How to know if you are doing well....

[inca911]

OK. So we've got a nice new game with all kinds of new and different features. However, we now don't really know how we are doing in a game since all our old benchmarks are gone. On my Regent game, it is roughly 500AD and I (the Chinese) have just entered the Middle Ages after demanding 2 techs (and all the gold in the treasury) from the Japanese for a peace treaty. I am able to obtain one tech every 3 turns after using my only leader to rush-build the Forbidden City in the center of the now-dead Indian empire. Wow, that Forbidden City really, really helps! However, the Japanese, Indians and I were all on the same continent and even though I am dominating them, I have no idea how the rest of the world might be performing! Am I doing well, or will Vet/Elite Knights (or worse) land on the beaches of my Civ from the unexplored darkness and crush me into tiny pieces!? I know which Wonders are available still and only the Oracle and Pyramids have been built by other Civs and I have built the Hanging Gardens as well as having two cities currently producing the Colossus and Lighthouse. So here are some questions for those of you who have had more free time to play than I have. I think that these few milestones will help me get a feel for what the other unknown and undiscovered civs are doing (since I know their rough tech development):

1. When are you typically leaving the Ancient Ages and entering the Middle Ages?

2. Middle to Industrial?

3. Industrial to Modern?

4. Are there any other benchmarks that you have found to be generally useful for gauging your performance?

[Karhgath]

I've played on Warlord and Regent, and, usually, the ages were VERY near the reality, which was impressive, considering in Civ2, on Prince I was able to get tanks in about 500 AD, hehe.

Usually, Middle Age for me starts around 500-800AD. Idustrial Age around 1700. Modern around 1950. Which is pretty accurate, well, compared to Civ2. No more battleships in 500AD, hehe. I even tried on chieftain and wasn't able to get to modern age really quicker than 1930. I got a culture victory not long after that, and I was more advanced than most of the comps, who were still in middle-late industrial age.

So, I think your tech level is the same between diff levels, but the AI are faster/slower than you depending on the diff. level.

[ChrisShaffer]

Hit the F11 key. Top 5 cities and demographics.

[Steve Clark]

It's very simple. I've eliminated 3 civs so far (just entered the Middle Age), 4 more to go and they are all much weaker, smaller and stupider than me.

[inca911]

F11, that sounds like the ticket!

Originally posted by Steve Clark
It's very simple. I've eliminated 3 civs so far (just entered the Middle Age), 4 more to go and they are all much weaker, smaller and stupider than me.

Yes, but you have contact with those other civs so it is very easy to gauge your performance. My 4 other rivals are unknown. However, the F11 key is likely just the thing that I need so I'll try that and see where things end up.... Thanks!