n00b - I MUST be missing something

[HadleysHope]

Thanks fella, its just the size of the manual thats been putting me off!! I think my brain might leak!! hehe.

[Solver]

Back when they released Civ1, the manual size for that was something unheard of

[Willem]

Originally posted by allybhoy
Also download the latest patch and you can use the epic setting, makes the game last much longer and will give you time to think.

You mean Marathon. It is a good setting for new players since it gives them lots of time to get a feel for things. I can see that Normal would seeem a bit rushed.

[Solver]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Marathon is unbalanced in favour of the warmongers, and it's probably too long for first games. I'd still recommend Epic, the speed of that is pretty much OK, and it's just as balanced as Normal. But yeah, Normal speed is a bit of a rush.

[gdijedi7]

Originally posted by Solver
I wouldn't be so sure about that. Marathon is unbalanced in favour of the warmongers, and it's probably too long for first games. I'd still recommend Epic, the speed of that is pretty much OK, and it's just as balanced as Normal. But yeah, Normal speed is a bit of a rush.

Yeah. War is what I love about Civ. Always has been, though I'm reluctant to actually START the wars... My current game is marathon and I had all the tech by 1945. Everyone else is just barely getting Infantry.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Solver
I wouldn't be so sure about that. Marathon is unbalanced in favour of the warmongers, and it's probably too long for first games. I'd still recommend Epic, the speed of that is pretty much OK, and it's just as balanced as Normal. But yeah, Normal speed is a bit of a rush.

Yes it is a bit long, and rather slow at first, but since units don't go obsolete as quickly it's a good opportunity to get a feel for each one. And you have lots of time to figure out the techs.

[Solver]

But you get a crapload of units there. Plus, if I were a new player, I'd be turned off by buildings that take 30 turns to build, and that under normal circumstances.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Solver
Plus, if I were a new player, I'd be turned off by buildings that take 30 turns to build, and that under normal circumstances.

Yes that's true, it takes a certain amount of patience to play Marathon. Personally, I won't consider playing anything else though.

[Unimatrix11]

@Hadley Hope: There are Amiga-Emulators out there and also (almost) all the games (.adf-files) - all for free download. You might have some trouble finding the Kickroms though (the Amiga-Dos which you need to run the machine), since i think those are still under copyright-protection (which is totally rediculous IMHO).

[Amarsir]

Just to be a contrarian, I didn't really bother with the manual, though I did study the tech tree a bit. More importantly, I would say when the window pops up to recommend something, figure out exactly why it's recommending it in that particular city (at that particular time). There are intricacies to what you build when and learning that is the key to formulating strategeies - which is where the fun lies!

Also get to know your advisor tools F1-F10. Ultimately you may not use them that much, but if you know what they tell you then you know what to think about and you know where to go when you want that kind of info.

[Solver]

More importantly, I would say when the window pops up to recommend something, figure out exactly why it's recommending it in that particular city (at that particular time).

That's not a great idea. The recommendations are rarely outright stupid, but they are usually nothing brilliant, normally being just on the level of average play. So there might be a better strategy that you won't see if you accept the recommendation as the basis of a strategy, or if you assume it's worth figuring out why it's recommended.

I'd much rather suggest reading the manual first to understand what everything is about on the basic level, and then just playing and trying different things. Try expanding like mad, notice that the economy collapses. Bad idea. Try building many Farms and using a ton of specialists, notice that you get a load of Great People and worse production capabilities. Interesting. Try building Cottages almost everywhere, notice excellent research times.

[Urban Ranger]

Play on the Settler level at Normal speed for a couple of games. I suggest picking Qin Shi Huang as your leader, because he's got nice solid traits. Play the games on Continents, large map, with about 5-6 civs. This will give you lots of room to play in to get the hang of things.

This reminds me, the game needs to have a "sandbox" mode for newbies.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Solver
The recommendations are rarely outright stupid,

Though sometimes they are. Like when it recommends an Obelisk in the first city you build if you start with Mysticism. Talk about pointless!

[VonSharma]

I remember my first times playing Civ3. I didn't understand the city screen. Now its gotten even more confusing, so that sucks. Just keep playing around and doing things and like any language, you'll pick it up soon.

Just know that other than that, settle cities near the most productive and food producing sites, and within reach of resources.. play a game all the way through and you'll figure out what you need to do. You'll quickly get the hang of what works and what doesn't, especially if you have another civ nearby who might pose a threat. Use the manual as you go along but bother reading it before hand except for maybe the cityscreen stuff.
And if I may put my two cents in, put the effort into this game. Civ is not a mere computer game. I can't imagine appreciating politics and history without having played this game. There are so many layers of complexity and beauty in civ4 (and the other civs), you will be a poorer human being for not having played it.
And as for your appetite for resource management, it will be adequately satiated (eg you will go nuts when you find out you don't have oil for tanks and bombers, and your stronger, bigger neighbor does... and/or you might start to understand why Bush wanted to invade Iraq so badly =P

Aside - My first 'real' game where I withstood the test of time, although it was Monarch in civ3, I was the Aztec and with one lonesome Jaguar, I took York and London by 3000 BC... got back at that little strumpet, Elizabeth for wiping me out the previous game. Needless to say, that ruled pretty ridiculously hard

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by Solver

The recommendations are rarely outright stupid, but they are usually nothing brilliant, normally being just on the level of average play.

The outright stupid one I like happens on the turn of anarchy after a revolution. "City X is not producing any culture. I suggest you build a ...".

It is certainly worth trying to understand why the suggestion is being made. But don't click on "do so at the first opportunity" - by that time the situation may have changed completely.

RJM at Sleeper's