Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Cover image missing, please upload it | |
Developers | |
---|---|
Firaxis Games | |
Publishers | |
2K Games | |
Engines | |
Gamebryo | |
Release dates | |
Windows | October 25, 2005 |
macOS (OS X) | June 30, 2006 |
Warnings
- The macOS (OS X) version of this game does not work on macOS Catalina (version 10.15) or later due to the removal of support for 32-bit-only apps.
⤏ Go to series page | |
Sid Meier's Civilization | 1991 |
Freeciv (unofficial) | 1996 |
Sid Meier's Civilization II | 1996 |
Civilization II: Test of Time | 1999 |
Sid Meier's Civilization III | 2001 |
Sid Meier's Civilization IV | 2005 |
CivCity: Rome | 2006 |
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization | 2008 |
Sid Meier's Civilization V | 2010 |
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth | 2014 |
Sid Meier's Civilization VI | 2016 |
Sid Meier's Civilization VII | 2025 |
Key points
- Mod friendly.
- Active community.
- Online server browser for non-Steam versions will stop working on May 31, 2014 due to GameSpy services being shut down.[1]
- Steam version online multiplayer has been transitioned to Steamworks.[2]
General information
- Steam Community Discussions
- Steam Users' Forums for game series
- Official Downloads page (patches, SDK, etc.)
Availability
- Retail version owners can contact 2K Support to gain access to the Steam version.[2]
Versions
Original release
Current version is 1.74 (patch).
Warlords expansion
Warlords adds additional civilizations and the Great General to the game. Other changes include a vassal state system. Current version is 2.13.
Beyond the Sword expansion
Beyond the Sword adds espionage and corporations to the game. It greatly expands the tech tree, adds many new leaders and civilizations, and adds new buildings and wonders. Random events are added to the game. Beyond the Sword also installs much of the content from Warlords, however does not require Warlords. Current version is 3.19.
Colonization
Colonization is a remake of a classic Sid Meier game using the Civilization IV engine. Because it is a separate game, the previous expansions have no effect, and Civilization IV is not required to play. Current version is 1.01f.
The Complete Edition
The Complete Edition contains the base game, Warlords, Beyond the Sword, and Colonization in a single DVD. It contains an updated DirectX installer and contains no DRM. The individual games still require patches to the current version.
Essential improvements
Detailed installation steps
A very thorough set of instructions on how to install Civilization IV and its' expansions are available here.
Game data
Configuration file(s) location
System | Location |
---|---|
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/3900/pfx/[Note 1] |
Save game data location
System | Location |
---|---|
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/3900/pfx/[Note 1] |
Save game cloud syncing
System | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
Steam Cloud |
Video settings
Input settings
Audio settings
Localizations
Language | UI | Audio | Sub | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
English | ||||
French | ||||
German | ||||
Italian | ||||
Spanish |
Network
Multiplayer types
Type | Native | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
LAN play | |||
Online play | Requires GameSpy account. |
Connection types
Type | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
Matchmaking | ||
Self-hosting | ||
Direct IP | Removed from Steam version.[2] |
Ports
Protocol | Port(s) and/or port range(s) |
---|---|
TCP | 2033, 2056, 3783, 6500, 6667, 28900, 29900, 29001 |
UDP | 2302-2400, 6500, 6515, 13139, 27900 |
- Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) support status is unknown.
Issues fixed
DirectX issues
To ensure the original game and its expansions run properly, install the latest DirectX End-User Runtimes. This is not a problem with the Complete Edition, which installs the correct DirectX version automatically.
Compatibility settings
On Windows Vista and newer Windows OS', it is recommended to select Windows XP under compatibility settings.
System requirements
Windows | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | Recommended | |
Operating system (OS) | 2000 | XP, Vista, 7, 8 |
Processor (CPU) | 1.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent | 1.8 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent/better |
System memory (RAM) | ||
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 1.7 GB | 3.8 GB |
Video card (GPU) | Video Card with Hardware T&L (GeForce 2/Radeon 7500 or better) 64 MB of VRAM | Video Card with DirectX 9 support (pixel and vector shaders) 128 MB of VRAM DirectX 9 compatible |
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
- File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.
- Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.
- The app ID (3900) may differ in some cases.
- Treat backslashes as forward slashes.
- See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.