Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Sisiutil]

bestbrian & s.bernbaum,

Thank you for clearing up those trade pointers. Now it makes perfect sense! I kept looking for coins being paid from trade!

What, may I ask, is BUG Mod and where might I find it?

Thanks again,

Marla

BUG is Beyond the Sword Unaltered Gameplay--it doesn't change the rules nor introduce any other gameplay changes (such as new/modified units, buildings, etc.); all it does is change the interface, making it much easier to find the information you need, manage your empire, and make better informed decisions. You can find more information about it, including where to download it, HERE.

I also recommend looking into the Better BUG AI mod, which combines everything about BUG with an improved, smarter Artificial Intelligence component that makes the computer leaders tougher to play against. Again, no gameplay changes. You can find Better BUG AI HERE.

EDIT: I should also add, perhaps, that you can get coins from a resource trade once you discover Currency, but you have to explicitly specify this when arranging the trade in the diplomacy screen. The AI will usually only trade one resource for another, or some gold per turn (GPT) for a resource--not both at the same time. The exception is when you trade them a strategic resource, which the AI values highly (e.g. horses, iron, copper, ivory, coal, oil, uranium, aluminum)--you can often get several resources and GPT for those, but you trade them away at your own risk, since they could be used to make units with which your trading partner will attack you!

 

[bestbrian]

BUG is Beyond the Sword Unaltered Gameplay--it doesn't change the rules nor introduce any other gameplay changes (such as new/modified units, buildings, etc.); all it does is change the interface, making it much easier to find the information you need, manage your empire, and make better informed decisions. You can find more information about it, including where to download it, HERE.

I also recommend looking into the Better BUG AI mod, which combines everything about BUG with an improved, smarter Artificial Intelligence component that makes the computer leaders tougher to play against. Again, no gameplay changes. You can find Better BUG AI HERE.

EDIT: I should also add, perhaps, that you can get coins from a resource trade once you discover Currency, but you have to explicitly specify this when arranging the trade in the diplomacy screen. The AI will usually only trade one resource for another, or some gold per turn (GPT) for a resource--not both at the same time. The exception is when you trade them a strategic resource, which the AI values highly (e.g. horses, iron, copper, ivory, coal, oil, uranium, aluminum)--you can often get several resources and GPT for those, but you trade them away at your own risk, since they could be used to make units with which your trading partner will attack you!

I'd also add that Sisiutil has written some wonderful strategy guides for beginners. Highly recommended.

 

[Marla McGivers]

Sisiutil,

I will most certainly look into BUG then! Anything which makes it easier for my dotty old brain cells to keep track of all the comings and goings of my empire must be a good thing!

I've also taken a peek at your strategy guides, as suggested by bestbrian, and must thank you for taking the time to have done them so that new players, such as myself, can benefit from your experience


Can I ask if anyone can recommend a good map of Europe, one which is very, very, very large and includes the North African shoreline as well as the Middle East and Scandinavia in its entirety?

I've found some massive maps of Earth, but none bigger than the standard Europe map which shipped with Civilisation. Is there anything larger available?

Marla

 

[rogue131]

Am I doing something wrong here? I build a missile cruiser, space for 4 right? It stays in the city tile, I build guided missiles in the same tile, but only 2 missiles can load into the cruiser. Shouldn't 4 load?

 

[6K Man]

Can I ask if anyone can recommend a good map of Europe, one which is very, very, very large and includes the North African shoreline as well as the Middle East and Scandinavia in its entirety?

I've found some massive maps of Earth, but none bigger than the standard Europe map which shipped with Civilisation. Is there anything larger available?

There are some very good maps in the Downloads section at the top of this page... not sure if the Europe maps there fit the bill, though.

 

[6K Man]

Am I doing something wrong here? I build a missile cruiser, space for 4 right? It stays in the city tile, I build guided missiles in the same tile, but only 2 missiles can load into the cruiser. Shouldn't 4 load?

4 should load, yes. Are there any Submarines or other Cruisers in the tile, on which 2 of the missiles are already loaded?

Try selecting all 4 missiles as a group, and then clicking "Load".

 

[Lithuanian!]

Hey. I was playing in small pangea map with Egypt and Portugal. I made a bit late early rush and take all Egypt cities except one small city away. Then Egypt become vassal state of Portugal but I attacked Portugal anyway and take his capitol city with lots of wonders half of my army have died in this battle, so I stop war and now I'm suffering revolt every 5 turns in Lisbon. City is away from my empire and it is surrounded by Portugal culture. I'm preparing for war, but still not ready. What am I suppose to do about those revolts?

 

[Ansive]

Garrison more units (check the revolt chance in the city screen) or increase the city's culture (push back borders). Change to artists, and build culture.
Eventually the city might flip if you don't fix it.

 

[Sisiutil]

You'll have quite a struggle to keep that Portuguese city if it's surrounded by its native culture. As Ansive said, you'll need to garrison a lot of troops there to keep it from flipping. But as for building culture, good luck, because you'll find it hard to build anything there if the city starves down to 1 pop and has no tiles it can work.

The big picture: my apologies for being brutally honest, but you didn't plan your war very well. It sounds like you set a single goal--grab one city with lots of juicy wonders--without considering the broader consequences of your actions.

Frankly, the best way to relieve cultural pressure on any city is to remove the source of the offending culture, i.e. the other nearby cities. Because of the way cultural pressure works in the game, you can't really waltz in, capture a single city--especially one surrounded by other culture-generating cities--and leave it at that. A war plan in the game needs to encompass broader goals. So, long story short, you should have brought enough troops (and enough of the right type of troops--did you bring and use enough siege weapons?) to capture several cities and either completely conquer Portugal or take enough cities so that cultural pressure on the best ones is removed and Joao becomes your compliant vassal.

 

[Lithuanian!]

Thank you fellas, I just win that game. I build some cultural buildings by rushing them with gold, but it did not worked so I start a war and win game by domination victory.
How can I win a diplomatic or cultural victory?

 

[Arakhor]

You need the Apostolic Palace or United Nations (and use them successfully) to win a Diplomatic victory. You win a Cultural victory by having three cities with Legendary culture.

 

[Lithuanian!]

What is Legendary culture?
And last time when I win game it shows 47 000 score and leadership like Augustus Caesar. From what things this score depends?

 

[Derakon]

In default settings, legendary culture is 50k culture points in the city. If you change the game speed then the breakpoints change to suit, and if you turn off espionage, then all espionage points are converted to culture so the requirements for legendary culture go up.

Your endgame score largely depends on how quickly you win, but there are other factors like how many techs you've unlocked. I don't know them all. I think the difficulty you play on also plays a factor.

 

[kcd_swede]

The discussion on trading has prompted me to wonder about something that maybe isn't really Newbie-like but should anyhow have a quick answer.

As soon as I get steam power and find coal resources in abundance, I have excess coal. The AI immediately want my coal as a trade item, even though they have no way (no technology) in which to make use of it. 10 turns later I can of course cancel this deal should my rival gain the required techs to make coal useful. First question: Why do the AI want my coal if they can't use it? Second question: Can AI "broker" my coal by trading it to another AI that can use it?

(Note, I find that they want my coal even if no AI can use it, which to me seems very odd).

 

[Darth Fred]

The discussion on trading has prompted me to wonder about something that maybe isn't really Newbie-like but should anyhow have a quick answer.

As soon as I get steam power and find coal resources in abundance, I have excess coal. The AI immediately want my coal as a trade item, even though they have no way (no technology) in which to make use of it. 10 turns later I can of course cancel this deal should my rival gain the required techs to make coal useful. First question: Why do the AI want my coal if they can't use it? Second question: Can AI "broker" my coal by trading it to another AI that can use it?

(Note, I find that they want my coal even if no AI can use it, which to me seems very odd).

I've noticed that as well. While I don't have an answer, I'll be keeping my eyes open for some one who does.

Good question.
F

 

[Sisiutil]

I think this is partly just the AI wanting any resource it doesn't have even if it can't make use of it--the same sort of programming that makes them overvalue copper when they have iron, for example. Also remember that the AI generally doesn't cancel trade deals unless they become redundant--so I don't think the AI is programmed to anticipate that you might be a meanie and cancel their coal deal at a later date.

Then again, it kind of makes sense from a "rainy day" perspective--what if your iron mine gets pillaged or captured? What if you research Steam Power yourself only to find you don't have coal? It might make sense to have an existing supply from someone with copper or coal to spare.

 

[Ataxerxes]

Thank you fellas, I just win that game. I build some cultural buildings by rushing them with gold, but it did not worked so I start a war and win game by domination victory.
How can I win a diplomatic or cultural victory?

You win a cultural victory by having 3 cities making legendary culture. 50,000 culture in each city at Normal Speed. Most people research to a certain point and then put the slider at 100% culture.

For diplomatic, the Apostolic Palace or United Nations have to be built. It's usually better if you build it. After the AP is built, the AP religion is the state religion of the builder Civ at the time the AP is built. There will be an election every so often for Apostolic Palace Resident. The resident will choose a proposal to vote on every so often. If the AP religion is present in at least one city of each Civ on the map, the election for diplomatic victory is one of the options. IIRC you need 75% of the vote to win the victory. Sounds hard, but with some managing, it's considered almost a cheesy victory. There a couple of guides in the strategy guides section that explain the AP in detail. It's one of the most powerful and dangerous wonders.

UN diplo victory works about the same way. Votes are determined by a Civ's population. When the UN is built, an election is held to determine who will select proposals to vote on. The candidates are usually 2, the builder of the UN and the Civ other than the builder with the largest population. Whoever wins that election selects proposals to vote on periodically. One of the proposals is for Secretary General (UN victory). IIRC you need 67% of the vote. Each Civ gets votes based on its' population. Regular diplo can get tricky. However, if you have a dominant position and a few vassals, you can just vote yourself in (your vassals have to vote for you). The is called diplomation and is used to speed up a conquest/dom victory later in the game. Just build the UN after you've beat up half the world and ram the diplo victory down their throat.

Score is based on wonders controlled, total land and population, techs researched and time finished. Time is usually the most important. The earlier you win, the higher your score.

 

[Frost_]

I have a quick questions about National Park's free specialist. It says one specialist per forest preserve but is that per forest preserve in your BFC or in your entire empire? =D

 

[Jarlaxe Baenre]

BFC. If it was empire-wide, you could get too many specialists.

 

[Frost_]

damn haha, ok thanks, btw, any tips on making the max of national park? in my current game, I'm just putting it in a tundra/arctic city with like 8 forests (originally settled there for 3x silver)