Resources. A finite source?

[Tre976]

CIV3 was released with the emphasis on not all lands being equal. Some Civs by virtue of their starting points had access to ( most importantly) Oil and Uranium while other lands/continents had none. Is this the case for Civ4?

 

[Paddrino]

Some Civs by virtue of their starting points had access to ( most importantly) Oil and Uranium while other lands/continents had none. Is this the case for Civ4?

Yes. I spent at least 1/2 a game unable to build railroads because I didn't have any coal on 1/2 the freaken continent I was on. I wasn't able to get any until I attacked a neighboring civ.

 

[APushkin]

I think that the game distributes the resources evenly enough. I was never left without critical ones like copper and iron. Once had to fight my way to the coal. However stone seems to be very rare (I guess they made it this way because it boosts most of the ancient wonders), marble is commonplace, so is aluminum. In both games I got up to modern era I had uranium within my borders and so did the AI players. Oil also seems to be common.

 

[Paddrino]

In both games I got up to modern era I had uranium within my borders and so did the AI players. Oil also seems to be common.

I've only played 3 total games, but in almost every case I had uranium, but everyone was trying to trade me for it. It must just be the luck of the draw and where your civ grows on the map.

 

[VeniceBeach]

I've found resource distribution to more even. That is, even if you don't have it in your immediate territory, it's only a short conquest away.

Personally, I'm glad that resources aren't "guaranteed" to each player. If they were, what would be the point of even having them? Look at the US, do you think we would spend money on Middle East wars if we weren't dependent on their oil?

 

[APushkin]

Personally, I'm glad that resources aren't "guaranteed" to each player. If they were, what would be the point of even having them? Look at the US, do you think we would spend money on Middle East wars if we weren't dependent on their oil?

Besides being tradeable resources are also civ's weak points - it's quite easy to blow up an oil well with a spy to cripple civ's ability to produce units. Sea oil rigs are harder to get because you must defeat the navy guarding it in order to destroy it but if you foe is careless enough to leave it unguarded it will be an easy prey for your sub (in one of the games I was playing AI defended it with just frigate - lol).