Viewing other civs while you play

sboog · July 21, 2001, 15:17

Is it possible to view other civs while I play?

Today I got really far along (for me!) - got to 620 BC before I saved the game and took a breather. I actually built a great library!

But after awhile the message appeared "The Germans have built a pyramid." And then "The Aztecs have built [something.]" I wanted to see them on the map but the map was mostly black.

The only civ I could see was Little BigHorn and Cedar Creek. I kept attacking them just to see what would happen. I guess because I was playing on the "tutorial" level, nothing bad happened to me. Lost some phalanx and an elephant, but then I had 4 cities and built a great library!

Still I don't ever really see what the computer is doing or has done. And there is never any explanation saying "The computer has just destroyed your elephant." Or "you have destroyed 3 enemy warriors."

I 'm coming out of the fog a bit, but there is a lot I don't know. And why does my phalanx get promoted to "veteran status" when he is pretty much destroyed.

Lots to learn.

sboog

Smash · July 21, 2001, 17:09

well, you could use the cheat menu to reveal the entire map and watch but...

you can share maps with them if you both have Map Making and are on good terms.Enthusiastic or worshipful.

There are some messages like "population drop in xxxx" after an attack.You lose population every time you lose a battle from inside the city.Unless you have city walls.or "sneak attack by xxxx"

Because he(they) has just survived and won a battle and gained valuable battle feild experience making him(them) better soldiers....so to speak.

Rasputin · July 21, 2001, 18:41

you should notice your elephant being attacked.. and at start of your turn it should say what your casulaties total were, you can click on that popup and it wil show you where it happened or goto casualtie timeline to see a history of all losses.

Also if you attack a stack of enemy it will say at end "2 units destroyed" ..

On the casualtie time line it wil show you the losses of other civs too ..

Marquis de Sodaq · July 21, 2001, 20:43

If the map is still mostly black, send out some units to explore! The explorer unit (the fastest land unit until you discover tactics) is available with navigation. This is also how you find goodie boxes, a.k.a. huts. Exploration is the best way to reveal the map.

sboog · July 21, 2001, 21:17

Rasputin,

Where do I go to find these messages? Under what heading? In the City display?

Not sure just where you mean.

sboog

Smash · July 21, 2001, 21:37

They should just pop up.

There is some more options you may have turned off.Its in File/city reports options.There is a variety of warning messages there that can be on or off.

Rasputin · July 21, 2001, 21:46

yes i thought that they automatically pop up. other wise goto your advisors window, (cant rember which function key, look at top of screen and you wil lfind a menu option there) then under the advisors, at the bottom is casualty timeline option...

Alex 14 · July 22, 2001, 02:56

You only dont see battles in a hotseat game. If you want some info about your opponants build Marco Polo's Embassy, United Nations and Apollo Program.

Rasputin · July 22, 2001, 03:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex 14
You only dont see battles in a hotseat game. If you want some info about your opponants build Marco Polo's Embassy, United Nations and Apollo Program.

I tried hotseat for a few game sbut it realy sucks.. no diplomacy with humans allowed and totally sneak attacks that you never see..

Definatly give hotseat miss !!!!!

sboog · July 22, 2001, 10:52

Thanks. I found the list of casualties under the Defense advisor (I believe that was the one.) Now I can see what happened to all those phalanx and elephants!

The City reports option is helpful, too.

I'm learning to play!!!!

sboog

Rasputin · July 22, 2001, 23:22

yeah it keeps getting better huh !!! do you check your demographics to see how you are going (hit F11 key) .. Try using all the Function keys to see the information they show you....

Alex 14 · July 23, 2001, 03:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Rasputin

I tried hotseat for a few game sbut it realy sucks.. no diplomacy with humans allowed and totally sneak attacks that you never see..

Definatly give hotseat miss !!!!!

It's ok, but Civ 3 should be better.

Meeko · July 23, 2001, 07:28

That's what lets Hotseat down...it's really annoying having your advisor decline what you would've otherwise agreed to. Sometimes this is very annoying and frustrating. Same with being unable to view occurrences or negotiate if the computer makes contact during their turn: I didn't want to give them Advanced Flight!

Read the whole manual, it'll explain quite a lot (but don't save the game if you're trying some features which the manual explains...save before and reload if it goes bad - if otherwise, why waste a good turn?

Do you have "tutorial help" switched on at the options menu (Ctrl+O)?

Yeah, you should explore: build triremes, caravels, galleons, whatever you have (Destroyers and Transports are the best ships to explore the seas with: load the transports with Explorers or Alpine Troops if you have them).

Or you can build Marco's Embassy, or the United Nations, both allowing you to communicate with anyone you want at all (if you have the former, I suggest making contact as soon as you build it) and then request the exchange of maps.

Or you can wait until really late in the game and build the Apollo Program, which will give you a free map of the world! But I wouldn't want to wait that long...

In the end it's ultimately up to you. Practice makes perfect!

Scouse Gits · July 23, 2001, 07:44

What version are you playing sboog - I think that the casualty pop-up and time line are only normal in MPGE - you can get casualties from the Defence Advisor in v2.42, but no pop-up.

Go and explore - one of your first half dozen units should be a horse tasked solely with discovering the world - a trireme (with another horse or diplo) should be similarly tasked soon after you get mapmaking - if you don't explore, you won't find those juicy cities with which you want to trade - in order to get the funds to mount an attack on the same cities .. etc etc

fittstim · July 23, 2001, 08:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Smash

...you can share maps with them if you both have Map Making and are on good terms.Enthusiastic or worshipful.

Really?!?!? I didn't think this was ever possible. I've been playing for years and not once has the computer agreed to trade maps with me. Even when the civ was worshipful and I had almost uncovered the entire map (and the AI civ was "in the dark").

I always figured this was something for MPs to use but never SPs vs. AI.

EOL · July 23, 2001, 09:00

A good reputation helps with trading maps, they need to be worshipful generally if you're supreme, early in the game or if you're less than supreme they will usually trade if enthusiastic and occasionally with a lower rating if they're a civilized civ.

sboog · July 24, 2001, 16:19

So what if I toggle the cheat button and hit reveal map? Just to get an idea of what the scope of other civs looks like.

I would not continue that game.

How do you all feel about folks who sometimes do that?

Mind you, I have not done it yet.

sboog

Alex 14 · July 25, 2001, 02:46

When you end the game it says that you cheated in big red writing. :banned:

Rasputin · July 25, 2001, 06:05

Quote:

Originally posted by sboog
So what if I toggle the cheat button and hit reveal map? Just to get an idea of what the scope of other civs looks like.

I would not continue that game.

How do you all feel about folks who sometimes do that?

Mind you, I have not done it yet.

sboog

The cheat menu is there for you to learn from use it whenever you want. one day you will paly right through with out cheating and then you know how well you are going

jcarkey · July 26, 2001, 00:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Scouse Gits
What version are you playing sboog - I think that the casualty pop-up and time line are only normal in MPGE - you can get casualties from the Defence Advisor in v2.42, but no pop-up.

That would be correct. I was really surpirsed when that happened first time I played MGE.

Blaupanzer · July 26, 2001, 15:37

Once a foreign city has built a Wonder, the "find city" menu choice will show you where in the black that city is. You still have to explore to get there, but this helps.

Also the top five cities choice (F8?) or menu option will give you a clue as to who else is in the game, especially before any wonders are built.

On large maps, Marco Polos Embassy is well worth building, as it is easier to get the AI to share maps earlier in the game. Don't automatically clear the popups in 2.42 as these often have clues as to who else is on the map. The name of the early game is exploration and expansion, no matter what style you later adopt.
One more way to just identify the AI cast is to choose the diplomacy menu option "declare war on _____" of the first AI you meet. The program will present a list of the other five current AIs. You can then cancel or go for it, as you probably won't have enough money for the needed bribe. The AI will respond they don't have contact with that civ, which may be true or may mean you don't have sufficient funds to induce them to go to war. Occassionally, the AI will respond that they are already at war with that blankedy-blank civ.