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OK, that's meant in irony. For me, the best part of a CivII game is the opening 4 or 5 thousand years. Up to that point, the AI civs are roughly comparable to my Civ in size and there isn't a huge military tech differential between me and them. There's exploring, hut tipping to accomplish, and a sense of the unknown, wondering where the other Civs are and how big they are.
However, once the mid to end game arrives, the game starts to lose its hold on me. Normally, I'll have at least 30-50 cities, and at that point, it's just a relentless grind through the AI cities with artillery (howitzers later) or a long wait while spaceship parts are built. Not very exciting.
I'm sure a lot of you have heard this lament before
My point is, has anyone ever experienced a game where you had a healthy lead over the AI and the AI somehow managed a comeback? Alternatively (since I doubt the AI makes comebacks well), how does one make the endgame interesting? Short of imposing artificial limitations on oneself, or going the deity +1,2,3... route? That would certainly liven up the endgame, I'm sure, but I'd never make it out of the opening! 
I guess this is directed to those of us who are non-OCCers, and those of you who regularly land on AC pre 1500AD probably won't have much memory of the AI being a threat at ANY time
Also... sometimes, I'll play a game and the bigger AI civs will build, oh, 20-40 cities each. Other games, (same level, same settings), AI civs will max out at about 15 cities. Since the games with very large AIs seem to be the most challenging, does anyone know what settings will encourage the AI civs to expand the most? Obviously, choose 'expansionist' personalities, but what else? I know an 'archipeligo' map isn't it
STYOM
However, once the mid to end game arrives, the game starts to lose its hold on me. Normally, I'll have at least 30-50 cities, and at that point, it's just a relentless grind through the AI cities with artillery (howitzers later) or a long wait while spaceship parts are built. Not very exciting.
I'm sure a lot of you have heard this lament before
My point is, has anyone ever experienced a game where you had a healthy lead over the AI and the AI somehow managed a comeback? Alternatively (since I doubt the AI makes comebacks well), how does one make the endgame interesting? Short of imposing artificial limitations on oneself, or going the deity +1,2,3... route? That would certainly liven up the endgame, I'm sure, but I'd never make it out of the opening! I guess this is directed to those of us who are non-OCCers, and those of you who regularly land on AC pre 1500AD probably won't have much memory of the AI being a threat at ANY time
Also... sometimes, I'll play a game and the bigger AI civs will build, oh, 20-40 cities each. Other games, (same level, same settings), AI civs will max out at about 15 cities. Since the games with very large AIs seem to be the most challenging, does anyone know what settings will encourage the AI civs to expand the most? Obviously, choose 'expansionist' personalities, but what else? I know an 'archipeligo' map isn't it
STYOM
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