strategy guide question

[CountZero117]

i've been lurking here since i started playing civ 4, and decided to make an account finally =)

my question is, did any of you buy the strategy guide? i did, and i'd say it's pretty underwhemling for $20.. what do you all think of it?

 

[IamSid]

Bought it seemed pretty useless to me.. I figured out most of it by myself.

 

[CountZero117]

yes, it's pretty much a slighty expanded civilopedia... all that is really interesting in it are the strategies but, they're nothing you couldn't find online..

 

[BCLG100]

yes, it's pretty much a slighty expanded civilopedia... all that is really interesting in it are the strategies but, they're nothing you couldn't find online..

As are most strategy guides really

 

[Sadan01]

I would say don't bother spending your money (as I have the guide so can compare between these forums etc and the book itself). The strategy forum here and at Apolyton make up for that strategy guide, one-hundred-fold, and they are free

The only good thing about the guide is that there are some great quotes from Ainwood in it Seriously, there are

 

[Sgt Grimes]

I would say don't bother spending your money (as I have the guide so can compare between these forums etc and the book itself). The strategy forum here and at Apolyton make up for that strategy guide, one-hundred-fold, and they are free

That's perfectly true, but a great deal of the most useful information is disjointed, and scattered across thousands of threads - and who, amongst us, can spare the time to round it all up?

The strategy guide does all this and more, and, as an handy reference source, it's so much easier to read and navigate than the manual.

I'm giving it the big thumbs up as a priceless gem, that is well worth the purchase price, and very highly recommended to all.

 

[Sadan01]

You do make a good point Sgt Grimes, at the very least for the tables etc that the strategy guide has are useful. However they are available in various threads in the strategy forum. When I first got the guide, it was useful, no doubt about it due to not many strat guides being present here at the time. However now, most of the information presented in the guide has been far exceeded here (and at Apolyton), or placed in a format that is as nice, if not nicer than the guide.

I dunno, I still say that if you can be bothered doing a bit of digging here for the information (or post a thread about where a resource is), then you don't need the guide.

 

[Rain]

I looked at it and thought the tables would be useful references - but thats about it. Even this value will diminish with time as you become more familiar with the info. Also the 152 patch made some aspects of civopedia better and finally there are various mods and info available on the site that make it redundant. So essentially its something i wouldnt pay for unless i had money to throw away.

 

[Glinka]

There's very little in the strategy guide that you can't get from simply reading the manual or checking out the Civopedia. I would suggest instead doing searches on words to find answers to questions in this forum; reading the Strategy Articles forum on this site; and checking out the guides over on the GameFAQs site for Civ4.

 

[opticaljim]

I agree with Grimes. I find it very usefull as a reference that can be easily accessed in the middle of a game.

 

[Frostyboy]

I never read the manuals. Only CivFanatics. Overviews, articles and this forum

 

[ZippyRiver]

Any printed material, for me anyway, is suspect. Yes you can get the same info online if you want to dig through a couple of pages. I find that worth the effort. The problem with printed is the same thing you get with manuals.... patches.

There may be a great, easy winning strategy in the guide. Talking the uber idea-mix of all time..... And it was patched out of the game when they fixed the fart sound from cows or whatever. At least on the forums, your information is more up to date.

 

[Acceptable_Loss]

Sooner or later everyone will realize that all strategy guides are just a simple way for a company to get 20 bucks from you. I have never seen a stategy giude that had any information I wouldn't have figured out myself, or founds very easily on any fansite of that game...

 

[Frostyboy]

The fun of the game is to think out the strategies yourself. Not reading someone elses guide in a book. On the forums you can seek out what you want

 

[ZippyRiver]

Now, if the strategy guide came with an official CD that added some new comedy civs, that would be all right. Like Bryan Reynolds, Leader of the Waterfountainites