Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[frankcor]

As always, the answer is "it depends." I almost never use great people for Golden Ages, except for in certain situations. My favorite use of a Golden Age is when I pop that 2nd Great Person just as I've discovered Assembly Lines and have a ton of veteran Riflemen and Grenadiers to upgrade to Infantry. I start the Golden Age, shut down research to 0% and pay for all the upgrades in just a few turns.

Golden Ages never seem to last very long in my opinion.

 

[Sisiutil]

What are the exact benefits of a Golden Age? Is it worth 2 great people?

Very rarely. A golden age gives you +1 hammer and +1 commerce on all tiles producing at least one of either for 8 turns (normal speed). It's a nice but very brief bonus, and--here's the kicker--you need a have a good-sized empire with decent-sized cities and lots of improved tiles being worked in order to benefit from it. So a GA will rarely be worth it until late mid-game at the earliest.

Frankly, there are so many excellent uses for Great People that a Golden Age is, in my opinion, one of the weakest. Lightbulbing techs is hugely beneficial, saving you several turns of research time and potentially giving you a strategic jump on your rivals. Academies, rushing wonders, trade missions, culture bombs, shrines--all are very useful in the right circumstances. Settling GPs should not be overlooked, as you get the benefits from the GP for most of the game rather than just 8 turns or so; do the math on that one. And you don't have the Great Person sitting around, twiddling his thumbs for eons.

If the opportunity presents itself, I may build the Taj Mahal for a mid-game GA; other than that, I'll sometimes start a GA to rush the space ship, though I've lately found that less than necessary.

 

[a4phantom]

1. Does the computer use Great Generals as Warlords? I've never seen one in the field, I only see Military Academies in captured enemy cities.


2. Further, when the AI settles Great People as Super Specialists, if you capture the city do those Super Specialists remain?

3. To the guy who asked about Golden Ages, most of the Great Players seem to scorn them. The exception would be nearing the end of the game, where settling Super Specialists won't have a long term payoff (no long term left). Even then light bulbing might be better. Usually the AI seems to prefer golden ages, but I don't see their rank or points rising significantly from beginning to end. One thing is clear, if the first golden age is of disputed value, further golden ages (each costing an additional GP) are almost certainly wasteful.

If I were going for a peaceful Space Race victory, I might sacrifice a Great Artist (in my view primarily useful for Culture Victories and pacifying captured cities) and a Great Prophet (if I didn't have a holy city in need of a shrine). Maybe a Great Merchant, although I've grown to appreciate them more. But never Great Engineers or Scientists.

 

[Sisiutil]

1. Does the computer use Great Generals as Warlords? I've never seen one in the field, I only see Military Academies in captured enemy cities.

2. Further, when the AI settles Great People as Super Specialists, if you capture the city do those Super Specialists remain?

1. Yes they do. I frequently get messages about "Such-and-such great general has died in battle", in my wars or from other AI/AI conflicts. The only way that happens is if the GG is a Warlord.

2. I don't think so. Like Great People, you can't capture super specialists. I've never seen any, and I've captured more than enough cities so I would have by now.

 

[a4phantom]

That sucks. If Michaelangelo was doing his thing when I captured Florence, I wouldn't stop him.

 

[Sisiutil]

That sucks. If Michaelangelo was doing his thing when I captured Florence, I wouldn't stop him.

Then you shouldn't have captured Florence.

Traditionally, troops go crazy when they sack a city, showing little respect for cultural institutions or anything else. Their commanders had little control over them; after men have survived a ferocious battle for their lives, they tend to run wild. For all the excesses we keep hearing about current troops performing, they're the most courteous of gentlemen and women compared to their historical predecessors.

And artists, priests, merchants, and scholars, who aren't exactly the doughtiest of fighters, tend to make themselves scarce in the event of an invasion.

 

[bardolph]

Very rarely. A golden age gives you +1 hammer and +1 commerce on all tiles producing at least one of either for 8 turns (normal speed). It's a nice but very brief bonus, and--here's the kicker--you need a have a good-sized empire with decent-sized cities and lots of improved tiles being worked in order to benefit from it. So a GA will rarely be worth it until late mid-game at the earliest.

Thanks for the info. Hmm... I suppose the Golden Age is the standard "last choice" use for great people, but I perhaps a GA would be a great way to drive a final push for a Domination Victory. Let's say I spawned a Great Prophet at a time when I had no lightbulb-able techs or shrines to build, and I just discovered Economics for the Great Merchant, and I happen to be at war with the only other civ (no trade mision possible), why not start a GA and go a-killin'?

 

[Lord Parkin]

Why is it that Great People can't be captured, by the way? I think it would add a very interesting strategic element to the game.

Golden Ages can sometimes be useful to push ahead towards the end of a game in a tight space race. Other than that, their benefits are usually outweighed by the usefulness of all of the Great People's other abilities. Like a4phantom, I will almost never use a Great Engineer or a Great Scientist for a Golden Age - their other benefits are just too powerful. If I use Great People at all for the Golden Age, it will usually be a Great Artist and either a Great Merchant or a Great Prophet.

In my opinion, Golden Ages should last longer to be more valuable. The Normal speed Golden Age should be increased in length from 8 turns to at least 10 turns, IMHO.

 

[Sisiutil]

Thanks for the info. Hmm... I suppose the Golden Age is the standard "last choice" use for great people, but I perhaps a GA would be a great way to drive a final push for a Domination Victory. Let's say I spawned a Great Prophet at a time when I had no lightbulb-able techs or shrines to build, and I just discovered Economics for the Great Merchant, and I happen to be at war with the only other civ (no trade mision possible), why not start a GA and go a-killin'?

Are you often just a few turns from victory when you discover Economics? If so, count me impressed--and wondering why you're posting questions in a thread for "newbies"!

A GA could be a good way, I suppose, to build units in your queues quickly (as well as accruing gold for upgrades). Combine that with queue loading and a post-GA change to the war civics and you could have quite an army built in a few short turns. Interesting idea. You'd have to do it mid-game to be optimal: you'd need a big enough and well-developed enough empire to make it worthwhile. By late game you have Police State available, making it kind of moot.

 

[a4phantom]

Then you shouldn't have captured Florence.

Of course I'm taking Florence, I want Michaelangelo to keep doing his thing - as my client. I could even take time out of campaigning to pose for David, make the first one look like a draft.

Traditionally, troops go crazy when they sack a city, showing little respect for cultural institutions or anything else. Their commanders had little control over them; after men have survived a ferocious battle for their lives, they tend to run wild. For all the excesses we keep hearing about current troops performing, they're the most courteous of gentlemen and women compared to their historical predecessors.

Ok, that is a very good point. I just read Caesar: Life of a Colossus, and those were rough times to lose a siege. On the other hand, Great Specialists can live over 5000 years, so surviving a little sacking shouldn't be impossible.

And artists, priests, merchants, and scholars, who aren't exactly the doughtiest of fighters, tend to make themselves scarce in the event of an invasion.

I dunno, have you seen Jet Li's Hero?


Just kidding, I fold, the trauma of being conquered would dispel a city's talent community.

Why is it that Great People can't be captured, by the way? I think it would add a very interesting strategic element to the game.

It would be good for my conscience, since the AI likes to keep Great People waiting around until it has enough for a Golden Age. When I take a city and destroy a Great Person or two I feel very guilty.

 

[OscarWildebeest]

To the guy who asked about Golden Ages, most of the Great Players seem to scorn them.

Never mind Great People - can I settle one of these Great Players somewhere in my empire to improve my game?

 

[Roland Johansen]

What are the exact benefits of a Golden Age? Is it worth 2 great people?

It depends, but in my opinion it can be worth it in a large empire later in the game. It usually isn't worth it early in the game. A golden age gives you +1 hammer and +1 commerce on all tiles producing at least one of either for 8 turns (normal speed). Some great people are worth less than others, so use the great people who are the least powerful to start a golden age.

How can you compare a golden age with for instance lightbulbing a technology?

Take a look at the Info Screen (F9) and the MFG goods production. A golden age will increase this because it will increase the hammer output of a number of tiles. Just estimate how much your hammer production increases. If your guess is 25% and your MFG goods is 400, then you'll get 100 extra hammers per turn for 8 turns which amounts to 800 hammers.

A golden age also increases your commerce output. Take a look at the research output of your empire at 100% science in the Financial advisor (F2) You can again guess how much your commerce production increases. I your guess is 25% and your science output at 100% science is 1000, then you'll get 250 extra science points per turn for 8 turns which amount to 2000 extra science points. (You have to compare it at 100% science and not at the break even science output because otherwise you won't take into account the effect of increasing the science percentage after the golden age starts. Because the golden age also increases the gold output, you can lower the percentage of commerce that is going towards upkeep.)

Now compare these values to the amount of science that is acquired by lightbulbing a technology. And remember that the golden age takes 2 great people and the lightbulbing only 1. If your empire is large enough and developed well with great tile inprovements, then the golden age can be more profitable than lightbulbing a technology. Usually this happens later in the game. Golden ages last more turns on epic and marathon speed and less turns on quick speed.

 

[a4phantom]

How many research points do you get by lightbulbing?

How many hammers do you get from having a Great Engineer rush a wonder?

 

[Roland Johansen]

How many research points do you get by lightbulbing?

How many hammers do you get from having a Great Engineer rush a wonder?

The amounts added by the great person are displayed when you hold the mouse over the Great Person action. When a technology is completely finished by the great person action, then the amount is not shown but very easily calculated by looking at the research cost of the technology and the amount of research points already invested in the technology.

 

[Sparta]

How many research points do you get by lightbulbing?

How many hammers do you get from having a Great Engineer rush a wonder?

Tough ones - those questions should merit bonus points. I looked around a bit but was unfortunately unable to find the GE hurry production figures. I know I had seen a table of them here a while back, so hopefully someone can come along and help out with that one soon. FWIW, I know it is actually based on the size of the city you rush in (which was not what I had expected), and I just got 800 shields when rushing the Pentagon in a size-fifteen city in the CivIVor OT game. Also, here's the info from the GE section in the XML, if you can make anything out from it (seems to imply a 500-shield floor):

<iBaseDiscover>1000</iBaseDiscover>
<iDiscoverMultiplier>2</iDiscoverMultiplier>
<iBaseHurry>500</iBaseHurry>
<iHurryMultiplier>20</iHurryMultiplier>

(Oh and also, I'm pretty sure lightbulbing gets better as your population (and possibly landmass as well) improves, so it can be best to wait until a turn before they could complete a tech by lightbulbing to use them, so that you can get a few extra beakers out of them from concurrent city growth, IIRC.)

bardolph, another minor GP-related domination tip - if you are really close to domination, and spawn an otherwise-useless GA (because aren't they all? ), typically from the National Epic's tainting of your GPP pool, a good way to get some use out of him or her is to create a great work in a centrally located city you have just taken over (e.g. an AI capital) when you are just a few percentage points from the landmass requirement for domination. Rather than having to wait out mutliple resisting cities and possibly even border expansions in them, you get a giant culture bomb instantly and win the game that many turns sooner, netting a higher score in turn, FWIW.

 

[Roland Johansen]

<iBaseDiscover>1000</iBaseDiscover>
<iDiscoverMultiplier>2</iDiscoverMultiplier>
<iBaseHurry>500</iBaseHurry>
<iHurryMultiplier>20</iHurryMultiplier>

I've read about this in other threads. If I recall correctly:

Research points offered by the Great Engineer = 1000 + 2 * N where N equals the total population points of your civilization.
Production points created by the Great Engineer = 500 + 20 * M where M equals the population points of the city in which the engineer is used.

Both modified by the speed modifier (for instance 1.5 for the epic speed).

 

[feldmarshall]

how do I run a mod without having to restart?

 

[ori]

how do I run a mod without having to restart?

either open your civilizationIV.ini and look for the line where it says:
Mod= 0
and Change it to:
Mod= mods\ModName
(this forces this specific mod to load on every startup) - Or create a shortcut and change the commandline as follows:
"...\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Warlords\Civ4Warlords.exe" mod= mods\ModName
or
"...\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Civilization4.exe" mod= mods\ModName
(this allows for creating one shortcut per mod )
Note: the space between mod= and mods\ModName is necessary in each case.

 

[pkp]

ok, I'm going for my first cultural victory. I have a couple questions about temples, if somebody has time to offer a few pointers. First off, Izzy founded Buddhism and spread it everywhere (literally). I am the only person who is not Buddhist and Izzy will not open her borders so I can get the religion because she is upset that I have fallen under the sway of the heather religion. So I captured her holy city so I could be Buddhist too and now I am really wondering how the whole missionary thing works. I have three 30,000 culture cities and I keep sending missionaries into them but my missionaries keep failing to spread all the religions except my state religion. I tried converting every couple turns so I could manually spread each religion myself but every time I convert from Buddhism, someone else declares war on me.

any suggestions? oh, and do you need nine or six cities total to be able to build all the religious buildings? Oh! and one more thing, somebody razed the taoist holy city, is there any way I can still get taoism?

 

[cabert]

ok, I'm going for my first cultural victory. I have a couple questions about temples, if somebody has time to offer a few pointers. First off, Izzy founded Buddhism and spread it everywhere (literally). I am the only person who is not Buddhist and Izzy will not open her borders so I can get the religion because she is upset that I have fallen under the sway of the heather religion. So I captured her holy city so I could be Buddhist too

and now I am really wondering how the whole missionary thing works. I have three 30,000 culture cities and I keep sending missionaries into them but my missionaries keep failing to spread all the religions except my state religion.

do you really need a state religion?
free religion gives a few free culture points...

this being said, there is no link between what you can spread into your own cities and your state religion.
It's just a little more difficult to spread religions after the first one. And the RNG isn't helping (it's also no use reloading : if it failed before reloading, it will fail after), sometimes.

I tried converting every couple turns so I could manually spread each religion myself but every time I convert from Buddhism, someone else declares war on me.

stick to buddhism or switch to free rel
It's useless to switch every couple of turns.

any suggestions? oh, and do you need nine or six cities total to be able to build all the religious buildings?

depends on map size.
On standard, you need 3 temples for a cathedral. meaning 3x3 cities total for 1 cathedral in each legendary city.

Oh! and one more thing, somebody razed the taoist holy city, is there any way I can still get taoism?

sure, if there is a taoist city somewhere, just capture it and build monastery and missionaries.