Does Anyone Else Suffer From Early-Mid-Game Lull Syndrome?

[Jon Shafer]

Seems to me that once I get to the late ancient and early middle age eras, the game slows down so much for me I get bored and restart. Once the early-game expansion is over, you descend into the part of the game where there's very little to do beyond building temples and filling up your cities with 2 Spearmen each. Once I get beyond that to really getting your cities going with Knights and beyond, the game speeds up and I get a lot more interested in it again.

[Alex]

I know what you mean. I don't feel bored, though, because that is the moment when I assess my situation in the world till then and I proceed to my deeper strategic planning. So, there is always something to think about, and the dull moments rarely dominate the scene.

[werdhertz]

What the? lol

Actually, i fidn the Ancient era and Middle ages the best out of the entire game. There seems to be always something going on, and your usually discovering new Civs and theres a form of diplomacy unlike the later ages where it seems to develop into one big constant war with every civ annoyed at you.

[Jon Shafer]

There's a point between when you're done with REX and when you get into a 'stable' position with a mighty infrastructure that I just find to be... blah. Usually to spice this time up I fight a few wars to build myself a little empire, and take some good land, resources and luxuries.

[alva]

I actually don't like the start of the game (to daunting )

That's why I like to take over games that are posted, and see what happens.

You do have a point though. (I guess that's an AI for you )

[Inverse Icarus]

i have my favorite wars then.

the horsemen/swordsmen and then the pikemen/knights wars determine who gets what in terms of land.

and imagine in MULTIPLAYER, when everyone isnt hard pressed to REX (assuming all humans). you may see many small, well developed civs early on as opposed to the sprawling size 3 empires you see for most of the early game now.

for me, the game really slows down after the beginning of the infantry / calvary wars. it's about then where it's "build build build, move move move, attack attack attack, starve starve starve, repeat".

i love the modern age weapons, and i LOVE nuclear wars, but i get SO bored then.

[Inverse Icarus]

just look at the civ3 demogame (you do remember that, dontcha trip? )

we carved out a HUGE chunk of Abananaba for ourselves with our archers / swordsmen / knights.

(and those DIA would have us build temples and libararies)

[Jethro83]

There's no early to mid game lull for me, or my style of play.

I go straight from warring with swordsmen and horsemen to warring with knights and pikemen without rest. I figure that when I hold the largest empire, then I can start building. At the point when I do start building, is when it actually slows down. Perhaps to the extent that not even the introduction of tanks and Mech. Infantry can help it recover (except as Germany where I'm actively trying to get that far for the Panzers).

[CiverDan]

If your getting bored, your are probably playing at too easy of a level. If you don't like too much expansion, try playing smaller maps.

[Kingof the Apes]

I used to get bored during mid-middle age, where I am usually trying as hard as I can to get wonders.

And then early Industrial can be annoying too.

[Bambul]

I usually liven up my game by adding artificial spice to it. I like to imagine national borders that remain after wars. So I rename cities with (Civ Name) after the city name after I capture them (I think I saw someone else do this in one of their screenshots). So then in the lategame it becomes like my Civ is full of "states (Russia, Greece, China, Rome, etc). It does dmake it awkward with some cities though, like Rome (Rome) or Babylon (Babylon).

I find the most exciting part of the game as the build up to railroads. At that point you really need good logistics, particularely if you have a far flung empire. If another Civ declares war you really need to get your units where you need them ASAP, and whereas after RR all you need to to hold out for one turn, in the middle ages it can up to 3-4 turns with nothing more than a couple of pikemen and a longbowman/knight defending a key city while your army comes to the defence. I particularely enjoy the defensive build-up in preparation for surprise attacks, which is the part of the game I enjoy most (except when you can clearly see it coming, ie. they move 10 units through your territory towards your capital - THEN declare war).

[Pyrodrew]

for me, the game really slows down after the beginning of the infantry / calvary wars.

I agree with the calvary part, once calvary come into play you can form rapid volcanic tidal waves of armies. All enemy cities are much easier prey to put surprise attacks on.

[miccofl]

Try reducing the minimum number of turns required to research techs, that might speed things along for you without being as drastic as accelerated production.

[werdhertz]

the game is 10x more enjoyable, in my opinion, if you role play it a little instead of playing it as a purely statistical combat model.

[Akka]

Originally posted by werdhertz
the game is 10x more enjoyable, in my opinion, if you role play it a little instead of playing it as a purely statistical combat model.

Amen, amen, amen, and ten times more "amen".