Sid Meier's Civilization IV (or Civ IV) is a turn-based strategy computer game released between October 25 and November
The player has several obstacles to face modelled on political or economical problems faced by real-world nations. Apart from this they also have to handle their diplomatic relations with rivals and their continuing quest for exploration and new resources. Other important tasks include the planning of where to build new cities and progress in science which reveals access to new technologies. A player has the choice of playing the part of a number of historical figures ranging from Elizabeth I (English Empire) to Mao Zedong (Chinese Empire).
The scope of the game ranges from a period near the stone-age to A.D. 2050. Civilizations gradually advance in technology based on their own production of "research" and sometimes the work of Great People. Technologies range from Writing and Pottery to Paper and Nuclear Fission. All technologies reveal new possibilities for a civilization and enable the chance to trade with other civilizations for military aid, gold, resources or other technologies. The concept of technological growth is based on a technology tree.
Another important concept in the game is the growth of culture, which expands one's cultural borders and can also cause one's culture to infiltrate into other civilization's, sometimes causing a city to rebel against its current owner. Culture is increased through the creation of World Wonders, which also have other effects, constructing certain buildings in cities, and the spreading of a number of religions (see below).
The game can be won through Conquest (conquering all other civilizations), Domination (controlling a dominant percentage of the world's land and the world's population), Space Race (being the first to construct the various parts of a space ship to fly to Alpha Centauri), Cultural (increasing the cultural ratings of three different cities to "legendary" levels), Diplomatic (through votes in the United Nations) or Time (having the most points at the end of 2050).
Civilization IV was released in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. Fans have made also Russian and Finnish translations.