Some newbie questions

[danchops]

Hello all - I just got this game, and am really enjoying it. I have a few questions, although I expec the answers will be completely obvious:

• When I go to build a new building in my city, occasionaly the buildings will all be greyed out. The mouseover text informs me that this is because I have insufficient population to build a new building. How does this population mechanic work? How do I know when I will be able to build a new building? The alert that tells me when I can is nice and all, but I'd like to be able to know a few turns in advance what I will be able to do, rather than find out on the turn what I am able to do.
  
• Is there any difference between terrain types (without special features like pumpikins or donkeys) in terms of resource production? That is, is a frozen plain any different than a grassy plain (or whatever they're called)? If there is a difference, how can you tell? Is there a "show resources produced" map overlay or somesuch that will show it visually?
  
• Is there any way to tell from the mini-map how many turns are remaining on my current building production and unit training?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[The Apprentice]

1- You can build a building every population level, which is every 1k. The green wedges behind the city pop number on the main map show how close you are to the next pop level at a glance.
2- Nope! No difference between terrain types for resource production if they lack a special resource. You can't build on Mountains or water tiles.
3- Not that I know of.

Have fun with the game!

 

[UncleJJ]

1. A city grows in size every time it reaches 1000 pop. You can check the precise growth rate in pop per turn inside the city screen (bottom left). Cities grow slower as they get bigger at the rate of -15 pop per turn per size. Cities of other races have a flat -50 pop per turn. Human and Monster cities grow slower if starving. A spell called Prosperity can add +40 pop per turn and there is a god's spell which also does this.

2. I place the buildings very carefully to link up my cities. The buildings of whatever type are also "roads" in that they reduce the movement costs to 1/2 movement points per tile. That makes a huge difference on a swamp (normally 3 mp) or a forest for ordinary units like warriors or mages that have no special movement.

3. You can see how many turns buildings and units take to complete by opening the city screen but not from the mini-map

 

[ConjurerDragon]

2. I place the buildings very carefully to link up my cities. The buildings of whatever type are also "roads" in that they reduce the movement costs to 1/2 movement points per tile. That makes a huge difference on a swamp (normally 3 mp) or a forest for ordinary units like warriors or mages that have no special movement.
...

Is there any reason not to transform every single swamp within city limits to hills using the raise land spell before any building is constructed on it?

 

[Davor]

Is there any reason not to transform every single swamp within city limits to hills using the raise land spell before any building is constructed on it?

Haven't played Warlock 1 yet, but played W2 a lot. What I do with swamps is use my snow spell to make it snowy plains and then place a market in it. This way I am not paying an extra +1 in upkeep, don't get no negative combat modifiers and easier movement. If I have more than 1 swamp tile I use my area effect fertile lands for it because they are the earliest spells that are actually useful. I guess raising lands will get rid of the negative combat modifier but then I can't place a farm or market on it to get more use out of.

Hope this helps. Sorry if it doesn't apply to W1.

 

[ConjurerDragon]

Haven't played Warlock 1 yet, but played W2 a lot. What I do with swamps is use my snow spell to make it snowy plains and then place a market in it. This way I am not paying an extra +1 in upkeep, don't get no negative combat modifiers and easier movement. If I have more than 1 swamp tile I use my area effect fertile lands for it because they are the earliest spells that are actually useful. I guess raising lands will get rid of the negative combat modifier but then I can't place a farm or market on it to get more use out of.

Hope this helps. Sorry if it doesn't apply to W1.

When "Raise lands" is used on a swamp tile it turns into hills. And in W1 plains and hills both give +20% to food production.