All these new things and I don't use any of them

[mimi]

All the new govts would be lovely 'cept they're no better than the old way. I always go despot-monarch-democracy. Tried Feudalism and republic but neither are any use and have never gotten to the era where commie and other new govt are avail 'cause I lose interest in a game where all I can do is spend all my time removing the marshes I'm always surrounded by.

That and the AI NEVER stops declaring war (monarch). I'm almost exclusively a builder but in Conquests the AI is always declaring war, even if we've made peace it doesn't even bother waiting 20 turns, just declares again whenever it wants.

I don't play the island maps 'cause they're too easy (ai too stupid to move) at the beginning and too tedious at the end (moving tons of ships to a new land with troops isn't much fun 'cause it takes SO LONG) so I haven't bothered with seafaring civs. And agri bites since most of the time I don't have any rivers within 20 tiles. And, even if I do, food is not much use in making things unless you're in despot.

So, really, what is the point of all these new "things" if I don't get a chance to make use of them 'cause it's too freaky tedious to play? I'm very very very tired of clearing marshes...

Or, perhaps I've missed something?????????????????

[vmxa1]

Not really.

[alexman]

It sounds to me like you need to give your gameplay and/or map settings more variety.

Exclusively building can make for some boring games, if you ask me, not to mention that Monarchy has never been the best government for that playestyle. Island maps can be challenging and fun, especially if you get stuck alone on a small one. Go to war if you don't like your own lands and you need your neighbor's. Then you can build, and the AI will respect you more. Or try playing larger maps, where long rivers are more common. Try playing with less than the maximum number of civs, so you get more room to play builder. The AI get more room too, so they leave you alone.

[asleepathewheel]

If you haven't used Zeus, you are really missing out. Quite a wonder.

Keep your chin up and reload a few times to get a good map. I might reload 5-7 times before playing out for a little bit, and then I might reload if unhappy. Its just part of it.

[TheArsenal]

Marshes: I always felt their needed to be more terrain in the game that could not be immediately settled on, helping, in some cases, to decide early natural borders. A 99% habitable landmass to me seemed silly.

[The Viceroy]

I always skip monarchy and jump straight to Republic, then Democracy.

Ive not got Conquests yet, so i will be interested to see if this changes.

Is the AI just more sensitive to the fact you've not got a large standing army ?? Ive noticed that the AI in ptw tends to pick fights when you're weak .. but put a large and mobile force together, and they are a little better behaved (ie, don't trespass so much).

the other reason could be to make Republic and Democracy less appealing. If your on a reasonably sized continent, and have a good number of civs around you of equal strengths .. pestering you with war all the time could make Democracy a real nightmare ..

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by TheArsenal
Marshes: I always felt their needed to be more terrain in the game that could not be immediately settled on, helping, in some cases, to decide early natural borders. A 99% habitable landmass to me seemed silly.

Then you should be please as in addition to marsh, they have volcanos and they can never be settled.

[Alex]

as alexman said, try to give your gameplay more variety. i'm a builder too, but i'll occasionally fire up a totally militaristic game, just for fun.

one of my best games was playing as the aztecs in a small archipelago map. destruction galore!

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by TheArsenal
Marshes: I always felt their needed to be more terrain in the game that could not be immediately settled on, helping, in some cases, to decide early natural borders. A 99% habitable landmass to me seemed silly.

there's not enough marsh on most maps...

anyway, the AI doesnt clear it well enough, ie, if you put the AI on in the middle of an island surrounded by 5 marsh tiles in any direction, they'd never get off it.

it just leaves more land for the human to grab later, and thats if they tile together (which i havent seen all thast much, just long "strands" of them).

there should be a "takes X turns to settle" option for terrain. like, instead of bringing a worker along, have the settler be able to clear a jungle on it's square by itself and settle, at the expense of some turns.

[Dis]

well one problem is the ai will keep attacking you if you are weaker than them.

the easiest way to correct this is not to be weaker than then. And if they still attack you smash them back into the stone age.

But I kind of agree it is hard to play a peaceful game. Have you tried adjusting the ai aggressiveness slider?

[pauli]

the easiest way to correct this is not to be weaker than them.

i had a great illustration of this the other day.

i was at war with (or rather, exterminating) the egyptians. i had a main force trundling through their territory, about to attack their second or third capitol. i had an ancient cavalry hanging out one city south, keeping an eye on things, when i saw an archer leave the city and head north (to the capitol). in a surprisingly poor decision, i stepped in to the south of him and attacked the city - a gamble, as i was hoping there was only one defender remaining there. well, there wasn't. my cavalry survived, albeit injured. after my turn, the egyptian archer turns around and kills my horsies. to add insult to injury, the japanese attack my northern border out of nowhere!

being, as i am, a human player, i reloaded had to at least see how mad they were at me before hand (turns out they were annoyed). so, this time, i take my cavalry and (successfully) attack the archer.

this time, when the japanese turn comes around, they see me with one more ancient cavalry than last time... and they do nothing.

they'll definately attack if they sense weakness, even if it's 50 squares away...

[vmxa1]

pauli you did not say what the advisor had to say about the strength vs Japan. It could be the one less unit had nothing to do with it, but was merely a coincidence.

[Shogun Gunner]

I'm diggin' the marsh...get it? I'm LITERALLY digging it.

Actually, in all seriousness, I also like the greater diversity in terrain and resources/luxuries (and scarcity). Anything to make more challenging situations requiring more thought and planning on my part is cool by me...

We all have learned that we cannot depend on AI for this.

[Jon Shafer]

If you don't like the AI declaring war on you then just turn the aggression level down... there's a feature in Conquests which I would have assumed you would have found...

[Dis]

I'd like to add how "random" things like declaring war can be.

I was playing the Fall of Rome scenario. I didn't take the Roman city the first try, so I reloaded (yes I know- that's a weenie thing to do- but this is just a test run anyways, I don't think I can win, I just want to see how far I can go). On the second reoload the Romans got the visigoths (I think it is these guys- I think there are 2 goths in this scenario- these guys were purple) to attack me. The first time the visigoths did not form an alliance with Rome, only the second time.

I actually kept playing. But the visigoths started tearing me up . I can't go aginast all 3 of them: visigoths, east rome, west rome.

so there may be other factors at work whether an ai declares war on you or not. Who knows what deals are being wheeled and dealed with other ai civs on any given turn.