Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Roland Johansen]

Thanks again RJ. Is the "better AI" you are referring to the one by Iustus? If so, do you know if the game core dll is for 24civs, therefore making it compatible with genghis kai's giant earth map?

Yes, it was created by Blake and Iustus. I doubt it is a core dll for 24 civs. They were very conservative and tried to only change the AI and nothing else.

oh yea, another question, you mention about a game being a certain number of turns, 500 for example. After that time has expired, and the game lets you continue playing, does that change anything as far as game play is concerned? I only use diplomacy and conquest victory conditions.

If you disable the time victory, then a game continues after 2050AD. If you enable time victory, a winner is chosen at 2050AD or sooner when another victory option has been achieved. After a winner has been chosen, the victory score is determined. You can just play on after that if you want to.

 

[Melhisedek]

Is there some rule of the thumb build order after creating a city? Like: worker, warrior, worker, granary or something? Also is there a optimum nr of workers per town?

 

[Lord Parkin]

Is there some rule of the thumb build order after creating a city? Like: worker, warrior, worker, granary or something? Also is there a optimum nr of workers per town?

There is never a true 'rule of thumb' that will always apply. For instance, sometimes you may begin a long way away from any worker techs and thus a worker first might not be sensible. Likewise if you start with fishing and have a seafood resource nearby it could be worth building a work boat first.

However, I guess generally in about 3/4 of the situations in a new single player game I will build a worker first, since the benefit of new improved tiles pays off so quickly. On the other hand though, in most multiplayer games (particularly duels) I will usually build a Warrior first if I did not start with one, so that my capital will not be razed early on. (You do not need to worry about this in single player, since the AI is much more predictable and "nice". )

Part of the strategy of Civ4 though, is about breaking any 'rule of thumb' habits you have. You need to adapt to each new game and situation - playing out every game in the same way is not only a little boring, it's inefficient and could well lose you the game on the higher difficulty levels. So adopting these 'rules of thumb' as hard-and-fast laws would be a bad idea. Learn to adapt to the situation.

 

[Melhisedek]

I see, thanks for making it clear mate

Well on to another question than IIRC in Civ3 I used to put science slider down a few notches at last turn. This to get some extra money, but in Civ4 it looks like it is not worth it as Science "carries over" to next tech (sorry if I'm putting this wrong). Is this true?

 

[Lord Parkin]

I see, thanks for making it clear mate

Well on to another question than IIRC in Civ3 I used to put science slider down a few notches at last turn. This to get some extra money, but in Civ4 it looks like it is not worth it as Science "carries over" to next tech (sorry if I'm putting this wrong). Is this true?

No problem.

And yes, you're absolutely correct with regards to the science slider - in Civ3 you would waste any "overflow" beakers when you are nearing the end of researching a tech. In Civ4 this is no longer the case - overflow beakers are (appropriately) carried over to the next tech that you research, and there is no wastage at all. This is much fairer, and requires far less micromanagement.

You might also want to note another difference from Civ3 - beakers will actually be saved when you switch research in the middle of a tech. So there is no more of the "research one thing continuously or lose all your beakers in a switch", which also makes the game more fair.

 

[Melhisedek]

Wonderful I remember I enjoyed to micro my workers in Civ3 but I always forgot to adjust science slider back in the days

Perhaps stupid question but do you build a road first than enhance the tile or the other way around or does it even make any difference? I vaguely remember from Civ3 that making road made your tile better (my memory is really bad)

 

[Lord_Zath]

Roads only give you movement bonus; no commerce bonus like civ3.

So build the improvement first then road it up. Or what I usaully do is make my worker build roads to places or resources I intend to settle so the settlers get there faster.

 

[a4phantom]

All scripture given by inspiration of Lord Parkin is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, but Sensei RJ will beat you if you don't build enough workers early enough. If any of your cities are working "unimproved" tiles that you have the technology to improve, you probably need more workers. I like to have at least one per city, remember they will be called away from tile improving to build roads to new cities.

And roads don't give the commerce bonus anymore, but they are essential for both trade routes and sharing strategic/happiness/health resources around your cities.

 

[vorlon_mi]

In my current game, I was fortunate enough to found
more than one religion. Since I had not yet expanded,
my capital is now a multi-holy city.

So, I got a Great Prophet, and built the shrine for my current state religion.
When I get the next Great Prophet, will I have to switch my state religion
in order to build the shrine, or can I build the shrine independent of
my state religion?

 

[Sisiutil]

In my current game, I was fortunate enough to found
more than one religion. Since I had not yet expanded,
my capital is now a multi-holy city.

So, I got a Great Prophet, and built the shrine for my current state religion.
When I get the next Great Prophet, will I have to switch my state religion
in order to build the shrine, or can I build the shrine independent of
my state religion?

Nope, you can own as many religions as you can get and build their shrines as you please while keeping the same SR.

 

[Monado]

Wonderful I remember I enjoyed to micro my workers in Civ3 but I always forgot to adjust science slider back in the days

Perhaps stupid question but do you build a road first than enhance the tile or the other way around or does it even make any difference? I vaguely remember from Civ3 that making road made your tile better (my memory is really bad)

Like Lord Zath and a4phantom said there is no commerce bonus from railroads, but some improvements do get +1 hammer from railroads. Lumber mills, mines, and quarries get the hammer bonus.

 

[50caliber]

Is there any way to disband a city once youve established it, besides having an opponent raze it?

 

[ori]

Is there any way to disband a city once youve established it, besides having an opponent raze it?

Have barbarians raze it

Spoiler :

There is no way

 

[Rancid Sushi]

After soundly winning my Nth game to the X power on Noble, I think I'm ready to move up to Prince. The manual isn't too clear on the difference between the difficulty levels, so I need you guys to clarify some things and give me some advice.

-AI freebies/bonuses: What exact advantage does the AI have over the player in Prince. From the ALCs, it doesn't seem like much, but I want to know anyway.

-Wonders: I'm a warmonger, not a builder. So I usually only build Stonehenge (unless I'm creative), the GL, and the Pentagon if the game lasts that long. Would an Oracle slingshot still be advisable on Prince? Would the free tech put me ahead of the AI or would the religious tech path actually hinder me in the long run?

-Map type and tech path: I've been winning on fractal, but I'm thinking of switching back to continents to ease the learning curve. This will probably mean that I should get Astronomy as the free tech if I win the Liberalism race. Should I pursue a broad tech path as usual or make a hard beeline to Liberalism and just trade for everything else (except for the early worker techs, of course)?

 

[Greeneyedzombie]

After soundly winning my Nth game to the X power on Noble, I think I'm ready to move up to Prince. The manual isn't too clear on the difference between the difficulty levels, so I need you guys to clarify some things and give me some advice.

-AI freebies/bonuses: What exact advantage does the AI have over the player in Prince. From the ALCs, it doesn't seem like much, but I want to know anyway.

-Wonders: I'm a warmonger, not a builder. So I usually only build Stonehenge (unless I'm creative), the GL, and the Pentagon if the game lasts that long. Would an Oracle slingshot still be advisable on Prince? Would the free tech put me ahead of the AI or would the religious tech path actually hinder me in the long run?

-Map type and tech path: I've been winning on fractal, but I'm thinking of switching back to continents to ease the learning curve. This will probably mean that I should get Astronomy as the free tech if I win the Liberalism race. Should I pursue a broad tech path as usual or make a hard beeline to Liberalism and just trade for everything else (except for the early worker techs, of course)?

freebies for the ai, is only an extra warrior/scout. if I'm not mistaken.
Oracle slingshot is verry doable. you can build stonehenge, GL and oracle all on prince level. I recommend taking code of laws from oracle for early courthouses and religion. I skip the early religions. They distract to much from early worker techs.
Free tech for liberalism, take either astronomy or printing press if you have a lot of cottages.
Tech path, you can pursue a broad tech path, but I ussually go for a medium hard beeline to liberalism, but research guilds or banking on the way to it. to keep your economy thriving while conguering your neighbours.
I find that I can easaly out research the ai, with relative ease.

 

[ggganz]

Two questions: what does "requires at least three teams" mean in the Civilopedia entry for UN? And is this what would be called a "world war"?

 

[Melhisedek]

Is there a way to quick save/load?

 

[ggganz]

Shift+F5 is quicksave, Shift+F8 is quickload. It does not work from the main menu, however.

 

[Roland Johansen]

Two questions: what does "requires at least three teams" mean in the Civilopedia entry for UN? And is this what would be called a "world war"?

You can't build the UN with only 2 teams in the game. That's not that strange as the larger one could dictate the UN and there is always one of the two which is larger.

That looks a bit like a world war. Kublai Khan is not involved, but everyone else is. I would try to get him involved so that he doesn't get a technological lead while the rest of the civilizations are warring.

 

[ajil]

Um I been playing for a while, but since I have gotten beat to stonehenge and the oracle my last two games, I was wondering if my guesstimate of when the ai will finish them is off. I play epic/monarch btw. I just figure if get stonehenge b4 1500bc and the oracle by 1000bc then I will be allright. Has anyone done any research on this topic?