What is the difference between the wrap types for the map? Do they actually affect gameplay or is it just a cosmetic thing for when you zoom out?

What is the difference between the wrap types for the map? Do they actually affect gameplay or is it just a cosmetic thing for when you zoom out?

If it's a flat world then there is a wall in all directions. Cylindrical you can go east or west around the world. Toroidal (SP?) you can go any direction. It's like if you went north from Canada and you ended up in South America. When I did a toroidal map it was hard to guard my territory because someone could come from any direction. One empire bordered my on both the north and south.

My best advice to see how they affect the map generation is to compare the images in this thread (http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy/map_guide.php). There is no real difference other than the appearance and travel limitations over the axes.

So are the poles taken out to allow you to travel north and south?

So are the poles taken out to allow you to travel north and south?
Yes, the polar ice caps are taken out to allow the toroidal to work as functioned.

If there are no poles for toroidal, should there be four poles in flat? That gives you a reason why you can't keep going in that direction. Only bad part is that there is less habitable land.

Yeah, so if you play in flat would all sides be useless poles, or would you just have an invisible wall?

You just have invisible walls along the sides of the map. I'm pretty sure that it doesn't affect the terrain type at the sides, so the north and south still have ice on a flat map.