what´s going on?

[GrendelS]

Hi,
I´m just a casual player, started a quick game a few hours ago... I´m playing the Greek, and it looks like the computer kicks the crap out of me, altough I don´t know how he does it. Next to me are the English. In 1870BC, they have masonry, ceramics, the wheel, ceremonial burial, iron working, alphabet and any other tech I have, also ships, double of my warrior units, Phalanxes I can only dream of, triple as much cities as I do (although I wasn´t barred from expanding, building stuff takes time!?), he also managed to build two or three wonders in the time where I was only able to research a tech or two, if at all. Looking at the victory points, I have 295 point, the English have 2375. What the h*** is going on, how come I suck so badly?

Grendel

[Jethro83]

What difficulty are you playing on? The difficulty has a huge inflence on the rate of which your AI opponents develop.

Chieftain and Warlord are difficulty levels where the AI has penalties to production. You could out-produce them without even trying there. Regent is where the AI is even to you in terms of production, and as you go from Monarch onward, the bonuses to production for the AI increase, as do the number of units they start the game with.

Other than that, I don't know what could be wrong. If it's not the difficulty level that's the problem, you'll probably need to be a little more specific about your situation, maybe post a save.

[GrendelS]

Hi,
I got overrun by the English after one hour and 3 minutes. In the last screen, it states "Sid" as difficulty level... Not sure why that level was chosen (doesn´t quick game use the latest preferences?). Anyway, I was far too weak. Are advantages productionwise the only thing thats increased with the difficulty level? I though it would increase the AI as well.
I guess I´ll better go back to Regent again ;-)

[Theseus]

That also sounds suspiciously like accelerated production.

[joncnunn]

At Sid level, it amounts to the AIs being on acel production with the human NOT on it.

Also there are a massive number of starting units given to the AI at that level, including mutliple settlers and workers.

[vmxa1]

Sid on pangea is too tough for me and I am not adverse to a hard game. I have had them run over me many time before I could do anything. Contients and islands are doable in sid.

They get 18 units of def/off class to start. Two settlers and 4 workers. They pay 40% for stuff. They have so much free unit support it is appauling.

In short they will make contact with everyone on the land mass very fast and trade all techs. The contacts makes it cheaper to research.

A 200 shield wonder cost about 80 shields. Some civs can start with archers and spears (I think Germany is one). They will make money from all the barb camps they will have no trouble clearing, while you have to hide from barbs until you get better units.

You won't be popping huts in pangea as it will be of little value to you and very dangerous. By the time you have the units to do it, they will be gone.

Even in a two civ land mass it is a titanic struggle to best them. I have killed a few, Korea comes to mind, but it was due to the crappy AI. They should have slaughtered me, but fail to use their troops well.

So set the level down to Regent and see how you like that. It is where the player and AI are on even footing.

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by GrendelS
Hi,
I got overrun by the English after one hour and 3 minutes. In the last screen, it states "Sid" as difficulty level... Not sure why that level was chosen (doesn´t quick game use the latest preferences?). Anyway, I was far too weak. Are advantages productionwise the only thing thats increased with the difficulty level? I though it would increase the AI as well.
I guess I´ll better go back to Regent again ;-)

You definitely shouldn't be on Sid unless you've won at Deity consistently. If you're normally a Regent player, you should step up one level at a time.

You don't suck. Sid level is just really hard.

[gunkulator]

For me, the game ceases to be fun at the "godly" levels, i.e. above emporer. You have to space your cities ridiculously close and be content with the smallest territory for much of the game. Extreme micromanagement is your only hope. No wonders, no tech, no resources. No thanks.

[vmxa1]

It is not quite that bad at Demi. Before any patches came out I played a Demi game with standard spacing, with no problems.

It is not the way to go after patches and what you say is nearly true for deity and is true for sid, except the no fun part.

The no fun part of any C3C game is to play at say monarch and just roll over the AI. It is sort of like a reverse sid game, where you are the AI and get all the wonders after the first age.

You have all the tech first and the AI is kicked around like a poor step child. Just the way they do you at sid.

[Modo44]

Unless of course, you like kicking around instead of being kicked. Then Monarch or Emperor is just fine, once you are up to it.

[gunkulator]

So to sum up:

If you're a masochist: play Demi or above
If you're a sadist: play Monarch or below

I'm neither so I play Emporer.

[Rhothaerill]

Originally posted by gunkulator
So to sum up:

If you're a masochist: play Demi or above
If you're a sadist: play Monarch or below

I'm neither so I play Emporer.

Ditto. Not that I play much SP anymore.

[joncnunn]

Also of note is that playing Agricutural civ is almost one full difficulty level easier than playing a non-agricutural civ at Demigod and below.

In fact, combined with the right starting area and inital spacing, I'd rather play an Agriculutural civ at Demogod than a poor quality start at Emperor level.

[Aramis]

Originally posted by GrendelS
(doesn´t quick game use the latest preferences?).

I don't trust quick game. The preferences are never exactly as I recall them.