Smaller maps vs Larger maps?

[upsidedown]

I've been wondering if anyone has noticed exactly how much the size of the map matters in how you focus your empires cities. Does production heavy reign king on smaller maps, or would commerce be the better focus? Consider fairly ideal resources and location for your cities on smaller maps, plenty of 'filler' cities on larger maps.

Obviously there are a lot of varibles so I'm looking for a speculative look on the situation.

[Blake]

Well on smaller maps national wonders are more significant, as are great people.

The larger the map, the more powerful cottage-cheese becomes, mainly because it's a good way to make filler cities contribute something useful.

Altough I'm not saying the value of National Wonders and Great People are actually diminished on huge maps, as for example only one city can build a wonder at a time, so having a good Ironworks city can be just as essential.

Likewise great people can have a huge impact in the early game, a fast acadamy, lightbulbing theo, philo etc.

But there will be many more marginal cities, and it seems best to focus these on commerce, as you can always rushbuy and draft in the later parts of the game.

[MasterDave]

Larger maps increase game difficulty

I think the AI at higher levels (prince and above) has more of an advantage on larger maps. This is because the "maintenance" factor that makes it hard for a human player to expand through ICS without going broke does not seem to slow down the AI as much. When playing on prince or monarch level it is not at all uncommon for the AI to have 7-8 cities built and still be expanding while I have four cities and cannot afford to build more without seriously limiting my science. Larger maps give them all the more room to exploit this advantage.

Also, it is a lot harder to disrupt an AI through warfare if it takes you 15 turns of sailing across the sea or trudging across the plains to get to them. This is more of a factor on larger maps.

[Blake]

Hmmm I disagree with expanding being (relatively) difficult on large maps, I actually find it even easier. But then again I am an Organized-whore.
Yes, my Science may drop to 30%, but that's still 30% of a big territory, and as long as I can build libraries and hook up food specials I can pull through. A library and 2 Scientists in a few cities, plus the acadamies, will allow the empire to pull through. It's better to get Code of Laws BEFORE crashing your economy, but not essential. But Writing IS essential.

[MasterDave]

I am playing on Monarch now, but even on prince, if you have to drop your science as low as 30% for even just a few turns you WILL fall way behind the AI's. Especially AI's on larger maps, since they seem to have the ability to sustain larger empires and still research fast.

[Diadem]

That entirely depends on your strategy.

If you run a specialist-oriented setup with lots of scientists and Super Specialists, it can happen that your entire slider is only a tiny part of your total science output. So setting it to 30% won't be too bad, then.