The FAQ is posted twice a month to the newsgroup and is also available at http://civ2.watorrey.net/agc2faq.html.
A text version is also available at http://civ2.watorrey.net/agc2faq.txt
and at http://www.civfanatics.com/doc/civ2altfaq.txt, courtesy of Thunderfall.
The charter is posted to the group occasionally and is also available at http://civ2.watorrey.net/agc2_charter.html and a plain text version at http://civ2.watorrey.net/agc2_charter.txt.
The charter expressly states that Civ 3 is on-topic for this newsgroup. As Rob Lancaster notes: "Regular posters mostly agreed to discuss Civ 3 here long before the game came out. Since the group started Civ 1 was also discussed here, and it doesn't seem unreasonable."
It is important to note, however, that all of Sid Meier's Civilization games are considered on-topic in this newsgroup.This question is unwelcome in alt.games.civ2 and depending on its content may be unwelcome in alt.binaries.games.civ2 too. In particular asking for the complete Civilization I/II or any other game is certainly unwelcome and bordering on illegality.
Requesting a particular scenario in alt.binaries.games.civ2 is probably unwise unless you have made a good attempt at searching for it elsewhere (either using Google Groups, one of the popular search engines or by visiting the Civilization II web sites.)
No, alt.games.civ2 is a text only group.
No, classifying binaries as small would create grey areas. It is much fairer to just disallow binaries altogether.
Yes they do. The few times the issue has arisen a number have people have claimed that binaries cause a problem for them.
Back to TopThe predecessor to alt.games.civ2 is alt.binaries.games.civ2 and this is one place you can post binaries relating to Civilization II. Alternatively upload to one of the Civilization II scenario sites (see 7.1). In either case you may tell the readers of alt.games.civ2 about your file.
In general no, since it is a large file. However, posting a single or a few lines from this file is definitely acceptable and a good way of propagating new ideas for units.
TopCiv2, of course, is short for Civilization 2. Here is a list of other common (and somewhat less obvious) acronyms:
You can use the editors, extra eight unit slots and the events.txt file. If you want to try this patch, your biggest challenge if finding it (the FAQ's previous link to the patch is dead and a replacement has not been found. Please e-mail the FAQ maintainer if you find update 2.781). On a similar note, one user has hacked an upgrade for classic Civ2 to support multiplayer mode. Find it at http://www.civfanatics.com/civ2cedric.shtml
TopNo. If you want the scenarios go out and buy the full upgrade.
The OCC (one city challenge) is a different approach to playing Civ 2: you allow yourself only a single city, against the computer's hordes.
Yes. If you experience difficulty when Civ 2 tries to play the movies, then you have a problem with the game's Indeo video drivers. You need to update them. http://www.ligos.com/indeo.htm
If you can't be bothered to fix your video drivers, then play the game without the CD: assuming you didn't copy the movies to your hard drive, you should have no problems
Test of Time is the latest release of Civ 2. Sadly, it lacks in-game movies. Gameplay has the new twist of 3 simultaneous maps. This is a re-hashed version of Civ 2. It is not Civ 3, see 7.1.
First thing: if you don't have the 1.1 patch for Test of Time, get it from http://www.civfanatics.com/
There is a bug in 1.0 which can make it impossible to get Ultrastring Theory. Also, the patch will not fix saved games started under 1.0. 1.1 fixes a lot of other things, so run right out and get it now!
With the patch, when any civilization gets its spaceship to arrive, all civilizations have the Ultrastring Theory tech changed from unresearchable to available for research. The usual rules for research apply, including the random selection of techs which aren't on the list each time you advance. Despite what the Civilopedia suggests, you still must research it normally.
Ultrastring Theory has one additional benefit. Once you get it, you can negotiate with aliens.
The bug kicks in if you quit the game in between the time of spaceship arrival and successfully researching Ultrastring Theory. It will be switched back to unresearchable, and there is no way to get it back. If you have already passed the time of spaceship arrival, you may try reloading a save from before that time, and playing straight through until you get the tech.
The first spaceship to arrive will generate units on Alpha Centauri, based on the spaceship size (habitat/life support pairs). A minimum size gets one colonist, two marines. You can find the details in events.txt.
Colonists can build portals, which let you move other units to/from the new world. Since you must research Ultrastring Theory and Quantum Transport in order to build more of them, it is wise to use your first ones to build portals, not new cities on the new world.
If you happen to play the aliens, and successfully land a ship, you will get colonists on Alpha Centauri, not on Earth.
This is the Multiplayer Gold Edition of Civilization 2. For under $30 you get the add-on scenario packs and, most importantly, the original Civ 2, with multiplayer support! In the UK, Civ 2:MGE is called "Civilization II:Ultimate Classic Collection." The US and UK patches are now available at the Apolyton website. Newsgroup reader R魩 Denis-Courmont commented on the presence of both the MGE and UCC in France:
"the Civ2 Multiplayer Edition [cost] 150FF with scenarios... That's strange, here, both versions were sold at the same time. Civ2 MGE was sold in a 'thin' package whose front picture was the same as the main manual one, whereas "Ultimate Civ2 Classic Collection" was sold for a twice more expensive price, in a large green box. If they offer exactly the same content (ie, the game, the multiplayer modes, FW, Conflicts in Civ, and the 'scenario' menu), I've spoilt 150FF :-("Patches have been released to update both copies of Civ 2. The patches fix some bugs - details are available in the readme.txt files included with the patches. For Civ 2, the latest version is 2.42. For Civ 2:MGE, it's 1.3. Both patches can be downloaded from the Apolyton Civ 2 site, among other places.
You can find opponents at the following sites.
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is a new game designed by Brian Reynolds which picks up where Civilization left off: on a new planet. SMAC discussions take place in alt.games.firaxis.alpha-centauri. Ask your ISP to add the newsgroup if you don't have it!
Civilization: Call To Power is another different game from Activision which is essentially a very new version of Civilization. CTP discussions take place in alt.games.civ-call-to-power.
This is a topic of much controversy in the newsgroup, so here are the facts. SMAC is being made by Firaxis, not Microprose. The original creators of Civ and Civ2, Sid Meier and Brian Reynolds are, however, the creators of SMAC. As for CTP, Peter "Enjolras" Karpas of Activision has stated in the NG's that,
"Civilization: Call to Power is absolutely officially related to Civ 1 and Civ 2.... It is officially licensed..." Activision's license allows it to legally call CTP, 'Civilization: CTP.' Nothing, however, besides the name was provided to Activision. The designers of Civ and Civ 2, like Sid Meier, along with other things, such as source code, were not part of the deal." (Note: The port of Civilization 2 to Playstation, however, did involve the original source code, but that is not connected to CTP.) TopMicroprose didn't protect its rights to the word Civilization very well; Avalon Hill had a board game by the same name. Activision acquired Avalon Hill's rights to the name and began development of CTP. A lawsuit ensued; the eventual settlement granted Microprose exclusive rights to the name in exchange for Activision getting to use "Civilization" in the name of its game. It's important to note that "related" and "sequel" do not mean the same thing, a point which is sure to keep the controversy alive.
Civ 3 ("Civilization 3"), see 7.1.
The plans for Civ 3 were announced on May 14, 1999 at E3. Brian Reynolds announced the game in alt.games.civ2 on May 15th, 1999. Development got underway in 2000. Civ 3 is the official sequel to Civ 2. It is a Sid Meier game, made by Firaxis, published by Infogrames.
The Windows and Mac versions are now in stores.
You can find all the patches at Firaxis' official Civ 3 website.
TopMany web sites exist, this is only a short list based on a few postings to the group. Feel free to contact the FAQ maintainer to have your site added.
Yes. Thunderfall's site has one.
Currently William Torrey.
Previously Andrew Krupowicz (to 11/2004).
Originally maintained by Mike Crowe (to 07/1998).
Various posters contributed to the FAQ, including Steve Frazer, Craig Tanswell, and Lee Griffiths, among others. Go Back to Top