culturally linked starting positions

[Dis]

What are your thoughts on that setting. Which do you play?

Is it kind of cheesy to turn it off? I don't want to play with the same civs next to me anyways (since I almost always play the Aztecs). And really it seems randomness just chose how the civilizations came about. The babylonians have little in common with Iraqis etc.

What civs start next to which civs?

In any case I like it to be random.

[SanPellegrino]

The same here. I like to start to different neighbours each time and even if I play different civs I like the "surprise" not knowing who is next to you.

[zeh]

It's interesting have civ culturaly linked to you, next of your start location, this is a more real way of play, and I like games with a real taste...

I agree when said it's boring have to deal with the same nations when you play with only few civs, but also is a way of ensure you don't start near the germans, for example, just play as the japanese.

I like have as many options to play as possible in the game, and I apreciate this feature. If you don't like it, just turn off. They could do more this kind of thing in games.

[Catt]

I generally leave it on. I've turned it off several times.

Turning it off seems to me to have the potential to make the game harder or easier, depending on the random civ choices. With the preference "on," you will usually border civs who have UUs at roughly the same time as you do; whereas, with it "off," the UU timing is all over the map. This can make the game easier for the human if you get a powerful ancient age UU and can beat up on your neighbors while in a golden age; it can be harder for the human if you get a later UU and you have powerful ancient empires near you -- GA-fired immortal, MW, even impi invasions can be tough.

Catt

[FNBrown]

I usually leave them on.

Since I almost always play as the Americans, with the latest UU in the game, I've gotten used to being a little bit behind with regards to facing civs with an early UU (Aztec Jaguar, Iroquois Mounted Warrior, etc.), so that doesn't factor into my decision much. If I'm lucky, I get stuck next to the English, which, in my opinion, puts me at an equal footing early on (the Man 'O War is only slightly more useless than the F-16, as UU's go)

[Arrian]

Sometimes on, sometimes off.

-Arrian

[Athitis]

I always have it off, and I am gracious they included this feature. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO boring starting always next to Rome and Egypt!

[JtheJackal]

I used to, but one day I freaked out because the Zulu's were always appearing next to me.

[Jaybe]

Always on.
OTOH, I almost always play with RANDOM civ, so I still get different neighbors (if I am different).

Sometimes I wonder about RANDOM civ though. It goes in streaks too (2 consecutive Zulu so far).

[FrustratedPoet]

I always switch it off. I like to have no idea who'll i'll be starting next to.

[Ethelred]

I played a lot of game as France and I got really tired of dealing with both Liz AND Cathy every time. It was either turn it off or stop playing as France. I have kept it off ever since. I think its interesting for a while but I want radom opponents to actually result in random opponents and you don't get that with cultural linkage.

[WarpStorm]

I prefer it on, but since I nearly always play a random civ I have no idea who my neighbors will be (obviously).

[asleepathewheel]

turned off

Though that gives the potential to be sandwiched between the greeks and zulus. Yikes. little or no early warfare then, wait for knights, I guess.

Off is fun. I like new faces. Plus you can get too used to how certain civs act and predict what they will do when.

[ThaddeusAlexander]

I go for it on. Since I play all 16 civs through, and then once i've won those 16 games i start at the top of the batting order again, I don't run in to the problem of having the same civs beside me.

For a while I played Egypt and France a lot just to hone my skills on the civs and then I did turn off linked start for variety, but usually I just leave it on.

Cheers
~Thadalex

[The Pioneer]

I like variety and so I have it off although off and on I do play with it on.

So long...