Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[JoeB]

Is there a way to change the mouse wheel action from a zoom function to an UP-DOWN movement ?

 

[jakob51]

A quick question, how does one directly contact the firaxis staff to see if they can get some technical assistance on problems they are having with the game? I think that this would be most useful for myself and others who are having problems of different sorts?
Anyway, cheers for any help provided
jakob51

 

[mallesh]

hey, I just bought Civ IV for my portible and im getting some really long loading times, I tried to play the Earth 1000 A.D game and that took like 10-15 minutes.

WindowXP, Athalon 64, 797 MHz, 512 RAM.

This normal for this machine?

 

[Samson]

hey, I just bought Civ IV for my portible and im getting some really long loading times, I tried to play the Earth 1000 A.D game and that took like 10-15 minutes.

WindowXP, Athalon 64, 797 MHz, 512 RAM.

This normal for this machine?

I have a 1.1 MHz celeron laptop, and it takes a good 5 - 10 mins to load early standard maps. Probably about that for the map you are wanting. Someone has done some pretty poor programming somewhere here I reakon.

 

[Depravo]

It breaks m'balls to say it, but until they fix the 'random reboot' crash (no game I've had has done a number on my system quite like this one) I'm going back to HoI2. Any word on a new patch?

 

[Pipoufle]

Wow, 22 pages ! I tried to read most of them but didn't find my answers :

1- How the cultural expansion over an opponent territory works ? I tried to understood the way my boundaries will push my neighbour's ones back, but it seems not so easy... And in the same ways, when an opponent city will enter in a riot ?
Perhaps something familliar to the Civ 3's fans ?...

2- IDS is called "team project". What does it mean ? How many civs can build an IDS ?

3- What is the difference between a cease-fire and a peace treaty ? It is also indicated that peace treaty will last 10 turns... What is the sense of that ? Diplomatic malus if war is declare again before ?

Thanks to the fan that can help the noob I am...

 

[Psyringe]

1- How the cultural expansion over an opponent territory works ? I tried to understood the way my boundaries will push my neighbour's ones back, but it seems not so easy... And in the same ways, when an opponent city will enter in a riot ?

Each city spreads influence (or culture, that's just two words for the same thing) in a circle around it. The radius of this circle increases when the city reaches a new cultural level. Tiles in the center of the circle receive more culture than tiles at the outer rim.

Regarding the pushing back and forth of boundaries: Each tile accumulates this culture which is spread by the cities. So, each turn, a tile may receive a lot of culture from one of your cities, a little less culture from another one of your cities, and some culture from your opponent's cities. The tile "belongs" to the civ which has accumulated the most culture on this tile. So, if you continue to spread more culture on tiles as your opponent does, eventually they will flip to you.

Cities may riot when their own culture is in the minority in them. However the city garrison often prevents a flip.

You can see who owns a tile (and how much percent of the total culture on this tile he has) by mousing over the tile. In the lower left you'll then see it's owner and the culture percentage.

2- IDS is called "team project". What does it mean ? How many civs can build an IDS ?

Teams can either be fixed when setting up the game, or they can be formed by accepting alliances in the game (when this option is checked, it's unchecked by default). A team project is a project from which the whole team will profit, although only one team member built it. For example, if you and another civ form a team, then you build one space ship together.

3- What is the difference between a cease-fire and a peace treaty ? It is also indicated that peace treaty will last 10 turns... What is the sense of that ? Diplomatic malus if war is declare again before ?

You simply cannot declare war in the ten turns when a peace treaty is in effect. I don't know exactly about cease fire, I think it's the same as a peace treaty, but with no fixed duration. But that's a guess. I never use it.

 

[Pipoufle]

Many thanks Psyringe : that's quite clear and complete !

 

[Shadzy19]

I have a question about avoid growth.
What exactly happens with your villagers when u put on avoid growth with only 1 turn or so before u go up in pop with 4 food surplus for instance.
What actually happens now? Do all the villagers still work their tile and your city wont grow , or will it automaticly change citizens to the +1 hammer citizen or a specialist without me knowing it?
I know the city wont grow but will all my villagers actually do what i tell them to do or is the comp tricking me?
Thanks in advance.

 

[kingkong1030]

Can someone please tell me why when you first start the game and move a scout or whoever the land area stays dark and also why am I only seeing the Eyes and hair of my opponants and not their skin and mouth

 

[Perfection]

So does Civ 4 have like a throne room or something. You know something upgraded over time?

 

[homeyg]

So does Civ 4 have like a throne room or something. You know something upgraded over time?

Nope! = no more

 

[Psyringe]

There are chances that the throne Room will reappear though. The game data mentions a throne room several times. There's also some throne room concept art floating around. My guess is that a throne room was planned, but then cut to make the release date. This means that it may come with a patch, but we can't be sure.

 

[Psyringe]

Can someone please tell me why when you first start the game and move a scout or whoever the land area stays dark and also why am I only seeing the Eyes and hair of my opponants and not their skin and mouth

You are either playing the game on a video card that doesn't support it, or you do and haven't applied the 1.09 patch. Did you patch it, and does your video card provide a T&L engine?

 

[Arvedui]

Jacob51,
the move along thing is a joke, as if Firaxis were saying: cheatcode? What? I don't think so, move along, people... But if you change cheatcode=0 to cheatcode=chipotle, then you will enable it. This is a must if you want to use the world builder (unless they fixed it without the cheatcode with the patch).

Shadzy19,
as far as I know, the population will not work elsewhere, I think the excess food will be wasted untill you turn that button off.

 

[The Fjonis]

The throne room will most likely be included in an expansion pack, which we'll have to pay for, and not a patch... Doesn't really bother me, though, although it would be a nice addition.

 

[Tauro]

What could be the feature of a throne room?

 

[Efexeye]

It's a reward screen- let's you pimp out your throne room/palace when your people approve of what you're doing. Eye candy, nothing more.

 

[Psyringe]

What could be the feature of a throne room?

The throne room in Civ2 (or palace in Civ3) was a feature which rewarded you for successfully playing the game. Every once in a while, when your Empire flourished, you could choose something to make your throne room (or palace) larger, prettier etc. Like adding a carpet to the floor, or coats-of-arms to the walls, or (in case of a palace) build another story or side building.

It wasn't necessary to play the game, but a nice addition nevertheless.

 

[Stephan Hoyer]

Is there a way to start the game in the first place such that you don't need to go through the separate reloading to play a mod such as the Greek World game? It's getting to be obnoxious to have to go through the civ startup twice.