What Civilization IV is missing

[Desert-Fox]

Overall the game is cool and addicting but some old annoying features still exists... like AI just spams his cities. Also maybe it only seems to me... but barbarians attack less AI civs... if they can choose between human and AI they choose human. Also AI and human do not have same possibilities... Once Napoleon and Hatchepsut had war each other and the Egiptian chick was buffer between us, they made peace and 2 turns later Napoleon declared war on me. And how hell the french guy got open borders with Hatchepsut... I never get open borders 2 turns later when I just invaded an AI and then got peace. Also I don't like that I can't negotiate when AI just asks that I will help him in a war... and he/she is so stupid... I never ask AI help when he/she has already 1-2 wars going on. Ideal AI would be that he has bonuses depending of skill level but they can't do anything that human player also cannot.

 

[anisotropy]

air to air combat.

 

[muyendis]

İ am playing civ series for 6 years or more, not clear for me though, cuz if u consider that i am 19, being a civ addict at the age of 13, had gave me a "vision"..

i realized that, in civ2, the war was essential, most of the turns, we were on the front, trying to push the enemy with our weapons...
In civ3, we became (exactly they made the game) more peaceful... War wearness became a serious matter to consider, and diplomatic hits forced us to be more "peaceful".
In civ4, we are peaceful more than ever, even though i managed to finished a game with the borders that i settled at the begining era of the game.

And many civ addicts are complaining about this. Cuz this is not real... We know that in 475, Goths travelled all Europe, we know that, Hun Turks came from Asia, we know that, Mongols changed the face of world, reaching the Poland, we know that USA completed its border only 2 centruies ago, We know that, Rome had divided into two, once spreading to Africa...

All i say is, game is so static...

i hope this will be fixed in expansions, i want to see my armies marching the enemy border, and want to see enemy is marching on me too, want to feel the fear of losing my cities...

This will ofcourse increase the gameplay, do you know that, the total peace time in human history is only about 100 years or so?

But in civ4, it can be thousand and thousand years... No border changes, no city captures, no culture changes...

This really make me sick though

 

[Zombie69]

I started playing Civ 16 years ago. The only thing i think this game is missing, and it's been missing all along in all versions, is a decent AI. It's still way too dumb. I hate the fact that in Civ 4, it doesn't even try to win (it's been programmed to not try anything but space race, and that's stupid).

 

[muyendis]

really? in civ3, all expansions and patches installed, and in demigod, AI surely gets in the space race... they beat me twice with that. Sometimes i used even ICBMs to stop them.

I think AI is all right comparing to recent script tech. Sometimes it represents real challanges... Deity is amazingly hard i think.

 

[Zombie69]

Deity is only hard because the AI gets completely ridiculous bonuses. It's still dumb.

 

[Desert-Fox]

I once were surprised when a message popped up "Cyrus won by culture" or something like that. Almost every time AI wins by space race or if he doesn't reach it he wins by score. I mean games when I lose.

 

[Magnon I]

I started playing Civ 16 years ago. The only thing i think this game is missing, and it's been missing all along in all versions, is a decent AI. It's still way too dumb. I hate the fact that in Civ 4, it doesn't even try to win (it's been programmed to not try anything but space race, and that's stupid).

I agree, the AI leaves alot to be desired. Like when you are at war with one of them there is no chance for you to beg or buy your way out of the conflict. They simply will not grant you audience. Very pig headed indeed. Let´s hope that they will be wiser in the comming addition.

Speaking of warfare. Does anyone here miss the ability, which was availible at least in the Call to Power series, to construct an army. That is grouping together more than one unit (which is possible by double-clicking) and make them fight as one in-stead of haveing to charge on-by-one?

 

[Zombie69]

There were amies in Civ 3. Grossely overpowered and obtained randomly. I'm glad they're gone.

 

[Naismith]

I agree, the AI leaves alot to be desired. Like when you are at war with one of them there is no chance for you to beg or buy your way out of the conflict. They simply will not grant you audience. Very pig headed indeed. Let´s hope that they will be wiser in the comming addition.

Speaking of warfare. Does anyone here miss the ability, which was availible at least in the Call to Power series, to construct an army. That is grouping together more than one unit (which is possible by double-clicking) and make them fight as one in-stead of haveing to charge on-by-one?

The AI must grow a brain in order for this game to evolve! I'm not expecting overnight miracles, just some fixes to basic problems that make the AI less competitive. Granting the AI a large head start in the higher levels just leads to more restricted play options. War, war, and more war.

I don't know about Call to Power, but I miss the Civ3 ability to create armies. It wasn't really fair, since the AI did not ever use armies itself (too stupid). But quite frankly, by the time you got armies, it was usually mid game, and you were usually dominating or screwed. IMO, armies were not added into Civ4 because they didn't want to take the time to make the AI smart enough to use them properly.

 

[gunkulator]

Civ3 armies were an exploit of the worst kind. The AI never used them but even worse, the AI never attacked your armies. Basically you could march right into AI territory and pillage everything in sight and they wouldn't do a thing about it. If Civ4 does bring back armies, I'd like them to do it right.

 

[Magnon I]

Ok I realize that AI will not "grow a brain" as Naismith put it in the near future. But is it that big of a challenge to introduce the concept of armies in to the AI? Not being a programmer I wouldn´t know. However I think that it would be less of a problem for the programmers to make the AI listen to your please of mercy if you are loseing a war or have no means to sustain a war. They are in my view way to stuborn.

 

[Magnon I]

As a respones to defences against armies land mines could be introduced to make them less dominant.... just thought of that

 

[Zebra 9]

I think the Settler should be an instant unit that requires population like in Civ 3(or at least in the Mod I made) so should the worker.

I think that there should be a unit that is instaneous that can join a city(I did that in Civ 3 to), this simulate the king calling on his people to defend their land, but it should be a unit restricted to an era or certain Civics.

I also think that the Barbarian does target the Human player. I have to get the Archery tech quick or the Barbarians will destroy me before the ADs.

I like the land & sea mines.

As for the BC & AD stuff, DUMP IT. I'm in favor of 1 and up.

I love to have wars. In my Civ 3 Mod I made it easy to have wars, but the AI never fought back and he dosn't in Civ 3 either.

I like the idea of having natural disasters, and here is an idea to make them slightly less sever, let the AI and Human players help those who are hit by them.

A slower BC period. The BCs go by so fast that I get sword units way in the ADs. This would be less noticable if we DUMP the AD, BC garbage.

Thats all I have time for and I can't think of anything else.

"Look on my works, ye mighty, and dispare." not sure who

 

[T.A JONES]

Civ3 armies were an exploit of the worst kind. The AI never used them but even worse, the AI never attacked your armies. Basically you could march right into AI territory and pillage everything in sight and they wouldn't do a thing about it. If Civ4 does bring back armies, I'd like them to do it right.

So if you can find a way to win in any cheasy way its time get rid of that option for good right? How bout just changin the varibles?
So many forget members who love conquests have recognized these problems and because its kinda easy, many have modded solutions to get around them

In real life the majorty of nations can't support a weapon thats like you say if used as is, is more powerful then nukes.

I look at all the other great aspects of Civ3 and say "Hey can you mod armys to reflect more realism while creating a more balanced game at the same time?".(Instead of going to game where they don't even exist at all)
I think sometimes Im incredably lucky to have stumbled upon other better-then-me modders who have figured out what you said along time ago and gone to lenghths to fix it.
Personally I used the option where you limit how many armys you can have at one time by raising or the number of citys you need for each unit. I had to go at least 30 cities a piece depending on the map

my view is having a single Army unit like the queen piece in chess, is a refreshing addition. Give him a name and see how long he can tough it out. As units advance it becomes harder cause hes stuck with the same crap
I play supieror unit selection ala mod so theres a greater amount of units turning over,obviously this cuts the life of a army unit considerably even if theres a greater tech rate.

Also what you say specificaly on AI ignoring Army units is misleading. What you mean is The AI dosn't realize and therfor counter the threat of a stack of deadly units heading for their capital So its the same as using a clog of you best guns without army staus for acheiving the same result, being that the AI will not divert appropriate reserves to combat your attack

 

[O.H.Dog]

The build queue should allow selecting buildings that are still missing prerequisites. For example, you need a library before building a uinversity, but you cannot put a university in the build queue until your library is complete.

In Civ2 we have CITYPREF.TXT, which is list of buildings that are automatically checked and offered for the next build. You can even set a city to fully automate building and it will build exactly what you have in the list.

 

[Dale]

air to air combat.

Speaking of warfare. Does anyone here miss the ability, which was availible at least in the Call to Power series, to construct an army. That is grouping together more than one unit (which is possible by double-clicking) and make them fight as one in-stead of haveing to charge on-by-one?

I don't know about Call to Power, but I miss the Civ3 ability to create armies. It wasn't really fair, since the AI did not ever use armies itself (too stupid). But quite frankly, by the time you got armies, it was usually mid game, and you were usually dominating or screwed. IMO, armies were not added into Civ4 because they didn't want to take the time to make the AI smart enough to use them properly.

You might want to check out my combat mod then. Link in sig.

 

[Magnon I]

Also, if they were to remove the B.C./A.D. from the time in the game, I would like to see an option were you could put a roof on the technologies available like, say that no civilization could advance over classical age or any other age tetermined by the player. That however could pose some problems with the population modual.... Perhaps with such an option there would also be a roof on how big cities could get

 

[elderotter]

Also, if they were to remove the B.C./A.D. from the time in the game, I would like to see an option were you could put a roof on the technologies available like, say that no civilization could advance over classical age or any other age tetermined by the player. That however could pose some problems with the population modual.... Perhaps with such an option there would also be a roof on how big cities could get

There-in lies an idea, tho I think it might be hard to setup. As we can choose starting ages...let us also choose ending ages - but and here is the hard part - with the same amount of turns as the regular game. I would be happy just playing to the renaissance - if I could have my - I think it is 500 - turns.

 

[T.A JONES]

There-in lies an idea, tho I think it might be hard to setup. As we can choose starting ages...let us also choose ending ages - but and here is the hard part - with the same amount of turns as the regular game. I would be happy just playing to the renaissance - if I could have my - I think it is 500 - turns.

.
Feel like dwindling in the days of old or want to rush through the dark ages but extend the Reneaisance? All you have to do is change the variable to months or change the amount of turns that pass in each turn. Wait is that possible In civ4? honesty Ive never checked, but Its advertised as having the most comrehensive modablity so far, so I can't see why not.
Really though, the idea you brought up can make for some increadibly detaied epics, if its thought out right with expanded unit, wonder, buildings, etc, allocation to support it

Example: A extended Mediaval period in a otherwise complety same 540 turn epic only having a massive selection of horse units with more time to enjoy them.
It works alongside implimentation of various degrees of availabilty in unit selection. It can all be regulated From most scarce, using Great wonders distribution, then Small Wonder (Broken down further with Resourece specific requirments) and most common, the usual common improvment unit production ( futher defined by ethnic flavour, type of gov and resources)
Using some of these techniques can help to flesh out any of your favorite time periods.(there are still many more ways Im leaving out! )

Its so crucial having set the right amount turns for a expanded time period. Matching the change per turn variable with the always changing variables of your game pace is tough for some. To make the drawn out peroid kick in around the same time your Civ arrives at the era in the game is tricky, but becomes very possible with expierence, well at least in Conquests. Im not to sure how easy it is to pull off in Civ4 but its the version touted as a modders dream... No?

Finding the right variables so the Expanded additions arrive at the matching customized turn/time intervolves envloves balancing many things. The tech rate, earth size and to some degree skill level all have to be considered.

Oh wait Is there a tech rate in Civ4? We don't have much freedom in world size ether that might make it a little harder to. Oh well, Im sure theres some way to do it, however right now the most suitable approach can be found ala mod in Civ3