What does it even mean?!

[Bamboocha]

Whenever you go to advanced options when you start a game, there are some options to choose from like the age of the earth, the sea level, the rainfall and another few. However, what these things mean aren't obvious and while I have some suspicions, I have no real idea what the hell they do. For example, how does the age of the earth influence the world? Could anybody who knows the awnser please explain this to me?

 

[Barth]

Age of the planet affects rockiness - 3 million years old means lots of hills and mountains, 5 millions years old mean less. Sea level affects the amount of water. Rainfall affects the ratio of desert/plains/grassland tiles.

 

[Bamboocha]

If sea level affects the ammount of water, does that mean that a continents map with a high sea level has more and smaller continents? That'd be quite useful for nations like England.

 

[Steelyglint]

does that mean that a continents map with a high sea level has more and smaller continents?

Smaller, but not more. Produces more on Small Continents tho.

 

[ForzaFiori]

World Age effects the amount of hills/mountains. A newer world has hasn't had the time for erosion to wear down the mountains.

Sea Level: fairly obvious, effects the land/ocean ratio

Rainfall: More rainfall means less deserts/grasslands, and more jungles/forests. Increased rainfall lets larger plants spread over more of the planet.

Temperature: effects the size of the three terrain zones- Arctic, which includes tundra, ice, and snow. Temperate, with forests and grasslands, plains, and Hot: Jungles, deserts. A hotter world means less ice, more sand, and the reverse is true.

I think that's all of them.

 

[Bamboocha]

Okay, it's clearer now I just wish the game explained it by itself (for example, that it would show a small explanation if you moused over it or something).

Thanks for the aid guys, a mod can lock this thread now if he wishes.

 

[wcbarney]

Okay, it's clearer now I just wish the game explained it by itself (for example, that it would show a small explanation if you moused over it or something).

Thanks for the aid guys, a mod can lock this thread now if he wishes.

Y'know, you're the third player to ask this basic question in the past 2-3 weeks -- I was the first one. I'm sure the same question has been asked at least a dozen times since the game came out last fall. I totally agree with you -- mouse over for explanation, or why not put the explanations in the Civilopedia? How hard could that be??