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It seems like the opening movie always starts up and won't let me cancel it until it has played for about 10 seconds. Is that because it takes the game that long to load regardless? Is there a way to turn off the movie?

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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Since version 1.0.1.674:

  • Go to the game options and check the Skip Intro Video option:

    Picture of Skip Intro Video checkbox in Interface Options

Earlier versions:

  • Navigate to My Documents/My Games/Sid Meier's Civilization V/ on a PC or ~/Documents/Aspyr/Sid Meier's Civilization 5 on a Mac.
  • Look for the file Usersettings.ini and open it in a text editor like Notepad
  • Search for the variable SkipIntroVideo = 0
  • Change the 0 to 1

Enjoy your shiny, intro vid free Civ!

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  • 15
    This works, although unfortunately it doesn't seem to have much impact on the loading time. So I guess it really did just take that long to load, and the video is just there to help you pass the time.
    – bwarner
    Commented Sep 24, 2010 at 20:27
  • 8
    Important note -- unlike some steam games, configuring the launch options for civ V with -nointro has no effect.
    – Raven Dreamer
    Commented Sep 25, 2010 at 0:32
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    Interesting. It looks like there's an "Automated Workers leave improvements" option in that config file as well.
    – Raven Dreamer
    Commented Sep 25, 2010 at 1:41
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    @bwarner in my opinion it does shorten the load time, and the user S3nd41 seems to agree as well.
    – Oak
    Commented Sep 26, 2010 at 20:41
  • Has a side benefit of my ATI card not forgetting it's 'overscan' setting and necessitating a visit to the control center.
    – Strategem
    Commented Oct 25, 2010 at 8:46
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Unfortunately, the game takes that long to load regardless. You can turn off the display of the movie but there is no way to actually disable it so that your game loads faster.

Setting the SkipIntroVideo = 1 in usersettings.ini does not actually shorten the load time. Nor does removing the movie file from the root install directory.

You who answer to the contrary (@FallenAngelEyes & @Oak), I challenge you to actually get out a stopwatch and test it. Results below.

Movie on: 20.4 seconds

SkipIntroVideo Set: 19.95 seconds

Movie File Deleted: 20.4 seconds

File deleted and SkipIntroVideo Set: 20.1 seconds

Test procedure used:

  1. Click the DirectX 10 & 11 launch option. Start Time

  2. Click the mouse repeatedly

  3. Stop Time when the ESRB Notice is seen.

p.s. +1 to bwarner's original comment on the first answer about the load time not improving

p.s.s. I realize now that because everyone has a different time before they can click to cancel the movie, it's probably just the game itself loading and not some bug where they force you to watch a certain amount of the movie. So it may not be fixable at all by Firaxis except by improving load times.

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  • 1
    Very interesting, though honestly just the fact that it feels shorter is good enough for me :)
    – Oak
    Commented Sep 30, 2010 at 8:20
  • @Kaestur - good point, i've clarified the 1st paragraph.
    – robertpateii
    Commented Sep 30, 2010 at 15:54
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    I merely gave @bwarner the information he asked for regarding how to disable the movie; I never claimed it actually shortened the time. :)
    – FAE
    Commented Sep 30, 2010 at 19:24
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    The video is obnoxious after the third time. I'll settle for a long loading screen. :)
    – user3841
    Commented Oct 1, 2010 at 3:01
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Location of this file in the new Mac version:

/Users/username/Documents/Aspyr/Sid Meier's Civilization 5/UserSettings.ini

In Civ 5 Campaign Edition (purchased through the App Store) on Snow Leopard it is in the following location: 

/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Civilization V Campaign Edition/UserSettings.ini
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  • This doesn't seem to be the case, on my Mountain Lion system. Neither ~/Documents/Aspyr nor App Support/Civilization V... exists.
    – ELLIOTTCABLE
    Commented Aug 26, 2013 at 17:15
  • I don't have this installed on my Mac anymore but perhaps sometime in the next couple of weeks I can look back into it. They must have changed something in the last rev or two of the OS.
    – Ejoso
    Commented Aug 27, 2013 at 17:41
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Disabling the loading movie also has the advantage, that you do not have to click the mouse to cut it short. You can open the game, and as soon as the game is ready the music starts.

Instead of having you wait for the old man to start talking and then clicking the mouse.

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1
  • You can click/hit any key as soon as you see the 2K logo, which should appear nearly instantly.
    – deceze
    Commented Oct 18, 2010 at 5:04

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