How far west can we expect to be able to expand? I know the emphasis is East Coast Colonies, but can we have any inland?

One preview said that the game was played on random maps, and pre-made ones weren't included.

How far west can we expect to be able to expand? I know the emphasis is East Coast Colonies, but can we have any inland?

You could in the original Colonization. Colonies could be founded anywhere on the map except for mountains and arctic areas, if I remember correctly. It made no difference if the map was a random one or one of the Americas.

The entire American continent was in colonization but I believe it took longer to sail to europe, from the west ocean border then from the east ocean border.

It took much longer to get to Europe from the Pacific, but could be reduced by getting Magellan. One of the weird things about the random maps is that you would be sailing along, and suddenly discover the Pacific ocean without any defining features like Cape Horn.

Colonies could be founded inland, with wagon trains transporting goods to the ports. This was particularly useful for setting up small colonies to mine ore (for ore->tools->muskets), or silver.

As the expeditionary force would only attack coastal colonies initially, my favoured tactic was to build long strings of lightly defended inland colonies, so that I only needed to build fortresses in two or three coastal colonies.

The entire American continent was in colonization but I believe it took longer to sail to europe, from the west ocean border then from the east ocean border.

No, the time it takes is the same (at least on random maps). The problem is that once you send a ship back to Europe from the Pacific side of the map there is no guarantee it will arrive back on the Pacific side when it returns. Same for sending from the Atlantic side. A major pain if you are trying to get colonist or supplies to a certain colony. When that happens you it will take longer because the ship has to sail all the way to the other side of the map. Also, if ships cross each other while 'in transit' their cargo can get mixed up. Even now when I play I try send ships one at a time through the 'wormhole' to Europe. :D

No, the time it takes is the same (at least on random maps). The problem is that once you send a ship back to Europe from the Pacific side of the map there is no guarantee it will arrive back on the Pacific side when it returns. Same for sending from the Atlantic side. A major pain if you are trying to get colonist or supplies to a certain colony. When that happens you it will take longer because the ship has to sail all the way to the other side of the map. Also, if ships cross each other while 'in transit' their cargo can get mixed up. Even now when I play I try send ships one at a time through the 'wormhole' to Europe. :D

The only way I could be sure a ship would return the way it left was not to send any more ships to Europe until the first ship returned.

I've never had that problem. When I send a ship back to the New World it always arrived on the spot it left. But if I buy a ship in Europe it will either arrive on the very first spot you arrived on in turn 1 or it will arrive with any other ship that may be headed there.

I'm kind of hoping that not only can I settle on the west coast but that Austraila and other pacific islands will be there

I'm kind of hoping that not only can I settle on the west coast but that Austraila and other pacific islands will be there

It's played on random maps, of course, so sorry. I am confident there will be a user made map of the New World, though.

I used to settle right across north and south America in the original game, depending who I was.

I did that tactic of having a few smaller inland colonies for the Mother Country to go attack while having impregnable fortresses on the coast - it must have been a common tactic! You could send out Continental Cavalry to batter the damaged Regulars after they took them, or ambush them in open country/forests etc.

With Native Alliances this should be real fun in the CivIV version.