CIV Advice before Purchase

[Flhaus]

I'm thinking about purchasing CIV 4. I have many questions that I hope you guys can help me with. I have been burned several times when purchasing software after reading the minimum requirements, and have found out that the minimum requirements are not the whole picture sometimes. I would like to know if my system specs listed in my signature will work and are there any frustrating issues with the game on this hardware. Also, I noticed that there are several versions out there. Are these versions "game packs", or stand alone? If they are stand alone, which is the best package. It may be helpful to know that my experience is with CTP 2.

Thanks.

[Aro]

Buy Civ IV and Warlords.

[Harovan]

My system specs are about the same as yours, except that I have only 1 GB and a NVidia 7800GT (XP Media Center too). Civ4 runs just fine on all settings and all shipped map sizes. Warlords is not a must, though. You should buy it if you like warfare, for a peaceful builder it doesn't offer much. You should also buy it if you're into MP or PBEM, since most of your opponents will insist on it.

[Bkeela]

I must have disabled signatures as I can't see your specs, but I have:

AMD Athlon XP 3200+ 2191 MHz
1024 MB RAM
RADEON 9800 x86

Civ IV does run slow on my rig, so I have single unit graphics which I think looks better than three units anyway. Still the end game gets slow, but I don't even notice it as the game play is so utterly absorbing.

[Flhaus]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
You should also buy it if you're into MP or PBEM, since most of your opponents will insist on it.

Are you saying I should also buy warlords if I am into MP or PBEM or buy CIV4. Also, excuse the ignorance, what is PBEM?

[Harovan]

I mean Warlords, and PBEM means Play By EMail - kind of offline Multiplayer.

[Flhaus]

Thanks. Doesn't CIV4 have MP too? I like to play over my network with other family members. This should be an expected feature.

[ColdPhoenix]

I've got a similar system to yours, it'll run nicely!

I also think it's worth it to buy Warlords.

[MightyTiny]

Well, Warlords DOES offer things to the builder as well - new civ-specific buildings and new wonders - most importantly perhaps the great wall, which allows for new sorts of fun and interesting custom games... For example, an OCC game on a standard (or even large) highlands map with raging barbs, aiming to build the great wall early on... that way, you'll only have one city the whole game, but you'll have the barbs "on your side" to balance things out.

(You may need to tinker a bit with the difficulty levels and and other settings to find the level where the AI opponents aren't overrun by the barbs, but rather just slowed down enough to allow you chances to win.)

So I'd recommend getting Warlords in any case, whatever your play style.

And your specs look quite excellent - you should have no trouble with the game.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Flhaus
Thanks. Doesn't CIV4 have MP too? I like to play over my network with other family members. This should be an expected feature.

Yes. That's why I mentioned both (online) MP and (offline) PBEM. I don't know it for sure, but I suppose if you want to play with family over the network, you'll need a separate copy for everyone.

[Flhaus]

Originally posted by MightyTiny

So I'd recommend getting Warlords in any case, whatever your play style.

Thanks for the recommendation. I think that because I'm new to CIV4, I should get the CIV4 1st and play it awhile before getting the warlords expansion pack. This way I at least get my moneys worth out of CIV. Does this make sense?

QUOTE] Originally posted by MightyTiny


And your specs look quite excellent - you should have no trouble with the game. [/QUOTE]

I hope so, but I am having problems with screen flicker playing CTP2 on my new machine. I never had problems with the game on my older machines.

[Flhaus]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph


Yes. That's why I mentioned both (online) MP and (offline) PBEM. I don't know it for sure, but I suppose if you want to play with family over the network, you'll need a separate copy for everyone.

Oh yea, you do need a seperate copy for everyone. Even an old games like CTP is like that.

[yin26]

My advice: End your relationships with friends and family. You can pick them up again at a later time.

[ColdPhoenix]

Originally posted by Flhaus
I hope so, but I am having problems with screen flicker playing CTP2 on my new machine. I never had problems with the game on my older machines.

I had possibly the same problem with my new system while playing a game. The flickers were coming from the right-hand side of the screen so I closed the toolbar with clock etc on the desktop and the problem stopped. Don't know why it was happening, I can have other things open behind the game which don't interfere at all.

[Robert]

I'd say: buy civ4 (vanilla), play it for a few months, and then buy Beyond the Sword (the expansion).