Something odd with advanced starts.

[TLF]

I had Civ 4 uninstalled for a while and recently reinstalled it.

I just tried to start a game with advanced start and it is working differently than it used to.

In the past, I would select advanced start, choose the starting era and other options like victory conditions and number of other Civs and then when I clicked on launch the game would start.
On the map would be a settler or 2 , some military units and a scout.

Now, when I click on launch I get a darkened map and a menu at the bottom of the screen with tabs for city, units and a few others.
It allows me to place a city, but no units and then when I click on this screen's launch (or maybe it says start game) the map brightens to normal and the game starts.

What could be causing the difference between the way it used to work in my former installation and the way it works now.

I much prefer the first way.

 

[lymond]

Advanced Start means two different things - a) to start in a later era in the game b) a feature, new to BTS, that allows one to start any game with a boost

You chose the the latter which is not what you wanted. This feature gives you a certain number of points to put into cities, starting units, techs, etc. at the beginning of the game.

All you want to do is start in a later era, I assume, such as Classical, Ren or Industrial. In the options screen under the Map settings, just select the era you want from the drop down. Do not check the "Advanced Start" setting on the right. Completely different thing is that.

IMO "Advanced Start" should not be used to describe non-ancient starts around here, but it often is as I think many here aren't even aware of the "Advanced Start" feature or never payed much attention to it. Better I think to say something like "Later Era" start or just use the era itself to describe the start. For instance: "I want to try a Medieval Start"

So, nothing has changed in BTS since you last played. You just accidentally had the "Advanced Start" option checked or thought it meant something different.

 

[TLF]

Thanks, that's the solution.
I just tried it.