Getting Started with CivIdleCli

This guide will help you get started with CivIdleCli, install the game, and understand the basic gameplay mechanics.

Installation

Pre-built Binary

Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page on GitHub.

Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/cividlecli.git
cd cividlecli

# Build the project
go build -o cividlecli

# Run the game
./cividlecli

First Steps

When you start the game, you'll find yourself in the Stone Age with a small amount of food and wood, and a single villager.

Basic Controls

• Type commands at the prompt and press Enter to execute them
• Use Tab to auto-complete commands
• Press Tab after typing a command to see available subcommands
• The game advances automatically based on real-world time (1 tick = 5 seconds)
• Your civilization continues to progress even when you're not playing
• For more information about the time-based tick system, see the Tick System page

Early Game Strategy

1. First priority: Food

   • Assign your villager to gather food: gather food 1
   • Your villager will produce 2.3 food while consuming 2.1, giving a small surplus
   • Build a farm when you have enough resources: build farm

2. Build shelter

   • Gather wood: gather wood 1
   • Build huts to increase population capacity: build hut

3. Recruit more villagers

   • Use the recruit villager 1 command when you have enough food
   • Make sure your food production can support additional villagers

4. Balance resource gathering

   • Assign villagers to different resources: assign villager wood 2
   • Check your resource rates with the status command

5. Build basic infrastructure

   • Farms for food production (priority)
   • Lumber mills for wood production
   • Mines for stone and gold

For detailed starting strategies, see our Starting Strategy Guide and Food Management Guide.

Tips for Beginners

• Keep a close eye on your food supply - if you run out, your civilization will struggle
• Balance resource gathering according to your current needs
• Don't recruit villagers faster than you can feed them
• Use the buildings command to see what you can build
• Check your resource gathering rates and building effects with the status command
• Use the in-game library (library command) to learn more about game mechanics

Next Steps

Once you have a stable food supply and a growing population, you'll want to:

1. Focus on knowledge gathering (assign scholars to this task)
2. Research new technologies
3. Work toward advancing to the next age
4. Expand your building infrastructure with more advanced structures

For more information about game mechanics, see the other wiki pages.