Jorunkun
Aug 19, 2006, 12:04 AM
The development direction of a game of civ, quite literally, is written on the land. Often, the 4000BC starting location alone suggests a certain opening. 30 turns into the game, skillful players will already know their next half dozen tech choices, future city sites and have identified their strategic options well into the middle ages. It's a skill every expert player needs to develop, and one used almost unconsciously.
So let's try to decode how we read these signs, shall we? In particular, I'd be interested in your answers to the following questions:
1. What do you try to find out first when scouting; what drives your choice of site for your second and third city?
With me, it's strategic ressources, nearby early happies, then food and forest-rich sites. Also, playing standard shuffle maps with maximum randomisation, I try to get a good idea of coastlines and chokepoints early on. I hardly ever scout very far away.
2. What is your ideal starting loco and how do you play it?
My ideal start is to have a gold mine or two, coupled with floodplains or food-specials. Fast growth, easy money and decent production - the perfect builder start that keeps all options open.
3. What starts do you dread, and how do you play them?
I find jungle starts to be the worst, especially if you haven't got much coast either. Best bet is to settle on clear land first, even if it means tight overlap. Allows you to tech up to iron, get some workers out. If there are gems, I will often settle right on top of them, to get the happy boost for the capital before IW.
So let's try to decode how we read these signs, shall we? In particular, I'd be interested in your answers to the following questions:
1. What do you try to find out first when scouting; what drives your choice of site for your second and third city?
With me, it's strategic ressources, nearby early happies, then food and forest-rich sites. Also, playing standard shuffle maps with maximum randomisation, I try to get a good idea of coastlines and chokepoints early on. I hardly ever scout very far away.
2. What is your ideal starting loco and how do you play it?
My ideal start is to have a gold mine or two, coupled with floodplains or food-specials. Fast growth, easy money and decent production - the perfect builder start that keeps all options open.
3. What starts do you dread, and how do you play them?
I find jungle starts to be the worst, especially if you haven't got much coast either. Best bet is to settle on clear land first, even if it means tight overlap. Allows you to tech up to iron, get some workers out. If there are gems, I will often settle right on top of them, to get the happy boost for the capital before IW.