Quick Answers / 'Newbie' Questions

[karadoc]

The Physics documentation doesn't tell you that you won't be able to use the uranium, but Fission does say "enables uranium" or something like that. So it isn't completely undocumented. I actually think it's pretty intuitive that you'll need to research fission before being able to build nuclear powered ships etc.

The physics/fission thing is pretty much the same as the scientific method/combustion behavior, except that with oil it's a bit more obvious because you can't build an oil well (although, you can still build a fort to 'get' the oil before it is usable).

 

[Darth Fred]

Wow.

So I much about Slavery I didn't know. I'm tempted now to ditch the game I'm on and start a new one just try a "Slave start."
F

 

[RedAndWhiteArmy]

hello everyone, been reading this forum on and off for a couple yers but have recently got right back into Civ4 and have a very simple question to start:

how is your score calculated? i was playing a noble game and got towards the end neck and neck with egypt (i was spain) and didnt know what i could do in the last 25-50 turns to edge in front to win. hollow win i know but it would have been nice.

cheers

 

[Silu]

hello everyone, been reading this forum on and off for a couple yers but have recently got right back into Civ4 and have a very simple question to start:

how is your score calculated? i was playing a noble game and got towards the end neck and neck with egypt (i was spain) and didnt know what i could do in the last 25-50 turns to edge in front to win. hollow win i know but it would have been nice.

cheers

It consists of land area, population, technology and wonders. If you mouse over it you see the breakdown into different parts. Land area only affects your score with a delay of 20 turns so keep that in mind for down-the-wire score victories

 

[bestbrian]

Wow.

So I much about Slavery I didn't know. I'm tempted now to ditch the game I'm on and start a new one just try a "Slave start."
F

Keep playing it the way you think best. Walk away for a few days, and then reload the 4000BC autosave and start over with trying new strats and techniques. Helps to see the difference/

 

[RedAndWhiteArmy]

It consists of land area, population, technology and wonders. If you mouse over it you see the breakdown into different parts. Land area only affects your score with a delay of 20 turns so keep that in mind for down-the-wire score victories

thanks Silu

im sure i'll have other questions soon...

 

[dalamb]

The Physics documentation doesn't tell you that you won't be able to use the uranium, but Fission does say "enables uranium" or something like that. So it isn't completely undocumented.

Also, the Civilopedia entry for each resource says both what reveals it and what enables it -- at least the Sevopedia does (I never run without BUG unless I have to, so am losing touch with what's different between the two).

 

[Artful]

The physics/fission thing is pretty much the same as the scientific method/combustion behavior, except that with oil it's a bit more obvious because you can't build an oil well (although, you can still build a fort to 'get' the oil before it is usable).

Could you explain how a fort "gets" you oil? you still need to build a well once you discover combustion, right? does the fort speed this up, or just somehow protect the tile?
thanks! I've been lurking on the board for a while, love the game and all of the great tips here, which have improved my play a lot since I started reading the board.

 

[dalamb]

Forts give you access to the resource once the relevant "enabling" tech is researched -- they just don't give any of the benefits you'd get if you improved the tile "normally". If your oil or uranium is outside all city BFCs, you could build a fort immediately after it's revealed so when the enabling tech appears you have instant access. Even if it's inside a BFC this could be reasonable, since you'd still take a turn or two to build the well or mine even with the large numbers of workers usually idle at that point in the game.

 

[Baldyr]

The Fort thing is sorta a exploit really. I think the idea for this feature was that Forts would have some of the advantages of cities. Hence they can also claim Resources.

Personally I've modded my game to also give this "Act-As-City" feature to Towns, and thus I can build a Cottage-Town Improvement om Resources without losing access to them (once they "mature").

 

[Artful]

Forts give you access to the resource once the relevant "enabling" tech is researched -- they just don't give any of the benefits you'd get if you improved the tile "normally". If your oil or uranium is outside all city BFCs, you could build a fort immediately after it's revealed so when the enabling tech appears you have instant access. Even if it's inside a BFC this could be reasonable, since you'd still take a turn or two to build the well or mine even with the large numbers of workers usually idle at that point in the game.

ok, so I can upgrade my ships of the line to destroyers as soon as I get combustion if I have a fort on an oil resource anwhere in my territory? that's great, thanks! I've had the situation of oil outside the BFC in several games, didn't know there was this option.

 

[IAM]

ok, so I can upgrade my ships of the line to destroyers as soon as I get combustion if I have a fort on an oil resource anwhere in my territory? that's great, thanks! I've had the situation of oil outside the BFC in several games, didn't know there was this option.

In wartime situations I have also founded a city on the resource for added protection. Easier to defend and spys can not knock the improvement out. In a close game ten turns of oil before your oponent can be a game winner.

 

[Artful]

thanks for the tips.
on another track, I'm curious how people like to pop their borders in the early game, assuming that you're not playing a creative leader. I don't like to bother with monuments as there usually isn't that much other benefit to them, and I usually don't research mysticism - prefer to trade for that. So I usually use libraries, but that can take a long time to get, even whipping agressively. Any other approaches people like?
I usually play for domination wins on emporer, random map, epic speed.

 

[Baldyr]

Just go with a Creative leader then.

Otherwise you will either have to get those buildings (Stonehenge helps a lot) or get Drama and/or Music (because then you can allocate trade to or build , respectively) ASAP. Creative is hard to beat...

 

[Sisiutil]

Monuments are something of a necessary evil. They give you a little more flexibility in the early game in planning your city placements. For example, it's very unusual to find a city site that has the strategic/economic resource you're after (say copper or iron or gold) in the city's "inner ring" along with an always-vital food source. A monument ensures you'll be able to work all the tiles in a few turns rather than making do with a mediocre city that is choked off for growth, commerce, or hammers. In the early game, every city is vital, so letting even one stagnate (in any sense of the word) will be a drag on your entire economy.

Keep in mind that some civs (Egypt, Charismatic leaders) get an extra benefit from monuments that make them worthwhile. But even for civs that don't, monuments usually prove their worth in short order. If you find them annoying, you can always build Stonehenge (though that requires researching Mysticism), or, as suggested above, play as a Creative leader all the time. However, Civ is more enjoyable if you branch out and try different leaders and different strategies.

 

[CivIVMonger]

Creative is my favorite trait. It is just so useful and convenient. Like Sisiutil said, sometimes you just can't wait for those 20/25 turns before you get a 1 culture/turn border pop.

 

[Ghpstage]

Another sometimes available alternative to monuments is to make sure you create trade links (roads/coast) to neighbours who have founded religions.
When a religion spreads to a city it gives 1 per turn and also helps diplo and for culture wins, some leaders will even waste creating missionaries to help you do this

It also depends on how the cities land is, if all its good resources are in the inner ring then theres little point giving a border pop early while the cap is low, and this is even more true if your using a lot of overlap.

 

[Sisiutil]

Creative is my favorite trait. It is just so useful and convenient. Like Sisiutil said, sometimes you just can't wait for those 20/25 turns before you get a 1 culture/turn border pop.

It is a good trait, but not a great one. Its effects lessen as the game goes on--in fact, by mid-game, the trait is largely a non-factor. So you have to leverage it as much as possible in the early game when it's at its strongest.

 

[Baldyr]

About religions, as long as you don't choose a state religion all religions give +1 (cumulative bonus). This can be very useful early in the game, and I'd bet it will also work with Free Religion.

Other than that, yeah, found a religion. Of course.

 

[jUmpSt0p]

A question on Corporations.

I have my opportunity here to found my first Corp. Civlized Jewelers.

now, it says I will get +4 for every city with Civilized Jewelers.

so.. I see that these Corporate guys kinda work like missionaries and they can spread the corporation all over.

does that mean that for every city on the map that has CJ in it my base city will get +4 ?

or does it mean that all the cities in my empire I spread it to will get +4 ?