Reference-list for (undocumented) interface features

[Robert]

In cIV (civilization 4) there are a lot of keys / key-combinations / undocumented features that make playing the game a lot easier.

I think it's a good idea to have a thread in which all these features / keys are gathered and listed for easy reference. If you know keys / combinations / tricks / etc. please post them. I'll try to keep this first post updated.

Last update: sunday 07-03-2006 (that's 03-07-2006 if you use that crazy american date notation)

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General / interface
• mouse over [anything]: lots of information!
• control-tab: show message history / battle log / chatbox (in multiplayer)
• click under the gold counter: show message history / battle log / chatbox (in multiplayer)
• click 'round button' left-above the mini-map: end your turn
• control-L: load game
• control-s: save game
• shift-F5: quick-save (overwrites last quick save!) (quick as in: save immediately, no menu's or clicking)
• shift-F8: quick-load (quick as in: load immediately, no menu's or clicking)
• control-i: minimize interface
• alt-i: remove interface
• z: Toggle "Grab Mode" (move map around, ie. when a unit is selected)
• Zoom out to "World View" and click left icon above the mini-map: Draw strategy lines and place signs. (not saved)
• alt-shift-d: set/change game admin and password and allow debug tools.
• icons next to leaders name just above the mini-map:
- 3 arrows: you can trade with this user
- paper: you have open border with this user
- religious symbol: state religion of this civ
- religious symbol with star: state religion and founder of this civ
• Put a shortcut to your quicksave on your desktop to start cIV and load your quicksave immediately
• In the domestic advisor screen [F1] click on a city[/color]: the build queue of this city appears at the bottom of the screen
• Hold both right and left mouse-buttons: grab and drag the map.
• In the diplomatic advisor screen [F4] left-click on a leader's face and move your mouse over the face of another leader to see what the clicked-on leader thinks of the moved-over leader.
• control-click on another civ, above the mini-map: Show trade window with this civ
• right-click on a leader's face in diplomacy advisor: Start diplomacy session with this civ
• alt-d: Change leader-name
• alt-g-n: Shows the pings to all players in a multiplayer game
• alt-s: Place signs on the map
• Click on the tech-research progressbar to quick-pick a new tech to research
• Make the following change in the civilizationIV.ini file
; Allow Camera Flying
AllowFlying = 1
Then press control-alt-f to enable the flying camera and view the map from all possible angels and zoom in and out as far as you want.


Units/combat
• alt-mouse over [enemy unit]: see combat odds [bottom left] (have one of your units selected)
• shift-select multiple units: Group multiple units together. (you can click the unit-icons in a stack as well)
• g: go to mode
• c / middle mouse button: center on unit
• control-a: Move / execute automated units immediately
• automated units will move last in your turn! If you want to move earlier do it manually or press control-a! (important for mp games)
• /: Scroll through your active workers.
• The little circles at the top of the unit-flag representate the number of units in this stack and their movement status.

Cities
• shift-select multiple cities: select multiple cities to give them one build order or rally point.
• middle mous button in city screen: exit city
• Click outside the "fat cross" in city screen: exit city
• shift-right click when (multiple) city (cities) are selected: set rally point (where units from that city (those cities) automaticly move to.
• City size number on the map:
Green: City population is growing
White: City population stagnant
Red: City population is decreasing
• In domestic advisor screen [F1] click on city: The production que of this city will appear at the bottom of the screen
• A beaker, hammer, etc. on the left of the row of city icons indicate that the city is the top research, manufacturing, etc. in your empire.
• A star on the left indicates the presence of a center-of-empire effect: Versailles or Forbidden Palace. A star around the population figure is your capital.
• A little star on a religious icon indicates the Holy City for that religion.
• The percentage is the cultural defense bonus applied to units defending the city.
• control-click on build item: add on top of build queue
• shift-click on build item: add on end of build queue
• alt-click on build item: continuous build this item
• shift-alt-click on build item: build it continuously at the end of your queue
• control-alt-click on build item: build it continuously at the beginning of your queue

anything that's continuously building will "skip" a round if you have a queue below it, build the next item, and then build another of the continuous build. Works also for continously building two types of units back and forth.
• Click center-city-tile in city-screen: Turn on governor for citizen-worker placing
• Click in the city screen on a tile that's been worked by another city of your empire to 'switch' this tile back to the current city. Click it a 2nd time to work it from the current city.
• Space: Oftenly does the same as hitting "enter"

• Tip: Print this first post and keep it next to your keyboard while playing cIV

• Your tip?
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I've only included interface tips.
Including game mechanics and strategies goes too far for this thread.
Thanks to all!

[Addled Platypus]

g- go to mode
shift I-remove interface
Ctrl L- mimimiae interface
Ctrl S- save game
Shift C-center on unit

[Error404]

City size number on the map:

Green -> City population is growing
White -> City population stagnant
Red -> City population is decreasing

[Robert]

I made some updates. Thanks for your input guys.

[Aro]

Mods, please top this...
Thanks A LOT, CyberShy!

Edited: ...and thanks to Platipus Rex and Error404!

[Error404]

I think is:
CTRL+I -> Minimize Interface
ALT+I -> Remove Interface
and not shift+I and ctrl+L but I'm at work not and I'm not completely sure...

[Bill3000]

• SHIFT-F5: quick-save

This is actually in the manual.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Bill3000


This is actually in the manual.

That's true, though I think it may be a nice addition to the quick-save shortcut and I see a lot of people asking for it as well on the forums.

But we should try to keep manual-stuff as much as possible out of here indeed.

I'll check for errors later (or perhaps others can confirm if things are wrong as mentioned before)

[Meli]

Does this count? I know a lot of people were complaining about not having a button to close the city screen. I found, however, that if you mouse click on the "Press [enter] to close screen" (or whatever the actual copy is) text, it will also close that screen.

[Error404]

For better understanding the diplomatic icons (near the leader's names in the score list above the minimap) here is a more accurate key (but not exaustive yet):

-> Religion icon (shows the state religion of the leader's civ (with a star means he's also the founder)

-> Open Border icon

-> Trading icon

I've not yet been able (my old savegame doesn't load anymore) to show a "defensive pact" icon, a "permanent alliance" icon and the others religions

P.S.
AFAIK the "trading icon" means one of yours cities have a trading route active with a city of that civ. It doesn't mean that you're trading resources or gold or something else with him/her.

[Backpack]

Click Inside the City Window, but Outside the City Radius (Workable Tiles) to exit the City View.

Strategy Layer (Drawing on the Map or Naming a Map Location) is only available in the zoomed out 'World View'. When you zoom all the way out, it is the far left button on the button line.

Strategy Layer information DOES NOT SAVE (In single Player or MP). This is either a bug or an easy way to clean the map.

[meowsqueak]

Select city and shift-right-click to set the rally point (new units automatically move there after being built). Unfortunately you cannot set separate water/land rally points.

[Sarxis]

BUT!! Has anyone yet figured out what 'z' is? It enables 'Zip Mode', but what is that?

Ctrl-A forces all units with orders to perform them. Very nice if you want to 'clear the cache' in regards to units waiting for orders.

[ChaotikVisions]

Clicking the middle mouse button in city screen exits the window.

[Jaybe]

• shift-C: center on unit -- it is "C" without the Shift.

ALL Units with previous queued orders can be forced to move NOW with Ctrl-A. You cannot limit this to selective units.

Sarxis: "z" is a toggle for "Grab Mode;" use it to move the map around, particularly when a unit is selected.