Anyone Prefer Smaller Maps Over Big?

[Andrew_Jay]

I was wondering, is it just me, or does anyone else also like playing the smaller map types? I've recently made two maps, one tiny, one small (the small one used the "Andrew Small" map from the recent update on civ.com as its base) with support for 8 and 9 civs respectively. I don't know what it is, but I really like playing like this. I guess I like not having masses of unimportant cities and units, or having to sail for several turns just to reach a land mass. Plus, there's more of an opportunity to really use terrain specific strategies (eg. choke points, seizing resources, blockading, etc) My first map (I had to make it myself as the random generator was horrible for giving any of the 8 civs a chance on the tiny map) was a blast to play, took quite a while and may have been the most fun I've had with the game.
Anybody else here a tiny/small map fan? If there are I can post that first map see how you all like it.

[Thrawn05]

I play pretty much only Huge maps.

[player1]

I like stadard or lower maps.

Anything else is just too much for mine 333MHz Celeron.

It's pity there are no good Standard (or at least Large) Earth World Maps.

Everiyone is obssesed with super huge, unplayable (without at least 1.5GHz) Marla Wolrd Map.

[Thrawn05]

Originally posted by player1
Everiyone is obssesed with super huge, unplayable (without at least 1.5GHz) Marla Wolrd Map.

I don't think Marla's World Map is unplayable, and I have a PIII 550MHz. Even in modern age with 10 other civs I get about only a 30 second time delay between turns.

[kimmygibler]

To me 30 second delay is unplayable. I only play small or tiny maps with at least 8 civs. It makes the game quicker and makes each city more important. Also, you don't have to move around a million guys to take over another civ. If everyone maxes out with 5-8 cities, you don't need to build up 200 infantry to take over a civ.

[Jethro83]

Standard maps are all my 350Mhz PII can take. And tiny maps are just too small. Therefore, I always play on standard maps.

[Spock]

Hmmm....my wife must be lying....it seems size does matter.

[Slax]

I got very bored of the game, and stopped playing for a while, but came back to the game, mainly because I started playing on Tiny maps.

[Theseus]

I actually don;t think I've played either small or tiny (not a response to Spock).

How do you do so with more than the # of civs allowed in settings?

[Catt]

I really like huge maps with all civs; and that is all I played for a long time, but haven't played recently. I've been playing tiny, small and standard maps recently because the games are faster (and I have an older, slower, laptop).

I was pretty surprised by the changes to play style needed by moving from map size to map size -- it's something I never would have expected until I actually did it. On a tiny map, in the early middle ages, assuming the tech race is about even, it is extremely difficult to sacrifice 4 or 5 cities' production to wonders when you only have 12 cities (and Sun Tzu, Leo's Sistine, JS Bach's, and Copernicus are all available -- with Smith's, Magellan's and Newtons right around the corner). On a huge map, giving 5 cities' production to wonders doesn't crimp your style.

Catt

[Theseus]

Catt, meaning production needs to go to the military? Or just keeping pace with city build-out?

[YC4B4U]

I find the movement of large amounts of forces a bit of a bore. It was much better with CTP because of the army grouping feature.

Hence I play with small maps but with about 8-10 civs to make it interesting.

[Catt]

Originally posted by Theseus
Catt, meaning production needs to go to the military? Or just keeping pace with city build-out?

Both. With only 12 - 15 cities, wonder production starts to seem like a luxury.

[dunk]

I play on standard maps. More contact, more fun.

[Andrew_Jay]

Well said dunk, "more contact, more fun"
That's why I've been playing tiny or small maps with 8 players. You have more contact, but even more so. You're only a few turns sailing ro walking from pretty much any other civ, so diplomacy and trading etc. gets started really quickly.