Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Darkeagle6]

So, a quick question because it's late and I'm too tired to keep looking around for an answer: Can anyone tell me what a dotmap is, how to do one? I see people posting pictures of potential city sites, but I seem to remember once finding a definition of what it meant, and it seemed to involve calculating growth potential...

Anyone has a link to an information source, or a quick answer? Thanks!

 

[Sisiutil]

So, a quick question because it's late and I'm too tired to keep looking around for an answer: Can anyone tell me what a dotmap is, how to do one? I see people posting pictures of potential city sites, but I seem to remember once finding a definition of what it meant, and it seemed to involve calculating growth potential...

Anyone has a link to an information source, or a quick answer? Thanks!

Quick answer: a dotmap, traditionally, is a screenshot taken from the game and then written over using a graphics program to indicate planned city sites. It takes its name from the simplest form of dotmap, where a dot--a coloured circle--was drawn on the map to indicate the tile where a city would be placed. Other "dotmaps" have the "BFC" (Big Fat Cross) drawn on them to indicate not only where the city will be located, but what tiles it will work and what resources it will claim.

These days, the easiest way to make a dotmap is to use the BUG mod, which contains a component which allows you to place BFC indicators right on the map in the game.

 

[AJ11]

Quick question: Which file is the xp settings in? I am looking, in particular, for the xp limit when upgrading units. I hate the fact that I can have a 30-40 xp unit and when upgraded, turns into a piddly 10 xp noob.

 

[Ansive]

Use Alt X (BUG) to place a dot. Use Alt S to place a label.
Be careful to avoid Alt Z, lol.

 

[bestbrian]

And then improved further by modders.

Yes, Madam Bat Lady. As usual, you are correct.

 

[Ghengas Moz]

Check this web site for an example of what you're talking about. A holy city for six (!) religions:

Kylearan's Civilization IV Page - Nonviolent Gandhi

That was a pretty amazing read, thanks for the link!

 

[elohssa]

Noob questions here...

1. How important is happiness in a city? What is it's role?
2. What difference does a city's population make?
3. How do resources work? If a resource is +1 happiness does that mean it gives that happiness to every city?
4. How much money (per turn) are resources generally worth e.g. silk?

 

[Ansive]

2. More population = more production / food / commerce / great people points (depending on what you assign each 'person' do)

1. Happiness limits the number of productive people in a city. If you only have 6 happiness in an 8 population city, two of them won't work (but still consume food).

 

[Ataxerxes]

Noob questions here...

1. How important is happiness in a city? What is it's role?
2. What difference does a city's population make?
3. How do resources work? If a resource is +1 happiness does that mean it gives that happiness to every city?
4. How much money (per turn) are resources generally worth e.g. silk?

Ansive did #1 and 2. I'll finish up.

3. If a resource (say Silver) gives +1 happiness that means every city that has a route (such as a road to that Silver) gets +1 happiness. If a city that has a route to the Silver has a Forge, it gets an extra +1 happiness.

4. Most Luxuries and Health resources are generally worth 6 GPT. You might settle for less since you're only helping one AI. You also get a diplo boost for supplying resources. However, Strategic resources (including Ivory) are worth a lot more and are much more expensive. Prices vary, but if you have to buy one expect to pay heavily. However, some of the strategic resources get cheaper as the game goes on and they're less useful (Stone, Marble, Iron, Copper all diminish in value in the late game).

 

[France-Fan]

I have been busy tring to create a hyrule civilization for BTS and ive hit a sort of speed bump. I have used a usermade building .nif to create a temple to be hyrule's unique building. i have done everything i could think of to fix this problem, but, when i attempt to build the temple -ingame- BTS crashes. i have no idea why. the strange part is that it appears in the civilopedia just fine .... any help would be very much appreciated.

 

[Trystero]

I have been busy tring to create a hyrule civilization for BTS and ive hit a sort of speed bump. I have used a usermade building .nif to create a temple to be hyrule's unique building. i have done everything i could think of to fix this problem, but, when i attempt to build the temple -ingame- BTS crashes. i have no idea why. the strange part is that it appears in the civilopedia just fine .... any help would be very much appreciated.

You might have better luck directing this question to the Civ4-Creation & Customization forum's "Quick Modding Questions thread.

 

[France-Fan]

You might have better luck directing this question to the Civ4-Creation & Customization forum's "Quick Modding Questions thread.

kay thanx!!

 

[elohssa]

Another question: How do you check what resources the AI's have access to without actually having to check the whole map.

 

[Verarde]

Another question: How do you check what resources the AI's have access to without actually having to check the whole map.

Under foreign advisor, there is a button at the bottom that says "Resources." This tells you what they have, what they want, and what they will trade for it.

 

[God-Emperor]

Another question: How do you check what resources the AI's have access to without actually having to check the whole map.

If you have sufficient espionage against them that you can open up the city screen for one of their cities you can see what they have.

Other than that, there is no way to be sure. You can tell what resources they have more than one of by checking the trade screen, but that won't tell you about the ones that they only have one of unless they are your vassal.

 

[Roland Johansen]

Quick question: Which file is the xp settings in? I am looking, in particular, for the xp limit when upgrading units. I hate the fact that I can have a 30-40 xp unit and when upgraded, turns into a piddly 10 xp noob.

It seems as if your question was forgotten. You need to find the file GlobalDefines.xml of the version* of the game that you're running and then edit a single value:

	<Define>
		<DefineName>MAX_EXPERIENCE_AFTER_UPGRADE</DefineName>
		<iDefineIntVal>10</iDefineIntVal>
	</Define>

* For instance, the file is in Civilization 4\Assets\XML for vanilla and in Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Assets\XML for BTS.

Always backup the original version of the file so that you can revert back (if you make an error when editiing the file).

It's also possible to create a tiny mod of the game instead of changing the original files, but that's a bit more work.

 

[AJ11]

It seems as if your question was forgotten. You need to find the file GlobalDefines.xml of the version* of the game that you're running and then edit a single value:

	<Define>
		<DefineName>MAX_EXPERIENCE_AFTER_UPGRADE</DefineName>
		<iDefineIntVal>10</iDefineIntVal>
	</Define>

* For instance, the file is in Civilization 4\Assets\XML for vanilla and in Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Assets\XML for BTS.

Always backup the original version of the file so that you can revert back (if you make an error when editiing the file).

It's also possible to create a tiny mod of the game instead of changing the original files, but that's a bit more work.

Thanks. I think I'll edit it to 1000. My record high xp unit is over 500xp, which is why I found the 10 xp upgrade thing more than a little annoying. It was a Samurai in a fort on a forest hill being attacked by Monty who had no horses (he wasn't the only unit there, but he was the main defender). Those first strikes really helped...



I am not too worried about mucking up. That is what the original CD is for



EDIT: While I am mucking around with the XML files, can someone please let me know where is the probability of events triggering per turn? According to some sources, it changes according to era, but I can't seem to find where the variables are stored (definitely not in GlobalDefines, unless I am having a bad case of man-eyes for the last hour or so...).

EDIT 2: Nevermind. Found it

 

[Skallagrimson]

Hmmm... I'm tempted to set max_experience_after_upgrade to 17. A unit should be able to open up WP if it fights long enough and upgrades, without penalties, but then limit it after that.

 

[Ansive]

You only need to have had a level 6 unit sometime in your civilization's history to unlock WP.

 

[arkguy]

What is the difference between the mods listed under advance and under the normal game mods/scenario section? A few are listed under both and the only difference I have noticed is the advance section has to restart the computer before it starts play.