User Guide

THE WORLD
The World Map
The world surrounding your civilization is an entire planet consisting of several
continents, islands, and oceans. A totally new planet can be generated for each
game or your civilization can attempt to prosper on the historical Earth itself. All
planets are bordered by impenetrable polar caps to the north and south, but are
not bounded east and west. Moving off the east edge brings you back onto the
west edge.
As mentioned in the section on Pre-Game Options, new worlds are Earth-like
in terms of temperature, moisture, and land mass. These factors can be adjusted if
you wish to experiment with different combinations.
You begin with almost no knowledge of the world. The wandering tribe that is
the ancestor of your civilization (represented by one or more Settlers units) has
explored only that part of the world that it occupies or can see nearby. The rest of
the world and the other civilizations putting down their roots are hidden, over
the mountains, through the forests, and across the seas. As your units move and
explore, they discover more of the world’s geography, important resource sites,
minor tribes, and, eventually, the evidence of rival civilizations.
World Geography
The world is divided into small independent parts known as squares. Each
square consists of a unique type of terrain. Each type of terrain has its own
economic usefulness, effect on movement, and effect on combat. Detailed
information about the terrain types is provided below and in the Terrain Chart
that follows. This information can be obtained from two other sources: from the
Civilopedia menu and from the map display. Click the RMB on any map square
to obtain information about its terrain.
The economic usefulness of the various terrain types is important when
selecting city sites. The terrain that is close to a city produces the food, resources,
and trade the city needs to grow and be productive. Some terrain types are more
valuable than others. Some may be irrigated or mined for increased economic
value, and others may be converted into another type of terrain (for an
explanation of irrigation, mining, and terrain conversion, see Settlers, page 90).
DISASTERS
Each game turn there is a chance that a disaster of some sort may strike one of
your cities. A disaster may result in loss of population, destruction of a city
improvement, or disruption of production. Some disasters may be prevented if
your civilization has acquired certain advances or if the city has built a certain
improvement. In these cases, the disaster does not occur or has no effect.
The possible disasters are described below. For each there is an explanation of
why it occurs (if a reason exists), the effect on your city when it strikes, and what
measures can prevent it, if any.
Earthquake: Earthquakes may strike any city that is built adjacent to Hills
terrain. There is nothing that you can do to prevent this disaster. An earthquake
destroys one city improvement.
Famine: Famine strikes randomly. It can be prevented by building a Granary
improvement. If it strikes a city with no Granary, all food in the food storage box
is lost and the city’s population is reduced.
Fire: Fire can hit any city at any time. It can be prevented by building an
Aqueduct improvement. Fire destroys one city improvement.
Flood: Flood can strike any city built next to or on a River square. It can be
prevented by building a City Walls improvement. Flood reduces city population.
Pirate Raid: Pirates may strike any city built adjacent to an Ocean square. Pirates
can be prevented by building a Barracks improvement. Pirates remove all food
from the food storage box and destroy whatever is being built in the production
box. All resources spent so far in production are lost.
Plague: Plague may strike any city at any time. It can be prevented by acquiring
the advance of Medicine or by building an Aqueduct improvement. Plague
reduces the city’s population.
Volcano: A volcano may erupt and damage any city built adjacent to or on
Mountain terrain. The effects of a volcano may be negated by building a
Temple improvement in the city. Volcanic eruptions reduce the city’s population
unless negated.
a
85
a
84
CIVILIZATION
®
CIVILIZATION
®