Playing Civ2 on a laptop?

sboog · April 23, 2001, 13:35

I've just ordered a Dell laptop computer, and I am wondering how well it will handle Civ2. It will have a 15 in.screen and GeForce2Go graphics. But I am wondering if the resolution on a laptop makes all the game icons look teeny tiny.

Anyone here like playing Civ2 on a laptop? Is it hard to see the details?

sboog

DaveV · April 23, 2001, 13:42

For me, the screen is not a problem; the worst part is learning to play without a numeric keypad. The arrow keys and page up, page down, home and end keys are in different sections of the keyboard, and it took me a while before the keys became automatic.

Chris 62 · April 23, 2001, 13:53

I have played on both, and it isn't really a problem. Just go to maximum zoom, and you should see the icons easily enough. Some lap tops have excellent resolution, and the game can look quite good on it. If you do get the lap top, get a mouse attachment. Playing with just the keyboard slows the game down.

------------------
All knowledge begins with the phrase: I don't know.

sboog · April 23, 2001, 14:52

Dave, I had forgotten the laptop keyboard doesn't have the numeric keypad. So moving the units NW or SE will not be near as easy as using the 7 or 3. I'm not even sure where "Home" (7) will be.

sboog

RyanR · April 23, 2001, 20:26

When playing Civ2 on my laptop I have to use the mouse. Its uncomfortable.. but I need my fix!

If you put the mouse near the unit in a certain direction it will show an arrow then you just need to click.

If its a long way click and hold on the target square to engage the "go" feature.

William Keenan · April 23, 2001, 22:27

The only computer I have ever played civ on is a laptop. To me it has never seemed cumbersome or akward. The graphics are wonderful on the LCD despite the fact that my laptop is two and a half years old.

Laertes · April 24, 2001, 03:33

I've only ever played on laptops too. The mouse advice above is good - I have used Toshiba "nipples" and Dell touchpads, and they give advanced strains of RSI, above and beyond "Civver's wrist" and "One more turn elbow".

I always hold the mouse click for the Go command, to ensure accuracy.

Carolus Rex · April 24, 2001, 14:15

I play a lot on my laptop. Graphics is no problem, but getting used to moving units without the numpad is irritating in the beginning. All those units I moved in the wrong direction, may they rest in peace!

On the bright side, a new excellent excuse for all the bad calls (ever made and forthcoming) in my games: "Damned, hit the wrong key!"

Carolus

Daddy-O · April 25, 2001, 01:36

I played several times on a Dell laptop. The graphics are fine. It is the lack of a keypad that kills me and my troops.

reds4ever · April 25, 2001, 20:46

controls aside, you can't beat playing Civ on a Laptop, with a tin in your hand whilst spread out on your sofa, scratching your nuts..ahh bliss!!!

AustralianJeremy · April 25, 2001, 21:06

Yeah, the numberpad's the only problem. If I turn the numpad on I lose all the letters over that side, including useful ones like "I" and "P". So I have to go alt options and select irrigate etc from the menu. And if I forget to turn the numpad back on after naming a city or something, and accidentally hit "k", whatever unit I had selected goes quite spastic, which is annoying.

Still, nothing like sitting there in a history lecture LOOKING like I'm paying attention but really playing Civ2. Heh.

East Street Trader · April 26, 2001, 13:01

Bloody hell. You guys have actually got it worse than me. Can't believe it.

reds4ever

Incredible image. Lol.

Fergus

I'm currently carrying an enflamed biceps from playing obsessively for one entire week end (including all of Saturday night. Hasn't stopped me, of course. Just playing left handed.

sboog · April 26, 2001, 13:15

Could you say a little more about "turning on the numpad" in a laptop? Since my laptop will not arrive until next week, I can't quite visualize the problem.

On my desktop, I have the number pad (with 9 keys for choosing directions) on my right. Also 4 arrow keys. Now since there will be no number pad on the laptop, is there some way to activate some letter keys so that they perform as the number pad, with the 8 different directions for moving units? Is it in the same cluster of 9 keys like the number pad?

Thanks.
sboog

DaveV · April 26, 2001, 14:40

quote:

Originally posted by sboog on 04-26-2001 01:15 PM
Could you say a little more about "turning on the numpad" in a laptop? Since my laptop will not arrive until next week, I can't quite visualize the problem.

You don't want to go there - this cure is certainly worse than the disease. On my laptop, I can turn on a numlock feature which makes the u,i,o,p,j,k,l,m,comma,period,slash (I think) keys change to a numeric keypad. I tried it for a while, but quickly tired of giving orders to units instead of moving them and vice versa. I suggest sticking with the arrow keys and home, page up, page down, end. It takes a little time to get used to them, but it works a lot better for me than the alpha-to-numeric key mapping.

Ilkuul · April 26, 2001, 14:49

Do as I did and avoid the whole numpad problem: get a cable to plug your desktop keyboard into your laptop!

Should be quite easy with all modern laptops. With that and a normal, serial/PS2 mouse, you won't know the difference from a desktop!

sboog · May 2, 2001, 20:46

My new laptop is arriving in the morning. I have two concerns:

1. I am getting a Dell I8000 with the new GeForce2Go graphics. BUT the native resolution is 1400X1050. I hope - hope - hope that Civ2 will be all right. I hope Civ2's lower resolution won't blur. (Anyone know?)

2. I am unfamiliar with a laptop keyboard. But it seems from some of your posts that the number pad is not there, and while the arrow keys are fine, they don't cover all the movements like the numpad did. What is your suggestion about using the "other keys" or continuing with the arrow keys and whatever that "Home - Scoll - Page up" or whatever is?

Thanks.
sboog

Carolus Rex · May 3, 2001, 05:48

1. Can't you just change the resolution before playing?

2. Use the arrow keys + "Pg Up" (corresponding to "9" on the numpad), "Pg Dn" (corresponding to "3"), "End" ("1") and "Home" ("7").

Carolus

sboog · May 5, 2001, 19:55

My laptop arrived, and I am happy to say that Civ2 just runs like a dream on it. Graphics are fine!

And as far as the numpad thing, I can deal with that. Somehow it does not bother me. (But the thoughts that the graphics would show a tiny area of the game or blur it if I lowered the resolution - all that worry was for naught! The game just looks great.)

The Civ2 CD was the second thing I put on the machine. (The first was Age of Empires... ) Now I have my two favorites and they will go with me wherever I go!

Thanks for your help and encouragement.

sboog

ancient · May 6, 2001, 17:13

dell inspirons can handle pretty much anything..