Addicted to Creative...

[Crossfire]

So, how do I get past my addiction to Creative civs? I would love to play as Darius but I always seem slower and more confused in purpose than when I play as a creative civ. I didn't used to have this problem so how do I overcome it now?

[Snotty]

religion, libraries, stonehenge, monuments or caste system for artists usually does the trick for me

[Verrucosus]

Random civ. Allow yourself to be surprised and do the best you can with whatever civ you get. Random setups are excellent to prevent yourself from getting addicted to a certain strategy. (In that sense, "being confused in purpose" might be good because it keeps you really thinking about the game rather than just going through the motions.)

Admittedly, the creative culture bonus is one of the hardest to replace by other strategies. This is not so much because there aren't any substitutes - Snotty has listed them - but because setting them up takes time whereas the bonus is there right from the start giving you a lot more flexibility when picking sites for your first few cities.

[Ming]

In our MP games, we play random civs. You have to learn how to take best advantage of the civ you are dealt. Slaving monuments is a good way to get early culture. Religion is another. While I take advantage of the Creative trait when I get it, I find that since there are other ways to get culture, I don't see it as a critical trait to have. Other traits can be more useful in a MP game.

[Theben]

Never played with Creative, seems pretty useless to me.

[Ming]

It has it's advantages. It allows you take advange of all the squares within your city zone faster, and gives you different options in the early game for city placement.

In MP, it allows you to win early culture wars for key resources sometimes.

When I have it, I use it. But as I said, there are other ways to get culture.

[Theben]

I think it's the only trait I haven't played with. I used to be big on ol' George with the Org, Fin traits, but I think I like the new George even better, as cheap granaries + extra happy really boosts the Slavery pop-rush (not sure George would've approved).

[Velociryx]

Crossfire, believe me, I know just what you mean.

Two specific ways of weaning yourself off of it (and I say this from experience, as I'm a creative junkie myself!).

#1) Play any Civ that starts with Mysticism, and make it a priority to build Stonhenge (either build it in your Capitol, or, make sure that your second city is founded swiftly, and has sufficient trees surrounding it that you can chop it out with haste...the AI now puts a bit of a premium on it, so if you don't hurry, you may miss it).

#2) Play the Inca (their UB is a granary that gives +2 culture, and since it's likely that you'll wind up with Granaries in all your cities, and fairly soonish to boot, you'll get the same effect--albiet somewhat more slowly--as your favorite trait.

But yes...overall, my thoughts mirror those that others have already expressed. Play random and learn to love it. That's the best way to get a feel for how to work with all the traits.

-=Vel=-

[Blake]

You could play as Brennus who starts with uber monuments you can just build in every city for the border pop.

But I'd recommend going with a completely different play style for a bit, like a Philosophical leader like Alexander or something.

[joncnunn]

Well, if your trying to break an addition to creative don't play the current AU game. I used to think Creative was worthless until I played it.

The main alternative to the free culture creative gives in ultra early game are:

1. Stone Henge (especally if Stone right nextdoor to starting location and/or Industrious.) I'm placing the note of right next door instead of just nearby because I have often found that waiting to connect the stone before starting actually delays construction of this wonder.
Works best when playing a civ starting with Mysticism

2. Found Budism or Hinduism and connect it to your cities. Doesn't have to be adopted as your state religion.
Virtually requires starting with Mysticism on Noble+ normal map.

But there are other styles like perhaps found cities a bit closer together and/or add Monuments to your queues in the spots that need them.

[Crossfire]

The problem I have is that if you don't start with Mysticism it is quite hard to get Stonehenge built in time. I do build Monuments if I am not Creative but I never seem to do as well because of all that time lost building them.

I think maybe I need to rethink my city placements so that I don't NEED the whole area as quickly. That will mean weaker cities in the end but is probably the most pertinent advice you guys provided. Thanks.

[Unimatrix11]

I remember vividly: Stonehenge was the first thing i ever built in CivIV - back in 2005... I had no idea why - but i love the original one.

[draethor]

If you REALLY need that culture, just get mysticism early and chop/enslave monuments out (if you don't want to have to rely on getting stonehenge).

[Thedrin]

The only way tht I've managed to get off the creative trait is by whipping monuments in my secondary cities. You have to research both mysticism and bronzeworking which might be off your prefered tech path for the game your playing, and you don't get the expansion anywhere near as fast - wait for a population increase and then it takes twice as many turns to get. But I've found that these conditions are much less of an alteration from how I'd play if I had the creative trait than any other method.

[Crossfire]

I guess I should chop more! I generally start worker/worker/settler with BW and chop like mad at my starting city but I probably don't chop enough at my other cities. I also probably build too few workers generally so I should change that while I am at it. I do whip but usually I want that first culture expansion before I can whip.