Map size - question

[Andrus]

Hi all,

I’m new in these forums and new to Civ4, since I have just bought it yesterday. But I’m addicted since Civ1, with a little recover on Civ2 and a return to dependence with Civ3.

I managed to play it for two hours and already discovered that I will have to make some big changes in the way I play, but I’m ok with that.

The noob question I would like to put is about the size of the maps. I always liked to play with huge maps, so in the first game I have set a Huge Map, Continents. After having playing for a while and been boxed by other civs with only 5 cities I resigned. To my surprise the map I saw looked like a medium map in Civ3.

On second game, after the patch to 1.52, I could produce 8 cities before being boxed again and once more the map looked too small to be huge settings.

Is this normal or is my game behaving strangely?

I’m not complaining (much), only want to know if this is normal.

Best regards

Andrus

[Willem]

You're not imaging things, the maps are quite a bit smaller than they were. The game is pretty demanding on computer processors so they made the decision to make them smaller. Plus with the game no longer conducive to huge empires, larger maps aren't really necessary. I find it more challenging to play a game on a map half the size that I was used to in Civ 3.

And consider yourself lucky to be able to play on Huge maps, only the best systems are able to. Standard is the best my computer can handle, Large maps will crash it.

[Andrus]

Thanks for your reply Willem.

I see I will have to make even bigger changes in the way I play Civ.

My computer have been able to handle huge maps so far, although it isn’t a too recent or to high specs, but I have been playing in Settler difficulty lvl to check what were the differences to Civ3.

Thanks once more for the information.

Andrus

[EternalSpark]

I dunno if this is your problem, but up until a certain point in the game (what tech, I dunno), your world map consists pretty much what you (and any allies) have seen.

It's a neat little effect, if I do say so myself. When you're just starting out, it gives the impression that the "entire world" would be only that one city, from their perspective.

[Arrian]

Yeah, that could be part of what he's talking about.

Until you discover a certain tech (Calendar?) or build a certain wonder (Stonehenge), all you see is your "known world." Once you get either the wonder or the tech, your map will resize and you will see, based on the minimap, essentially where you are in the world and how big your known world is, relative to the world.

You'll see.

-Arrian

[ben_sphynx]

Aparently the 'earth' style map is generally larger for a specific sise (eg standard or huge) than most of the other map scripts.

[Destroyer]

I have a brand new 4800 dual core AMD thingy, and the only thing I have found slow is the loading time.

I have made the Huge map 50% bigger (as I found it too small, and it is even more challanging trying to sustain a larger empire).

I havent noticed any slow downs. It may be no of Civs dependent (I usually only have 3-5 others). But it flies much quicker than Civ3.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Destroyer
It may be no of Civs dependent (I usually only have 3-5 others).

It definitely is # of civs dependant. Try running with all civs on that map size and you'll certainly notice a difference.

[Axxaer]

Originally posted by EternalSpark
I dunno if this is your problem, but up until a certain point in the game (what tech, I dunno), your world map consists pretty much what you (and any allies) have seen.

It's a neat little effect, if I do say so myself. When you're just starting out, it gives the impression that the "entire world" would be only that one city, from their perspective.

Don't think so because he said it was after he resigned.

[alva]

I have a brand new 4800 dual core AMD thingy, and the only thing I have found slow is the loading time.

Loading time has very little to do with what kind of processor you have, a fast(er) disk will be much more helpfull.

[Andrus]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the information.

Axxaer is right I was talking about the world map after I have “Resigned” so it isn’t the effect before Map resize.

I will now try a huge Earth map, with Chiften lvl, and on Marathon speed to see how it goes.

Thanks all once more,

Andrus

[Destroyer]

Originally posted by alva

I have a brand new 4800 dual core AMD thingy, and the only thing I have found slow is the loading time.

Loading time has very little to do with what kind of processor you have, a fast(er) disk will be much more helpfull.

I think you are wrong here.

The save game files are less than 700kb.

My HDD is quicker than that, surely?

[MightyTiny]

Re: Map size - question

Originally posted by Andrus
On second game, after the patch to 1.52, I could produce 8 cities before being boxed again and once more the map looked too small to be huge settings.

Is this normal or is my game behaving strangely?

It's normal in my experience - the AI often founds cities right at your border.

But you don't have to be worried about "only" having 8 cities before being boxed in - that's more than adequate to start with, and even to win a game if you don't like the prospect of conquering cities.

I usually try to get 4 cities before concentrating on building the army I'll use to conquer the cities of one of my neigbours who so helpfully founded several cities for me.

I think the majority opinion is that the gameplay affecting changes in Civ4 have made the game significantly better, more balanced, less exploitable, and more fun.

But it may take a little getting used to at first, before you'll find for yourself how things work now... the "Civ4-Strategy & Education" forum might be a good place to hasten the process. Also, I've found articles at http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=156 highly informative.

Oh, and DO try the marathon mode - it's simply awesome; I hardly ever use other time settings anymore. (It slows down everything, but slows unit production LESS than other things, meaning that your swordsmen who left for that pillaging rampage a while ago, won't be obsolete by the time they reach their victims! )

[Andrus]

Hi MightyTiny,

I’m playing a game in Marathon mode now and in fact I’m loving it. The perfect setting for me would be a little different, like 1xtime to produce units, 2xtime to produce buildings and 3xtime to research and number of turns.

I had to change my strategic to play Civ, as now I have stopped building more cities when I have reach 7 cities, allowed the other civs to boxed me and then take cities from them as the need aroused, as to get resources or to get a city with access to the sea.

I think after some more games to get more the feeling of the game, Civ4 will be as addicting to me as it was Civ3.

Thanks for your comments and advises.

Andrus