Which is better!

[shadowdefender]

Hello people,
i have a host of games to play but do not have the required hardware so i am stuck with CIV III.
So to begin with i have:
CIV III
CIV III Complete
CIV III Play the World
CIV III Conquest
However CIV III seems quite dated and CIV III Complete has a fresh feel to it.
So i am just asking which in ur experience is better of all these.
Also lastly is there a trainer for CIV III Complete, could u attach it.
Please do not give a free reply say this and this is better please do mention the Trainer for CIV III Complete too.
I hope u must have some knowledge after all these years.

 

[tjs282]

"Complete" represents the final, fully-patched versions of all 3 CivIII releases and their respective Editors:

-- the original 16-Civ "Vanilla" release, patched to version 1.29
-- the first expansion-pack, PtW, version 1.27, which added multiplayer + 8 new Civs + new units
-- the second expansion, Conquests version 1.22, which added 8 new Civs (7 playable in the main game, + Austria) + new units + new buildings + 2 new terrain-types + new game-mechanics, showcased in the 9 "Conquests" scenarios (Mesopotamia, Rise of Rome, Fall of Rome, etc.)

If you play "Complete", you will actually be playing using the Conquests v.1.22 executable, with all the available content. Complete also includes multiple additional mods and scenarios, designed by people who were active right here on CivFanatics at the time. In that sense, it is the "best" version of the game.

However, Complete also includes a few bugs which were never patched. These bugs have recently been fixed (and a whole lot more!) by CivFanatic-user @Flintlock -- but only for the version of Complete which is available through GOG/Steam. The Steam-compatible version of Complete is also the only downloadable version which currently allows multiplayer.

PtW does not have the Conquests-bugs, and some people prefer playing PtW over Conquests in that respect -- but PtW also lacks the extra content, and is not compatible with most of the best (and currently maintained) CivIII mods, which were/are built to use the Conquests 1.22 executable.

Regarding 'trainers', there are various homebrews available off-site, but honestly, I don't see the point in using most/all of them, because (1) the game autosaves after every turn anyway (default number of autosave-slots = 5, but it is possible to increase this substantially, up to an entire game's worth), so an earlier save can always be reloaded if things go badly, and (2) if all a player wants is to guarantee that they win, then they can just play at the lowest difficulty level "Chieftain", which gives them twice the productivity of the AI-controlled Civs.

Spoiler Increasing difficulty levels :

-- Regent is the 'fair' level, giving no advantages to the human or the computer-players
-- Emperor gives the computer-payers a few extra units and a 20% discount on builds and growth, and increases the human player's research-costs by 20%. Competent CivIII-players can usually overcome these handicaps on most maps
-- Demigod (and above) gives the computer-players a 30% (or more) discount, and an extra Settler-unit(s) to start with, so is the go-to level(s) for competent players seeking a challenging game

That said, the utilities CRpMapSuite(?) and CivAssistII can be useful game-assistants and are available to here on CFC: you should be able to find them by searching the "Downloads" section.

I use CAII to provide consolidated non-spoiler game-information about potential trade-deals etc. (which is also available in-game, but not in such an easily-comparable format). It runs without any problems on my WinXP laptop and Win8.1 desktop, so should also work for WinVista and Win7; however, many Win10+ users have reported difficulties getting it to run on their machines.

CRpMapSuite is reportedly compatible with Win10, but provides less information than CAII.

 

[shadowdefender]

"Complete" represents the final, fully-patched versions of all 3 CivIII releases and their respective Editors:

-- the original 16-Civ "Vanilla" release, patched to version 1.29
-- the first expansion-pack, PtW, version 1.27, which added multiplayer + 8 new Civs + new units
-- the second expansion, Conquests version 1.22, which added 8 new Civs (7 playable in the main game, + Austria) + new units + new buildings + 2 new terrain-types + new game-mechanics, showcased in the 9 "Conquests" scenarios (Mesopotamia, Rise of Rome, Fall of Rome, etc.)

If you play "Complete", you will actually be playing using the Conquests v.1.22 executable, with all the available content.Complete also includes multiple additional mods and scenarios, designed by people who were active right here on CivFanatics at the time. In that sense, it is the "best" version of the game.

Spoiler :

However, Complete also includes a few bugs which were never patched. These bugs have recently been fixed (and a whole lot more!) by CivFanatic-user @Flintlock -- but only for the version of Complete which is available through GOG/Steam. The Steam-compatible version of Complete is also the only downloadable version which currently allows multiplayer.

PtW does not have the Conquests-bugs, and some people prefer playing PtW over Conquests in that respect -- but PtW also lacks the extra content, and is not complatible with most of the best (and currently maintained) CivIII mods, which were/are built to use the Conquests 1.22 executable.

Regarding 'trainers', there are various homebrews available off-site, but honestly, I don't see the point in using most/all of them, because (1) the game autosaves after every turn anyway (default number of autosave-slots = 5, but it is possible to increase this substantially, up to an entire game's worth), so an earlier save can always be reloaded if things go badly, and (2) if all a player wants is to guarantee that they win, then they can just play at the lowest difficulty level "Chieftain", which gives them twice the productivity of the AI-controlled Civs.

Spoiler Increasing difficulty levels :

-- Regent is the 'fair' level, giving no advantages to the human or the computer-players
-- Emperor gives the computer-payers a few extra units and a 20% discount on builds and growth, and increases the human player's research-costs by 20%. Competent CivIII-players can usually overcome these handicaps on most maps
-- Demigod (and above) gives the computer-players a 30% (or more) discount, and an extra Settler-unit(s) to start with, so is the go-to level(s) for competent players seeking a challenging game

That said, the utilities CRpMapSuite(?) and CivAssistII can be useful game-assistants and are available to here on CFC: you should be able to find them by searching the "Downloads" section.

I use CAII to provide consolidated non-spoiler game-information about potential trade-deals etc. (which is also available in-game, but not in such an easily-comparable format). It runs without any problems on my WinXP laptop and Win8.1 desktop, so should also work for WinVista and Win7; however, many Win10+ users have reported difficulties getting it to run on their machines.

CRpMapSuite is reportedly compatible with Win10, but provides less information than CAII.

Thank you tjs282 that was quite a mouthful to chew. But it seem you have done your homework and know CIV III at the back of the mind. I can only imagine how well u play the game. As for me i couldn't understand once my treasury runs out.
I really don't have much fascination for multiplayer game as i am from India (North East, not one of those Bollywood bhaiyas) . And although there are much crave for this kind of game. I believe there are some good number of people who still play CIV III.
I purchased the complete version of CIV III , it would be a pleasure to share with you.
Also it is freely available https://mrantifun.net/threads/sid-meiers-civilization-iii-complete-for-free.857/
Just sign it from facebook and redeem the voucher code and get the CIV III from Steam for free.
Or i'll upload it for u.
Thank you for ur time. Atleast i got some idea.

 

[Civinator]

shadowdefender, nearly all of us here have at least one working version of Civ 3 Complete.

As far as I know there exists no official trainer for Civ 3 Complete - and such a trainer in my eyes is not needed. You can do the same, as some other civers did here at CFC:

Start a thread at CFC with a new Civ 3 Complete game, add some screenshots to your post and ask other civers at CFC for advice what you should do now.

 

[Spoonwood]

Regent is the 'fair' level, giving no advantages to the human or the computer-players

I disagree. The AIs have no growth or production cost discount on Regent. Everything is equal in that respect. However, the human player always moves first. That moving first makes for a big bonus since it affects completion of units, who attacks first, who completes wonders first, and who completes technologies first. Thus, the human player has the advantage over any AI with similar territory. Monarch is more of a level where the production bonus can get said to offset the player moving first bonus, I think.

 

[TheShoot]

Hi Everyone
I had a CD given to me by a friend of "the original 16-Civ "Vanilla CIV III" " many many years ago. The only PC game I ever played ...lol
Recently got a new computer and when I wanted to load it again ... damaged
Been trying to get the game online but keep getting all the Complete, Gold etc versions
Does someone have advise on where and how to find the original version online somewhere. With patch I still prefer it .. its the one I know !
Please help ... desperate ...just one more turn ....

EDIT: I tried the PC Games German download. I think I am too stupid. It either tells me to insert te original CD or that the BINKW32.DLL is missing ...

 

[tjs282]

Been trying to get the game online but keep getting all the Complete, Gold etc versions
Does someone have advise on where and how to find the original version online somewhere. With patch I still prefer it .. its the one I know !
Please help ... desperate ...just one more turn ....

AFAIK, there is no longer any (legal) way to obtain vanilla Civ III alone, apart from by buying a secondhand CD from e.g. eBay or Amazon — which, if it was printed with the now non-functional SafeDisk copy-protection, is unlikely to work on any computer running Windows Vista or beyond.

So your best bet is actually to buy a downloadable version of Civ3 Complete (C3C) from e.g. GOG or Steam. Both platforms sell it for around 5 Dollars/Pounds/Euros (not sure about other currencies, might depend on current exchange rates), with up to 75% discounts when on sale.

These downloadable versions of C3C include all the original asset-files that shipped with Vanilla, but unfortunately not the vanilla executable itself (nor the executable for the first expansion, "PlayTheWorld"). It is still possible to run a 'pure' vanilla game using these versions of C3C, but doing so would require a little extra work on your part. First, you would need to download the the legal, Firaxis-supplied "Patchpaket" zipfile from the German "PCGames" magazine website, here:

Probleme mit Civ-3-Vollversion? Hier gibt's Abhilfe!

www.pcgames.de

This zipfile includes a non-copy-protected Vanilla executable (v.1.29). By unzipping and adding that .exe file into the ../civilization3/ directory of your GOG/Steam C3C-installation (and creating a desktop shortcut to it, if you wish), you should then be able to play vanilla as it was designed.

Alternatively, it is possible to play a "vanilla-like" game by running the conquests.exe supplied with C3C, in combination with the civilization3.bic (ruleset file). This would require no additional 'foreign' file-downloads — you simply copy the .bic file from the root ../civilization3/ directory into the ../civilization3/conquests/scenarios/ directory, and then access the .bic via the "Civ-Content" option on the Start-menu — but the resulting game may be somewhat buggy.

 

[tjs282]

EDIT: I tried the PC Games German download. I think I am too stupid. It either tells me to insert te original CD or that the BINKW32.DLL is missing ...

Hi, you posted your edit while I was writing my reply.

(I think) the binkw32.dll might be 'missing' only because the civilization3.exe (assuming you're using the right version?) was copy-pasted rather than 'properly' installed, so when your computer runs the .exe, it doesn't know where to look for the .dll file.

Have you had a look to see if that .dll file is (now) included in the ../civilization3/conquests/ folder? Because if it is, then you could try copying it into the ../civilization3/ folder as well — that way, the .exe should be able to find the .dll where it 'expects' it to be.

If that doesn't work, then any solution likely exceeds my limited 'expertise' (har har), so you would be best advised to post a question in the "Technical Support" forum.

 

[TheShoot]

My sincerest gratitude for the reply and help
Bought the Key Online. Downloaded the whole Steam thing. Registered the Key. Installed the Game
It auto installed it under
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete
Inside there is 7 files (Art / civ3PTW / Conquests / Redist / Scenarios / Sound / Text ) and a bunch of dll. files, logs and readme's

Then went to German site and downloaded the Zip Patches
I presume this is the correct one to unzip ....Civilization 3 PC Games Patch mit Conquest v1.29f (d)

A Civilization3 Application file unzipped
If understanding correctly I have to copy and insert that into the directory above somewhere yes ?
But where ? Do I need to delete another Application file when I do for it to work ?

Many Thx again ... I may be close !

 

[Lanzelot]

Just copy the Civilization3.exe into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete
And double-clicking on it should start the game. (Or you can create a desktop shortcut for it.)

 

[TheShoot]

Thx Lanzelot

I tried that and it did not work. No response from PC ...
Saw on the forums that C: drive or Program files might be an issue

I posted below what I did last and where I am at now .... Thought it would be a more appropriate place / thread

Another Civ3 Vanilla nooby question

So i am trying to play civilization 3 vanilla I have the steam version and got the no CD patch and put it in my Civ3 Complete folder and named it Civilization3 No CD but when i click on the exe it says no civ3 installation detected am i doing this wrong or is it even possible to get the steam...

forums.civfanatics.com

Many Thx for the assistance