Marathon

[Qwertqwert]

I just started a marathon game, how many turns is it?

Also, what speed do you usaually play on? I usaually play epic, but I'll see how this marathon goes.

[Jaybe]

Marathon is 1,200 turns.
Compares to Epic's 660 and Normal's 460.

Costs of most items are twice that of Epic, three times Normal. Marathon troop training is only double the length of Normal, Epic is 1.25 x Normal.

[Qwertqwert]

I think I'll stick to Epic, this Marathon is taking an insane amount of time.

[Shaka II]

I don't find that it takes any longer, but you do hit the space bar more times in the beginning, but that doesn't take long. You benefit from marathon if you're going to play a huge map on domination or conquest on the harder levels, or just want the standard size game to finish earlier. If you're going for a space victory, or an easier level, play normal speed or epic, it doesn't affect that much, because you're not trying to take over the world.

Of course the main reason my games are relatively short is they don't drag out into the modern era.

[Jaybe]

Sure, it MAY take alot of time, but turns are short (when you are not at war): perhaps just an END TURN away.

I am in my first Marathon game. Since I am in no hurry to finish a game -- I play the game to experience it, not to compile wins vs. losses -- I don't mind the immersion. Makes it closer to the real thing.

[Qwertqwert]

Still takes a good 15 seconds for AI turns in the begining and later it becomes like 2 minutes, that's where all the time is taken.

[Shaka II]

What size map are you playing Qwertqwert? A huge map is a bear at any speed as the game gets into the Industrial era, but standard is quite reasonable. Depends on your machine specs.

Originally posted by Jaybe
Sure, it MAY take alot of time, but turns are short (when you are not at war): perhaps just an END TURN away.

I am in my first Marathon game. Since I am in no hurry to finish a game -- I play the game to experience it, not to compile wins vs. losses -- I don't mind the immersion. Makes it closer to the real thing.

Marathon is the way civ was meant to be played, total immersion. Sometimes I forget which world I'm in even.

[Qwertqwert]

Custom size, on that one 42X26 and 12 civs (me and 11 others).

[Adagio]

Re: Marathon

Originally posted by Qwertqwert
Also, what speed do you usaually play on? I usaually play epic, but I'll see how this marathon goes.

I play Marathon... it's the way the game is supposed to be played


Also, according to this poll 42% plays on marathon:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=148313

Go cast a vote

[Son of David]

Marathon does nothing about the fact that your first 2000 years pretty much sweep by with very little action.

Whereas, historically, many wars and campaigns were waged during this time.

No, all marathon does is make things take forever and increase research/building costs so that the early game becomes unbelievably tedious.

[Adagio]

Actually the earlier game becomes more interesting (faster unit build compared to time helps a lot here)

[Solver]

Marathon sounds very nice... I want long games just like ADG wants. But, really, Marathon is not balanced. Unit training being disproportionately quick means that, well, it's much faster than building units, which gives warmongers an advantage and makes warring easier.

I play Epic, but I discovered it's a bit too quick, plus eras run by quickly, so I am using a custom version of Epic with increased research times, and that one suits me very well.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Solver
Unit training being disproportionately quick means that, well, it's much faster than building units, which gives warmongers an advantage and makes warring easier.

And this is bad how?

[Solver]

Because it sort of kills one of the most important points about Civ4, that is, that war has severe drawbacks and it's often better to be at peace?

I know, to each their own, but I prefer it the original way by far. Increasing the research times only on a game speed level, though, just makes you stay longer in each era without necessarily making war any better.

[Willem]

Originally posted by Qwertqwert
Custom size, on that one 42X26 and 12 civs (me and 11 others).

If you're going to jack up the map size that much, you shouldn't really complain that it takes a long time. Play a regular Huge map if you don't have to wait as long.