Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[Roland Johansen]

This has probably been asked before - but are there any hard caps on numbers of civilizations, units, cities, map size, etc., in Civ4/BtS?

(I recall that in Civ2, cities were capped at 255, civilizations at 7 (plus barbarian), units at 2047 and map size at 32767 tiles.)

If there aren't, what affects processor speed the most? Map size, civilization #s, or unit #s?

The standard number of civilisations cap is 18 (I believe), but it has been modded by many modders and it isn't that hard to change that number. The huge map is the largest map provided by the game, but this has also been modded by some modders (I don't know it's dimensions). I have never heard of anyone reaching the maximum number of units or cities in the game (there must be a maximum but it's probably far too large to be reacheable).

At some point, the game will slow down if you start increasing the numbers. Some older computers will already have problems with huge maps in the late game (combined number of cities of you and AI in the hundreds (300?), combined number of units by you and the AI in the thousands or maybe close to ten thousands. The biggest problems are related to system memory (has to be more than 1.5 GB for late game huge maps, better 2 GB's) and video card (memory). The game will crash if you don't have enough system memory for the huge map.

If you want to mod the game so that you can play on much greater than huge maps, then make sure you have a great computer and an operating system that can manage a system memory greater than 4 MB's (a 64 bit operating system) to get optimal performance. I would first advice you to check out the huge map. It's large enough for the large majority of players, but there are mods out there that increase the largest map size and increase the number of players for those that want to play on even larger maps than those provided by the standard game.

I usually play on huge maps and the games already take a long time to complete. You'll get many dozens of cities (40+) and hundreds of units before the game ends and if you want to conquer the entire world, then you'll get hundreds of cities and many hundreds or even a thousand units.

I've found the mod that I was referring to:

XXL World.

The mod also mentions the dimensions of the largest normal map types and the added super large map types.

This game probably takes a bit more time to play than civ2 as the strategy is a bit more complicated. There are more choices to be made and it isn't that easy to expand quickly early.

 

[friedonions]

Is there a way to change the date once you've started a game? LIke with the console or something?

 

[CCRunner]

It's probably possible in the xml or something but why would you bother? The date doesn't matter at all except for time victory. Even then, you can choose to play "just...one...more...turn..." or something to that effect.

Unless you mean game speed. In that case you can save it as a worldbuilder scenario then load the game as a custom scenario and change the settings.

 

[friedonions]

I know it doesn't matter but it kinda makes it feel more real to me. I'll try playing witht he xml files like you suggested.

 

[jm4civ4]

Hello all,

I have a BTS game in progress that is tough. I want to post the save file, so that others can view it and, hopefully, offer advice on how they'd proceed. Which forum/thread is best suited to this?
The one I am now in?
Strategy & Tips?
General Discussions?

Thanks in advance

 

[Sisiutil]

Hello all,

I have a BTS game in progress that is tough. I want to post the save file, so that others can view it and, hopefully, offer advice on how they'd proceed. Which forum/thread is best suited to this?
The one I am now in?
Strategy & Tips?
General Discussions?

Thanks in advance

Put it in Strategy & Tips in its own thread.

 

[jm4civ4]

Sisiutil,

Thanks. A big hats off to you for all the articles you've posted. I have learned alot from reading your threads. It would be useful for me if you had the time to analyze the game I will soon be posting. Please look for the Sully/Monarch/Hemispheres game.

Thanks!

 

[snowdog123]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi - Im new - which hopefully explains why I know nothing! lol

Two questions:

I have a custom scenario i have knocked out based on the Russian-Georgian Conflict but i cant get to set the date to 2008 even tho I have edited it in notepad. im new to modding, string texts and all that stuff. What is the problem here?

I also cant upload my scenario anywhere???? its a worldbuilder file and seems to be "invalid" when I try to upload. Any Suggestions?

 

[TABJ]

How fast should you expand at the beginning of the game? I find that I generally have three cities when the AI civs only have their capital. Then I can't afford to expand anymore because my Science slider is at 70% and I don't want it to go any lower and fall behind so early in the game. Then a few turns go by, and the AIs all have five or six cities and I'm stuck in a little tiny corner of the map, scrambling to find a decent spot to build my fourth city. Whats the proper rate to expand? I play on Noble (and lose 75% of the time, but the lower difficulties are too easy) if thats important.

 

[Samson]

How fast should you expand at the beginning of the game? I find that I generally have three cities when the AI civs only have their capital. Then I can't afford to expand anymore because my Science slider is at 70% and I don't want it to go any lower and fall behind so early in the game. Then a few turns go by, and the AIs all have five or six cities and I'm stuck in a little tiny corner of the map, scrambling to find a decent spot to build my fourth city. Whats the proper rate to expand? I play on Noble (and lose 75% of the time, but the lower difficulties are too easy) if thats important.

I think it is a play style question. Personally I will expand as quickly as possible, as long as every city has a food bonus or gets me a vital reasorce (vital is my first milarty reasorce and pre-calender happiness). This usually translates to around 5 cities, by which time all the good spots are taken. It also means wy science slider drops to 20% or lower, but as long as I get writing by this time I will be happy. I will then beline monarcy, which allows my cities to grow and that fixes my ecconomy.

I play at Monarc or Emporor.

 

[Gainy III]

I cant help you there snowdog

Tabj there shouldnt be a definitive answer. I play on standard maps and like to keep a 70% rate when expanding also. My eye is on the surrounding terrain and what technology I need to utilise it, and/or what I can do with it.

My 2nd city will come after I have a few anti-barbarian/exploration units and a often a worker. The barbarians get tougher so I will consolidate and improve what I have, with the aim to building either a commerce rich, resource rich or productive 3rd city. The important thing is to build the city with purpose, and not for the sake of having a 3rd city.

So much is dependent on your surrounding terrain, how close your neighbouring civs are and probably more I wont mention. Two tips which you may find useful: Work with(improve) what you have and keep an eye on your Unit Cost in the F2 screen.

yer as samson says it is really your decision

 

[Roland Johansen]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi - Im new - which hopefully explains why I know nothing! lol

Two questions:

I have a custom scenario i have knocked out based on the Russian-Georgian Conflict but i cant get to set the date to 2008 even tho I have edited it in notepad. im new to modding, string texts and all that stuff. What is the problem here?

I also cant upload my scenario anywhere???? its a worldbuilder file and seems to be "invalid" when I try to upload. Any Suggestions?

You're in the wrong forum with these questions. The best place to get them answered is the Creation and Customization forum. There are tutorials over there and helpful people who know what they're talking about.

How fast should you expand at the beginning of the game? I find that I generally have three cities when the AI civs only have their capital. Then I can't afford to expand anymore because my Science slider is at 70% and I don't want it to go any lower and fall behind so early in the game. Then a few turns go by, and the AIs all have five or six cities and I'm stuck in a little tiny corner of the map, scrambling to find a decent spot to build my fourth city. Whats the proper rate to expand? I play on Noble (and lose 75% of the time, but the lower difficulties are too easy) if thats important.

The rate of expansion is also dependent on map size and on the resources you happen to find in your neighbourhood. If you find lots of happiness and health resources, then your cities can grow larger which will help your economy which will help your expansion rate. I am usually willing to let my science rate drop a lot deeper before I stop expanding. Actually, I never stop expanding, I just adjust the rate of expansion based on the healthiness of my economy. When I get close to a stalled economy (20 science per turn or lower while I don't have a surplus gold per turn), I become very cautious with expanding. But for a starting player, I'd advice not to go below 40-50% science rate.

Note that the science percentage doesn't determine the rate of scientific discovery. The rate of scientific discovery is largely determined by the amount of science that is accumulated by your empire and that is largely dependent on the amount of commerce that is being accumulated (or maybe the number of scientists that you enlisted in your cities if you use a specialist economy). You can see the amount of science in the economic advisor.

70% of 30 commerce (from 2 cities) is a lot less than 30% of 150 commerce (from say 10 cities), so a science rate of 70% is not necessarily better than a science rate of 30%. If you have a lot more cities which are producing lots of commerce, then a lower science percentage can be compensated by the huge base output of commerce. And in the end, each of those cities will prosper and you'll end up with a much larger empire and a much higher science output. For that reason, it can even be beneficial to temporarily stall your economy in order to get a larger, more prosperous empire in the long run. This is especially true when the additional cities can give you new resources which you can use to grow larger, happier, healthier cities defended by units for which you have the strategic resources. You can trade these resources with other empires (for other resources or money) and don't have to trade for these resources with other empires.

The perfect rate of expansion is an impossible goal. It's the type of goal that even the most experienced players disagree upon. But if you want some good tps, I'd advice you to post a few savegames or screenshots in the Strategy and Tips forum. Say, a savegame around 2000BC, one around 500BC and one around 500AD. It's not too hard to judge your expansion strategy based on those savegames and you'll get some useful tips.

 

[Gwynnja]

How fast should you expand at the beginning of the game? I find that I generally have three cities when the AI civs only have their capital. Then I can't afford to expand anymore because my Science slider is at 70% and I don't want it to go any lower and fall behind so early in the game. Then a few turns go by, and the AIs all have five or six cities and I'm stuck in a little tiny corner of the map, scrambling to find a decent spot to build my fourth city. Whats the proper rate to expand? I play on Noble (and lose 75% of the time, but the lower difficulties are too easy) if thats important.

In addition to what Roland and Samson have already said, I think that as long as you're expanding faster than the AI, you should be fine, so long as you don't neglect your military. Obviously this varies according to difficulty level, but I think stopping expansion because you don't want your research slider to drop below 70% is a bit too conservative. Remember, with writing you can build libraries and hire scientists, with alphabet you can build research with your cities, and with currency you can build markets, hire merchants, and build wealth, all which will help build your economy. Building your economy is a complicated procedure in civ iv, and trial and error is a fun experience.

 

[s.bernbaum]

Lately I've been seeing an abbreviation used with increasing frequency that I don't recall being used for most of the almost two years that I have been frequenting these forums. What does "pwn" mean?

 

[Jerrymander]

Lately I've been seeing an abbreviation used with increasing frequency that I don't recall being used for most of the almost two years that I have been frequenting these forums. What does "pwn" mean?

To purely own. To completely demolish and/or humiliate in such a manner as to leave those "pwned" completely demoralized and crushed.

 

[s.bernbaum]

To purely own. To completely demolish and/or humiliate in such a manner as to leave those "pwned" completely demoralized and crushed.

Thanks!!!!

 

[theflyingfish]

HI I just started on Civ IV after playin Civ Rev, and I haev a couple of Q's:

First one is sea resources. I have built a workboat and improved a square with crabs in which is in my city radius, and am working it, but am not getting the +1 happiness from the crabs. I really need it, so why not?

Second, Trade routs on my city screen seems a bit random, Some pof my cities get gold from AI cities, but I cannot see the logic in which cities, or the amount of gold.

Third - religion - The manual says that the city screen shows the % of people following each religion, but it doesn't it just has a box around one of the religions, but I still seem able to build temples etc from other religions.

And why would I send a missionary to an AI city - it just gives them happiness doesn't it? What do I get out of it?

Religion is confusing me the most - is there a religion FAQ?

 

[JujuLautre]

1/ you don't get happiness from crabs, only health.

2/ trade routes are available if you have open borders, not you nor the other civ is running mercantilism, and if there is a connection between your cities (road, river, coast with sailing, ocean with astronomy). THey are decided by the size of the cities. Most important thing to know is that over-water trade routes and international trade routes are more beneficial than others. Bigger cities also get more benefits.

3/ Don't get the first sentence. As for sending missionaries to other civ, you may want to get gold from a holy shrine, or convert them to your religion, or get them into the apostolic palace (BTS only), or provoke unhappiness if they are fighting you... tons of possible reasons

Check the strategy articles subforum, there's an article about religion by VoiceOfUnreason (vocus ... something)

 

[sleepingbear]

Can anyone give me a quick rundown of the pros/cons of accepting a NPC civ as a Vassal?

 

[MrCynical]

1)Crabs give health, not happiness.

2)Your civ can only form one trade route to each AI city, so you may have more trade route slots than foreign trade routes available. The remainder will be made up by trade routes between your own cities, which are less profitable. The game automatically arranges the most profitable combination of trade routes possible. Trade routes generate more commerce if they are to a foreign civ, to a different continent, if you have certain buildings (e.g. harbour), if the city is connected to your capital, and if you've been at peace with the foreign civ for a long time.

3)This is an error in the manual (which is not entirely accurate - I think it was written before the final build of the game was decided on). A religion is either present it a city, or it isn't. There's no variable percentages of population following a religion. The box round one of the religions indicates that city is the holy city of the religion (rather than merely being present). Sending missionaries to other civs will increase the gold generated by the religion's shrine (good if you own it), and may also be desirable for diplomatic reasons.

@Sleeping Bear

Pros:
The vassal civ has to follow your diplomatic lead (when you declare war, they have to - ditto for peace). They cannot declare war or make peace themselves.

The vassal is not allowed to red out options in the diplomacy screen - all resources are always available for trading. You can also demand resources off them, which they must either accept, or break free from you.

The vassal's territory and population counts towards a domination victory (but only 50% of what it would if under your control).

A vassal is considered defeated for purposes of a conquest victory.

You get +1 happiness per vassal.

You can form trade routes to a vassals cities when you are running mercantilism.

You can use their cities as airbases.

You can tell your vassal what to research.

Cons:
You cannot declare war on your vassal, ever - once you accept them you're stuck with them unless they decide to break free. Not good if you later want to take over their cities, or if your vassal starts heading for a peaceful victory.

You will receive diplomatic penalties towards the enemies of your vassal, and you are liable to get dragged into wars defending them.

A vassal's territory/population only counts 50% towards domination.