Basic game speed question...

[ProfessorPhobos]

I find the default setting for speed is a bit too fast, but I'm not clear on exactly what Epic and Marathon do.

What I'm looking for is more time to play around in each individual age. I don't like building up a nice medieval army and then have it obsolete before I can use it.

Can anyone fill me in on what these settings actually change?

[Will9]

Basically they just are more turns with everything more expensive. For more info go to the marothon mode is execellent forum.

[Jaybe]

Using Normal speed = 100 as a basis then:
Epic = 150 (except that golden age = 125)
Marathon = 300 (except golden age = 200, unit training = 200)

So, epic is 1.5 times the length of Normal speed and Marathon is twice epic speed. Marathon also allows proportionally more units (on a hammer-cost basis).

[Nugog]

IMO marathon is the best speed to play!

[Solver]

In my opinion, normal is way, way too fast. Epic is sort of fine, but still too fast.

On Epic, everything costs 1.5 times as much as on Normal. On Marathon, everything costs 3 times as much as on Normal, except units, which only cost 2 times as much.

Hence, Marathon is somewhat out of balance with the other game speeds, seeing how units become much cheaper than buildings (and terrain improvements), which makes conquest a better option.

My own favorite speed is a custom speed on which everything is as Epic, except research, which is at 200% - that is one third more expensive than on the regular Epic. I find that this speed gives more time in each age and generally longer games, but without upsetting the balance between fighting and building.

[Jaybe]

Originally posted by Solver
My own favorite speed is a custom speed on which everything is as Epic, except research, which is at 200% - that is one third more expensive than on the regular Epic. I find that this speed gives more time in each age and generally longer games, but without upsetting the balance between fighting and building.

Verrry Interesting!
I could do something similar with Marathon, optionally adjusting the training costs up to 300.

For those that want to investigate or mess with this stuff, it's in
Assets/XML/GameInfo/Civ4GamespeedInfo.xml

[Solver]

I think that Marathon with 300 training costs would be too slow even for those who enjoy a longer game. BTW, I found the Marathon early game to be a bit boring. Creating your first Worker and researching the first bunch of techs is very damn slow.

[Jaybe]

Solver, if you have fewer units then each one is more critical; warfare more unpredictable, which in many time periods is more historically accurate!

Everyone has their own "boring" tolerances. Sometimes fewer decisions/turn make them more critical. 60+ hour games for me is about right.

Don't worry, I won't mod my marathon speed until after my current game. I've only got 40 hours into it so far.

[Solver]

The amount of units isn't my point. My point is the proportion in costs. On Marathon, with units being significantly cheaper than buildings, it becomes more profitable to conquer than to build, as compared to the other game speeds. Because on Marathon, you can indeed field an army of a significant size in a short time, relative to the time required for infrastructure development.

My preference for game length, though, is around 20 hours . I find that the 15-20 hour range generally is a good game for me, though I've had exceptions in both directions.

[Qwertqwert]

Epic works very well for me personally. Marathon is just too slow...

[Nugog]

Originally posted by Qwertqwert
Epic works very well for me personally. Marathon is just too slow...

I actually find Marathon a bit fast..............

I agree with some of Solvers points, the start of a game on Marathon can be a little tedious, but I still find the end game too fast.

[Rasputin]

i only tryed epic so far. but based on comments here will have to give the other options a try.

[Solver]

It's interesting how it seems that almost no one among the hardcore players (ie, forumers here) plays Normal speed. Marathon and Epic are the most popular choices, some people use custom speeds, but not Normal. I guess it proves then that Normal really is a speed more suitable for casual gamers.

I permanently lost any liking towards Normal after the in-game timer was implemented, and I discovered that a peaceful Normal game can easily be done in 10 hours.

[Prussia]

Usually when I play a marathon game I use the World Builder just to give each player a certain number of cities, just to get the game moving, because I agree that the beginning is unneccesarily tedious, but in the middle, it gets really fun.

If anyone can make a mod where, if Normal = 100:

Units =100
Buildings = 150
Techs = 200

Or something along the lines of units being not so costly, buildings being a bit more, and techs taking a while to research, in order for units from a certain era to actually have an impact.

[Solver]

That would work well simply with Units = Buildings = 100, and Techs = 200. Buildings are already more expensive than units, and with double the research times, units in each era will have significantly more impact.