A Lost Newb

[Griz44]

I want to like this game so bad!

And I kind of enjoy it so far. But I can't honestly say I understand the big picture. I'm about to try the "Civ 4 Walkthru" posted on the Civ 4 Fanatic site. Do you think it will help me? I know how to play the game. I understand how the technologies work. I have some understanding of cities and how they work. (I don't have much understanding of religion yet.) But I just don't seem to have a feel for what's going on in general. Here's my problem as well as I can describe it:

I've played at fairly easy levels. I've tended to automate much of the worker jobs. I've taken most (not all) of the recomendations for technology advancements. It almost seems like you could set the game on autopilot if you wanted to. But I don't want to! I guess I'm just having a hard time figuring out how it all fits together. How do I develop a strategy? How do I know how my strategy is progressing? I can't even formulate questions that express exactly what I'm feeling. (That in itself should probably tell you much about how I'm feeling...heheh.)

Is there some sort of tutorial that might help me...NOT to learn the mechanics of the game...but to learn more of a feel for the guts of the game. Would playing at more difficult levels help...I'd certainly get my butt whooped, but maybe I'd learn something that I'm missing at easier levels?

Well...I've groped long enough. If anybody can figure out what I'm trying to say and has any advice to offer, it would be MUCH appreciated.

Griz

[Solver]

The main advice is patience. Civ is a game that takes quite a while to figure out. You can figure out the mechanics in a few games, but it will take you more than that to figure out strategies.

Play on the easiest levels. You won't learn much if you just see everyone overrun you. At first, concentrate on actually understanding the main mechanics - cities, units, diplomacy, techs, etc. When you understand the mechanics, try doing different things to see what the result is.

The simplest example is, declare war. Observe what happens to your economy, your military and your opponent. Depending on the situation, you'll see that the war is either good or bad for you. You'll start to develop your strategy about when to fight wars.

Try researching some different technologies, not the recommended ones. See where that gets you.

Don't automate your workers! You will learn much more by controlling them manually. It can be a little bit overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to it.

Good luck .

[Aro]

Civ is like a good wine. Take your time, and...

Wait a minute, I don't drink, no more... Nothing at all! (don't blame me: I just can't! do it )
Anyway, Solver is right (you’re my Civ IV guru, Solver! And I’m a shameless fanboy! ), you’ll need time to enjoy Civilization. It is an acquired taste.

[Solver]

By the way, many of us veterans remember their first games of Civ which ended up with us having horsemen when the computer had tanks - this is with the Civ1/Civ2 AIs being really, really stupid.

[Byelotsar]

I was once busily constructing, I think, legions in one of my Civ 1 games when those nasty Germans came at me with artillery pieces and demanded over 11,000(!!!) gold from my treasury, which at that point had maybe 100 gold. When I refused, they crushed my iron age civilization.

Griz44, don't fret. I've been playing Civ games for fifteen years, and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the strategies for Civ 4. It does get easier, though. Trust me.

The best advice I can give you: don't be afraid to lose. Catastrophically, if necessary.

[kittenOFchaos]

Originally posted by Byelotsar
I was once busily constructing, I think, legions in one of my Civ 1 games when those nasty Germans came at me with artillery pieces and demanded over 11,000(!!!) gold from my treasury, which at that point had maybe 100 gold. When I refused, they crushed my iron age civilization.

Griz44, don't fret. I've been playing Civ games for fifteen years, and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the strategies for Civ 4. It does get easier, though. Trust me.

The best advice I can give you: don't be afraid to lose. Catastrophically, if necessary.

Yeah, I believe you, many wouldn't

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Byelotsar
...those nasty Germans came at me with artillery pieces and demanded over 11,000(!!!) gold from my treasury...

I remember, in my first Civ game I ever played, I spent almost the entire game with like 5 cities, building nothing but militia (in fact, I didn't know how production or shields worked, so I had my tax rate really high and I kept rushing them), and by the modern age I had a wall of militia 3 layers deep stretching across the continent as a vast human barrier, and thought, "Sweet, noone can touch me now!" Needless to say, they could, and did.

I was also pleasantly surprised when I found out that my Great Wall had completed itself all on its own, without my having the money to rush it.

[LordShiva]

edit: oops

[Solver]

In one of my very first games, I was alone on a landmass. So I was kind of puzzled, where are the others. Then I figured out how to build a ship and load units. I built a Trireme and put two Phalanx on it. I thought I might take new lands elsewhere. I discover a new continent, unload my units... and meet Russian Armor.

[gmsh1964]

Grizz,

It sounds like you and I need to do a PBEM game.

I completely understand the mechanics, but I do not know what to do. I play one level above beginner and I take all the recommendation also. I just keep playing until I finally attack the AI. And it ALWAYS bogs down until the AI starts to fight back, then I get frustrated..., So I would love to play a human that appears to not have a grasp of what to do with all of the knowledge (I lose gunships to the AIs knights!!!).

If you are interested, email me. I am trying to avoid CIV guys that are fanatics. I will not be motivated if I know from Turn 1, I will be crushed. So if you want a game where we both somewhat fumble around and hide from the AI opponents, I am your man. Realize, I know the rules.., just not sure how it all fits.

Thanks, Glenn

[Byelotsar]

Originally posted by LordShiva
...and by the modern age I had a wall of militia 3 layers deep stretching across the continent as a vast human barrier, and thought, "Sweet, noone can touch me now!" Needless to say, they could, and did.

In one of my early games, for some reason I didn't think to fortify a unit in a city, so I fortified eight of them around the city.

Originally posted by Solver
I thought I might take new lands elsewhere. I discover a new continent, unload my units... and meet Russian Armor.

I once had the reverse of this happen in one of my later games (once I didn't, you know, suck more than a black hole). While exploring, I came upon the Babylonians, who were a restarted civ (which was never a good idea in my opinion). I generously provided their stone age culture with the secrets of how to build tanks. About eighty turns later, I happened to stroll past their little island. Nothing had changed - no terrain upgrades, city at size 3 or so, just the one city - but for the fact that there was now an Armor unit wandering around.

[Solver]

I actually think some veterans would be happy to play an online game with you and help you out.

A tip: don't follow all the recommendations of advisors. To get a better feel of what to do, you need to experiment with the different choices. Besides, Civ is all about making your own decisions, so don't let the game play itself for you. That said, the advisors often provide solid advice for begginers.

[DaXX]

all the strategy you could possibly need::


The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemy: to chase him before you; to see his cities reduced to ashes; to rob him of his wealth; to see those dear to him bathed in tears; to clasp to your bosom his wives and daughters.

-- Ghengis Khan, 1226

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by DaXX
all the strategy you could possibly need::


The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemy: to chase him before you; to see his cities reduced to ashes; to rob him of his wealth; to see those dear to him bathed in tears; to clasp to your bosom his wives and daughters.

-- Ghengis Khan, 1226

My advice is to be a reckless warmonger. Don't worry about any of that pansy cultural/diplomatic victory stuff, it's not engrossing enough for a first-timer.