How can I reduce the size of my empire?

[AuraSeer]

For every settler you build in a city, the population there goes down by 1. So when I want to abandon a city, I just have it build Settlers until its population goes below 5, then Disband the city.

[Alpha Wolf]

Remember what a city represents in the game. These arent your run of the mill villages but MAJOR cities whether by population or finance or location or some other reason. Being an American, I'll use the US civ as an example. How many of those at the end of the list are truly key world cities? I used to have a list of the worlds largest cities and if memory serves, the US only has 25 metropolitan areas of over 1 million. The game was designed to be spread out so if you play by building cities every couple of tiles you are going to totally unbalance the game and it wont be much fun, which seems to be exactly what you are finding out. Even if you negate the too many city limits, you still have to content with the too many army limits. Half the fun of a civ game is the balancing of empire size within specific limitations. I speak from experience because in CtP1 I drastically increased the # of cities and the game was never alot of fun because I could easily outproduce all the civs combined. In CtP2, by playing within the framework of the game and spacing the my cities as designed its become ALOT more fun (OK, i also had to increase the AI intelligence but thats a different thread) as I try to balance all the game aspects. But if you only want to play a military game you wasted your money because the game wasnt designed to much competition to a militaty juggernaut.

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History is written by the victor.

[Knecht]

Mr. Wolf: I take your point as far as it goes. I’m an old Civ II fan and have always found my pleasure, rather as a gardener must, in watching my little patch grow into a dense and thriving plantation (as it were). I have typically pursued a peaceful and sedate course, turning to violence only in the latter stages of the game and then only because all other goals had been reached and because one needs to keep occupied. It was my intention to continue this practice in CTP2 while enjoying a better interface and improved graphics. There was, however, something about the game that brought out the hawk in me. Perhaps it was the addition of cohesive armies or of battle views (which do tend to draw one into the experience) but I think that, more than anything, it was how easily a defensive posture metamorphosed into a walkover. Which, of course, brings us back to everyone’s favorite gripe. In any case, I seem to have worked through this pugnacious phase and am back to my old more conciliatory ways. But that’s just me. Your contention that this or that makes the game “fun” seems a rather narrow view of things. A man’s enjoyment is always a subjective matter and the beauty of a game is that it allows some latitude in the pursuit of one’s pleasure. If one wishes to pantomime military imperialism in a virtual setting, to deny him or her this harmless amusement seems to me to miss the point of the exercise. Moreover, I would still contend that conquest (i.e., liquidating all other civilizations) is one of several alternative STATED GOALS of the game and should therefore be achievable. If it is not, as you maintain (and you may be right), then it is a flaw in the game, not in the player.

[Alpha Wolf]

Military conquest IS a viable option no matter how unrealistic it is. You just have to build all the entertainment buildings and employ alot of entertainers. All i was trying to was remind everyone that ultimately Civ games are about balance.

But alas, I'm done with this game, it just has too many major flaws on its abilities and doesnt adjust to the available geography or actions of the other players.

Have fun everyone and remember its only a game

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History is written by the victor.

[Darkknight]

The city limit is killing me too I'm at 64 cities in Ecotopia. I had to just concentrate on getting the next gov. with the highest city limit. The sheet says ecotopia has a 65 city limit grrr i was looking forward to conquering the last 3 remaining english cities. Now i'm just trying to Nano-infect them harhar.
I miss it where in civ2 you could conquer the entire world. oh nostalgia.
This game is getting a wee bit boring.Mainly because i just got Ceasar3 for £10 GET IT!
hmmm nufin more I suppose


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" mind over body "

[Dale]

Darkknight:
Agreed. CTP2 is getting boring. I can't even get myself into modding it anymore. It's been almost a month since I played a game right through. *sigh* Oh well, looks like I'll actually have to spend time with me girlfriend instead. Oh the HORROR!!!! Well, until Civ3 comes out anyways.

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Rommell to a sub-commander outside Tobruk: "Those Australians are in there somewhere. But where? Let's advance and wait till they shoot, then shoot back."

[Alpha Wolf]

I used to play caesar but skipped caesar2. How is the combat? I'd loved to have seen a combat setup like caesar's incorporated into a civ game. IMO, the perfect game would be the AI from civ2, the combat from caesar, and the stacking/pw/graphics/customization from ctp2. CTP2 had alot going for it except for the all important PLAYABILITY. Or maybe 30 years of game playing has just made them all too easy.

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History is written by the victor.