custon games

[Traianvs]

Where do I turn on/off Aggressive AI?

[Helghallen]

Turning off/on raging barbarians is on the custom game screen after selecting single game.

[MrFun]

I think you really went to the dark side with that. You really should NEVER be picky with what map you got unless you start in a horrible (resourceless jungle or tundra) position, and the use of World Builder to inspect a map would severely curtail my enjoyment of the game.

Another option to bad initial position is to tweak iStartingLocPercent in GameInfo/CIV4HandicapInfo.xml for the difficulties you play at ... lower values give you better positions. I use it shamelessly, with a 10!

I did not know of the file, CIV4HandicapInfo. I will have to try that.

Whenever I do not get sufficient grasslands with enough plains or grassland hills, I usually change to another generated map and then repeat this over and over again. You cannot build **** if you get no hills, and your cities will not grow if there is nothing but plains with no grasslands.

[Fleme]

I personally consider tampering with the files as cheating, unless you're specifically playing a mod. Same goes for using the world builder to get a preview of the map with all the starting locations, terrain and strategic resources because it's unfair to have that advantage without any effort. Furthermore, regenerating maps isn't good for your gameplay since everyone is good on a solid grassland/river/hill environment. It's playing those junk starts and prevailing what makes you improve as a player.

In short, locking modified assets to keep yourself from cheating is the way to go. Try it.

[MrFun]

There's nothing fun about taking 200 turns to build a granary because your starting city has no hills, or if your city starves by mid-game because it is surrounded by nothing but irrigated plains and desert.

I don't reveal my map whenever I start on a new map. I just explore with my settler and warrior/scout first for a short time to see if I like the starting area. If I don't I go back to regenerate a new map.

[Jaybe]

You cannot build **** if you get no hills, and your cities will not grow if there is nothing but plains with no grasslands.

No, that's not so fun, but your SECOND city might have a wonderful spot, so all you may need to do is get that first settler built.

I just explore with my settler and warrior/scout first for a short time to see if I like the starting area. If I don't I go back to regenerate a new map.

I've never gone wandering about with my settler. By the second or third turn he's settled.

I did not know of the file, CIV4HandicapInfo. I will have to try that.

I trust you know to do that with your Custom Assets, and not do it to your original file.

[wodan11]

There's nothing fun about taking 200 turns to build a granary because your starting city has no hills

Presumably you have a lot of coast, or food. In which case, uhm, Slavery?

[Blaupanzer]

Now that I have BTS, here is how I play my custom game:
(details)
I must say though, I am often disappointed with the map generation as you load a new game. I can spend an hour or more generating a map, not liking it, and then going back to regenerate a new map!

Welcome to BTS, Mr. Fun. I generally play with the map as given, but am disappointed if I don't get SOME good food resources in the BFC of the Capitol. I have fought long nasty early wars to secure horses or iron that began far closer to the AI than to me. If I can secure neither copper nor iron, I am reluctant to continue solely with just horses. This spreading out to get close to needed resources can be a bit crippling financially. This is why I go for CoL early and currency before calendar.

[MrFun]

You cannot build **** if you get no hills, and your cities will not grow if there is nothing but plains with no grasslands.

No, that's not so fun, but your SECOND city might have a wonderful spot, so all you may need to do is get that first settler built.


I've never gone wandering about with my settler. By the second or third turn he's settled.


I trust you know to do that with your Custom Assets, and not do it to your original file.

I explore with my settler only after saving at the opening turn. I do NOT save while I explore; then if I like the starting area, I reload the game at opening turn.

[Theben]

Unlike civII, in BtS you should settle your settler in 2 turns, if not immediately. I can't think of a game where my capital didn't have enough resources to grow and build sufficiently. Now the surrounding land, OTOH, has on occasion been miserable. Then I usually re-start.

[MrFun]

Yep; hence why I simply reload back to opening turn if I like the map, Theben.

[wodan11]

The problem with that is that it's human nature to perfect and play the same strats all the time. Having a "different" start can force us to play other strats, which adds variety, and keeps the game fun.

i.e., one strat's "miserable" is another strat's perfect start.

[Ming]

It's also a very bad habit to get into if you ever are going to join MP games. You have to learn how to deal with the not so optimum starting locations.
And as wodan points out, it can be fun to learn how to deal with such starting positions. It will also make you a better player.

[Theben]

Oh, I don't have a problem with sub-optimal starts. I'm referring to those arctic starts where the next non-arctic/tundra is 10+ tiles away.

For me different starts involve playing a different civ. I tend to stick with Native Americans.

[rah]

A true artic stat is a valid reason to ask for a restart in an MP game. We have been know to grant it occasionaly.

We actually had a player the other day who started as the NA and had a river with floodplains complain about their starting position and quit the game. The rest of were surprised and guessing what type of start would be considered good enough if that one wasn't.