Old World: How does X work? Post your gameplay questions here!

Idle thought about a future campaign and settings for it.

If you wanted a bit more control over research anyone know if that’s a setting? I’m not finding it so far.

Instead of the random card drawing that you choose from I’d like a bit more control so I can plan better for where I’m taking an empire and simply choose the research tree path myself.

All good man, I’m back on track!

I don’t know if this is what you’re looking for, but you CAN select a future research target down the tree and head in that direction. When the four cards come up, one will always be along the path, and that one will be marked with a green symbol in the upper right hand corner.

I didn’t express that very well so I hope it made sense.

Oh yeah, that’s most of the way there, thanks!

You will always draw one along the path to the targeted tech? What? Are you serious? The targeting option isn’t just an interface aid? And if you’re right, please tell me that’s documented in the game somewhere and it’s on me for not knowing that.

Come to think of it, why is that even in there? If I can specify a card that will definitely be in my hand the next draw, what’s the point of the whole random draw system? And doesn’t that make the Scholar’s unique ability to redraw more or less useless?

-Tom

I could swear that they don’t always show up as an option.

It is only an interface convenience.

So here’s something I haven’t quite been able to nail down: what are the full set of conditions that allow for someone to be governor or general of a city/unit? The default is straightforward enough, you need to be the right archetype and from the right family (though there is actually a confusing tooltip that says the opposite- ‘Must be of a different family from X’, where X is the unit’s family). However there are also seem to be these wildcard leaders that are always eligible: your leader themselves, your spouse, maybe heirs? Though, I have also gotten leaders from events with that property, so maybe it should be an icon or something to make it clearer?

Yes, glad you brought this up. I remember being confused by that tooltip as well, but I think it was for appointing a general?

-Tom

They have for me, but I could have been lucky

Curious if this got answered! It would be a huge coup for Old World.

According to my handy-dandy “Does the AI play by the same rules?” flowchart, it’s unlikely. See below.

HANDY-DANDY “DOES THE AI PLAY BY THE SAME RULES?” FLOWCHART (applies to every strategy game)

Q1: Does the AI put up a challenge?

No: The AI might be playing by the same rules. [end]

Yes:

Q2: Do you know the rules?

No: The AI might be playing by the same rules. [end]

Yes:

Q3: Are you sure about that?

No: The AI might be playing by the same rules. [end]

Yes: The AI isn’t playing by the same rules. [end]

Already mentioned - the AI does play by the same rules. This isn’t Civ, there’s no production bonuses, no free unit upgrades, no extra fatigue or immunity to rebels.

The only difference is that the AI doesn’t pursue ambitions (Soren believes it would be unfun for the AI to win an ambition victory) and doesn’t get random events. The AI still pretends to make progress on ambitions, meaning it gets the legitimacy, cognomen and such benefits it would if it actually did ambitions.

Impressive!! And it handles orders the same way – accumulating orders in the same way a human player does, and having to decide how to spend its limited order pool?

Yes, sure. If anything, the AI currently likely has fewer orders than you do once the mid-game hits, due to missing out on the event legitimacy.

I’m impressed with how well it works overall. Alex Mantzaris wrote the AI and did a fantastic job. The rules the AI follows aren’t that complex, but most of the time it works well. When at war, the AI will prioritize military units, and will likely have minimal Worker tasks / missions to use the orders on the military.

Under the hood, the Civ5 AI is actually more complex, but the systems just don’t work well so the AI appears completely inept.

Haha, 1 year away from getting an alliance sealed with Egypt and my schemer of a wife assassinated me with a poisonous snake. And naturally she’s not the diplomatic type so I’ve now lost the ability to form an alliance.

Marriages, trade, luxury goods, all put to use for the goal of getting an alliance sealed have all come to naught and are now chalked up under the best laid plans of mice and men.

Missed it by that much…

It is a bit funny that historic characters like Alexander the Great end up being basically side notes in the expansion phase of a multi generational empire. (Alexander comes so early in the game that you’re unlikely to have much time to pursue actual combat encounters with him).

Probably happens all the time, but first I remember it happening to me. My Greeks were in a forever war (or at least several year war) with Rome, and they finally offered a truce, which I accepted. A couple of turns later, Carthage (who is leading in VP, a couple ahead of me) basically laid down the ultimatum of “You join us in wiping out the Romans, or we take you out!”. So I joined them, and the very next turn: “Carthage is in a Truce with Rome”. Yeah, F you, Jack.

Perfidious Carthage.

Yes, sorry if it was unclear, my general question was about people allowed to be chosen as generals or governors, but that particular tooltip is for when assigning a general specifically.

What am I missing with the Go To order? I wanna send a guy way across the map, so I click there, the guy moves, the rest of the path in red. But next turn he appears as a guy I can move in the list? I thought he would just be ‘busy’ until he got there? Or is there a setting? Thanks.

Also I am getting a thing where right clicking is not moving a guy despite the fact he is ‘selected’ as there is a window about him middle left. Clicking the guy again seems to fix it.

The player often faces a tradeoff between legitimacy and family happiness/polotical relations etc.
it sounds like the AI doesnt and instead steadily gains orders, so it would be interesting to know at what rate.

Does the AI know the difference between hot and cold war? I am watching the Egyptian slowly mobilize force at the nearest town. The haven’t attacked me yet, so I’m still off fighting barbarian raids.
I’m really praying my Assyrian allies, with a huge army, will save my butt.

Question: Can you explain what the play to win option in the advanced options does? Does the AI look strictly at VP or is it aware of Ambition victories?
Also in the AI Agressiveness what does +25% or +50% war chance mean.

I started my first game at Magnificent (2nd hardest) as Rome. Since, I got a bit tired playing builders.

One game balance thing, I hope you guys look at is money. As both Egypt and Babylon I was make hundreds per turn, by turn 50 at Glorious . The amount of gold I accumulated made the game not very challenging. I was also a no brainer spend money. The turn I got legendary status I bought all the resources I needed to build 4 legendary wonders and still have 5,000 left.