Civilization IV: I Just Don't Get It! by Raukue < Journal

13 years ago

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Try playing on a harder difficulty, you'll learn faster by your mistakes. You'll go "Oh, I shouldn't have done this!" or "Maybe I should've done that, instead.."

:]

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Arcturus

Heh probably I suppose... but that is scary! Heh. I take it you play?

Just yeah I haven't learned or well memorized what leads to what and I find myself being behind on Civics as a result.

Arcturus

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

That's why you view the tech tree regularly, it shows you what goes to what :3

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Arcturus

Heh I do that but still am at a lost of what I wanna go for and all that. I look at it and no idea what I should go for since I dunno what does what until I get it.

I just played a game on Noble for a bit, which is the whole everyone is equal and all I think... was going ok I suppose. Saved before going into a war just for the heck of and eh yeah... I was not prepared and sure I was holding him off after seeing he had many mounted units and I went Spearman but eh... would take too much time to take him over.

So yeah I dunno, I just keep starting new games.. I think that is best? Rather than go on and on. Just to start a new game and figure out how to start a game is more important to learn first, right?

Also I find I like ones that start with a Scout, get to move more on normal land and of course find those hut villages that give me things nice, while if I were a Warrior it could turn out bad and all. I think that can really make a good start finding those in time.

Shokuji

13 years ago

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@ Arcturus

^ This. Harder tactical games force you to actually be more tactical. =3

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Shokuji

Yeah I know... there is just so much to memorize... I am new to strategy games... only one I ever played was Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced and it is not all that complicated. I feel as if I can learn a real time strategy game better, but still suck at it, but at least understand it since there is less to think about. Just in Civ IV you always gotta change strategy based on where you are located, what resources you find, if someone discovers a religion you were working on... so on.

Shokuji

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

Gotta be dynamic! =3

Issarlk

13 years ago

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You should plan what kind of victory you want. If I remember well, you can have religious victory, diplomatic, space, or just plain killing all other civs. Each calls for different strategy on your part and will probably help you in finding what to do next.
For space you'll want to research everything giving you an edge in science and avoid wars to concentrate on building science related buildings. For religion, you'll try to send religious units to convert other cities. Etc.

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Issarlk

Still seems confusing to me. Feel like how war is best to expand, since the AI take up so many areas. So it is possible to win without war? I was reading this guys playthrough and said it took him 23 hours on Prince doing a... I forget, taking control of alot of land and culture or something... dominant or something... and he said normally takes him 6 hours to win a culture victory.

Just dunno what to focus on really and which leader is best at focusing on certain things.

biggerstaff

13 years ago

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It's a great game, but yeah, it can be overwhelming to the new player. I have both Civ 3 and Civ 4 (by the way, if you enjoy 4, don't pick up 5. It's a waste of money), but I actually prefer Civ 3's gameplay. I guess the key is to just play for long enough to find a strategy that works for you - like, for me, I tend to kill everyone on the map as soon as I get tanks.

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ biggerstaff

I just feel the longer I wait, the harder it becomes. When I was seeing someone's play they took out like 3 nations all before 2000 AD and won at that point as well... on Prince difficulty... so yeah. He did early war with Axemen and Swordsman only.

ElMatto

13 years ago

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Before my grandfather passed away last year, he totally mastered this game. He could beat the hardest difficulty with his eyes closed. It's not a BAD game, but I don't like this type of strategy games. I prefer real time strategy like Starcraft or Age of Empires.

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ ElMatto

I am sure I would understand Starcraft better than Civ IV, but be slow on how to be effective still I am sure since it is real time... but I figure takes less learning than it would in Civ IV it seems, I seen the GSL.

Sakkano

13 years ago

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Edited 13 years ago by Owner

So, you got any of the expansions? Or how about the Arrakis/Dune mod?

What civ/leader do you usually play with? I favor Egypt and Ramses II.

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Sakkano

Dunno. Thought I knew. I won my 3rd game by a large margin with Aztec... my 2 games before, sure I won but not by many points. So he was cool though I don't normally know when to change civics so his Spiritual trait didn't come to much use to me so I went with Incan who is Aggressive and Financial I think... but that is in the vanilla Civ IV... I decided to play the expansion, Beyond the Sword now and he is no longer Aggressive. Playing that one because it is considered better among players and has added things... though the whole Spy thing is a bit scary to me and adds more to it than the vanilla version did.

Sakkano

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

Humm.. I didn't know that about the Aztecs.... I tend to play as the Egyptians because when you change civics there is never a revolt. And with Ramses II as the leader, wonders are built 2x fast. For me, getting the Pyramids, Great Wall, the UN, and the Eiffel Tower are my usual goals.

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Sakkano

Aztec has that same thing plus an added for war trait.

Sakkano

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

I might have to play as them then.

Chu

13 years ago

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With Civ 4 you don't have to think ahead as much as with Civ 5. It's okay to start on Chieftain or Warlord difficulty, pick a nation you like, and use it's special traits to your benefit. Build a few cities to the best spots nearby, build enough workers, and use them to improve your lands and build a lot of roads. I usually avoid going to war early, but that's more of a personal preference. If you decide to go to war, be prepared. Strong army isn't enough, you usually need strong economy as well.

When choosing technologies, think of what you want to do next. For an example, early in the game, if there are hills near your capital, you'll probably want to research mining. If there's stone or marble nearby, you'll want to research construction to be able to build a quarry, or you'll want to research calendar if there are resources that require plantations. If there's a strong, aggressive nation nearby, you may want to invest in military.

Try different things, explore, and have fun. And feel free to ask if you have more questions, I think it's safe to say I've spent 200+ hours in the game. x3

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Chu

I dunno there is just too much and I can't memorize it all. Then there is like, I wanna settle on my first turn, to waste turns moving around, finding a spot, loses out on some research and building time and that is no good. I like ones that start off with a Scout so I get goodies from those hut villages. Just dunno what kind of game I like to play. Well I mean war keeps things interesting, taking over a place, stealing their workers and wonders and making more room for yourself... seems like the most reasonable and sounds like most players do war. But of course there are the other ways to win, like those who go for culture win... which I figure the best trait for that is the one where they get extra culture, think there is one... and the speed production on Wonders as well, Industrious I think.

But then it is things like that where you still gotta make military of course, otherwise another nation see's you are weak and goes after you, happened to me once, was focusing on expanding too much and got declared war on, twice in a short time. Aggressive is a good trait for war and Spiritual as well I suppose, to change Civs during a war and change back after a war to recover from it. But then there is Charismatic I think which I think if I read correctly, cuts the EXP needed for a unit by 25%? So that means faster leveling units.

Also, don't I have you on IM? That avatar looks familiar and all. Just forget since well anyone in whom we don't chat do I forget who is who.

Chu

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

You don't have to memorize it all if you're playing just for fun, and there's always Civilopedia you can check things from when needed. It seems to me that you've got things covered pretty well actually. Just remember to build infrastructure on the lands you own, and that you can do well with pretty small military in the beginning if you want to. Also it's often really hard to play a perfect game, don't stop if you lose a city or two at some point.

I can't be sure, I have chances to log in pretty rarely these days, but it's possible. ^^; You might also remember my avatar from FA?

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Chu

Course for fun I suppose but also it is like with games, I wanna self improve and know I can be good and all and well I wanna understand the game better as well not be all lost.

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Chu

Man... the AI expand so fast... how is that possible? All these cities so fast.

Chu

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

Same here, and I'm sure you will. :3

If you're playing with Noble or higher I believe the AI can cheat a bit. Also it may be due to a special trait, which nation was it?

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Chu

Any of them. I see Alexander having over 8 cities while I barely managed like 4 before no more room. Then the other guy, same thing. Then in another game surrounded by 2 at the start I couldn't even expand it was unfair. They have many cities as well while I only have 2 before I was closed in. Noble is where everything is fair you and the AI. Before Noble, you have get bonuses and have advantage over the AI. After Noble is where the AI is the one with more bonus.

Chu

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

Ah, then you're perhaps just playing on a smaller map? In those cases I would say it's okay to pack cities a bit tighter, and focus on culture if it seems you cannot break out easy enough with force. With culture focus there's a good chance their cities will eventually join your nation. Another option, providing you're not landlocked, is to explore the seas and found new cities on other continents.

If you want to avoid getting surrounded all together, just expand really fast and to the direction of other nation's capitals. If there are gaps between your cities, they may found cities there, but there's almost 100% chance those cities will join your nation sooner or later.

Thanks for clearing that up, it's been a while since I played Civ4. ^^

Raukue

13 years ago

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@ Chu

It was not small but anyway I played a new game just for kicks, did Incan and at the start made it's special Warrior and took out the first nation I came across. Easy wipe out? But that is interesting how I can at least take out 1 Civ at the start, leaves more room... but takes away time from say building Stonehenge or something like that... I dunno... though I did manage to build it anyway.

Chu

13 years ago

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@ Raukue

That's also one strategy, sounds like it worked fine. :3

Lloxie

13 years ago

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That game can be sooooo addictive. x3 I love it. Also, I highly recommend a mod called Fall from Heaven 2. Look it up if you haven't yet. It's a total conversion mod and has easily double the content of the original game. <@_@>

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Civilization IV: I Just Don't Get It!

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