Sid Meier's Civilization 2 Guide & Review MPS Labs

cf. History of 1990s Computer Games.

Sid Meier's Civilization II

Developed by MPS Labs in 1996, Sid Meier's Civilization 2 (Civ2) is a turn-based strategy game coded for IBM PCs running Windows 3.1. However, Civ2 also runs on 95, 98 and XP.

Civ2 is the sequel to the seminal Sid Meier's Civilization 1 (1991). The Civ1 article explains the basics of Civilization-game concepts.

Civilizations often come from cities built around river systems. As such, city-building is subject to terrain. Therefore, a Civ2 guide must prioritize terrain and its transformation above all else.

• Terrain Civilization 2
• Global Warming Civilization 2
• Advances Civilization 2
• Units Civilization 2
• City Improvements Civilization 2
• Wonders of the World Civilization 2

Civ2's user interface functionality is practically ageless by virtue of being coded using the WinG API. Moreover, it is an isometric game (and thus visually ageless).

It is rare that sequels eclipse originals, but Civ2 is far superior to Civ1 in terms of strategy, tactics, user interface, presentation and playability. This is due to the Advent of the API: the difference between Civ1 and Civ2 is far greater than the difference between Civ2 and SMAC.

Sid Meier's Civilization 2 System Requirements

Sid Meier's Civilization 2 requires at minimum an Intel 80486 DX2-33 MHz CPU, 8 megs of RAM, 1 megs of vRAM, 2X CD-ROM and 39 megs of HDD space, but a 66 MHz CPU is recommended.

Civilization 2 was coded to run in Windows 3.1 and 95 under the WinG API with TrueType fonts, but it also runs in 98, XP and (unofficially) in Windows NT 4.0.

Civilization 2 was coded for square-pixel SVGA 800x600 4:3 resolution, but it can run in any desktop resolution. For displaying cinematization Civ2 employs Video for Windows; its soundtrack is standard RedBook CD.

Civilization 2 sound effects are mono-sampled in PCM 8 bit 22050 Hz; its music stereo-sampled in PCM 8 bit 22050 Hz.

Improvements Made by Civ2 (Over Civ1)

• Windows 3.1 (WinG API) GUI with resizeable, repositionable and auto-arrangeable windows vs. static and constricted interface of the Civ1 MS-DOS version or the low-res GUI of the Civ1 Windows 3.x version
• Isometric perspective vs. top-down
• Maximum map size is 75x120 squares vs. 50x80
• Viewable grid-lines that can be toggled vs. no grid-lines at all
• Fast screen-scrolling vs. slow rippling screen updates
• Fast and smooth mouse-cursor movement vs. lagging m-cm
• Increased color depth and resolution (proper square pixels)
• +25 Advances, +7 Wonders, +23 Units, +10 Terrains, +14 City Improvements, +7 civs  and +1 Government (Fundamentalism)
• Units now have firepower and hit point stats for added combat realism. Units can attain Veteran status via battle, not just Barracks. And depending on type, units can be repaired at Barracks, Port Facilities and Airports
• Terraforming (Engineered terrain transformation) is limited in Civ1
• Spies, Reputation and Waste mechanics
• Increased Pre-Game options
• Four mechanics-layers per square
• Map grid and zoomable viewport (Z- and X-keys)

Civ2 is worse than Civ1 in at least two ways:

• Arguably: The simplicity and enjoyment of Civ1 is unassailable
• The ability to reload a game without having to quit out first (save-scumming)
• Embedding cheats to easily accessible menus just so the casuals can "win", too

While reloading and cheating are choices the player makes -- ok, let us assume that not many players choose to save-scum and cheat.

Deity Civ2

Civ2 Deity difficulty level presents the ultimate challenge natively offered. By "natively" I mean without self-imposing additional restrictions on play.

Barbarian raiding parties spawn early, their composition is stronger and the spawns are more frequent. 

On Deity, Barbs sometimes wipe out the player or an AI civ in the early game (depends on a number of variables, but it can happen).

Discovery aka research rate is majorly nerfed. Without expert city-management the AI is going to beat the player to some of the Wonders. "Einsteins" are mandatory to keep apace but it is almost impossible to obtain every valuable early Wonder.

While not essential Pyramids and Great Wall can make many early-game scenarios much less difficult.

Happiness is much harder to handle. You need to employ Luxury and Specialists. Micro-management of Specialists and catchment-working is required almost every turn.

You need to be much more discerning in how Settlers and Engineers improve and transform terrain.

 

Civ2 Records

Note: I don't save-scum and only play on Iron Man mode. Unless otherwise noted, the combat records are based on single-turn performances.

• Non-veteran Trireme transporting 2x Musketeers bested Barbarian Trireme transporting 3x Barbarian Knights and 1x Barbarian Diplomat. [Deity]
• 3x Riflemen upgrade to vet. status while defending walled city against x5 Barbarian cavalry. [Deity]
• 1x vet. Destroyer sank 1x Destroyer followed by 2x stacked Destroyer / 1x Cavalry. [Deity]
• Largest naval stack assembled by AI: 22 (Frigates, Ironclads, Destroyers, Cruisers). [Deity]
• Largest naval fleet deployed by AI: 40 (Frigates, Ironclads, Destroyers and Cruisers of Viking Civ Fundamentalism). Player Civ saved by U.N.-brokered cease-fire deal [Deity].
• 1x non-vet. Musketeer defended wall-less coastline city from x1 Ironclad assault. [Deity]
• 1x non-vet. Cruiser sank Transporter carrying 2x Artillery, 1x Marine and 1x Armor units. [Deity]
• Most guerrilla units quelled in a single turn during an uprising: 21 (stealth fighters and bombers flown from aircraft carriers). [Chieftain]
• Most units slain in single stack kill: 9 (stealth bomber) [Chieftain]
• Largest single-city population attained in 6,000 year reign without outside support: 6,660,000 on farmland-trade river city [Chieftain] The City.
• Strongest single-city shield production attained without Wonders or outside support while sustaining 3 mil population: 101. (7 mines / 14 farms; can build a Stealth Bomber every turn and complete the Apollo Program in 5 turns) [Chieftain] The beginnings of the city.

Barbarian Fanatics Alani spawn [Deity]:

Incredibly strong Viking-civ Fundamentalist 40-strong Naval Fleet and port blockade [Deity]:

In that Deity game the Vikings were fundies in politics: an unstoppable scourge that just bulldozed over the other civs. Player civ (Roman Republic) were just about to break into Battleships and Armor when the U.N.-brokered peace deal expired and the Vikings came down hard. The Roman civ of 5 millions was wiped off the face of the Earth in one decade, but fought to the bitter end.

cf. Sid Meier's Civilization 1 --- Sid Meier's Colonization --- Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.