Creating short term goals

[KrazyHorse]

Rah, did you own Civ I before you got Civ II? If I'd stepped into Deity without any background, I would've gotten my tail whipped for at least 10 or 15 games. You don't even have to step up every level. Start at warlord. When you win, go to king. When you win, go to deity. You'll probably win your first game on warlord, barely win your first on king and lose your first on deity. I know I did. The second game you might win.

[rah]

Yes I owned civI, and my first game was at the toughest level.

You must take into account, having Ming as a twin brother growing up, we always compared our results when we played any type of game. (yeah, we're almost 50 and we still act like kids) It was a must to learn any game at the toughest level to get as good as possible. Nothing worse than hearing "You played it at WHAT level, you wussie"

I did make an exception when I first got CTPII. (I knew Ming didn't own it yet) I played my first game at the level just below the hardest to get a feel for it, (and won), and then played the second game at the hardest. (and won even earlier)

But it's a matter of personal preference. I recommend playing the hardest from the start. It's not for everybody, but I'll still recommend it. I may find doing it the other way silly, but I won't make fun of anyone that choses that route.

RAH

[jake03]

You must take into account, having Ming as a twin brother growing up, we always compared our results when we played any type of game.

_________________________________________________-

OK OK lets me honest now Mings your brother, at the very least I am sure the two of you own a small country with 17 shields 35 beakers 200 tax and they celebrate everyday. I bet you two are brutal in muti player

[Blaupanzer]

Rah and Ming are twins? No jive? Neat.

Think I'll go with KrazyHorse, to a degree. Go from the tutorial to King. Win at that level. Then go to Deity. Deity puts so much emphasis on happiness that other elements can not be fully explored. CIV 2 IS NOT solely a wargame. Trying to learn at Deity will never put that point across. Do you multiplayers ever agree to race for AC instead of slaughter each other? I probably don't need to ask! Anyway, one has to be a very dedicated freak to start at the toughest level of a very complex game and enjoy getting your clock cleaned.

Sboog, enjoy it whatever you decide. Come back and tell us about the experience.

[rah]

"a very dedicated freak", checking in. Yes, we're identical.

TUTORIAL, hahahahhahahahahahaha geeze, you might as well read the manual. j/k

When/IF we play multiple sessions, It's about techs. First one to Howies is fun. Great advantage if you can build SDI's before anyone else gets nukes. First one to nukes has one heck of an advantage and the game usually ends quickly afterwards, (in a blaze of nukes or a quick series of concessions) But if the person is that far ahead at that point, the odds are he would get to space first. Which is the real reason MP games never get to AC. Someone is that far ahead of everyone else that's it's kinda futile. (YEAH I know diplo games get to that level all the time) It's rare that everyone is equal enough after 3 sessions that they want to continue.

If you're gonna ever play MP, it's a good idea to get used to a hard game where you're gonna get your clock cleaned, because it happens even to the best every now and then.

RAH
Different strokes for different folks.

[War4ever]

i have to agree with Rah here. i too started with civ1 and although my first game was on the easiest level, i moved to the hardest setting next game, and had my ass kicked.

i then proceded to conquer the world immediately after that game and hav't looked back since. Now i did lose my first game on deity, but after that it was a rare feat.

I believe in learning one level of play, ie the hardest. This may not work for everyone but to repeat the "i play for fun theme" and want to crush people, well this isn't the game for that IMO.

however, to each his own, and MP is the only way to go.....

I love playing Rah, Ming, Markus, Eyes, and co.........

[sboog]

Well, guys. I played on Deity twice. Once as German and once as Persian.

Both games had me calling upon the Deity!!!

Right off I was plagued with "civil unrest" and the poor mayor fleeing for his life. I did not know how to fix it. I moved a phalanx back into the city and that made things ok for one turn.

You all, I am floundering. But I can tell you this, playing at Deity jolts me into wanting to find solutions. Whereas, playing the
Tutorial over and over was boring - and I never really learned what I should have.

Playing on Deity forces me to sink or swim!

I hope I can swim...

sboog

[Scouse Gits]

yeah sboog - you have it exactly -- I plyed Civ2 at chieftain to Prince for years - and it was one of the dozen or so games I played on my PC - then I moved to Deity - and now Civ is essentially the only game I play - go for it - make your bones and get on with this wonderful game!

[Rasputin]

well i bow to the great palyers of civ 2 that can paly at the hardest level and win with ease, I have palyed civ 2 for nealry 3 years and still cnat beat the AI on Emporer level, I usually paly 1x1x , large world , 7 civs ....

I have beaten the AI at King level but only jsut... a mad dash for nukes ending in all out nuclear was with my paratroopers taking last AI city before he could nuke my last ones...

The strategy I used to win was basically go for Monarchy first, then head to get to Monothism picking up the tech to allow you to build SunTZus war acadamey along the way, giving you vet units..

Once i got vet crusaders, i then sent out battalions of vet pikemen and crusaders to conquer the world..

Was fun doing it the frist time...

At chieften level to prince level i would usually delay total annihalation of the AI to launch to Alpha Centuri...

I am still learning liek you , but I refuse to take it too seriuosly it is still fun for me,

But I do agree with Rah that MP is the greatest, you dont need to be able to beat AI at Deity to play MP... Look at me !!! I can play MP with the best of them and enjoy it (not necessarily beat them) But dont go for the boring duel games IMHO...

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

First of all... Ming and rah related? Who'd'a thunk it?

As far as goals go, sboog, you can get a lot of them here. Everyone has their own strategy and different strategies require different goals (world conquering vs. AC). One thing on Apolyton I found helpful, which I don't think has been mentioned, is the 'first 20 techs' list. Getting Monarchy and Trade are big keys, but I didn't have any other real priorities except to grab whatever tech on the list helped me the most, immediately. Having a research strategy with a goal like Democracy (for the Statue) or Monotheism (for Crusader hordes) keeps me from wandering around getting whatever happens to pop up on my research options list.

You ARE gonna get clobbered on Deity, the first time and maybe the first few times. I recognize where the pro-Deity folks are coming from, but in my case, if I get excessively frustrated with a game, I don't play it. I'll go outside where the sun is shining and the CD will gather dust For me, I usually play on Emperor now, and I have a lot of fun there. Moreover, I played on Prince and King before coming here, so I _have_ learned a few things. I haven't learned to love the unhappiness on Deity, though, so I've come up with a solution: In the same way you set up a Deity +5 game, I now play on Deity +1 but with the unhappiness (city riot size at chieftain) in game.txt bumped up 2 so the unhappiness factor is the same as at Emperor.

I've won my first game on that level, after a couple of tries. Do I consider myself as having won at Deity? No. Did I have fun? Yes. Did I think the huge AI cities were cool? Sure did

Bottom line, it was a challenge, but it doesn't p*** me off the way Deity does when citizen #2 is unhappy...


STYOM

[Earwicker]

Originally posted by jake03
Boy I am with Krazy Horse on this one. This game is considered entertainment for some people, not a training problem. And you should play on the level you find entertaining

True, it is about entertainment, and the AI will give you your money's worth at Deity. It will drive you up a wall with the unhappy citizens and the AI cheats. But you get to see the clever espionage, technology races, even a space race! That's getting the most out of Civ2! In lower levels you're pummeling phalanxes with aircraft and wondering high you can boost your score for the last few centuries. There is nothing like the feeling of narrowly edging out another Civ for a Wonder when you know it's as tough as the AI gets.

Low-level habits are a bad thing to begin and they die hard. Don't be afraid to be behind in the game and even lose sometimes while you're learning. You'll be glad.

[Rasputin]

no fun in always losing... I usually retrict myslef to king or emporers level as that is a challenge to me yet still fun, some times i win sometimes i lose . usually depends on starting location a good start usually means a win, a bad start means falling way behind early and struggling to catch up later