Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[vorlon_mi]

So I was driving home from work, and I was thinking about Civ (naturally).
I played some Civ 2 and Civ 3, and wrestled with corruption. Cities that were
farther away from the capital would lose shields(hammers) due to corruption.
Building a courthouse would help, but not a lot.

Now, Civ IV has replaced corruption with upkeep, and upkeep affects
the costs in *gold*, right? But hammers(shields) are not affected?

Let me see if I have this right ... one city (say, Duloc) is 4 tiles from my
capital, and has 3 hills in its fat cross, which I have mined. Another city
(say, FarFarAway) is at the other end of the landmass, about 16 tiles away,
and it also has 3 hills, which I have mined. If I build a library and granary
in both cities, then the costs to my cash/gold supply due to city
improvements is higher in FarFarAway than in Duloc. But I get full credit
for the hammers in both cities?

This says I should build only one or two improvements in my outer cities
(or newly conquered ones), like a forge or a barracks, and just make stuff.
Not money, nor extra buildings, but military units. Is that right?

 

[Sisiutil]

So I was driving home from work, and I was thinking about Civ (naturally).
I played some Civ 2 and Civ 3, and wrestled with corruption. Cities that were
farther away from the capital would lose shields(hammers) due to corruption.
Building a courthouse would help, but not a lot.

Now, Civ IV has replaced corruption with upkeep, and upkeep affects
the costs in *gold*, right? But hammers(shields) are not affected?

Let me see if I have this right ... one city (say, Duloc) is 4 tiles from my
capital, and has 3 hills in its fat cross, which I have mined. Another city
(say, FarFarAway) is at the other end of the landmass, about 16 tiles away,
and it also has 3 hills, which I have mined. If I build a library and granary
in both cities, then the costs to my cash/gold supply due to city
improvements is higher in FarFarAway than in Duloc. But I get full credit
for the hammers in both cities?

This says I should build only one or two improvements in my outer cities
(or newly conquered ones), like a forge or a barracks, and just make stuff.
Not money, nor extra buildings, but military units. Is that right?

Not necessarily, because city specialization is based very much on the terrain and resources in the city's fat cross. If FarFarAway had some flood plains and 2 gold mines, for example, it would be a waste to not turn that thing into a commerce city.

Plus the game gives you several ways to significantly reduce city maintenance costs (courthouses, Forbidden Palace, Versailles, State Property). And if you're managing your civ well, your cities will occasionally celebrate a "we love the ruler" day and pay no maintenance for that turn.

 

[Jenarie]

Also, unless I misunderstood your question, city improvements don't cost anything in CivIV unlike the previous versions. You pay only for distance from the capital and total number of cities. So that far away city will cost you the same no matter if you build one thing in it or everything.

 

[azzaman333]

And if you're managing your civ well, your cities will occasionally celebrate a "we love the ruler" day and pay no maintenance for that turn.

What triggers 'We love the Ruler' day?

 

[vorlon_mi]

Also, unless I misunderstood your question, city improvements don't cost anything in CivIV unlike the previous versions. You pay only for distance from the capital and total number of cities. So that far away city will cost you the same no matter if you build one thing in it or everything.

Ah, that's the answer I was looking for. Yes, I get all the hammers in
FarFarAway, but the upkeep costs are high, whether I build any improvements
or not. Sisiutil, thanks for the reminder about courthouses and State Property.

 

[ori]

What triggers 'We love the Ruler' day?

If the city is not in revolt, there are no angry citizens, no unhealthy citizens and the city is at least of size 8 then there is a dice roll every turn to determine "Do We Love The King?". The probability for a size 8 city is 7 in 1000 each turn and increases by 1 per pop point...

Edit: might be 8 in 1000 to start with but this doesn't make much of a difference

 

[azzaman333]

After the first We love the ___, is the chance higher for it to continue in the city?

 

[ori]

After the first We love the ___, is the chance higher for it to continue in the city?

The roll is made each turn and the game does not look into the past - so if the conditions are met (>=8 pop, no unhappy/unhealthy, no revolt) the chance is the same each turn

 

[a4phantom]

WLTK day sounds like a very small benefit for how rare it is.

 

[Roland Johansen]

The roll is made each turn and the game does not look into the past - so if the conditions are met (>=8 pop, no unhappy/unhealthy, no revolt) the chance is the same each turn

Interesting to hear how the chance to get a WLTK day is calculated. It is slightly dependant on city size but very small. About 1/50 in large (size 20) cities. Quite useless in general.

But I've often, very often experienced that a WLTK day would continue for a second turn. Maybe this is even true in every case that I've experienced. Do WLTK days always last 2 turns? In that case they happen 2/50 turns for big cities. Still quite worthless but a bit better.

 

[a4phantom]

I think Civ4 tried to eliminate random advantages where possible, i.e. promotions and Great People are now entirely predictable, unhappiness doesn't sometimes cause riots and random destruction, WLTK day is still random but nerfed to insignificance . . . I think it was Civ1 when WLTK under Democracy added a population point a day.

 

[Roland Johansen]

I think Civ4 tried to eliminate random advantages where possible, i.e. promotions and Great People are now entirely predictable, unhappiness doesn't sometimes cause riots and random destruction, WLTK day is still random but nerfed to insignificance . . . I think it was Civ1 when WLTK under Democracy added a population point a day.

I can't remember the details of civ 1 very well any more. I do know that in civ2 under republic and democracy a 50% happiness without unhappiness caused a WLTK-day which caused 1 pop growth per turn if sustained more than 1 turn. Very very overpowered and I don't think the AI every purposefully used it. But everyone who knew about it, used it.

 

[eldar]

I think Civ3 got that aspect about right... >50% happy citizens (including specialists), no unhappy. And the "bonus" of reduced waste (but not corruption) was handy but not overpowering. In other words, a nice-to-have, simple enough to set up if you wanted, but not so great as to be utterly time-consuming for micromanagers.

 

[KMadCandy]

i was reading a bit about the current S-GOTM where they're locked into war with gandhi throughout the game. they're trying to lose to gandhi tho, so they can't just smash him to the ground quick, they have to find a way to help him tech quickly to space, but they can't trade with him. yes they're a bunch of weirdos. i've never played an AW or PW game and it made me curious about something.

i know about the rule where a civ will only trade with you if they know 2 civs (including you). my guess is that if i meet (but am in permanent war with) Gandhi and then i meet say, Asoka, then once Asoka meets Gandhi, the 'i know 2 civs that are still alive' rule is satisfied for Asoka, even tho Gandhi and i can't ever talk to each other. so then Asoka could in theory trade with either of us even if none of us have met anybody else. barring of course that pesky "worst enemy" rule. is that true?

 

[DCSemi]

Just got the game TODAY!!!

But I'm kinda all confused with the game, I played the tutorial but I'm still confused. Could you guys point me to a very basic guide with all the basics of the game.

This game looks like it kick some asses... can't wait to play!

Thanks for your support

 

[Sisiutil]

Just got the game TODAY!!!

But I'm kinda all confused with the game, I played the tutorial but I'm still confused. Could you guys point me to a very basic guide with all the basics of the game.

This game looks like it kick some asses... can't wait to play!

Thanks for your support

The tutorial isn't the greatest. There's a manual on the CD in PDF format; definitely read through that to understand the game's interface and basic mechanics. Then play a game or two at one of the easiest levels to get used to the interface and mechanics. After that, come back here, post specific questions, and gradually start checking out articles in the site's War Academy.

I've also written a beginner's strategy guide (link in my sig) that may be helpful when you've mastered the basics and are ready to start thinking about strategy.

 

[KMadCandy]

The tutorial isn't the greatest.

emphasis added. truest words i've read today.

There's a manual on the CD in PDF format

there is???? where is it hiding? i've looked, but am of course permanoob (or maybe it's only on some printings). i'd really like one for Warlords, my warlords manual has pages that have literally fallen out; luckily my vanilla manual is spiral-bound.

 

[Sisiutil]

there is???? where is it hiding? i've looked, but am of course permanoob (or maybe it's only on some printings). i'd really like one for Warlords, my warlords manual has pages that have literally fallen out; luckily my vanilla manual is spiral-bound.

Geez, now you've got me doubting my memory. I'll double-check when I get home.

 

[ori]

there is???? where is it hiding? i've looked, but am of course permanoob (or maybe it's only on some printings). i'd really like one for Warlords, my warlords manual has pages that have literally fallen out; luckily my vanilla manual is spiral-bound.

Geez, now you've got me doubting my memory. I'll double-check when I get home.

I have read this before on the forum: there seem to be some versions that shipped with a .pdf manual and some without - mine came just with the paper version... Sadly no one with the .pdf has yet had the idea to upload it to cfc

 

[nautilis]

i have installed the game by using the original dvd.but when i double click to start the game it say insert the correct dvd.but i have only one dvd.Can anybody help me to slove that problem please