Level of Play

[granite00]

Many aspects of game play can be adjusted by altering the game's text files. Does anyone know how to alter the human player's science increment (how long it takes to discover the next civ advance) and the barbarian attack strength at each level of play (king, emperor, etc.)?

[Gatekeeper]

Granite:

I don't know how one could alter the strength of the barbarians' attack level. However, there are two methods that one can alter the science increment ... but both methods benefit and/or hurt *all* the players, not just the human one.

1. Cheat menu: Go under this menu and change the game file into a scenario file. Afterwards, there's an option w/i that menu which allows you to change the science increment. The higher the numerator, the longer it takes to get advances while vice-versa holds true as well.

2. Rules.txt: Enter this file and you can change the science increments under the universals part of the file. WARNING: This method IS NOT recommended by myself (and the programmers) because universals control the fundamental basics of Civilization games. If they're too far out of what the CPU expects to find, the program will react in really bad ways. I know, 'cause I found out the hard way (read: partial re-installation of program).

CYBERAmazon

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Resistance is futile. Lower your shields and disable your weapons. You will be assimilated into the Borg Collective.

[Cam]

As far as I'm aware, much of this is hard-coded and can't be altered. There are very few easily alterable components that make any distinction between the AI and the human player, and no (practical) ideas regarding barbarian ferocity at Chieftain vs. Deity and all levels between beyond what's already there.

One left-field idea though to affect the science question. If you created multiple versions of rules.txt for each level, you could change the AI value of writing, the republic, university, trade, democracy, the corporation, and computers to be higher. The AI will be more willing to seek out research and trade-oriented technologies and government types, and potentially boost their scientific inclination. A long shot at best I confess.