the restart

[cousLee]

Just curious how many of you take a new map, explore the surrounding area a little, then restart (or reload the 4000bc save) and beging your actual game. And what are you thoughts about doing this.

I feel you should have a bit more starting knowledge than what is given you. the AI seems to know the field from the git-go (b-lines to the best sites/resources/and of course you).

I have what seems to be "wrong-way-Corrigan" syndrome. If I don't have a lookie, I can bank on it I will send my first settler/scout to the absolutely worse place it can go.

[Rogerdude]

I do it pretty often, even if the map gives a bad start, because I want to know if it will pay to move my settler a few tiles to get a better location.
I feel a bit guilty, but not much. I feel much guiltier when I start a new map because the present one reveals very unpleasant terrain (I don't like tundra).

[vmxa1]

Just make your own maps, then you will know as much as the AI. It needs the help, I don't.

[Cort Haus]

Yes, the AI prior knowlege of the whole map and resources is annoying, but I never look round then restart with the map knowledge. It's considered that the human's advantages will overcome the AI's cheats, but if you find it heavy going there's usualy a lower level to play on.

Try an expansionist civ and build two scouts for a good look round before commiting to city sites.

[Drakan]

Try starting with multiple regicide on. Use your seven kings as explorers. In only 5 turns most of the map will be revealed to you.

[joncnunn]

Re: the restart

This is actually two questions.
If I didn't like my starting area at all, I'd definately restart on another map.
But I'm not going to reload the 4000BC save.

Originally posted by cousLee
Just curious how many of you take a new map, explore the surrounding area a little, then restart (or reload the 4000bc save) and beging your actual game. And what are you thoughts about doing this.

I feel you should have a bit more starting knowledge than what is given you. the AI seems to know the field from the git-go (b-lines to the best sites/resources/and of course you).

I have what seems to be "wrong-way-Corrigan" syndrome. If I don't have a lookie, I can bank on it I will send my first settler/scout to the absolutely worse place it can go.

[Theseus]

I did it a lot when first learning the game... I see nothing wrong with getting a better feel for starting positions. After some of the experts starting laying out some of the rules-of-thumb for starts (Aeson here, cracker at CFC), explore/reload became unnecessary.

[cousLee]

I am nearing the finish of my first game, which I did do a reload. It is a giagantic map with max civs on monarch level. I am quite ahead of the game at this point and the remainder of play is going to be either a space ship or a long mop-up. Leaning towards the ship as like I said the map is huge. My next game will be one level higher, and like to share/compare progress. But do not want to handicap the POV because of an early cheat.

I did check out some of the other options (massive kings, civs with scouts) but settled for the babs as I feel they fit my play style the most. I like to build, and the important buildings are the ones with cost discounts (sci/rel) plus I hate the anarchy wait when switching govs. Will play my same "texans" next game as well.

The one thing I did notice when looking for a suitable teaching map was the horrible rng placement for the humans. 99% of the time I was at least one tile away from a more optimal location (ocean access, extra resources, river/lake, ect). I also like to know which direction my first contact will come from. Being armed with that info, made this map a good learner but alas fairly easy once I got out of the ancient age.

Now if I could just work on my bad sence of direction I would be thrilled. lol

thx for the replies. I would not mind some input on my current game, but have a feeling I know what would be said for the most part.
1. don't build every building in every city
2. internal garrisons are a waste (however it does stave off the sneak invasions because the AI can't see any empty cities to target)
3. space the cities tighter.

Aside from those, other input is welcome.

[Richelieu]

I do it all the time (the restart, that is). I never reload a map though.

[Sabre2th]

Originally posted by Theseus
...After some of the experts starting laying out some of the rules-of-thumb for starts (Aeson here, cracker at CFC), explore/reload became unnecessary.

I don't think I need the help, but it never hurts to hear other peoples' ideas. Do you happen to know where I might find that discussion?

[cousLee]

Yeah, that would be good reading if you have it.

I finished that map with a SSV. The last 15 turns or so was interesting as complete world war broke out, how ever it was mostly naval activity. The Germans, whom I had spared destruction earlier in the game, decided to try and get some revenge. they never got more than one tile into my territory, and the Greeks and I took them out. The Mayans could have avoided conflict but they had some ivory I really wanted (needed some cool shift knobs for my trucks.... er, tanks).

I started a normal size map on emperor. Got a fair starting location and have Grapes and Furs already in my borders. However the Ottomans have already declared war because i would not give them all my cash. I am trying to get the Philo Freebie and was not gonna stall that persuit. I only have 4 cities at 4,4,2,1 pop. Not sure if this is good or not. It's 1400bc.

I also have met the english, but am way behind in tech as far as I can see. The English do not have philo and I can not offer them writing, the ottomans I can offer writing but they can not offer philo. So it looks ok, but who knows how this will progress.

The 4 cities I have are at optimal spacing, and have temples and barracks in the 4 pops, working on granaries in the other two then temples. I am about to finish my 3rd & 4th worker, then will start building a defensive line of spearmen at the ottoman choke point. I can then move on to expanding westard into the empty areas.

So my ? now would be more along the lines of is this the right early tactic. I don't want to do the archer rush as I would end up wasting my GA on despotism.

I would put a screen shot in this, but have no idea how to do that. I will go ahead and upload it

[cousLee]

Well, that was just plain awsome. I did get Philo first, and took Mapmaking as the free tech as it was the most expensive and wanted to use it for bargining. The shocker was that i got TWO SGL that turn.

I used Philosophy to bargin a peace treaty +tech with the ottomans, then bartered the two (philo&mm) with the english to obtain most of the missing early techs. Then went back to the ottomans to get the rest. I got most of both their gold (about 60g) in the process.

I used one of the SGL to hurry up the pyramids, and sold off the built granaries. this allowed me to drive tech @ 100% a while longer. I decided to persue Lit for libraries and the great library.

Having made peace with the ottomans, I was able to get some much needed settlers built and along with a free one from a hut I will soon have 3 lux for my empire. I also will have horses, but alas there is no iron within my grasp (yet). The Ottomans have some behind their border, and I will get that a bit later one I have several more cities placed.

I got Lit finished and damned if I didn't get another SGL. I was going to save the one for the great library and now I have 2 in reserve. The problem is, I am still in a despot gov, and if I build the GL it will put me into a GA. I need to choose between a GA early or risk another civ building the GL. Not sure which way I should go with that. I do have to option of building the lighthouse with one of them, but not sure if that is going to be the best choice. A lot of wonders are right around the corner.

The English have Currency, Polytheism, which the Ottomans don't. And it would appear that horseback riding is known by some civs I have not seen yet. I need to do some naval exploration to meet these other civs.

A real crossroads decision here. Continue to expand (REX?), or take on the ottomans before they get too many units. And, take the GA and GL or wait for a better use of my SGLs.

Currently it's 900bc.

perhaps this should have it's own thread. I didn't do any reloading, as my starting position was decent (only had to move one space for ocean and river access), and what I seek with this is an open ongoing guidance discussion. This is only my 4th game of civ3, the first two were disasters, the 3rd I won SS. It is my first emperor level game.

[joncnunn]

The more important thing with SGL is that if your staying at peace you can keep the SGLs around for more expensive wonders but if you are planning a war, you need to use the SGL before you start using Elites in combat.

I would recommend avoid triguring a despotic GA with wonders. So yes, I'd wait to rush the Great Libary until you've changed to a better govt.

I think I'd sugest using one of the SGLs on the ToA. It's religous like the Pryamids and so won't trigure your GA and is also one of the most expensive ancient wonders. Stop building Temples but don't sell any that have already completed.

[Theseus]

You've gotten three SGLs in the ancient era??!!

Whoa... this deserves its own thread.

[Tattila the Hun]

Would not Scientific Age be worth it?