Call me a newb, but what difference does this actually make?

In a balanced map, you'll have every strategic resource arbitrarily assigned (copper, iron, horse) somewhere close to your start location, so you'll hardly encounter those Romans without iron problems, but for hardcore Civ players this may take away the fun of unpredictability and the need for resource trades.

Whoops... Silly me

One thing to add, it also means that your opponents WILL have the access to the right resource to build his/her UU. So when you send out your Keshiks to attack Zulu you will 99% run into some friendly impi.

What about Ivory? Or even the rest of health and luxury resources? Or can you still end up on an island with just one happiness resource?

Ya, reason I ask -- tired of these start (three in a row) No luxuries within 40 tiles (okay may be exaggeration but it seems sooooo far away) of my starting spot that can be developed till plantation. Not to mention no marble, stone, iron or copper. Have plenty of pigs and wheat though ..... go me!!! ;)

Only strategic ressources are affected, not the 'bonus' ones.

Luxuries (including Ivory) and Health ressources are bonus.

and in the same vein, is there a way for some necessary resource, say oil, to be located only in one place on the map? like having an OPEC situation in this game? btw, that would be a good reason to go to war, wouldn't it?

and in the same vein, is there a way for some necessary resource, say oil, to be located only in one place on the map? like having an OPEC situation in this game? btw, that would be a good reason to go to war, wouldn't it?

Sometimes I go to war with friendly civs just after reaching Scientific Method just because the oil, and they can't even see that oil so they can't figure out why am I being so mean...