Old World for Mac: The Complete Guide

Source: Love Mac  |  Download link: Old World for Mac

Old World is a deep historical strategy game set in ancient times. Players take on the role of a ruler of an ancient civilization, leading their people to prosperity through military, diplomatic, technological, and cultural means. This guide will walk you through the core interface, the complete workflow, and advanced tips for the Mac version in detail.

1. Core Interface and Workspace Overview

The game interface is divided into six main functional areas, all centered around the hexagonal grid map in the middle.

• Central Map Area: Displays the game world, including terrain, resources, cities, units, and all other entities. Supports click-and-drag panning, pinch-to-zoom (trackpad), or Command + scroll wheel.
• Top Info Bar: Shows the current year, ruling family name, resources (money, wood, stone, iron, food), culture points, science points, and orders (action points).
• Left Panel: A context-sensitive dynamic panel that displays detailed information based on the selected object. For example, selecting a city shows its production queue, population, and satisfaction; selecting a unit shows its status, abilities, and available commands.
• Right Notification Bar: Vertically arranged event, task, and reminder icons; click to quickly view and handle them.
• Bottom Action Bar: Permanently displays the main game menu buttons, including “Tech Tree,” “Diplomacy Screen,” “Family Tree,” “Laws & Policies,” “City List,” “Unit List,” and more.
• Mini Map: Located in the lower right corner, showing the full world overview and your field of view; click to quickly navigate.

II. Complete Workflow: From Creating a Project to Exporting a Save

The following workflow uses starting a standard game as an example.

1. Create a New Game

Step 1: Launch the game, and in the main menu click “Single Player” → “New Game”.

Step 2: Configure parameters on the settings screen:

• Select a civilization and leader (e.g., Babylon, Rome, Persia, etc.).
• Set map size, difficulty, game speed, and victory conditions.
• Click “Advanced Settings” to adjust resource density, barbarian activity, and more.

Step 3: Click “Start Game” to load the world. Shortcut: Command + N lets you create a new game directly from the main menu (using default settings).

2. Core Operations in the Early Game

Step 1: Exploration and Settlement: Use your initial Scout (shortcut: press E to activate “Explore” mode) to explore the surrounding terrain. Select a Settler unit, move it to an ideal location (near resources and rivers), and click the “Found City” button in the action bar or press B to establish your base.

Step 2: City Management: After selecting a city, the left panel displays:

• Production Queue: Click “Add” to select production units, buildings, or wonders. Shortcut: 1 to quickly select production items.
• Citizen Assignment: Click the citizen icon to manually assign citizens to specific tiles to increase output.
• City Details: View satisfaction, growth rate, cultural output, and more.

Step 3: Technology and Civics Research: Click the “Tech Tree” button at the bottom or press the T key to open the interface. Select research projects (such as “Mining,” “Horseback Riding”). Meanwhile, through the “Civics” interface (L key), enact policies to shape your nation’s governance.

3. Mid-Game Development Phase Operations

Step 1: Unit Control and Combat: After selecting a military unit:

• Movement: Click the target tile or use the arrow keys. Shortcuts: Z to wait, Space to end turn.
• Attack: Right-click an enemy unit or press the A key to enter attack mode, then select a target.
• Grouping: After selecting multiple units, press the G key to group them for unified command.

Step 2: Diplomatic Interaction: Click on other civilizations’ cities or units, select the “Diplomacy” button or press the D key to open the negotiation interface. You can conduct trade, declare war, form alliances, and more.

Step 3: Family & Successor Management: Use the “Family Tree” button at the bottom (F key) to view member status. Arrange marriages and appoint governors to consolidate power.

4. Saving & Exporting the Game

Step 1: Save the game: Press Command + S in-game for a quick save, or click the top menu “Game” → “Save Game” to choose a save slot.

Step 2: Export save files: Save files are located by default at ~/Documents/My Games/Old World/Saves/. Navigate to this directory via Finder and copy the .sav files for backup or sharing.

Step 3: Auto-save settings: In the game settings, you can adjust the auto-save frequency (every turn / every 10 turns, etc.).

III. Advanced Tips for Common Features

• Quick Micro Management: Hold the Shift key and click items in the production queue to move them to the top. Use Command + number keys to set bookmarks for frequently used cities or units.
• Efficient Exploration: Enable “Auto Explore” for scouts (select the unit and press Ctrl + E), and the AI will automatically map the terrain.
• Combat Optimization: Before attacking, take advantage of terrain bonuses (e.g., forest +25% defense). Move damaged units to cities or camps (press R to rest) to speed up recovery.
• Faster Event Decisions: When an event pops up, press the number keys 1–4 to quickly select the corresponding option without needing to click with the mouse.
• Resource Balance: Hover over the resource panel (top bar) to view detailed income and expenses, and adjust production in advance to avoid shortages.

IV. Common Issues and Solutions

V. Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Summary

By familiarizing yourself with the above interface, workflow, and shortcuts, you will be able to more efficiently control the rise and fall of civilizations in ancient times and strategize in the grand battles of Old World. It is recommended to combine the tips and tutorials in actual gameplay to gradually dive deeper and experience its in-depth strategy system.

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