What is the Civ definition of a continent?

[Hundred Waters]

I have always been perplexed by this particular question, namely, how does civ definne what exactly a continent represents? I ask this with particular reference to wonders such as J.S Bach's Cathedral which decreases unhappyness in all cities on the continent by two. Say my Roman civilization occupies a large land mass. There is a thin land bridge connecting this to another large land mass. Is this considered as another continent by the computer or is any type of land connection enough to make it One continent? Lets now say that there is a third large glob of land connected to the second by yet another tiny land bridge. Is this third piece of land considered part of the same Continent even though by this point it is well over half a world away?
If Rome builds J.S Bach's Cathedral, will a small roman colony waaaay over on the third land mass benefit from the effects of the wonder?

I guess this question could also apply to establishing trade routes with civs on other continents.

Any help towarsds a definition of this would be very helpful towards better strategic gameplay.
Any ideas?

[Chris1111]

The Bach Cathedral reduces unhappiness for all your cities doesnt matter if all on the same continent.

As far as continent any landmass completely surrounded by water is considered a continent in civ2 even a 3 tile little island is considered one. On your map along with the x,y coordinates you will see there is another number at the end and that represents the continent number. You could use this to tell if cities are on same continent.

Did I answer your question? Someone else may be able to be clearer
[This message has been edited by Chris1111 (edited April 19, 2001).]

[airdrik]

Edit: doh, you got to it first .
[This message has been edited by airdrik (edited April 19, 2001).]

[Mixam]

I came across something weird today. My starting position was on continent 1. Water is always continent 1 so I could not distinguish between my continent and the ocean by using the continent number. Kinda stange don't you think?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

One things that's kind of cool is that sometimes you'll get two land masses that are tangental to one another, like so (where "s" is sea and "m" is land mass 1, and x is land mass two.

mmmmm
smmms
ssmss
ssxss
sxxss
xxxxx

In this case, you can travel overland from the x to the m land mass, but the game reads it as two different continents -- which means awesome early trade bonuses. This is happening in a game I just started, and I got something like 40g for sending beads 5 squares from tiny London to tiny York in 100 BC. Woo-hoo!

------------------
Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches.
-- Rufus T. Firefly, the original rush-builder

[Mixam]

Yeah I have had this occur too. I believe that if a square touches along the points like the one you illustrate it is not counted as touching thus making the landmass two continents even though you can walk across the point where they touch.

[Edward]

Hundred Waters,

I believe that all wonders that are listed as affecting only the continent they're on actually affect all your cities in Civ2.

Even thin land bridges connect land masses into a single continent no matter how thin, long, or twisted. A continent can span the entire map. I was not aware of Rufus T. Firefly's exception that diagonally connected land masses are not "officially" connected 'though it seems reasonable.

Another thing to note: The North and South pole (those stretches of arctic/tundra land at the top and bottom of the map) do NOT count as connecting continents, even if they effectively do make a land bridge. Two land masses connected only by polar land count as two separate continents.

[Mixam]

I agree with Edward about the wonders. I have read in this forum that despite what the manual says all wonders that are said to effect only the continent it is built on actually effect all cities. I have seen no evidence to disprove this yet. I believe the only wonders that do not effect all cities are:

• Colossus
• King Richards Crusade
• Copernicuses Observatory
• Shakespeares Theatre
• Isaac Newton's College