Did they improve the AI or something?

[Arrian]

I actually thought Conquests was easier at first. I played primarily on Monarch, and I think it's true (for me) that Conquests was easier. Reason being I could get ahead on Monarch, and I think it's easier now to maintain a lead. The AI is easier to exploit in tech trading, at any rate.

Not sure yet about Emp, but it seems like that might be harder (again, for me). Same reason: lead easier to hold. On Emp, the AI is given advantages such that the human often doesn't claw his way to breakeven until halfway through the game.

The AI's city building and terrain improvement appear to have taken a nosedive. Tech trading... well, a shiny new tech that no one else owns has high value, even if the wonder it enables is already built (say... music theory). So the human can research an optional tech and trade it for one or more required techs to pull even. Of course, if you desperately need a particular tech and only 1 AI has it, you are going to be charged an arm and a leg.

Scarcity of resources and luxuries can make the game easier or harder, depending. Sure, if you're the one lacking iron and horses it seems bad. But when you've got 'em and your big strong neighboring AI lacks them... ah, ain't it beautiful?

Oh, cool, time to go home. Post ends...

-Arrian

[asleepathewheel]

I've seen quite a few curraughs, but that was mainly on sid. very low on the priority list, so the ai won't build until after settling a lot of ground. but I have seen them in full force before.

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Hmmm, at the risk of sounding REALLY DUMB, might it be possible to slightly offset the AI penalty on maps with high water?
What I was wondering is, is it possible to remove the 'Sinks at Sea Flag' for galleys, but give the galley a really LOW movement rate, and Ocean tiles a really high Movement cost?
This way, AI galleys might be more willing to invest in multi-turn journeys (say 4-5 for Ocean Worlds), but AI and player alike is more likely to retain the galley as a coastal defense unit!
Of course, if you did this, you'd also have to give the Lighthouse a new ability-like bonus movement for naval units (if this were done, it'd be just as easy to make the lighthouse a Small Wonder-if you ask me!)
Anyway, just a thought guys-feel free to 'Flame' me if the idea is crap-I can TAKE IT !

Yours,
The_Aussie_Lurker.

[vmxa1]

That could be done, but they would still have lost the time it took to get map making.

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

True enough, Vmxa1, but it would be balanced out by the fact that the human players would be EQUALLY disadvantaged by the change! So, when you DO make contact with the AI players, you will probably be roughly on a par in terms of how many other civs you've made contact with! Of course, it would be FANTASTIC if galleys a certain number of squares from port simply had a chance of losing hp's, rather than simply sinking! (After all, a Galley unit isn't ONE galley-I see it as being more like 4-5 galleys!)

Yours,
The_Aussie_Lurker.

[Sovereign]

Thanks, Vxma.

I guess I'll build Archers in my next Monarch Civ3 game. Or I might try an Emperor game again and use this tactic.