Turn off "Preserve Random Seed"?

[MacAllen]

In Civ III and earlier, this was an option, but I can't find it in Civ IV. If I get some particularly disastrous outcome from a random event and reload the game, I'd rather not be guaranteed to get the exact same event each time.

Any way to turn it off?

 

[MacAllen]

So that's a "there is no way to do it"?

 

[lordqarlyn]

Try looking in the *.ini file found in the CIV4 folder. If you can't find it there, then search the XML files. If you still can't find it, then it very well may not be an option.

I would like to add that in my experience, the random seed does not seem to be preserved, but I could be wrong.

Don

 

[fjorner]

I think it is preserved, I'm used to cheating on key battles by loading and trying again until I win... that doesn't seem to work.

 

[MacAllen]

I did a number of tests using huts and combats. Stand next to barbarians, save, fight the barbarians, load, repeat. Exact same outcome in 10 out of 10 fights.

Save next to a hut, take it, load, take it again, 79 gold each and every time. Just my experiences. I searched the .ini's but not the .xmls, so I'll try that. Thanks for the reply

 

[MacAllen]

Surely someone has found this setting by now? Searched both trees (My games and Civ 4 program) and the registry, and no reference to it I can find

 

[1c0n]

; Random seed for map generation, or '0' for default
MapRandSeed = 0

; Random seed for game sync, or '0' for default
SyncRandSeed = 0
in ini file

 

[Cedronian]

; Random seed for map generation, or '0' for default
MapRandSeed = 0

; Random seed for game sync, or '0' for default
SyncRandSeed = 0
in ini file

The above has nothing to do with what MacAllen is asking. For MapRandSeed, you can input a number to use to generate a map. As long as you use the same number, you will get the same map. 0 (zero) is default and means it will randomize each time you generate a map.

As for MacAllens question, no there is no option to change the random seed setting. Try doing something else before you pop the hut so that you "use up" the number (i.e attacking or something else that uses the seed).

 

[oldStatesman]

I remember reading on Apolyton that one of the Beta Testers said that Preserve Random seed option is gone.

In effect, They don't want people to be able to reload and 'cheat'. This was done for MP reasons. Regardless that it was a popular option for SP play...

On Edit: You can get around this by either; a) saving at various parts of the turn so you can do something different to changethe RNG. A bit more tedious as you have to play part of the turn over. b) You can probably change the RNG by making other moves before 'popping' that hut or attacking - i.e. do something different to change the RNG seed.

 

[MacAllen]

Thank you for the very thorough answer. Disappointing, but at least I know. I'm curious how taking this out helps MP play because you can't save and reload during MP play usually. Oh well, I'm not a designer, so I'm not "in the know"

Thanks again