeep) units based on? Is it population or number of cities? I have seen that it is scaled based on difficulty. I also know one of the civics gets more free units but I do not ever use that civic.

 

[Lord Parkin]

I'm not too sure, but I think there's an article around somewhere...

I've also got a question: Is it possible - on any difficulty level - to get barbs out of a hut with a city border expansion? I know there's no chance from scouts, though there is for military units... but what about border expansions? Are they treated like scouts, or like military moves?

 

[mbye]

What is the number of free (non upkeep) units based on? Is it population or number of cities? I have seen that it is scaled based on difficulty. I also know one of the civics gets more free units but I do not ever use that civic.

Never mind. I found my answer. Roland Johanssen has a guide that helped me greatly.

 

[lost_civantares]

@ Lord Parkin- From what I've heard it is possible to get barbs from huts with a town's borders.

 

[smartus]

I am trying to beat the Emperor difficulty. I've already won on Emperor, but with Space Race turned off. My problem is that AI is always more tech advanced and when I finally conquer my neighbours somebody is already building the SS. I've also tried to win by space race, but I could not research fast enough.

I have several questions for Emperor+ players:

Q1: Do you ever catch up the AI on techs?
Q2: Can you make a good tech trade with the AI?
Q3: What map type do you play? Continents seem to be a bad choice... (my hemisphere always beeing the backwards one, guess this is because of the tech trading )
Q4: Does AI ever trade you tech for money? What are the rates?

Thanks...

 

[Lord Parkin]

Get all the AI on one continent. Then you can wipe them out before they get the chance to get too far ahead.

 

[mbye]

@ smartus

I have won several domination emporer games (rome being the easiest to do it with). I have also won 1 immortal domination. I play small map, normal speed, "play it now" settings, no cheating.

1. I find that I can stay close until they get knights/grenadier. I am still roaming the countryside with sword/mace/catapult. Usually the people I am attacking are not ahead of me techwise, it is those that have yet to feel my wraith that are jumping ahead. Some of my games are over by the time macemen come along. One was done before catapults. My immortal game ended with my prats trying to knock the heads off riflemen. I had to settle an igloo in the snow to eek out a domination. My games are always over before anything starts flying.

2. The only good tech trades are after you conquer one/many of their cities. If I know that you will need a short break in the war, I sue for peace, or at least check what they will give me. You might as well get something while your units heal. If the AI takes any of your cities or there is a stalemate when they declare war, they will expect stuff from you (cities) when you sue for peace.

3. Mostly pangaea because it is much easier. Sometimes continents or fractal , but with multiple landmasses it gets much tougher. It would be easier if you play marathon/epic because unit movement is to your advantage compared to the AI.

4. I have never had enough money to find out. Sorry. My conquests are usually paying for my research by the end of the game. If I stopped warring, my science would be hovering around 0%.

Hope this helps.

 

[smartus]

@ smartus

I have won several domination emporer games (rome being the easiest to do it with). I have also won 1 immortal domination. I play small map, normal speed, "play it now" settings, no cheating.
...

Hope this helps.

Thanks, I will consider changing the settings, but I would like to win on default settings

It was quite easy in Civ3 even on Deity with tech trading... Now AI is not willing to trade much...

 

[FuRRie]

The AI in Civ4 is much more difficult as in Civ3.
I believe Sirian (who was involved with developing the AI etc.) said an Emperor level AI in CIV4 was like a Deity or harder AI in Civ3

 

[Roland Johansen]

I am trying to beat the Emperor difficulty. I've already won on Emperor, but with Space Race turned off. My problem is that AI is always more tech advanced and when I finally conquer my neighbours somebody is already building the SS. I've also tried to win by space race, but I could not research fast enough.

I have several questions for Emperor+ players:

Q1: Do you ever catch up the AI on techs?
Q2: Can you make a good tech trade with the AI?
Q3: What map type do you play? Continents seem to be a bad choice... (my hemisphere always beeing the backwards one, guess this is because of the tech trading )
Q4: Does AI ever trade you tech for money? What are the rates?

Thanks...

I play at immortal or diety level, but usually don't turn on the tech race (also called space race) because I don't like it as a victory condition. I wouldn't turn it on even if the AI were bad at it (I haven't turned it off because the AI is good at it). But I know that it makes the game easier as the AI is fairly good at developing its technology level.
In my games, I'm usually capable at staying close to the AI in technology (not always) and that is enough to win a space race as you are better at planning the construction of space ship parts in your best production cities than an AI player.

At the high levels, there are several things that make it difficult to stay at the same tech level as the AI. Of course the research bonusses of the AI and other bonusses that help their development will make it hard. But there is also a hidden penalty. It is very difficult to trade techs with the AI after a certain number of technology trades have taken place. The game keeps track of the number of tech trades that you have done and after a certain number of tech trades the AI's won't trade with you anymore and complain that you are "too advanced" (even if they are clearly more advanced than you are). After a number of turns, you will be able to do one more tech trade, but after that they will again complain that you are too advanced and you'll have to wait again. (this penalty was clearly introduced to weaken the rampant tech-trading of civ3) Knowing that this penalty exists, you can adjust your tech trading to it. Don't trade for cheap techs that you don't want or can easily research yourself in a few turns. Trade for the big important techs. Your pool of tech trades is limited and only refills slowly and thus each tech trade is a valuable commodity.
Of course some nations will trade with you longer than others. The leaders that like you and some leaders that are more inclined to do tech trades (Mansu Masu for instance) will trade techs with you longer than other leaders, but even they will not trade techs with you after a certain number of tech trades.
During peace talks, you can always ask for technologies. But the late game technologies are so expensive that they are very difficult to get in peace talks.

Another way to stay in the tech race is to slow down your enemies. There are some leaders that are usually ahead in the tech race and are likely to trade their technologies (Mansu Masu for instance) and if you can get them in a war with another nation, then that will slow down their tech rate and thus the tech rate of all your enemies considerably.

Of course, there are always ways to improve the way you build your own empire, but if you're playing at emperor level, then you're probably doing a good job with your own empire. I guess that remarks about the value of cottages for research or the value of a super science city are not needed.

Of course you can adapt the map settings to make conquest easier (small maps, 1 land mass, epic or marathon speed settings). That can help you conquer your enemies before they become too advanced, but that's not something I would do. I like multiple land masses on huge maps and I like more difficulties with conquests.

Good luck with your next game.

Edit: Trading money for technologies is usually a bad deal. The AI asks for far too much money. You can better research the technology yourself.

 

[Samson]

Anyone know when warlords is likely to be released in Europe (particuly the UK)?

 

[Doomed_UK]

8 days from now - its on the shelves in Game, and you can pre-order from play etc so it comes through your letter box on the day of release.

 

[Sabreman]

At Game Over does it let you know how long in real time you played a specific game for?

As a learning exercise I've been playing a marathon game on the largest map for a couple of weeks, and I'm still only at 1650AD.

(I'm almost afraid to know, to be honest)