http://gdc.gamespot.com/story/625324...opslot;thumb;2
I'm salivating. Love this series probably more than any other in existence.
The squares are gone, to be replaced by hexes on the map.
Battles look to be more tactical, with less overall military units, but more functionality. (e.g. archers can actually fire from range)
No more religion (bums me out, but is supposed to be replaced by something else...I'll trust Firaxis on this one)
Smaller civs in the form of city-states, which you can trade and make other deals with.
Bring this on, I can't wait. One of the other great things is how modder-friendly Firaxis is. There will be a slew of awesome mods once this drops, which amounts to endless replay value, more than any other game out there, IMO.
My favorite for Beyond the Sword was the Next War Mod, which I then tweaked further myself
Now what I want from Firaxis is Alpha Centauri 2.
What difficulty do you play BoTS on?
I play Noble, but just recently (literally the past 3 months) its getting a little too easy (i am winning far more often than before).
I stepped up to Prince just the other day and was woefully unprepared for the sheer barbarian numbers. I hadnt even researched BW yet and the barbs were throwing 2-3 Axes at me.
I play Prince, but I like to run with an AI teammate. (I've beaten prince without a starting teammate, but only a couple times as I've been slaughtered more often than not...Who the are the people who can beat that on the harder difficulties?!?!?!)
I usually set up my games so that there are 2-4 teams(including my own), with the rest being single.
Permanent Alliances on
Choose Religion on
No tech brokering on
Advanced start (no more than 5000 pts)
Fave leaders have Ind/Org/Exp/Fin characteristics (Bismarck, Roosevelt,Huyana Capac, Pacal II etc.)
Barbarians are pretty ridiculous on Prince, especially if you play huge worlds with large landmasses (as I like to). I'll usually make the decision to build my military very large early (while skimping on techs) in order to secure my borders. I'll try to position Archers just off my borders on high ground so the Barbs will attack them before breaching my territory. This is the best strategy I've come up with for dealing with them, that and rapid, but responsible expansion that won't bankrupt me too early in the game
I should note that I changed the inflation value slightly in my game, as late game scenarios tend to get ridiculous and I found myself always going broke
Exquisite. I need to dust off my copy of CivIII sometime soon.
Can't wait. Started playing Civilization 12 years ago when I was only in 4th grade and have been in love since. Hope they release another console game soon too, yenno...after I was ranked #1 in the world on Civ Revoution /end horn toot
I wish Civ would do an RTS. Sounds like blasphemy I know, but I'd like to know their spin on a Rise of Nations type game.
In Civ Rev?
Seriously?
I'm really looking forward to mod support!My favorite for Beyond the Sword was the Next War Mod, which I then tweaked further myself
Now what I want from Firaxis is Alpha Centauri 2.
My favorite civ4 mod is dune wars.
You know, I have never tried mods for Civ4. BTW, Colonization sucked ass.
I can't believe I haven't either. My eyes have been opened. I LOVE Dune, I'm downloading that as soon as I get off work!
Colonization sucks the cack, agreed.
DR, since you have Civ4:BTS, you should definitely check out the Next War Mod(It should be pre-loaded). It's pretty much exactly the same as BTS, except it extends the tech tree and gives you some new units/improvements. 2 of the units are "Super Units", consisting of giant Mechs and a huge tank-like vehicle called a "Dreadnought". They're so badass that you're only allowed to have 4 and 2 of them, respectively.
Cool, thanks for the link Sabar!!
Hmm, those two units sound like the same units from CivII: Call to Power.
Could be... I like the mod because the wars at the end get so much bigger, and it takes even longer to get through the tech tree. I always aim for long, drawn out games, and this mod is great for that. It also doesn't stray very far from the original, so in most ways you don't feel like you're playing a mod at all.
I've found that playing this mod coupled with conquest, cultural (modded so you have to have 30 cities reach legendary status), and diplomatic (I always make sure I build the UN so I can usually control the votes) victory conditions turned on gives me games that last 25-30 hours in most cases.
I also changed the value for how many nukes you can use before the world, "cracks like an egg". Nothing pissed me off more than that stupid rule, so I changed it to 9999, lol. Now in my games you can nuke people back to the stone age, which is at it should be(although in many games I make sure to pass the non-proliferation treaty, especially if I'm not the biggest civ or am a bit behind in tech)
Yeah on 360
Oddly enough, I have only used nukes in games where it is apparent I have lost. So I cheat, go into world builder, drop about 50 nukes in my cities and blow the whole damn world to .Could be... I like the mod because the wars at the end get so much bigger, and it takes even longer to get through the tech tree. I always aim for long, drawn out games, and this mod is great for that. It also doesn't stray very far from the original, so in most ways you don't feel like you're playing a mod at all.
I've found that playing this mod coupled with conquest, cultural (modded so you have to have 30 cities reach legendary status), and diplomatic (I always make sure I build the UN so I can usually control the votes) victory conditions turned on gives me games that last 25-30 hours in most cases.
I also changed the value for how many nukes you can use before the world, "cracks like an egg". Nothing pissed me off more than that stupid rule, so I changed it to 9999, lol. Now in my games you can nuke people back to the stone age, which is at it should be
I usually vassal my way to victory. I will concentrate on military techs early (BW, IW, Construction) and make for the nearest enemy. I'll take every city (I rarely raze...until late game anyway) and by that time, I'll have teched to Vassalage. I'll ask for capitulation when theyre down to one city (or two, tops).
Terms of capitulation is their entire tech tree. Boom. Rinse and repeat for every enemy. I can keep my science slider very low, money very high and an army that can conquer the world 6x over.
Usually win by domination or space race. Seeing as I never trade techs, resources or allow open borders from other civs, no one usually likes me all that much. But I am always the largest civ by a long shot, so I control the UN votes (or Apostolic Palace).
I am a war monger through and through. At least until my continent is conquered, anyway.
ing love this game.
Interesting strategy. I especially like how you manage to keep your sliders geared for money and not science (i'll try that strategy sometime).
I always strive to have very high science in order to stay out ahead of everyone. I'll make my money later in the game by having more corporations than everybody else and only spreading them in other civs, not my own. (which can be risky if they all decide to go state property,lol) This sorta explains why I have money problems sometimes, because I build all improvements to maintain high culture (for great people) as well as a huge advantage in science. I also don't skip techs, and the only tech I really strive for is Mass Media (for the wonders and the UN). Once I've completed the tree, I start turning on friendly Civs. Until I finish the tech tree, the only civs I'll attack are those on my continent, and then maintain my borders with what I call my "hard outer s " strategy. Build a big navy, and garrison loads of troops in my coastal cities to prevent invasions. Once the tech tree is done and my continent is like a giant ing fortress, I start building up my huge invasion forces. This strategy also give lots of time to friendly civs on other continents to build up their armies so the wars are epic in scale once they begin. (I've had games where one turn takes 30 minutes because the armies/civs involved are so huge)
Mostly, I'll befriend those civs that have the same religion as me, and concentrate on crushing those who don't. Since I don't play domination or space race, my games almost always end once I've taken over the whole world.
I usually don't like accepting vassal states because they aren't very good at defending whatever they have left after you've smashed them down to nothing, leaving a weak spot on your continent. They also continue to with other civs they don't like (even though those other civs may be your friends)thereby causing a deterioration in relations with those allies.
Ahhh, youre a buildaholic!
I as getting my ass-kicked on any difficulty above Chieftan for years, so I mosied over to civfanatics to see why the I sucked so bad.
One of the first things I learned was most players who want to war-win make the mistake of building too much. As in, build entirely too much in every city.
Also, another tip was to specialize cities. This city is production and only production. No monasteries, no markets/banks/grocers, nothing. If the building didnt increase production or raise health, it doesnt get built.
This city is for gold. The only things it builds are markets/banks/grocers, harbor, monasteries (+10% science) if you choose and Wall Street. Spam the living out of cottages.
This city is for science. Similar to Gold Cities, but more focused on science increasing buildings (libraries, universities, observatories, monasteries, etc) with the added micro-management of dedicating every specialist as a scientist. Also very cottage heavy, but more importantly, large food sources so you can have even more specialists. Caste system is awesome for this, but for me as a monger, I rarely leave Slavery until Emancipation/Universal Sufferage.
Capital cities are my catch-all. They are usually my GP Farm (great person), my production king (Bureaucracy ftw) and my gold center (religion HQ + bureaucracy = a gold).
Now, please dont think I am criticizing your strat as its obvious you and I play very differently. But city specialization is a universal strat.
, you might already be doing it, for all I know. If not, try it. You'll blow up in no time.
Bingo. Which is exactly why I reduce them to one city, two at most. Theyre worthless defensively and so small that they cant tech properly. So, to get on their good side, I give them for free and Open Borders right off the bat. I then wait for them to choose their next tech (which the Master can see) and riiiiiight when theyre about to discover it, I give it to them. They love that . In less than 10 turns, giving them all the worthless military techs they didnt research (which allowed me to conquer their pacifist asses in the first place) and a couple "happy" resources, theyre loving me.I usually don't like accepting vassal states because they aren't very good at defending whatever they have left after you've smashed them down to nothing, leaving a weak spot on your continent. They also continue to with other civs they don't like (even though those other civs may be your friends)thereby causing a deterioration in relations with those allies.
I am still a weak player. My navy is always woefully underserved to the point of humor. I usually play continents, so I conquer my own continent rather quickly and then sit still for literally centuries trying to produce enough Galleons/Transports to invade Asia (I always call the other continent Asia, dont ask).
Its pathetic, really. It usually doesnt end well because "the other side of the ocean" has more than enough time to tech for a proper defense.
I just cant seem to do 8 things at the same time. Ha.
^ damn dude, thanks for those tips. I usually out buildings in every city, I'll have to stop doing that.
I do the same thing with the continents too, calling them africa/asia etc.. i usually don't call anywhere america though, weird now that I ponder on it.
<-- also a buildaholic.
On the easier levels I would be able to get away with just building up so much culture, tech & money that everyone would love me. Then one by one I'd pick a neighbor and bribe one or two other civs to attack that neighbor with me. That quit working though as I moved up. I'd build up culture and then one of my neighbors would want a piece of me and I'd be unprepared for war.
Still love the game, even though I'm not very good at it.
Probably a fair statement in general, but I will certainly gear particular cities toward whatever the terrain offers. There are also some improvements I never build, Nuclear plants, for example.Ahhh, youre a buildaholic!
As for having gold cities, science cities etc, yes, I do. But the only difference is I'll still strive to build most every improvement there that I can. This is achievable because most of my games go far beyond the year 2000(game time)
It never occurred to me to go to a website and read up on other peoples strategies(why, I don't know...lol). I've modded the game rules/values enough in mine so that it matches my gameplay style better.
I dont know if anyone is interested or even cares, but a really quick overview of a typical game of Civ4 goes something like this...
Gameplay settings: Continents / Normal sea level / Normal time length (not epic, it is easier to conquer the world on epic, though) / Noble difficulty / Random Civ
4000 BC - 0 BC: I dont even know who my civ or leader is, I like that, makes it more fun. No matter who it is, I rush to Monotheism. Depending on if my civ starts with Spirtuality (monuments, stonehenge), I'll grab one of the two early religions, too (Hinduism, Buddhism). For whatever reason, the CPU always goes for Buddhism first, so I go for Hinduism. If I get beat to both, I dont care because I'll nab Judaism all the same with the added benefit of getting Organized Religion (build missionaries without monasteries).
I plop my first city basically where they start you. Even if where they start you doesnt have any resources (very rare), you can bet future resources will be in your sphere (like iron (iron working), copper (bronze working/ slavery), horses (animal husbandry) for example).
Start building a Warrior or Scout (depending on starting techs). Scout preferably, of course.
Bla bla bla....explore explore, explore. With a point though...you want to find the other civs Capital cities. more on that later...
I usually build about 4 warriors or 3 Scouts and 3 Warriors. Then its decision time. Worker or Settler. If you havent got bronze working yet (which shows copper on the map) to show you where your next city should be built, build a worker. If you have BW and know where a close copper resource is, build a settler. Obviously, if copper is inside your borders, build a worker.
0 BC - 1000 AD: bla bla bla...turns turns turns...build some workers, build some settlers, expand expand expand. Dont worry about your science meter, its incredibly unimportant this early in the game. Since I always go for Montheism (which requires Masonry), I usually find stone somewhere. If you link it up, build Stonehenge. Its worth it because it forgoes the need of your cities to build Monuments for culture (unless you have a Creative leader) with the even bigger advantage of +Prophet great person which is is ing invaluable early game to build your religious buildings in your religious capitals (+1 gold per city with that religion, which is subject to multiplication later by a grocer, market, bank, etc). You can really offset your early expansion costs in this manner.
The moment you link up a metal resource, build a barracks in your cap city and start pumping out Axemen. One stack of 5 at least plus two in each city. Honestly, at this point, my city planning goes like this.
1. Capital City
2. Production City - preferably a large foodsource situated next to lots of hills and rivers
3. Gold City - preferably wetlands, those tiles with +3 food and +1 gold surrounding your city make excellent choices, although unhealthy ( em, theyre plebs). Cottage spam the living out of every tile....a couple for workshops will be needed later when you get Machinery.
4. Alternate between Production and Gold cities. Think of them as complimentary...the gold produced offsets the military/wonder production maintenance costs of the other.
This is more of a "future planning" tip:Keep an eye out a spot that has TONS of food (sometimes coastal regions have some ridiculous amount of fish in their sphere, maybe even with some sheep on land). This will be your Great Person Farm. This is where building every building is a great idea...I usually avoid building forges as they are unhealthy, but whatever. Libraries, Universities, Markets, what the ever building allows +1 Specialist, build it. Whip the cities populace down to build it faster, too, as the HUGE food resources will insure a constantly growing population. They'll be unhappy, but them, every time you whip, the +1 unhappiness only lasts 10 turns....they'll get over it. Primitive people were highly resilient to slavery, apparently. Build the national wonder National Epic here as it increases great person birth rate by 100%. Build other wonders in your civ that increase birth rates globally (one of them is +50%). Every 15 or so turns, a great person will pop in that city...not including all the other GPs produced in other cities (albeit at a much slower rate). I use them for all different roles...mostly to pop techs though. If youre not a war monger, switch to Caste System (Code of Laws) as this allows unlimited Scientist, Artist and Merchant specialists. Coupled with large food resources and National Epic, you'll drop a new GP every 10 turns...no problem. You'll tech faster than everyone else, etc. This is especially important for people who want to achieve a non-military victory. With Caste System and a well-situated GP farm (which I always concentrate on Scientists), you'll get a Great Scientist, light-bulb a new tech instantly every 10-15 turns, in addition to your already ridiculously high research rate because you have 15 ing scientists in that city alone. Before you know it, youre at Liberalism and your rivals just hit Civil Service. Theyre in your rearview mirror for good at this rate...but rivals are jealous types. They need to be appeased so they dont attack you. Keep em busy with each other...make sure you share religion with your toughest, closest rival and feed him your outdated techs to appease him.
1000 AD - The End: By 1000 AD, I expect or at least should be well on my way to conquering another civilization entirely, occupying their cities and hijacking his wonders (if any) in his capital city. I'll have researched through Iron Working and Construction (Axemen, Swordsmen and Catapults). I will have amassed an incredibly large army. I will lose units at a ridiculous rate, but I do not care...theyre costing me too much to maintain anyway and I usually have 3 cities producing LITERALLY nothing but Cats, Axemen and Swordsmen (my production cities and my capital). My science slider is at 20-40% tops. At this rate, I am not going to win a space race, thats for sure.
But its early and I am expanding quickly, much more quickly than my rivals. I'll have another civ snuffed out in no time, sometimes more than doubling my civ size in the process. I'll have 1 or 2 religions (sometimes 3 after I conquer a rival) with their religious buildings built. I'll have one production city building nothing but missionaries to spread the love of God (and more importantly, my love of gold).
At this point, the game is up to you. You have a gigantic lead on any of your rivals. You can build a defensive army and go for a cultural victory or a space race. You can also build a defensive army and start out-teching your rivals rather quickly and gift them techs, money, resource for them to love you for a diplo victory. You can get people to go to war with one another also, creating an even bigger gap between your science advancement and theirs (seeing as theyre in a war, they dont have time for this science business).
Or, you can do what I do, and continue to put your rivals to the sword wholesale. This requires some strategy though, because youre not going to advance in tech very quickly...so thats where my previously mentioned Vassal start comes in handy.
Late game, the other continent needs your presence as well. Bomboard the coastal cities, invade and raze them. By this time, the CPU has teched far enough to mount a considerable defense. Holding territory isnt as important as burning it to the ing ground. Do this for every coastal city, unless of course you met and bested their intial large defensive force. Then hopefully you can hold out long enough for reinforcements to mount another attack.
At some point, your land area and population is going to be so large as to get a Domination victory (certain % of world land + certain % of world population). If you dont want to win that way, but still want "to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!", raze every ing city to the ground, including their capitals. Eliminate with extreme prejudice any and all non-continental rivals.
You win a Conquest victory...which, IMO, is the absolute hardest victory condition in the game, bar none.
Your early game is your everything. Fall behind in the ancient era and you'll always be behind...always. Come out of the ancient era the strongest and your chances of falling from that position come from mistakes, not rivals.
Oh...watch your victory conditions. The CPU is a real pussy abuot victory. They cant win a diplo victory because youre the largest, so theyll never get enough votes. But, lo and behold, they are culture s who will outpace a war-monger in that department by a wide margin. After conquering your own continent, your attention should fall on the civ with the highest culture next as they are your biggest threat to victory.
Last edited by DarkReign; 03-18-2010 at 10:46 AM.
I rented Civ I for the SNES back when it first came out and fell in love.
Tried Civ II and hated it.
I hear great things these days, I should try this new one...
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