The CIV3 FAQ: COMMON QUESTIONS/COMPLAINTS/ARGUMENTS and their ANSWERS - Page 10

DrSpike · April 25, 2006, 17:04

First of all, buy Civ4.

Second, well, there isn't really a second.

Kloreep · April 25, 2006, 20:39

You might actually be able to win a culture race. I don't know how playing without opponents works. But yes, building components after 2050 is your problem; you cannot win (which would be included in launching the SS) after 2050.

BTW, I'd recommend using opponents even if you're still trying to learn the basics. Everything from the early game to the late is far different if you have more to worry about than barbs; if you get too used to expanding and building by yourself, you'll be in for a rude awakening when you have to actually compete. If you don't feel quite comfortable with opposition yet, just use either Warlord or Chieftan difficulty; the AIs are handicapped on those difficulties, particularly heavily on Chieftan but also somewhat on Warlord.

I think you'll also find your difficulties launching a SS before 2050 are greatly decreased with opponents, especially if you play on Warlord and above. The lower the number of civs in the game, and the more handicapped the AIs playing them are, the slower technology will go. If there are no civs, there are no trading partners.

ginseng332 · April 26, 2006, 11:02

...So I need to build the SS and get FT8 before 2050. Whee! I'm sure it'll be much easier with a builder civ!

I wanted some cheap entertainment, so I bought the $10 version of Civ3 at evil Wal-Mart. I've only been playing it for a week.

After reading this thread, I started a game with one other civ last night (me, Babylon, them, Aztecs), and made sure domination and military victories were off

vmxa1 · April 26, 2006, 11:07

First do not listen to anyone telling you to buy Civ4. Well it is not that bad, but you can wait till it is much cheaper.

The game ends after you plant your town with no opponents. If you had civs in the game and got to 2050AD, the game would end then.

If you play beyond the victory condition, no other conditions will work. IOW you can build the space ship, but it cannot be launched.

You should go ahead and play a std map with at least 6 civs to get some idea of how the game actually works. What is the worst that could happen? You could lose, so what. It won't cost you anything and you could still have fun and learn something.

DrSpike · April 26, 2006, 14:37

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
First do not listen to anyone telling you to buy Civ4.

Surprised to see you say that vmxa.

Kloreep · April 26, 2006, 14:47

Quote:

Originally posted by ginseng332
...So I need to build the SS and get FT8 before 2050. Whee! I'm sure it'll be much easier with a builder civ!

Forgot to mention, you don't need Future Techs at all; you don't even need to research all the regular techs. Just build all the components before 2050.

Quote:

Originally posted by ginseng332
After reading this thread, I started a game with one other civ last night (me, Babylon, them, Aztecs), and made sure domination and military victories were off

Doesn't really matter if you turn Conquest off; killing everyone else is still a great way to ensure a win.

And I agree with vmxa. Mix it up with multiple civs.

vmxa1 · April 26, 2006, 15:54

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike

Surprised to see you say that vmxa.

I really liked it the first 2 weeks, but soon I stopped playing. I tried again with 1.52, but they did little other than wreck the combat.

I have not applied 1.61 yet. I think it is just me and not liking so many options with the tech tree paths.

I have noted that I have some company from III players. The SG's on CFC seem to bog down.

Anyway I am trying to follow my old friends from GS and maybe get fired up again.

Notice I did not say do not buy it, only wait till it is cheap. Maybe after the expansion comes out. May as well get in some playing with the III, since he just got it.

DrSpike · April 26, 2006, 18:39

Haven't played recently myself, though it isn't really a fault of the game. What did the patch change in the combat model?

Rommel2D · April 26, 2006, 21:35

Tsk, tsk, Spikey's looking for CIV tips in the Civ3 forums- and here I thought you'd reformed...

vmxa1 · April 26, 2006, 23:07

1.52 made it so strength was calculated as if you were not damaged. So if you had something like knight Vs Cossacks, you were in big trouble.

Prior to 52, you could defeat superior units with numbers and or bombardment. Now you must use bombardment. The bonus Cossacks get would let them be nearly dead and still beat knights.

1.61 fixed that some, it looks like. It makes strength part of your original and considers your health currently. I have not applied it and tested it out.

Damn_Dirty_Ape · July 24, 2006, 11:03

I have repeatedly tried to install Civ3 to no avail. During installation at the end when it gets to the music an error message pops up. It says something along the lines of

Error 1305. Error reading from file C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Civilization III\Sounds\build\IndModern\StarsFull.mp3 Verify that the file exists and that you can access it.

I've checked and it definitely exists. I've even listened to it. It's catchy.

Any ideas as to what's going on here? Suggestions welcome.

vmxa1 · July 24, 2006, 11:36

I would remove all folders, then run regedit to clear any registry entries for civ and then try to install it. First do try to uninstall.

Is this from a CD for Civ3 or from Gold/Complete? The latter should not need any patches, the former may.

I probably would try to copy the Cd to HD and install from it as I have seen errors reading from CD.

Have you checked their web site to see if this is a known issue?

Damn_Dirty_Ape · July 25, 2006, 18:46

Got rid of the registry entries and tried installing it again and that didn't seem to help much. It did actually make it one mp3 farther into the installation before the error message popped up though.

I haven't been able to get it to copy to my hard drive either. It gets to the same point that it screws up in installation and then fails.

The disk is the original Civ3. The Civ3 website wasn't very helpful at all so I checked for forums.

vmxa1 · July 26, 2006, 10:40

Sounds like ther could be some problem with the CD. Hav you tried to clean it? There are some tools around that may be able to read past the disk read errors and copy it to your HD.

I have used Alcohol120 to do that as it has a function to read Raw, otherwise you need to get a replacement and I don't know how that is being handled now. It was not all that good when the product was still on the shelf.

Angel_Neko · September 13, 2006, 19:47

Q: Is there a way to make your rivals remain polite towards you without having to give them gifts every two or, three turns?

vmxa1 · September 13, 2006, 23:39

Not really. The more you have the less chance you have of staying on good terms.

The best bets are to make lux deals or sell them techs. In my last Sid game I was still gracious with the top tech civ going into the end of the industrial age. Well I was until I declared war on them.

Two of the weakest civs were still polite with me. I was feeding them techs at a discount. The top dog and I had a lux deal straight up for scores of turns.

Toby Rowe · October 8, 2006, 21:04

Yeah,

But in Civ 3, sell/exchange your territory map and they not only know where you are, but have your exact troop dispositions from then onwards until the game finishes.

Sell tech's and the next turn all other nearby nations have it as well, 3 turns (sic) later, all have it.

My advice is, give away your location to distant nations early in the game only if your border has met all your neighbours.

Never sell a military tech EVER, especially the infantry tech, as your stuck with Cavalry until Modern Armour (not Tank) arrives, as only MA can easily despatch them. It causes an unwelcome lull in the game.

The programmers weighted defensive units unfairly to attacking units to counter the cheat the AI gets which shows the AI exactly where all your units are on the map at any given time.

I've never done this, but I think I might for fun:
Don't ever sell your map and never establish diplomatic relations- ever! Heh, how about refusing to even talk to any nation throughout the game- this might be really funny- anyone tried it?

Toby

Paddy · October 12, 2006, 09:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Toby Rowe
.......

I've never done this, but I think I might for fun:
Don't ever sell your map and never establish diplomatic relations- ever! Heh, how about refusing to even talk to any nation throughout the game- this might be really funny- anyone tried it?

Toby

that sounds great

please let us know how it goes

Toby Rowe · October 19, 2006, 20:14

Hi mate,

I'm currently playing a map I made for deity level for fun(I start with 20 settlers all in oddly convient city-foundation-type-spots, the rest don't

I'll try a conquest/space game on that map for fun doing the above.

I reckon that I'll need Explorers for the first time ever....

Toby

vmxa1 · October 19, 2006, 22:06

Actually we play games like that all the time. It is called Always War.
You declare war on any civ you met immediately and never talk to them, which means no peace either.

It is till the death or you win by domination. Well I suppose you could allow some other things, but the game is over before you get to space ships.

I have played at all levels up to sid, both solo an in SG's. Well actually the SG's are only at emperor, but on extra large maps with 19 or more civs up to 31.

Those are just random starts, no home grown maps with any fat start locations. Right now we are palying as Cleo and have all FP and desert for all the near stuff. Rather bad start for shields.

We are playin LK's world map with 18 others. 4 are gone now and we caught up by capuring the Mongol capitol with the GLB.

Toby Rowe · October 25, 2006, 22:23

Hi mate,

That sounds interesting, but from what you say you are all working in co-op mode? (Never played a game on the net before).
GLB?
I too want a game I don't need to edit, but after two years of playing Civ 2 which I loved, even I got fedup of the unasked for "Partisans", that was bonkers!

In Civ3 I started to set ok starts on Monarch level once I realised the AI knew exactly where you are, and your troop dispositions anyway.

I just want the orginal Civ in a modern game with ok graphics, great diplomacy AI, good trading logic patterns (like Caravans) and a slower early world than all three have thus far offered.

We don't all relish Tanks, I like the slow discovery/conquest in the early times that can carry on to the middle-ages with only a pause in each city as they produce just one unit to help in between building a temple and a library.

Ooops, back from dreaming, how does it go in that type of game? As the AI never gets your territory map I assume it never gets given your troop disposition?
So does it act all defensive instead? Or did the developers never assume us Humans would ever play in that way and thus leave the AI blank and confused for much of the game?
(So desireious of the extra 4-8 gold you can get when exchanging Territory maps untill the Industrial age).

I did learn one thing- setting up a map with severely reduced corruption led to me being extremely wealthy, whilst having a game mainly without pollution actually meant the game was fun, not a trial.

I do prefer the unknown (start) though, albeit at a far lower level of difficulty, but what the hey, I play games for fun, not to stress me (too much)!! (I don't know a single mate who would pay £8 to watch a film that would stress them out, neither would I, conversely that's true for games at home that cost £30.)

Enough of my mutterings, how do these games pan out?

Toby :-)

vmxa1 · October 26, 2006, 08:53

"Toby Rowe"

"That sounds interesting, but from what you say you are all working in co-op mode? (Never played a game on the net before).
GLB?"

How it is done is say I am up as in fact I am today. I take the posted save and play 10 turns. I post the new save and a report of what occurred. Things like kills and loses. Towns captured or razed or founded.

Then the next person on the team play from that point and we just rotate turns.

Read them at civfanatics in the sucession games forum.

The GLB is The Great Library. I do not use GL as the Great Lighthouse also has those initials.

"I just want the orginal Civ in a modern game with ok graphics, great diplomacy AI, good trading logic patterns (like Caravans) and a slower early world than all three have thus far offered."

I really dislike the caravans and the similar treatment in Call TO Power. The AI is not going to be logical, it is not intelligent. It is just a set of checks and is not able to remember things.

"We don't all relish Tanks, I like the slow discovery/conquest in the early times that can carry on to the middle-ages with only a pause in each city as they produce just one unit to help in between building a temple and a library."

Create biq for a high tech cost and that will slow down the research.

"Ooops, back from dreaming, how does it go in that type of game? As the AI never gets your territory map I assume it never gets given your troop disposition?
So does it act all defensive instead? Or did the developers never assume us Humans would ever play in that way and thus leave the AI blank and confused for much of the game?
(So desireious of the extra 4-8 gold you can get when exchanging Territory maps untill the Industrial age)."

With so many civs sending units at you more or less non stop, it is a struggle gain land after the inital land grab. Right now I expect to have a number of attacks with 50 to 70 cavs and maybe 100 rifles that may or may not attack.

Landing frequently and scores of frigates bombarding my shores. They will be able to see the coastal tiles and part of the land with attacking units.

Iam sure that they did not deal with this sort of a thing, but they did consider it in civ4 as thy saw what we were doing.

I would never trade my map, until I had al the open land settled. You do not want the AI to send settler in to found towns. Well you may if you want to attack those settler combos.

I cannot speak to what is fun for you or anyone else. I prefer the stress of not being sure to win. That is why I like Sid games or very tough variant games such as AW with lots of civ on a pangea or at least at demigod with normal civ numbers.

The crunch point that we are coming through now is what makes it fun. The idea that I could lose unless I can play smart. Just to fire of a std game at emperor is too easy as I would never be pressed.

Press is looking at more units coming my way than I think I can handle. Looking at them having cavs while you are still trying to learn about knight.

Toby Rowe · November 9, 2006, 21:32

Hi mate,

I'm quite impressed with your last sentence, but it's not my type of game unless a tense game like "Hidden and Dangerous" where I know it's going to be that way from the start.

I played the original Civ, and for me, the most tense periods were desperately trying to get a caravan through hostile territory in order to earn both the cash bonus on arrival and the yearly increase it gave to the treasury, plus the long time it took to actually build just one of them!

Your description of the Co-op game seems more like you co-op together in the non-stop wars against the AI?

I'm playing now, based upon your info in the previous message to last, using the map I made at Deity level for both me and the AI- and the AI seems to know your positions without you having given away your map!

Following what you stated (to do my trial), I decided to declare war upon any nation that gave me the "remove your troops (Automatic)" demand. As a result I've been at war almost since I started the game, I did decide to accept any offered peace provided they didn't demand anything else. If also offered peace to one other nation after destroying (AI destruction) a single city.

I'm now just down to fighting one of the two nations who jumped in without any provocation (sorry mates, It's the Yanks!), the other was the Russians, who accepted a white-peace.

However, this constant fighting is leaving me weary, I enjoy peaceful development inbetween the conquests and this game, thus far has been nuts because of it.

The year is now about 300AD and I should have the Railway (called an odd thing in the game "Railroad"? technology)

in 6 turns.

I had to fight on the dreaded two fronts untill the Aztec's finally became part of Greater Britain, so logistics have cerainly become easier.

I also edited the game to nearly elimiminate corruption and pollution so that each city more than 10 tiles away from the Capital is useful and not a burden on the treasury.

It's quite strange not having an embassy in each nation, although the Babylonians established one in my Capital. Almost All nations are either "furious" or "annoyed" with me, even if I only declared war to prevent automatic removal of my scouts and to fullfil the test. Mind you, the AI in Civ 3 makes all nations bar one or two like that anyway!

I did get the entire need to explore negated when I signed peace with the Indians, who filled in the whole AI world, as it does.......

Yet had little to discover by then.

In summary, I've found the game to be only more marginally stressful, but much less fun than playing an ordinary game.
I'd recommend that type of game-style is best served by "command and conquer" type games, but then I made a map to make myself in a level-playing field with the AI cheating (Which I can't abide).

Once I get back from my Holiday I'll continue, but I'm finding it hard not to flit into the game-style I most enjoy for this type of game- relaxed, choose an enemy carefully, one at a time, never more, enjoy building up the expanded nation thereafter, and preferably concentrate on techs, even if the AI always matches you, albeit a few turns behind.

Toby

vmxa1 · November 10, 2006, 08:30

"Toby Rowe"

"Your description of the Co-op game seems more like you co-op together in the non-stop wars against the AI?"

Yes we are required to declare as soon as we have contact with any civ and never make peace.

"I'm playing now, based upon your info in the previous message to last, using the map I made at Deity level for both me and the AI- and the AI seems to know your positions without you having given away your map!"

Yes they always know the disposition of all tiles. IOW if troops are there or a resource, they know it. Even if they do not have the tech for the resource. They just do not know how to get to the tile, if they have not seen the map. Just a litttle help, they need it.

"However, this constant fighting is leaving me weary, I enjoy peaceful development inbetween the conquests and this game, thus far has been nuts because of it."

The purpose of variants is to make them more challenging for very experienced players. AW (always war) makes the game play at
about 1 or 1.5 levels harder. Once you get to where AWE (always war on Emperor) is not real tough, you can make larger maps and more civs to really push you.

It can get very tedious after the middle ages and that is why SG's are nice. You get in a set (5 or 10 turns) and pass it on, before you are burnt out. Playing a solo AW game is for vey determined players, like me.

"It's quite strange not having an embassy in each nation, although the Babylonians established one in my Capital. Almost All nations are either "furious" or "annoyed" with me, even if I only declared war to prevent automatic removal of my scouts and to fullfil the test. Mind you, the AI in Civ 3 makes all nations bar one or two like that anyway!"

First I cannot speak to any modding of the game as I do not use them, I just take the corruption and deal with it. It was put there to make it hard on the human to run a vast empire.

It is true that the AI will get annoyed or worse rather soon, sooner as you play at higher levels. This is not an issue for me as I am not going to talking to them, unless I play at Sid and it is not an AW game.

"In summary, I've found the game to be only more marginally stressful, but much less fun than playing an ordinary game.
I'd recommend that type of game-style is best served by "command and conquer" type games, but then I made a map to make myself in a level-playing field with the AI cheating (Which I can't abide)."

Preference is just that, a peference and it varies by individuals. The handicap that the AI gets does not bother me as they need it. That is why I do not "level the field".

In our current game we start with hundreds of tile of desert and plains and grass tiles were very far away and faced 18 civs. We have essentially won the game now in 1700's. We are going for conquest only, so it will take more time to eliminate everyone.

"Once I get back from my Holiday I'll continue, but I'm finding it hard not to flit into the game-style I most enjoy for this type of game- relaxed, choose an enemy carefully, one at a time, never more, enjoy building up the expanded nation thereafter, and preferably concentrate on techs, even if the AI always matches you, albeit a few turns behind."

Not my cup of tea, I do not enjoy cake walks. So I prefer to play solo games at sid or a variant. I want to be under stress all the way and no breathing room.

Nothing like seeing 4 or 5 stacks of knights with 40 to 70 in each just outside the gates and you have mabe a dozen units. That is stressful.

My favorite is a landing on a sid level civs shore and found a town and have 400 or 500 units attack in the next turn. Knowing they will have those replaced by a few hundred more next turn and they may have 2000 units and you landed maybe 40.

Toby Rowe · December 8, 2006, 01:07

Blimey mate,

Back from my hols complete with a broken collar bone, a crap NHS back home, but a wonderful people and better medical trreatment than in the UK, given by the local district hospital in a provincial town. (At least they appologised for not having the right type of sling untill I went home to the UK. I'm still waiting for it in the UK, along with.....)

Any chance of joining in with one of these games? Out of the 16 players how many are human?

Once you've beaten the AI is that it?
How does the map look?
Do you all send troops to help each other?
How many human players are in the co-operative?
Co-operatives are rare on both local and national level these days, I hope the other players are internationial to you!
Stress: your description of it: You relish it, I just wish to escape it at 43, my son is 20, his mother is a nightmare, we are no longer a couple.

I want games that relax me, although far less stress now as I'm studying again, but that's also stress!! (Just not quite so bad as paying the rent).

Ok; This is real stress to me:

Q) A 230/110V transformer has a secondary current of 5A. Calculate the primary current.

Q) A Double-wound single-phase transformer has a primary to secondary turns ratio of 1:8
a) determine the primary voltage (Up) necessary to supply a load at 160V
b) If the current is 5A, calculate the primary current.

See, I just wanna have fun when I spend £30 on a game, and AI cheats are forbidden!!

Toby

Ps; any answers to the above are most welcome, but without the workings

vmxa1 · December 8, 2006, 08:20

"Toby Rowe"

"Any chance of joining in with one of these games? Out of the 16 players how many are human?"

There are two type of games. 1- demo and 2-SG.
Demo is where some teams are chosen and play against each other with or without AI civs. Depend mainly on how many teams and the size of the map.

In those games humans may or may not help each other. They may help at some point and hinder at another point in the game. Go to the forum that has Demo games and see what is going on and joint if you like.

I do not know how active it is right now as I am only in 1 that is Civ4. These games take a long time. The last one was 2 years.

SG (succession game) are just one team Vs the AI. Teams may be from 4 to 7 players. They play like any game, except you rotate turns among the team.

You may want to go over to Civfanatics and look over their SG forum as it is still fairly active.

"Once you've beaten the AI is that it?"

Demo games usually require you to beat the humans to what ever win type you allow. SG's are just like your regular games.

"How does the map look?"

In Demo games you usully have someone create a custom map in an attempt to keep things fair. In SG, you just do it like always.

"Do you all send troops to help each other?"

Sometimes and then you may find they turn on you. On Poly you have to join a team to get access to the private forum and read the post of only your team.

"How many human players are in the co-operative?"

As many as the map can handle. Teams may be very large as you have one turn player and the rest just chime in the discussions and maybe take roles such as diplomats with other teams.

"Co-operatives are rare on both local and national level these days, I hope the other players are internationial to you!"

We have teams fom all over the world and our team had players from many countries.

"I want games that relax me, although far less stress now as I'm studying again, but that's also stress!! (Just not quite so bad as paying the rent)."

Playing is escapism, so no real stress. I like to have pressure on me in my games. I want to have to be concerned that choices make a difference, otherwise I would be able to let the govenor run things.

"Q) A 230/110V transformer has a secondary current of 5A. Calculate the primary current."

Well I took electronics back in 1963 so I think the only formula I remeber is power squared = I*R. As long as you have the formula, then it is easy.

"See, I just wanna have fun when I spend £30 on a game, and AI cheats are forbidden!!"

Not only does the AI need the help, I usually give myself rules that help it further. No RoP rapes, no exploits, no breaking deals and so on. Otherwise the game is too easy.

Toby Rowe · December 16, 2006, 02:30

Heh,

Cheers mate!,

Remembering the formula; well, as I said to a tutor just before we broke up- is that formula number 426 or 427?

I mean't it, and all understood. Why can't we specialise before we study? Once the 4 year courses are over we have taken as long as the longest degree in a University course, yet most of what we have learn't will never be needed short of invasion of our nation.

15 branches as minimum, yet we must learn all branches except planes or ships, in which case you must study for 5 years instead of 4.

I'm just to old for it, today a dimmer switch died, I put a new one in, without the manufacturers marking where the L1 and Common were on it- idiots, they just numbered the intakes 1-4, wallies.

As for playing a game on the net- dunno really, I'd rather play Victoria which is designed for a multi-player I think, much as I like the multi-player Civ concept. Ok. I'm scared sort of.......

Toby (ouch to me)

zink · December 16, 2006, 20:19

hey how do u get an ally to help u fight some one

vmxa1 · December 16, 2006, 21:22

You mean actually send troops and get in some licks? That you have no real control over. They often do nothing.

If you mean get them to be an ally, you offer them something. I prefer to give them old techs or an excess lux. Many times they will just join for nothing.

xplosiv · December 26, 2006, 14:59

Q:how can i delete saves in civ 3 gold?