What is the idea of huge maps/scenarios in Civ3. As we know the lenght of the turn (waiting time) is so long that the game makes no sense.
What more. On huge maps/scenarios after succesfull bombarding enemy instalations (irrigation, roads), the game freezes for some period of time. It makes me crazy.
And I have to say tha my CPU is pretty fast - AMD 2100mhz

So what is the point/idea of huge scenarios/maps (for example 256x256). I always try not to play on maps bigger than 120x120

I like big maps because it allows for a more complex game, and you don't end up in a free-for-all war for land. I always play on big maps in strategy games when my computer allows it, and giga civ maps are about the only time it doesn't. But occasionally I do anyway :D

I always play on huge maps... I think I've generally either won or lost the game on Demi or Emp by the time I reach Industrial when things really start to slow down though and I quit out of boredom. That's not to say I've actually "won" the game, but its "in the bag" so-to-speak... Of course once in awhile its a tight game and then I just have to wait through long turns, but I prefer the complexity of large maps.

I love them to be able to expand and expand.... And explore huge tracks of land without running into too much. Makes war a little more difficult at first but it just makes the game more enjoyable (discovering that perfect spot and then trucking a whole load of spearmen and settlers to found a distant colony... without too much chance of the enemy being there already), in my opinion at least.

Lets say you made a huge map, but it was mostly covered in water. Does this reduce the load time?
If you were to take a 120x120 map, edit it by adding like 60x60 tiles of ocean, would the loading times be the same? Seems likely, as there aren;'t any more settlable or improvable spots.

It can make for a much richer and more interesting game, especially if you want to focus on diplomacy and follow the "Macciavellian" game strategy of playing other countries off against each other. As for the turn time - well, that's what books are for, isn't it?

Oh, and can I be the first to say - WRONG FORUM!

The joy with big maps is that you have time to develop strategies and a huge number of IA civs to play against :) With smaller maps you seem to discover technologies too qucikly (and thus not be able to really exploit a small advantage over the AI if you're ahead) and it rapidly decends into a crapy war for domination with little room for both trade and tech-trading strategies.

The best game I ever played took two months :p (you can't rush things you enjoy)

@Bungus - The biggest factor in slowing down a game seems to be the game working out 'connection routes' for resources, so the more cities, harbours and airports you have, the slower the game (the game flys on my spanking new 3.4Ghz, 2Gb machine :cool: )

Oh, and can I be the first to say - WRONG FORUM!

I don't think this is really the wrong forum... I sort of read this as a plea to mapmakers to make smaller maps. :D

I love giga maps because for all the reasons stated above. I also like the more real feel of the giga maps when going to war or exploring a great big world instead of feeling like I am trying to take a planet the size of the moon. Small maps are just too easy. With giga maps the AI can stretch out as well and give you trouble especially when you play with 31 civs and they all grow and then when they make alliances it's not so easy to bully them.