Beginner (aka n00b) MP faq

[ElMauro]

Hi all. Im not doing a faq, Ill just do some questions about civ4 mp mode and maybe others can use this topic to do the same..
The thing is.. most of this questions will be stupid for all here and are supposed to be explained in a game manual, but at least mine doesn't.
Also.. I play the spanish installation and its kinda bad when you try to set the options (texts are croped/incomplete..)
So here I go with a few doubts (team playing with a friend vs AI):

- Why i can't change the AI difficulty? even in the multiplayer options there is a "intermediate" button but is disabled.
- Where the hell is my usefull ping button? (BtS)
- Why every time I finish researching a tech there is no popup window with a quote like in single player?
- Why there is no marvel and religion videos?
- If I set the game victory as conquest only, the AI will try to conquest? or will just play as a stupid bot waiting the end of turns.
- the game alwas end in year 2050? even when playing conquest mode and not finished the conquest?


thats all for now, thanks! and sorry for this questions

[snoopy369]

AI difficulty can't change, but most of the 'difficulty' comes from player modifiers; just change your own difficulty. This allows for the setting of multiple player difficulties (so a stronger player can have a harder difficulty).

Ping should be back in 3.13 I believe.

MP eliminates some popups, like wonder videos, because they interfere with MP timing (if you have to click through a wonder video, you could be in the process of being killed...) Others are modified by the "minimize popups" option, which causes tech notices and build notices to go to the end of the turn.

The AI is aware of victory types, not sure how well it adjusts but certainly conquest it's well aware of

You can remove the "time" victory option, I believe. Haven't played around with that much. You can always play longer games (marathon, epic)... MP usually ends well before that anyhow.

[ElMauro]

Thanks snoopy, very clear.
The question about if AI will try to conquest (will try to win) is because we are playing in maraton, bot of us we suck... alot.. , its year 1500+ already, we dont do any kind of nice diplomacy threat with the AI, and we are waiting them to come and kick our ass with lasers and space ****s. But nothing.. looks like the computer oponents are trying to win as first ranked.

About the ping button, we are playing 3.13, and is not there.
Intestead.. there is a button to place map notes (visible by team mates). Nice.. but not really usefull as the old ping thing.. because you still need to say "hey, read the note that I placed there at the north of rome behind the mountain and right next of those horses".
is usefull to place a permanent mark to say "here is where you must put a soldier, dont ask me every turn anymore".. but not for a "wake up dude watch out there!"

hope someone can make a 3rd party fix (mod) for that button

Thanks again !!

[LzPrst]

the AI will often try to win peacefully, unless you choose Aggressive AI option (in custom game) then you'll see vast armies and fiercely aggressive AI's. especially the Aggressive leaders (like Shaka, Montezuma, Stalin) in fact, most of your game will revolve around staying in the arms race.

[snoopy369]

There should be a ping keycommand at least - read the 3.13 patch notes, it's in there somewhere. Shift ctrl P, or alt P, or something.

[ElMauro]

Found it ! There is no button, just the shortcut and is just the "P" key to pinG
Wonder why there is no keyboard shortcut config like in call to power. Ill try to find them as we play, thanks snoopy !
And thanks priest for your info about the ai, in our game was year 1700+ already and never attacked us. I attacked them and then I died and lost many cities because massive AI invasions. Was like if I kicked an anthill..

too many things changed..
I miss when i was able to bomb cities with my ships and kill soldiers/workers/buildings with them and with my planes .. now they just break the walls and a powerfull aircraft carrier can be killed by a stupid tranport unit while my entire battle escort ships just watch there.
But many new good things too ! so lets play and chew bubble gum

[Unimatrix11]

Is there a way, to turn the wonder-videos and tech-pop-ups on in MP ? I dont mind getting killed while i watch ´em, you know ?

[WTBCzero]

Are there any mods which allow you set the difficulty level of AI players?