Save/load lame?

[gnome]

I only reload for genuine errors, like moving someone to a spot I didn't intend to... never for bad decisions.

I also play on Noble and rarely any higher... I don't always win, but often do... and so it's fun to try to make up for a mistake I made.

 

[Stolen Rutters]

Some games are serious no-reload self-training, games I rarely finish because it takes too long to calculate an optimal path.

Some games are "experiment with new tactic" type games where I choose to reload at a certain turn (play 4000BC-1AD, then reload to back to start and try with different goal) regardless of how well I'm doing. Sometimes the second or third try actually does much worse than the basic play through that I tend to start with. I normally bend my game around the position I'm in (which is usually more optimal than trying out a specific gambit I read about in the forums).

 

[popejubal]

I save and reload very often when I'm playing a Spiritual leader.

Because I haven't been able to find any way to see the total effect of a Civic change without actually changing the civic (will I get more total research with Free Speech's +2G per town or with Bureaucracy's +50% capital bonus, for instance), I often will quick save, check my per-turn rate of science, culture and profit (income - expenses). I then change civics and see if that did any good.

Since I can change for free every 5 turns, I tend to civic hop quite frequently as a spiritual leader, even if it's just to pre-build a lot of military units and then spend 5 turns as a Theocratic Vassalage Slave state while I watch the units crank through.

Anyone know a way other than Save/Load to check what the net effects of a Civic change would be?

 

[KMadCandy]

I save and reload very often when I'm playing a Spiritual leader.

Because I haven't been able to find any way to see the total effect of a Civic change without actually changing the civic (will I get more total research with Free Speech's +2G per town or with Bureaucracy's +50% capital bonus, for instance), I often will quick save, check my per-turn rate of science, culture and profit (income - expenses). I then change civics and see if that did any good.

Since I can change for free every 5 turns, I tend to civic hop quite frequently as a spiritual leader, even if it's just to pre-build a lot of military units and then spend 5 turns as a Theocratic Vassalage Slave state while I watch the units crank through.

Anyone know a way other than Save/Load to check what the net effects of a Civic change would be?

excellent point! i did that too when i started playing, even when not spiritual i'd just hit shift-enter until the anarchy ended. the only way i know of to know what'll be best is experience. by now i tend to have a feel what'll be best for my goal atm. of course i'm not always right about that.

 

[Mercenary82]

I only reload if I lose a spearman vs tanks type of battle.

 

[druidravi]

I reload when I make micromanagement mistakes like I send the worker to chop this forest first and then realize it would be more efficient in worker moves to do it in a different way one turn after .

Or sometimes to get a feel of a situation and learn something. Like there are 4 archers in the capital with 40% city defence how many quechas/warchariots will it take. Lets say I have 10 quechas and am waiting for 5 more, then the curiosity in me awakens and i try to see whether I can do it with lesser number and lose the entire stack just leaving 2 very badly injured arches who will get city garrison 2 or 3 next turn . However that was in the beginning of the game when the whole combat system seemed a bit odd after civ3's . After several games I finally got a gut feeling of how much troops can take over a city , how much is safe how much is a gamble, and when it is failing badly at what stage to stop rather than waste all troops etc after testing out various situations several times.

I play on Emporer but even now if I encounter anything unfamiliar say warring in modern age , I will try different ways of doing till I familiarize myself from then later on its fair game. I however normally hate reloading just for the amount of time it really takes to reload something, I just recognize my mistake and learn from it and play on instead of trying the what if scenarios.

 

[Killroyan]

I have save/reloaded my first time ever in a year of playing Civ IV last weekend. I was playing an OCC and wanted to go for a diplomatic win. A friend of mine came to visit me and wanted to see a fight so I got some units and attacked Ceasar with something like 3 canons and 4 cavalry while my city was protected by 6 units or so. Needless to say the war didn't went that great although I conquered the first city.

On the subject save/reload takes away the fun. It is the thrill of winning that 2,6% chance battle and loosing that 96,1% battle. It is like playing Diablo II hardcore and loosing that high level hero. Just grand.

 

[cabert]

I usually reload for minor things, such as forgetting to crack the whip with one turn left and it means I'd exceed my happiness threshold if I didn't whip.

This isn't a good move anyway . You only have 1 less pop and you have 1 more unhappiness. SO it's neutral on the happiness front.


If you whip a warrior for 1 hammer, when producing 3 base hammers in the city, you will have an overflow of 15 hammers.
If you whip the same warrior for 14 hammers when producing 1 base hammer, you will have an overflow of 15 hammers.

Which is best?