Deity

[gentle]

Did anyone of you guys already tried to play on deity level ?
In order to check out general gameplay I started a few games on noble, which seems to be no prob at all.
The manual states that on Deity the AI starts with an additional settler (this sucks pretty much. I hate it when an increase of difficulty level is done by giving the AI a material advantage. I prefer applying changes to the mechanic. For example the unrest/unhappy faces factor of Civ2 - referring to it because I didnt play Civ3 ; it sucked).
To make sure what units are given to the AI I just started a game on Deity level and revealed the map via Editor and thats what I found:
Julius Caesar (AI) starting with (4000BC):
4 Archer
2 Scouts
2 Worker
2 Settler

I mean ... this is fu***** ridiculous, isnt it ?
Main prob is that one has to play the game on Deity in order to not get the game messed up by boni to health/happy faces. And of course because its a civ game !
So, has anyone been gozu and succesfully started/pwned a deity game ? Is it bearable?

[DeepO]

Ask Aeson. I'm not sure he has played the final version yet, though.

And it is meant to be unbearable... my guess is that Monarch is about Civ 2 deity level. You've got 3 more levels after that.

DeepO

[gentle]

wouldnt be that frustrating if at least immortal diff had no boni to health/happiness.
I just cant stand the applied bonusses.

[DeepO]

What do you mean exactly, gentle? And please don't ask for a AI that is able to compete on an equal basis without bonusses, that is simply not possible.

Everything can be modded, especially your own difficulty parameters. If there is something you specifically want to create out of nostalgia, it's possible. Just don't ask me, I don't know anything about modding

DeepO

[jones]

AIs getting gifted units like that bugs the heck out of me, too, but in a different way. I guess it's cool if they start with additional units and that's the end of it, no problem there, but for some reason the idea of the AI occasionally bailing itself out of a tight spot with free units or cash really gets under my skin.

I'm not saying CIV does that, but if it does, it's lame. I'm fine with an AI that gets for example, 50% discounts on production research and upkeep cost as well as similar benefits. It's lame if it cheats above and beyond those handicaps.

[DeepO]

AIs don't get free units in the middle of the game, they only get more units at the start. And not enough units to mount a good offensive with, but enough capacity to outbuild a human on units and wonders simultaneously.

Remember that when you are put in the disadvantage, AIs don't have that advantage compared to each other: after 20 turns, all AIs have about equal armies and techs. It's just you who don't have that. Those archers are needed for defense, not offense.

DeepO

[Dominae]

Deity is a bit ridiculous right now, it really restricts your options (both in-game strategy and game setup).

Immortal (the level I play at) is surprisingly different: it's tough but fair, in the sense that it does not invalidate any playstyles (that I can tell).

For now, I think CIV's Deity is C3C's Sid.