Civilization V Catch-All

I'm still waiting, with baited breath, on a patch that will allow you to turn on unit animations for multiplayer. It's the one huge thing that has prevented me from enjoying the game with my friends.

Another ginormo patch today. Allow me to post the meaty bits, though I suggest reading all the notes to see all of the dozens of balance fixes they did as well.

[NOTES]
* Pacing has received a large amount of work. Expect to have more of a challenge managing your empire at higher difficulty levels than you did before. Consider dropping a difficulty level if you have problems.
* Existing saves will work correctly. However, the balance pass may make your existing happiness lower than expected when loading into your existing save post-patch.
[UI]
* Civilopedia now available in the Main Menu (under “Other”)
* Replay is now available at the end of the game, and through the main menu. You can choose Map, Graphs, and turn-by-turn. Only games played post-patch will apply.
* Great People progress UI addition (upper-left Info Corner UI).
* Combat preview for Aircraft UI addition.
* Fixed aircraft UI issue causing the aircraft selection UI to duplicate itself when rebasing aircraft.
* When loading save game files, you can now order the list by name, or last modified.
* Fix aircraft UI bug that was causing Nuclear Missiles and Atomic Bombers to leave behind container UI after it’s destroyed.
* Removed dead players from Demographics UI.
[DIPLOMACY]
* Made backstab routine more transparent (the dialog will clearly state that they are backstabbing you).
* AI now remembers when it has been nuked, for a permanent diplomatic penalty.
* AI now recognizes a player that captured their capital for a permanent diplomatic penalty.
* End declaration of friendship as soon as war is declared (so can't later get a notification that it has expired).
* AI remembers if you satisfied one of their requests (positive modifier, decays over time, based on value of items granted).
* AI remembers if you fought against a common foe (positive modifier, decays over time, based on damage done to the common foe).
* Track trades between players and allow that to positively influence relationships (the better the deal for the AI, the stronger the modifier). Particularly useful for bribing a hostile AI.
[AI]
* Rebalanced AI flavors and strategies for unit training to improve AI army composition and build choices.
* Allow the AI to consider Pikeman units for offensive roles when they can't build Swordsman or Longswordsman.
* Allow Alexander and Darius to consider Hoplites and Immortals for offensive roles in early game.
* AI players may now use a Great General in early rushes on higher difficulties.
* Modified flavor tags for Atomic Bomb and Nuclear Missile so AI builds them only when it decides it specifically wants Nukes.
* Block City States from building carriers, atomic weapons.
* Strategies for building mobile units now persist into Modern era to help AI decisions for when to build tanks and modern armor.
* Dampen early game Grand Strategies to give the AI time to expand (AI were sometimes stuck in a single city until late in the game).
* Victory adjustments to AI behaviors, including alternate victory paths as “back-ups” (for example, building the Apollo Program, even if they are not going for a Spaceship victory).
* Revise code calculating recommended army size (using smaller armies if the threat is low).
* Correct issue that was causing late-game continent-bound AI’s to over-build units intending to invade, and never properly execute the amphibious invasion.
* Scale recommended army sizes based on difficulty level.
* AI grand strategy and flavor weighting balance pass.
* AI policy choice weighting balance pass.
* AI tech choice weighting balance pass.
[GAMEPLAY]
* Player is now given the option to return a CS worker that they free from barbarians.
* Roads under captured cities no longer charge maintenance.
* Machu Picchu no longer destroyed when capturing a city containing Machu Picchu.
* Fixed Oligarchy bug that was causing the effect to expire when loading from a save.
[MULTIPLAYER]
* Multiplayer AI is now consistent with Single Player AI.
* Hot-Seat is now available through the multiplayer menu.
o You can have as many humans playing as available slots in the game.
o Password protection is built in.
o All maps, including purchased and user-created, are available to play in Hot-Seat.
o While play-by-email is not yet implemented, we did include an in-between turn saving option for those that want to play via email.

Hmm, wonder how this will change our lunch time game. I suspect my happiness will lower. Although I do have a crapload of wonders

Man, my wife and I just bought a second copy last week because we couldn't wait any longer to play together, and now it drops.

BTW, for anyone wondering, the Spain and Inca New World expansion pack is pretty good. The Scenario is really interesting, plus Conquistadors!

Question time... can any of the DLC be used in multiplayer games? If so, do all people have to have it in order for one person to choose that Civ?

With all the DLC I got in the Steam Sale and this humongous patch, I think I'm going to dust Civ off. Nice to see that Firaxis is still adding value to this already great game!

BlackSabre wrote:

Question time... can any of the DLC be used in multiplayer games? If so, do all people have to have it in order for one person to choose that Civ?

According to this thread on the Steam forum, you CAN use the DLC Civs but ONLY if ALL players have it. Something to do with files being used on all clients not being there.

dejanzie wrote:

With all the DLC I got in the Steam Sale and this humongous patch, I think I'm going to dust Civ off. Nice to see that Firaxis is still adding value to this already great game!

Soooo... the whirlwind that is my world is calming down slightly. Should we consider picking up another multiplayer game for this summer? Or are we still mad about the last one collapsing?

dejanzie wrote:

With all the DLC I got in the Steam Sale and this humongous patch, I think I'm going to dust Civ off. Nice to see that Firaxis is still adding value to this already great game!

BlackSabre wrote:

Question time... can any of the DLC be used in multiplayer games? If so, do all people have to have it in order for one person to choose that Civ?

According to this thread on the Steam forum, you CAN use the DLC Civs but ONLY if ALL players have it. Something to do with files being used on all clients not being there.

So far my wife and I have not found a way to play mods or scenarios multiplayer, but you can play DLC civs together. We haven't tried to play a scenario hotseat, though.

I would totally be up for a big multiplayer game of Civ 5. Does it actually support any kind of asynchronous play yet, though? I know this latest patch (which is awesome) put in Hot Seat Play, but I don't think there is a way to get a lot of people across the world playing at different times. If I am wrong, let me know and I am in.

Thanks for that. Essentially I was geared up to buy Babylon and Denmark, but not for singleplayer only. I wanted to use them in my multiplayer games. Ah well. No sale for them.

Haakon7 wrote:
dejanzie wrote:

With all the DLC I got in the Steam Sale and this humongous patch, I think I'm going to dust Civ off. Nice to see that Firaxis is still adding value to this already great game!

Soooo... the whirlwind that is my world is calming down slightly. Should we consider picking up another multiplayer game for this summer? Or are we still mad about the last one collapsing? ;)

As long as you don't ruin my self-deception that I would TOTALLY have crushed you in that game, of course I'm not mad!

Seriously though: I think we were all partly responsible for not continuing the last game, and a new one would be totally awesome. The last week of July, as I'm leaving for ten days of France/Italy next week.

edit: Atras, do you live in Europe?

dejanzie wrote:

Atras, do you live in Europe?

Sadly, no. I am an uncultured American, Eastern Time Zone and a night owl.

Atras wrote:
dejanzie wrote:

Atras, do you live in Europe?

Sadly, no. I am an uncultured American, Eastern Time Zone and a night owl.

Although I-95 does resemble the Autobahn at times.

Keldar wrote:
Atras wrote:
dejanzie wrote:

Atras, do you live in Europe?

Sadly, no. I am an uncultured American, Eastern Time Zone and a night owl.

Although I-95 does resemble the Autobahn at times.

Especially when I'm playing Kraftwerk on my commute.

Tanglebones wrote:
Keldar wrote:

Although I-95 does resemble the Autobahn at times.

Especially when I'm playing Kraftwerk on my commute.

Ow. Toe. BAHN.

Driving I-95 or downtown DC at night with the Tron: Legacy soundtrack blaring is f*cking amazing.

I'd be up for some multiplayer trying. And I'm in europe if that helps or hinders trying to get this setup.

I just fired up Civ V for the first time in quite a while. I was greeted by a large, distinctive button in the game menu offering "Play CivWorld Now". I'm not sure how I feel about that. Do I like having facebook games advertised in my retail version of Civ V, regardless of the Sid connection?

Ultimately, I guess it doesn't matter. But it leaves me wanting to take a shower.

dejanzie wrote:

Seriously though: I think we were all partly responsible for not continuing the last game, and a new one would be totally awesome.

HELLO THERE
Mails sent

D-Man777 wrote:

I just fired up Civ V for the first time in quite a while. I was greeted by a large, distinctive button in the game menu offering "Play CivWorld Now". I'm not sure how I feel about that. Do I like having facebook games advertised in my retail version of Civ V, regardless of the Sid connection?

Ultimately, I guess it doesn't matter. But it leaves me wanting to take a shower.

I agree, I found that very annoying. If Civ World were anything at all like a real Civ game, it might make sense. I definitely don't want to see it every time I fire the game up though; I might accidentally click on it.

syndicatedragon wrote:
D-Man777 wrote:

I just fired up Civ V for the first time in quite a while. I was greeted by a large, distinctive button in the game menu offering "Play CivWorld Now". I'm not sure how I feel about that. Do I like having facebook games advertised in my retail version of Civ V, regardless of the Sid connection?

Ultimately, I guess it doesn't matter. But it leaves me wanting to take a shower.

I agree, I found that very annoying. If Civ World were anything at all like a real Civ game, it might make sense. I definitely don't want to see it every time I fire the game up though; I might accidentally click on it. :)

Hopefully someone will make a mod to remove it. That is annoying. What's next? McDonald's ads?

Jeff-66 wrote:

Hopefully someone will make a mod to remove it. That is annoying. What's next? McDonald's ads?

Please don't give them ideas.

I found a fix to remove the Civworld ad from your Civ V menu, and it's very simple. Turns out, the ad is there on a timer (set to fall off on Aug 12)

go to whereever your steam folder is located:

x:\...\Steam\steamapps\common\sid meier's civilization v\assets\UI\FrontEnd

open up MainMenu.lua

Look for this section (towards the bottom):

[Controls.CivWorldButton] = {
start = {
month = 7,
day = 11,
year = 2011,
hour = 17,
},

stop = {
year = 2011,
month = 7,
day = 12,
hour = 17,
},

change the highlighted lines to 7/12, (it will read 8/12) and the ad will disappear.

end result:
IMAGE(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/ziffel66/forum/th_civmenu.jpg)

You rock.

For months I've been able to withstand getting Civ 5, but not no more. I'm a long time fan of the series. Played them all, 1 through 4 and Civ Rev on the 360. (1 and 4 being my favourites) Due to time constraints (I am well aware of the time consuming nature of these games) and the lackluster initial response, I held off getting it, even when its price dropped. But with this weekend's Steam sale (66% off), I had to get it. Birthday present for myself... (this friday) I am really looking forward to trying this game, see if it can peek my interest the way its predecessors did. Good thing my 2 weeks of summer vacation start this weekend.

God damn it steam...

I just reinstalled because I picked up all the DLC during the steam sale. Is the AI improved, especially when it comes to naval combat?

forgot to mention I bought this during the Steam Sale from Direct2Drive ... $20 for it too!

jdzappa wrote:

I just reinstalled because I picked up all the DLC during the steam sale. Is the AI improved, especially when it comes to naval combat?

Compared to when? Naval combat improvements were in one of the first big patches, IIRC.

Oh dear, I just started playing again. MISTAKE!

I'm fretting over whether to get the DLC, even though I missed it on sale this summer. Any enablers here?