So how in the world do you beat this game?

[Arrian]

Link to AU100 DAR1 thread: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...hreadid=144174

[Dis]

check this screen shot out. You can't possibly tell me it's the same difficulty level. I'm playing Ottok (Yes I stole the name from our most famous English speaking poster )

Things are starting to make sense. I'm utterly dominating this game as I would expect at this difficulty level (warlord). It's the same map settings as last game except I used start new game instead of custom game. Something is very weird in my custom games. Even though I can change my difficulty level to warlord, all the ai's stay at noble. Not sure what that means.

[Arrian]

The AI always plays at Noble, doesn't it??

"ottok"

You can get a big-time shift in difficulty from game to game on the same settings just due to your starting land, Dis.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

And by the way, WOAH your city spacing is wide!

-Arrian

[Odin]

Dis, don't forget to specialize some of your cities with the right great and national wonders. Make a city with lots of surplus food and, IIRC, the National Epic into a Great Person factory; make a costal city into your cash and science cow (financial trait plus Collossus = 4 gold per costal tile! ), preferably one that is a holy city; Put the Ironworks and Heroic Epic in a production-rich city for rapid unit production. Save your great engineers for rushing wonders and keep a great artist on hand to unleash a culture bomb and steal a city from an opponent.

[Dis]

yeah I know.

I'm serious. There is something wrong with my custom game. I think it's that cache issue or somethign. Though I haven't had too much problem with repeating maps.

Why would a custom game differ from the start new game when I'm using the same map settings (and random civs)? the only difference was I didn't have the option to check no tech trading (which I like). But I haven't researched alphabet yet so that hasn't been an issue yet.

Even though it said warlord, I'm certain I wasn't playing a warlord game. The screenshot above is a warlord game. And I have the score lead as I should.

and yes the spacing is wide. I'm always torn between the land grab, and putting my cities in the best spots. Right now you can see I'm suffereing from maintenance costs. I need to get those courthouses built and finish researching currency...

[Arrian]

I don't know, Dis... I only play custom games. I do know that playing with tech trading off supposedly *helps* the AI, but obviously nothing would change pre-alphabet.

You don't think that anything else could've impacted the feel of the game? Your land? The AI's land? Which AI leaders were in the game? Your play?

So many variables...

-Arrian

p.s. RE: city spacing, clearly CIV encourages wider spacing than CivIII. Further, you're playing a Creative civ, so there is even more incentive to spread out and choke off the AI. But I'd argue you still don't want a lot of unworked (good) tiles. There is a spot on a river southeast of your capital with multiple floodplains (nice tiles) that is going wasted. I'd say backfill that! 3-3-2 on the numberpad from your capital would be my choice.

[IVZanIV]

It looks, from the screenshot (sorry, haven't read the second page, if this has already been said I apologize) that the reason that Mansa has been able to gain a technological advantage might be religious.

Since he is the founder of the largest religion in the world, a strong financial boost could be given by the creation of Confucianism(sp?)'s holy building, which gives +1 gold I believe for each city that follows it. This easily translates into a research boom.

Also, the heightened relations with those countries that are also Confucian translates most likely into free technologies (tech trade) and possible alliances against you.

I suggest you find the Confucian Holy City, and take it. Soon.