Deep or wide?

[Capt Dizle]

Originally posted by Shr3dZ
I would think you would only 'go deep' once youve gotten Alphabet.

So, start wide, then go deep!

This is starting to sound like a tips for better sex thread.

[Blake]

Originally posted by Kidinnu
Blake, I think that's because the human knows about the special-case nature of the Terra map, but the AI doesn't.

Indeed. Which is unfortunate. Oh well someone will probably mod in map specific AI at some point.

[Strollen]

Originally posted by Merzbow
It seems to me that different difficulty levels require different strategies. This may seem an obvious point, but seems to be overlooked - i.e. people criticizing other people for suggesting one build a wonder to achieve X or Y because 'you rarely can get wonders at difficulty level Z and above'. At least on Prince and below, the AI is quite willing to hand over bucketloads of slightly older techs for one of my more advanced ones. I'm amazed anyone can accomplish jack on Monarch and above, frankly - it seems less like fun than an exercise at hair-splitting micromanagement.

Actually Monarch isn't too bad. Yes I am pretty anal about getting good starts, but I think this one only took 3 or 4 attempts and my first as India. The India fast worker is quite possibly the best UU in the game.

I am going to try another game or two at Monarch at than move up a level. But I can understand people being frustrated.

As to your larger point that difficulty level matters I completely agree. In fact it isn't just difficulty that changes strategy options virtually everything matters.

To me the beauty of Civ 4, is virtually every strategy question has a two word answer. "It depends"

Now maybe eventually some of the great players will narrow down that Strategy A is almost always better than Strategy B, but right now it is all up for debate.

[Hayden]

the AI seldom gives you a directly beneficial deal. Its always a tech for 2000 in exchange for one for 2300 or something. And on the odd chance the trade is beneficial they ask for money to way it in there favour. So for example in a 2 player game, trading with the AI would be a waste of time. Trading techs as I see it is only worth doing if theres 2 or more Civs that want to trade with you, which thankfully there is most of the time. But if you have a tech lead in a game for some reason, I think in some instances you need to really protect that lead and run with, especially if it unlocks some good wonders or military.

[dschur]

Originally posted by Blake


I'm not sure what you're point is. Just because you can't trade Astronomy doesn't make it something very worth beelining for. I beeline astronomy and trade everything except astronomy.

The AI doesn't seem to know that astronomy is the bees knees on Terra, I've traded all the pre-req techs to it and techs around it and they still don't seem to bother researching it with any priority.

Well if you can do this I retract my reservations. I always go for Astronomy on Terra, I just am very careful about not trading any of the pre-req's for it to the AI's. I found this limited my tech trading potential, but doesn't do anything to change my desire to beeline to Astronomy.