Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Sisiutil]

Pacal is being coy. It almost always means that the tech in question enables a wonder and that the AI in question is building it. So in your example Pacal is building the Parthenon or the Temple of Artemis or maybe even both.

 

[33CI00FA]

I have more questions:

1) Is there a way to boost research up in CIV4?

2) Is that civic called serfdom a good choice?

3) Should I stay in despotism civic or choose another civic to play good game?

 

[Sisiutil]

I have more questions:

1) Is there a way to boost research up in CIV4?

2) Is that civic called serfdom a good choice?

3) Should I stay in despotism civic or choose another civic to play good game?

1. Plenty! Build Libraries, Monasteries, Universities, Observatories, and Laboratories; use Great Scientists to build Academies (not always the best use of a GS, but you asked); run scientist specialists; run Representation and Free Religion. Also, since the slider directly boosts research, run an efficient economy. There's more still, but that's the short version of the answer.
2. Almost never. Just build (or steal/capture!) more Workers for the same effect. Slavery is a hugely powerful civic you should be running for most of the game, maybe even all the way through if the Emancipation unhappiness doesn't get unmanageable.
3. Despotism is a horrible civic. Any of the other government civics are better, depending upon your circumstances and plans. Hereditary Rule is great in the early game, allowing you to increase the size of your cities by building up your army, which is essential anyway; Representation is my own favourite, boosting happiness in your best cities and research everywhere you run specialists--it's available early (like all the gov't civics) if you build the Pyramids; Police State is terrific while preparing for and running a very large war; and Universal Suffrage boosts the productivity of your commerce cities while allowing you to rush-buy infrastructure.

 

[33CI00FA]

Thanks for the info Sisiutil. Much needed

 

[phoenix_sprite]

Pacal is being coy. It almost always means that the tech in question enables a wonder and that the AI in question is building it. So in your example Pacal is building the Parthenon or the Temple of Artemis or maybe even both.

Coy as he may have been, Celtia and Babylonia still beat him to those wonders. Serves him right.

 

[s.bernbaum]

A quick query: What happens if you build the UofS and later switch religions? Do the buildings from the new religion get the research bonus or is it tied to the one at the time of construction, like the AP?

 

[kcd_swede]

A quick query: What happens if you build the UofS and later switch religions? Do the buildings from the new religion get the research bonus or is it tied to the one at the time of construction, like the AP?

The new religion's buildings get the bonus. It ties to your state religion at the moment.

 

[Gwynnja]

is there a way to set up my game so that resource bubbles are on to start?

 

[s.bernbaum]

The new religion's buildings get the bonus. It ties to your state religion at the moment.

Thank you!

 

[ecuwins]

Hello. I just purchased Civ4 Complete from Steam last night. I haven't played Civ4 at all, ever. So where should I start? With the vanilla game or one of the expansions?

 

[Gwynnja]

Hello. I just purchased Civ4 Complete from Steam last night. I haven't played Civ4 at all, ever. So where should I start? With the vanilla game or one of the expansions?

Start with beyond the sword

 

[ecuwins]

Danke schon.

About to get my first game on soon!

 

[Danelius90]

is there a way to set up my game so that resource bubbles are on to start?

If it works the same as tile yields display, if you leave them on at the end, they'll be on at the start of a new game (i'm pretty sure I don't ctrl-y each game)
Or maybe in some config file...
anyway it's not much of a hardship to press ctrl-r at the start is it?

 

[Gwynnja]

If it works the same as tile yields display, if you leave them on at the end, they'll be on at the start of a new game (i'm pretty sure I don't ctrl-y each game)
Or maybe in some config file...
anyway it's not much of a hardship to press ctrl-r at the start is it?

it doesn't work the same way. And I'd still rather have them on to start the game whether it's any hardship or not, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered asking.

 

[s.bernbaum]

it doesn't work the same way. And I'd still rather have them on to start the game whether it's any hardship or not, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered asking.

I don't know if this will work for that particular function but try turning it on and then go to the option menu, not the Command-O one, but the one in the upper right corner next to the civilopedia. I don't recall which one it is but one of them lets you save a default setup. So save the settings as the new default. I recall using that to save some setting long ago. Maybe it will work for the resource bubbles.

 

[Mec AntiKythera]

Start with beyond the sword

I would start with Vanilla. Then move on to Warlords. Then move on to Beyond the Sword. Why not enjoy it all? Besides, that way it eases you into the leaders, traits, wonders, vassals, corporations and whatever else I'm forgetting at the moment that are added and changed in the expansion packs.

If you haven't played any Civ game before then I would certainly start with Vanilla, no question. So much to learn--and enjoy!

 

[bestbrian]

I would start with Vanilla. Then move on to Warlords. Then move on to Beyond the Sword. Why not enjoy it all? Besides, that way it eases you into the leaders, traits, wonders, vassals, corporations and whatever else I'm forgetting at the moment that are added and changed in the expansion packs.

If you haven't played any Civ game before then I would certainly start with Vanilla, no question. So much to learn--and enjoy!

I completely disagree. BTS patched to 3.19 is the ultimate refined/unmodded form of Civ IV, and that is where you start. There is no reason to begin with Vanilla/Warlords, as they're just works in progress.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Maybe do vanilla to play the tutorial. After that move to BtS.

 

[ecuwins]

Thanks for the extra advice.

I've been playing Civ since II.

I've already started my first game in BtS. So far so good. I started out by reading SISIUTIL’S Civ IV Strategy Guide For Beginners and have been looking into the War Academy as needed.

Initial thoughts: coming from III, empire management has changed a lot. ex. Happiness slider is gone(I see you get this back with a tech, though), buildings are necessary for lux resources to provide happiness, sickness factor, roads do not provide commerce anymore, ect...

I've started out on Noble, Conts, all else default and plan to just work on empire management for now. I'll let the wars come to me. My two neighbors are a good 20-25 tiles away in opposite directions.

So far I'm digging it, so much new stuff to learn.

 

[Sisiutil]

I've already started my first game in BtS. So far so good. I started out by reading SISIUTIL’S Civ IV Strategy Guide For Beginners and have been looking into the War Academy as needed.

An excellent place to start.

Initial thoughts: coming from III, empire management has changed a lot. ex. Happiness slider is gone(I see you get this back with a tech, though), buildings are necessary for lux resources to provide happiness, sickness factor, roads do not provide commerce anymore, ect...

Don't think of it as a happiness slider, though that can be one of its effects. First and foremost, it's a culture slider.

My two neighbors are a good 20-25 tiles away in opposite directions.

The AI will fill in that space with astonishing speed. Nobody told the AI you can't REX anymore in Civ IV!