Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Ataxerxes]

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.

I also came from III and still play it sometimes. Two of the biggest changes for me is that if you have worthless land you usually don't want a city there in IV. In III more cities were always better. The other is diplomacy. I never had much use for getting the AI to really like me in III. In IV, getting an AI to Friendly gives a lot of benefits. However, with religions you have to choose your friends. Small piece of advice - don't be the only one in your religion!

Additionally, building maintenance is gone. You're right, there is a tremendous amount of stuff to learn, but it's a great game!

 

[ecuwins]

Question, let's say I have 2 dyes and I put a plantation on both. Do I get +2 happy(+1 for each), or do I only get +1 because it is the same type of resource.

 

[Ataxerxes]

Question, let's say I have 2 dyes and I put a plantation on both. Do I get +2 happy(+1 for each), or do I only get +1 because it is the same type of resource.

You only get +1 for having dyes, regardless of how many you have. Every city hooked up to the dye also gets +1. A city can get the dye happiness up to +2 by building a theatre. The excess dye can be traded. When you offer a trade, it'll show you have 2 dyes so you can trade 1 without decreasing your happiness. Trading excess resources is an excellent way to get more health and happiness.

The AI isn't a jerk about trading resources like in III. Happiness/Health resources normally trade 1 for 1, unless they can be used strategically (Ivory costs more because it makes Elephants). An exploitation of this is to trade your resources that won't have a multiplier for a long time (cow, for instance, needs Supermarket to get 2 health) for something that has an early multiplier (corn, just needs granary, which every city should have). Almost every health and happiness resource has a building to add to its effects. Most health/happiness resources can be bought or sold for about 6 GPT. Selling excess resources can be a good source of cash.

Strategic resources cost an arm and a leg. You often need war to get it (like in III).

 

[s.bernbaum]

Question, let's say I have 2 dyes and I put a plantation on both. Do I get +2 happy(+1 for each), or do I only get +1 because it is the same type of resource.

You only get the resource's benefit from one instance of the resource. Use the extras to trade with the AI for resources that you lack or for gold, after you research Currency. Later in the game, if you found a corporation, multiple instances of the resources that your corporation uses will make the corporation more powerful. Also, you may want to think twice about trading a strategic resource (such as horses or copper) to an AI who may be a war threat.

 

[Jezz]

How can you tell by looking at the city screen whether a tile is being used by a neighbouring city or not?

In Civ3, in the city screen, if a tile was being used by a neighbouring city, it outlined the tile in a white border, so you can tell right away what tiles are being used. Now in Civ4, i have to switch back and forth between the 2 city screens to figure it out. Very tedious.

 

[Bloodstone]

If the tile is "shared" between the two cities and is within the BFC of both then you can switch who is working it back and forth between the cities. The city that is currently working it will show the tile being worked, the other city will be "grayed" out appearing that you can't work it. However if you click on the tile it will switch over to be active in that city and it will show "gray" in the other city.

This can often be done with a large food producing tile that you want to share between the two cities to help build the population. Just bear in mind this only works in tiles that are under your cultural influence, so if a rival Civ has cultural ownership you won't be able to work the tile, irregardless of it being in your BFC.

 

[Mec AntiKythera]

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.

That is exactly why I started with Vanilla, because you can enjoy BTS after Vanilla and not the other way around. You can seriously prolong the discovery and enjoyment of the game that way, each time adding more goodies. But I've always been a "open the best present last" kind of kid.

Why would I want to eat my dessert before dinner?

I've been playing Civ since II.

I've already started my first game in BtS. So far so good.

Ah, that's a different situation all together. Enjoy!

 

[Ambidexter]

I've already started my first game in BtS.

When BTS starts getting a little stale, try some of the mods. A few of them, like Fall from Heaven II, are almost like playing a new game.

 

[s.bernbaum]

Why would I want to eat my dessert before dinner?

What !?!?! You've never heard: "Life is short. Eat dessert first!"

 

[Copaczin]

Here's a question that's been bugging me (sorry if this has already been answered, I couldn't find a discussion on it in the few minutes I spent looking) : If your vassal state somehow manages to win, does that count as victory for both of you or just the vassal? Say, for example, that the 3 cities he controls get to legendary culture and he wins a cultural victory. Does he just win or does the master win too?

 

[Sisiutil]

Here's a question that's been bugging me (sorry if this has already been answered, I couldn't find a discussion on it in the few minutes I spent looking) : If your vassal state somehow manages to win, does that count as victory for both of you or just the vassal? Say, for example, that the 3 cities he controls get to legendary culture and he wins a cultural victory. Does he just win or does the master win too?

I'm pretty sure that in that circumstance, the vassal would win the game. There are no shared victories in Civ IV that I'm aware of. It's highly unusual for a vassal to win, but it's possible.

 

[Danelius90]

Yeah, I remember someone posted they had this situation, vassal approached 3 legendary cities and you can't declare on them! This is probably the most likely victory a vassal would win (can't get diplo, or conquest/dom or time. Maybe space but SO unlikely)
espionage culture buildings is all you can do...

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Vassals can win diplo if they build the UN or AP.

 

[Danelius90]

Vassals can win diplo if they build the UN or AP.

didn't realise. Something new every day

 

[Bloodstone]

Getting to be late game, and it's a run away. I can finish up a Domination win with one final War, or chase a Space Race (which I would prefer so I can keep playing this one!). At a tech point where I'm well out in front and I will be coming up on TGD in a little bit, and I will be able to build it without any real problems. I've never built it before and figured this was a good game to experiment with.

My question, I have 5 cities with Coal Plants that have me pushing or exceeding the healthiness of the city. I've got 8 other cities that have Factories but no power as yet. Once the TGD goes on line will the from those Coal plants disappear? I'm a little confused on all of the mechanics for as it relates to the different steps in the game (i.e. from forge to factory to plant) I get the concept, but don't get how all of the bonuses work out.

 

[Mec AntiKythera]

My question, I have 5 cities with Coal Plants that have me pushing or exceeding the healthiness of the city. I've got 8 other cities that have Factories but no power as yet. Once the TGD goes on line will the from those Coal plants disappear?

Yes. In that sense it is as much a health wonder as a hammer wonder.

 

[Nicol.Bolas]

1) do the great people special buildings count toward the limit of 2 national wonders?

2) do corporations count as national wonders toward the limit?

3) do religion "capital" buildings (the one build by prophet in establishing city) count toward 2 national wonders?

4) how can I tell what the city tile will produce? I think of moving to prince, but I still dont understand the rule.

5) i play on an oasis map that is flat - no west-east or north-south circumnavigation. I have got one enemy completely cut of from his trading partner (even ocean squares and compass doesnt yet exists.)

he is also neighbur to one AI with whom I have OB (I have OB with everyone),

i am in middle from up to down. on west is egypt(OB) and rome(war). on east are many nations including english, i have OB with everyone, how come rome can still trade with english
how come he can still trade with the partner from another side of map?

6) how do you stop cities from setting spy specialists or make the game ntify you that spy specialist was allocated? I find them completely useless and i am always horrified to discover them after a few turns. i ussualy play bts, and with BUG mod or buffy mod.

7) how do you actually enable the dot mapping in bufffy mod? it says enables shortcuts but ii havent found anwhere these shortcuts

 

[Sisiutil]

1) do the great people special buildings count toward the limit of 2 national wonders?

2) do corporations count as national wonders toward the limit?

3) do religion "capital" buildings (the one build by prophet in establishing city) count toward 2 national wonders?

4) how can I tell what the city tile will produce? I think of moving to prince, but I still dont understand the rule.

5) i play on an oasis map that is flat - no west-east or north-south circumnavigation. I have got one enemy completely cut of from his trading partner (even ocean squares and compass doesnt yet exists.)

he is also neighbur to one AI with whom I have OB (I have OB with everyone),

i am in middle from up to down. on west is egypt(OB) and rome(war). on east are many nations including english, i have OB with everyone, how come rome can still trade with english
how come he can still trade with the partner from another side of map?

6) how do you stop cities from setting spy specialists or make the game ntify you that spy specialist was allocated? I find them completely useless and i am always horrified to discover them after a few turns. i ussualy play bts, and with BUG mod or buffy mod.

7) how do you actually enable the dot mapping in bufffy mod? it says enables shortcuts but ii havent found anwhere these shortcuts

1. No.
2. No.
3. No.
4. Press Ctrl+Y to see default tile yields or go into the city screen. Remember that tile improvements will change the tile yields.
5. You have OB with his trading partner, so his trading partner can reach him and trade with him.
6. Check your city screen more regularly and/or set the city governor to emphasize anything besides Great People.
7. Ctrl + X enables the dot mapping overlay in BUG, it's probably the same shortcut in BUFFY.

 

[s.bernbaum]

Getting to be late game, and it's a run away. I can finish up a Domination win with one final War, or chase a Space Race (which I would prefer so I can keep playing this one!). At a tech point where I'm well out in front and I will be coming up on TGD in a little bit, and I will be able to build it without any real problems. I've never built it before and figured this was a good game to experiment with.

My question, I have 5 cities with Coal Plants that have me pushing or exceeding the healthiness of the city. I've got 8 other cities that have Factories but no power as yet. Once the TGD goes on line will the from those Coal plants disappear? I'm a little confused on all of the mechanics for as it relates to the different steps in the game (i.e. from forge to factory to plant) I get the concept, but don't get how all of the bonuses work out.

Power from any source gives two . Coal plants give 2 more . So, when you build TGD, all cities on that continent that already have power will have two less , since the TGD power will replace the coal plant power. All cities on the continent that don't yet have power will gain power and 2 from the power.

I'm pretty sure that in that circumstance, the vassal would win the game. There are no shared victories in Civ IV that I'm aware of. It's highly unusual for a vassal to win, but it's possible.

There are two ways to get a shared victory. Both involve settings in Custom Game. 1) You can set up teams. When one team member wins, they all win. 2) You can activate the permanent alliance option. Once a permanent alliance is agreed to during the game, if one of the two allies wins, they both win.

 

[Danelius90]

Nicol with 4 do you mean how much will the city tile produce depending on where its settled?
The rule is actually quite simple: a city will produce 2 1 1 unless the base yield is greater than one of these values. E.g. A plains hill has 2 so the city tile will have this if you settle on it, or grass corn has 3 so the city tile will too. The only exception is flood plains - settling on them removes them so you don't get the extra food.