For Sale to AIs: World Map

[NTJedi]

I was amazed to discover how much the AIs value the World Map. The Japanese started near me and unfortunately their random personality was very aggressive. As his fleet of Galleons(5+ Galleons) plus 4 Frigates were about to land I offered my world map in exchange for 10 turn peace and he accepted.

I figured he would pimp out his updated map for money to others so I asked for money from the other AIs before ending my turn. Sure enough I raised almost 2000 gold for my world map.

I'm wondering... doesn't the AI already know where everything is including units?? Example = The AI didn't send ships to attack until it knew it was strong enough to take out my existing navy.
Has anyone experienced bad results after selling / trading their world map ??

[axisworks]

The AIs will often ask to trade maps with you when they're just about to declare war on you, or someone close by that you have a recent map for. I never give them to my enemies, and I only give maps to friends for a price, as well as theirs in return... unless it's absolutely imperative that I need a map asap for some reason, then I'll be a bit more reasonable

[NTJedi]

Originally posted by axisworks
The AIs will often ask to trade maps with you when they're just about to declare war on you, or someone close by that you have a recent map for. I never give them to my enemies, and I only give maps to friends for a price, as well as theirs in return... unless it's absolutely imperative that I need a map asap for some reason, then I'll be a bit more reasonable

What's the official word regarding the AI's and world maps... do they actually have a use for the world map?
If yes then what features of the world map do they use which they did not previously know?

[drsparnum]

I can't answer your important question. I can say I've been pimping out my world map for a long time. As soon as I get the tech I ask every AI I know what they'll give me for it and take whatever they offer. I figure they already know how strong/weak I am by looking at the power graph.

[Dis]

I do it unless there is still empty space that I want to fill.

The problem is I value it alot too. And no one ever wants to sell me their world map.

[Jaybe]

Until I have circled the globe (or someone else has received the +1 naval-movement bonus) I don't sell my maps, since just having exposed land-or-sea from end to end is all that's needed -- the latitudes do not have to match. Until then, I am happy to buy others' maps as available, since it may aid me in my circumnavigating the globe.

After that, I have no problem selling or even giving away maps, though I can be moody about it depending what what I think of them.

Firaxis has repeatedly stated that (unlike with Civ3) the AI has no knowledge of your unit placement or the map -- that they follow the same rules as the player does.
I have seen evidence both ways on the matter: their taking a settler towards a razed-city location and aborting, and conducting a naval invasion against a poorly defended city where I thought they couldn't have intel about.

[Blake]

They do have SOME forbidden knowledge.
As I understand it they're entirely blind to the contents of "Black" fog.
Once they've scouted an area they seem to have permament vision of it, or in any case they know where the weak points are and often seem to know where things to pillage are.

[Bkeela]

They unerringly attack my weakest cities without having my map, so I'm sceptical that selling it will give you a disadvantage.

I sell them when I remember.

[Prussia]

One of the most unenjoyable experiences of games is when the AI cheats - in your case, they use the knowledge of where are your units are to calculate how to effectively destroy you.

Obviously, gamers hate this type of thing, and that's why it's basically mandatory for programmers to ensure the AI cannot cheat.

[drsparnum]

Does it happen every time? The AI might get lucky once and a while. Also, if it is later in the game the AI may have a spy. I'm pretty sure the AI builds more nukes than spies (so, they build none) but I cannot know that for sure.

[DrSpike]

I sell after circumnavigation - it's usually nets a bit of cash. They rate theirs highly too. In my last game several very friendly civs refused to trade me theirs for most of the game.

[rah]

Yes, I love it when you're on a continent and someone from the other finally reaches your shore and I have them toss in their map as part of a tech deal.
At least a handful of times I got the circumnavigation bonus without even leaving my continent.
The first time I thought it was a bug until I realized what happened.

[Prussia]

What is so special about circumnavigating the world?

What does the bonus do?

[proviisori]

Ships move 1 tile faster

[DrSpike]

And it makes a really cool sound.