do huts give out anything but maps

[D4everman]

Do huts give out anything but maps and gold anymore? I know its not a good idea to count on them for technologies, but for once I'd like to get one. (maybe they do below noble level but they were too easy imo) Just a question....the gold isn't bad, since it usually keeps me afloat until I can actually make some coin.

Also, I can't seem to find where you can adjust the barbarian settings in the startup. I am not sure but mine must be defaulted for "constant stream of homicidal raving frothing axemen" because there isn't a turn that goes by without them attacking me. Maybe the FOW is concealing it but they sure seem to leave the other 4 civs on my continent alone.

[polarnomad]

I have received technologies, warriors, and scouts on Prince. Granted, maps are little lame, but gold can go a long way to giving you some extra leeway when expanding during the initial turns of the game.

Gold

[Robert]

I've received maps, warriors, scouts, techs, gold, barbarian and experience on emperor level.

Gold and techs are the most important ones imho.
For sure in emperor! You really need to cash to expand.

[vovan]

They also give you experience. And a whole bunch of angry barbs every now and then

On lower levels, they also give workers and settlers, but the higher you go, the less good stuff you'll get. (It's all in the XML files, in case you are curious as to the probabilities of getting each.)

Vovan

[Adagio]

I have only gotten a bunch of angry barbs once

And techs are very seldom. In all the games I've played, I've only gotten techs 3 times... they were all in the same game

[Saurus]

The most annoying thing to get from a hut (well, except angry barbs of course) is a horribly useless map of the north pole just across the sea.

[alva]

Maps can be very good, they can lead you to another hut ( which in terms, the AI isn't going to get) or they can lead you to a new continent or contact.
Don't underestimate them, just because they seem a bit bland.

[Adagio]

But whenever I get a map, it just shows lots of water. I never find new continents, other civs or other huts from them

[Solver]

That's because the random number generator hates you. I often get good stuff from maps, like a good city spot or sight of a resource.

[vovan]

Originally posted by Adagio
But whenever I get a map, it just shows lots of water. I never find new continents, other civs or other huts from them

Adagio, I think this largely depends on what kind of map you are playing. For instance, if you are playing archipelago, the maps will often show you nice new islands and stuff. Of course, it would less useful if you get a map from a hut on the coast of a pangea.

Vovan

[Adagio]

I've played most map types, but I still only get useless maps, showing stuff I could have guessed


But that's just my luck... In all the mafia games, I have been in those 50/50 situations in 10 or so games... in all of those cases, the coin went against me

[vovan]

Note to self:

Don't follow Adagio's investment tips.

[Shaka II]

Originally posted by Adagio
But whenever I get a map, it just shows lots of water. I never find new continents, other civs or other huts from them

Sounds like you need to play pangea. I never get useless water maps. Gold, ivory, stone, barbarian huts, all kinds of neat stuff on a pangea map. Maybe desert once in a while, but that's good info too, so I can avoid it.

Seriously, I typically use two warriors or scouts if I start with hunting. After my turn around my environs, I head back to camp ready to escort my first settler off to the new city site. I usually don't start with hunting, so my warriors don't bring in as neat stuff as the scouts. Typical goodies: Gold, great for keeping research going until cottages start bringing in income, the occasional scout or warrior, tech, usually hunting, maps that lead to more huts and make my scouting job easier. Scouting is the most fun part of the entire game.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Shaka II
Sounds like you need to play pangea. I never get useless water maps. Gold, ivory, stone, barbarian huts, all kinds of neat stuff on a pangea map. Maybe desert once in a while, but that's good info too, so I can avoid it.

50% of my games has been pangea

[Shaka II]

Originally posted by Adagio


50% of my games has been pangea

That's your problem, you can't find a new continent on pangea.

Also, finding a map of water on a pangea map is pretty unusual, but I think you're refering to your continent games. I admit, I've had one or two not so good maps on pangea, but usually, there's a lot of good info there. But I'd rather get a bad map then three barbarians, and I've had that surprise many times. Once I had four barbarians and lived to tell the story. It was on emperor, huge highlands. Yep, I whipped all four of them, but I had the benefit of jungle defense bonus that grew up under me while I was fighting.