Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Arvedui]

The longer games really are for war mongerers, if units are "cheaper" than buildings (as well as units moving and fighting as fast as normal).

Samson,
I disagree that the longer games are for warmongers. I am not one, and I prefer marathon. The "cheaper" units (in comparison to buildings) only make for a game with more of an "epic" feel, since you get to handle more units. At least, that's my opinion.

 

[Googlie Mooglie]

I have a couple of questions:

1) What is the "cs slingshot" I keep hearing about in the game of the month forums? I know cs stands for civil service and I assume it has something to do with the choosing a free tech via the Oracle.

2) When you draft population via nationalism, are the unit levels substandard like they were in Civ3 or does each unit benefit from any XP buffs you may have? (buildings, wonders and civics).

 

[oagersnap]

I have a couple of questions:

1) What is the "cs slingshot" I keep hearing about in the game of the month forums? I know cs stands for civil service and I assume it has something to do with the choosing a free tech via the Oracle.

It's when you try to research the Code of Laws before building the Oracle, thus allowing you to pick Civil Service as your free tech.

 

[Kevin Doll]

Hello,
I am new to this board and have been searching (albeit randomly) for an answer to this question below (please forgive me if this has been answered before).

Is there any way to have the actual "earth" map to play a game on from the beginning? I want to play on "our" earth, and while there are some maps available they either start for you at 1000AD or begin with a few pre-selected civs. I guess I want to play as the English from 4000 BC on our map, and I don't know if that can be done. I actually don't know why that isn't an easy option as in Civ II...

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Googlie Mooglie]

Thanks a lot, oagersnap. I 'preciate it.

 

[Snerk]

sweetpete,
The bonus goes to all cities on the continent WHICH belong to you. Are you a MTG player?

Yes that would make more sense wouldn't it. No reason for doin everyone a favor.
Hate to say this but what does MTG player mean? multiplayer or sommit?

 

[McLMan]

Just recovered from Christmas and bought a video card. I can now play this great game that has been in the bottom drawer of my desk for a little more than 3 months. When I start a new game my leaders name automatically comes up as "HOME-A1X038" or something like that. I think it's the "name" for my computer. Is there any way to make it automatically use my name, or preferably use the actual leader's name that I selected a la Civ III?

(I know I can type it in, just wondering if there's a setting to automate it)

 

[Moonsinger]

One quick question: How do you figure out the exact cost for unit upgrade? For example, if I want to upgrade a knight to cavalry, how much gold should I need? Thanks!

 

[bobrath]

Scouts are supposed to give better pops from huts then warriors... But where do cultural border expansion pops rank? Better then Warrior?

I'm asking because occasionaly I found my first city with a hut a space or two away. Is it better to pop the hut with my warrior/scout or send that unit scouting and let my city pop it in a few turns with the first culture expansion?

Thanks

 

[bobrath]

One quick question: How do you figure out the exact cost for unit upgrade? For example, if I want to upgrade a knight to cavalry, how much gold should I need? Thanks!

If you've got the unit selected, the button/icon you click to upgrade them will have the cost in the hover text on it.

 

[bobrath]

Is there any way to have the actual "earth" map to play a game on from the beginning? I want to play on "our" earth, and while there are some maps available they either start for you at 1000AD or begin with a few pre-selected civs. I guess I want to play as the English from 4000 BC on our map, and I don't know if that can be done. I actually don't know why that isn't an easy option as in Civ II...

Try this thread

 

[lost_civantares]

Is there any way to make it automatically use my name, or preferably use the actual leader's name that I selected a la Civ III?

Go to civ4's ini file (in C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\_Civ4Config), look in the list for:

; Account Username
Nickname = HOME-A1X038

and
; In-game Alias
Alias = HOME-A1X038

(not sure which does which)

and change to what you want.

Scouts are supposed to give better pops from huts then warriors... But where do cultural border expansion pops rank? Better then Warrior?

From what I remember, in the very early game you will not be attacked by anything. And as you stated scouts will always get a positive bonus from the huts, and anyway the possibility of a negitive bonus (ie enemy warriors) is fairly low anyway, so for the most part it really doesn't matter (though IIRC it does go up as you move up the difficulty scale), so your best bet is probably your scou, unless it will cost you too many moves.

 

[Moonsinger]

If you've got the unit selected, the button/icon you click to upgrade them will have the cost in the hover text on it.

Thanks! I didn't notice the hovering text before. I will pay close attention to it from now on.

 

[RameNoodle]

so, what is the best civ to be early on in the game? I just got to noble, and I was wondering if there was any one civ that happens to be better to win with early? I like war, so maybe there is one that is best for me?

 

[DaviddesJ]

One quick question: How do you figure out the exact cost for unit upgrade? For example, if I want to upgrade a knight to cavalry, how much gold should I need? Thanks!

I think it's 35 plus 3*(cost difference in hammers). The 35 number might change at different speeds (or maybe it doesn't, even though it should), but the 3*hammers is consistent.

 

[DaviddesJ]

Scouts are supposed to give better pops from huts then warriors... But where do cultural border expansion pops rank? Better then Warrior?

I think it's like Civ3: if you pop a hut with a scout or by cultural expansion, then you get a random choice from among the good results, while with a military unit you can get any result.

 

[Snerk]

I just got this message in my combet log:
Your fighter was destroyed by an enemy frigate.
This happened on several accounts. WTH? How is that possible?
I had some fighters stationed in coastal cities,
but can enemy frigates come in and attack these?
...and arent my fighter suppose to beat a frigate?

 

[rainmaker]

In my current game I am playing continents and have found Iron on a small 25 tile island only 2 coastal tiles from the larger continent. In order for my other cities to benefit from the iron does the city I place on this island have to be on the coast? And would it need a harbor?

I would really like to place it inland but not if I cannot benefit from the iron elsewhere.

 

[DaviddesJ]

In my current game I am playing continents and have found Iron on a small 25 tile island only 2 coastal tiles from the larger continent. In order for my other cities to benefit from the iron does the city I place on this island have to be on the coast? And would it need a harbor?

If there's a river on the island (running into the ocean), then you can put the city anywhere adjacent to the river. Otherwise, it does have to be on the coast, I believe. (The only other possibility would be to build 2 cities, one inland and the other on the coast, and connect them with a road---then the iron from city 1 would connect through city 2 to the rest of your civilization.)

You don't need a harbor.

 

[Kevin Doll]

Thanks bobrath