Multiplayer in Civ IV, any good?

[Cougar_DK]

Hi, I havn't tried the MP part of Civ IV and thinking about trying some LAN sometime in the near future. So does it work for you ?

[Aries]

Civ IV rocks in every capacity I have played it in. I've not played in more than a 3 person game though.

I play in hotseat mode though, and tend to end up "knowing" what's going on in the others area, so we all end up with unfair intel.

Still, the game's AI WILL kick your butt if you refuse to pay attention.
I find the auto function of the workers almost impossible to outperform with hands on micromanagement.

If you refuse to learn which leader does what best, you can expect to lose your game too.

The recent Warlords expansion is soooooo much a must get too.

The only thing you get in solo vs the game, is ability to click end of turn faster. It's soooooo much more fun to have some humans to deal with.
"Come on man, I was doing that wonder" :)
"If you do such and such, I'll do such and such, and it will benefit the both of us".

I thought Civ II was good, and I thought Civ III was a challenge, but, CiV IV is truely incredible. I have no interest in going back to the others.

[Cougar_DK]

Great, thanx Aries. :smoke:

[griffitz62]

I agree with Aries completely. I play with a friend of mine and it's a lot of fun. We try to work together against the AI players and it becomes a challenge when we both want a particular wonder for ourselves and don't want to share. We play TCP/IP and it works perfectly. As Aries said, the only thing different in single player is clicking the button faster. I just got the expansion as well and it just continues a great thing. A must get if you're a fan of the game.

[Cougar_DK]

CIV IV introduced something about realtime or the like...??? Does it work or do you just play turn based?

[Aries]

I have not heard anything even connected to real time as far as I know.

To be honest, I'm glad I haven't.

[Cougar_DK]

Hmmmm, better dig that manual up again :D

[Troy Goodfellow]

A simultaneous mode is available, which is as close to real-time as Civ IV gets.

Anyway, I highly recommend it in MP.

[Aries]

I just usually play hotseat, so I never had cause to see the function I guess.

But a local (ok a 4 hour drive is local to a point :)) friend of mine grabbed me into some online IP connection games.

First off, he sucks the second he can't underhandedly trade techs to AI players so that they will attack me :)
I got wind of that little dodge and challenged him to some "no tech trading" games, and hmm he sure loses a lot hehe.

I have played in a massive 18 player (2 human) game, and while there is a lag (our computers are ok), the lag is hardly a burden (1 minute will seem like forever to some I guess).

It seems though, playing 2 humans and 3 AIs is a fast comfortable game. Small map just means Raging Barbarians is not worth selecting (won't be around long enough). I like Aggressive AI myself (but then I don't normally insist on a very high difficulty setting either).

So far, it appears, if you can start off on a turn 1 city, that has abundant food, and plenty of hammers, you "might" not need that Great Wall. It only keeps the barbs out after all.
In short games, I rush for Budhism, then I grab the Oracle to score Metal Casting, to make forges for rapid construction.
After that, finding iron is a must, kill if you have to to get it :)
Having copper found early from Bronze Working is usually a massive advantage.

The above all works on the premise you are playing cultural.
Playing a warmonger is a lot different. Trouble is, even a warmonger will need culture. Andf I would rather be a well armed Ghandi, than a Ghenghis with a large stack of worthless low tech warriors unable to kill off a handful of lethal swordsman (to name an example).

To date, I usually end up with a better army than most of the military types, simply because nothing beats infastructure support.

I don't play online games for the most part. And I don't do email (if I had a dollar for every time I heard the word "cheat" uttered as a game's weakness).
But, live real time you vs me in a game of Civ IV (or Warlords if you have it), that's different hehe.

I can always arrange to play Civ (and as my schedule is sat 7 days a week, I can likely accomodate your's if you warn me the day before to be ready at a given time).

[Cougar_DK]

Thanx for the info gentlemen. I have just bought the expansion and is getting ready for some MP action.... :)

[jayedub7423]

i love civ iv multiplayer, it's alot of fun. now i need to get the expansion...

[Mantis]

What, exactly, does the expansion provide you?

[Troy Goodfellow]

What, exactly, does the expansion provide you?

New civs
New traits
Unique buildings for every civ
The ability to vassalize your rivals
New wonders (Great Wall, Temple of Artemis, University of Sankore)

Plus some very interesting scenarios.

[Aries]

New civs
New traits
Unique buildings for every civ
The ability to vassalize your rivals
New wonders (Great Wall, Temple of Artemis, University of Sankore)

Plus some very interesting scenarios.

That was kinda brief :)

Some nations have leaders with traits that really add to the game's strategy. There's a few new famous faces that players will get a kick out of. You limey's get to lead with Churchill for instance :)

Each civ has had some of the original buildings replaced with cool new ones that often can be quite a surprise for the opponent.

Each civ has had some new units added on typical of that culture, and they too can often be quite a shock. If you like going naval, the norse among us will get a kick out of viking seasborne invasions :)

More on that Vassal bit. Yes YOU can get a civ to be your vassal if they are suitably roughed up, or if they think they need buddy for their own good. But keep in mind, they can also become vassals to each other. Just when you think you have one on the ropes, you find out they just became a powerful side's dependent and now it's a new ballgame dealing with them.

Of course there are a handful of new wonders.

This expansion is a one way trip if you ask me. I have not played any basic Civ IV since I started playing Warlords. It would just be diminishing the experience.

[Mantis]

Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate the heads-up on the expansion. Think I might just have to pick it up, if the price is reasonable enough!