Can you study Civ 5 like Chess games?

[Gary4Civ]

What I mean is, is there any way to step through someone else's game step by step to learn how to play properly?

I am finding that I am learning by playing of course, but would like to know if there is a faster way. (The tips in these forums are great also of course. Its just a lot to take in).

Thanks

[MadDjinn]

yes and no.

Yes - you can get the jist of game play mechanics and basics of strategies especially for things you might not have thought about doing.

No - every game is different (locations/maps/etc) so there's no real 100% cookie cutter approach. Or even 'if seen this, do that' - as sometimes there are ways to counter (and counter counter) choices but not all of them are optimal in long term vs. short term gains (or vice versa).

[Gary4Civ]

Originally Posted by MadDjinn

yes and no.

Yes - you can get the jist of game play mechanics and basics of strategies especially for things you might not have thought about doing.

No - every game is different (locations/maps/etc) so there's no real 100% cookie cutter approach. Or even 'if seen this, do that' - as sometimes there are ways to counter (and counter counter) choices but not all of them are optimal in long term vs. short term gains (or vice versa).

Thanks for the input. I guess what I should have been clearer about in my question is, is there a way to step through a game (and where can you download them)? Like, is there a log file kept, or any other way to "watch" a game as it progresses? I suppose youtube is one idea but most of them are just snippets of gameplay.

[DaveMcW]

Check out the Game of the Month, where everyone plays the same map and compares strategies/results.

[Brichals]

Originally Posted by Gary4Civ

Thanks for the input. I guess what I should have been clearer about in my question is, is there a way to step through a game (and where can you download them)? Like, is there a log file kept, or any other way to "watch" a game as it progresses? I suppose youtube is one idea but most of them are just snippets of gameplay.

Kind of ironic seeing as who you replied to, you can definitely learn a lot of tricks and aspects of the game from MadDjinns channel.

There are some succession games set up by Optional and Gozpel where a lot of discussion on strategy goes on. This is how I learned Civ3 and 4, reading all those in downtime at work! Actually in succession games all the saves are posted each 10 turns or so, but you can get the idea just by reading the text.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=408

Unfortunately there's not much of a succession game scene in Civ5 but hopefully it picks up again now the game has a bit more depth for more variation in 'story'.

[Gary4Civ]

OK guys thanks a bunch, will check all this out. Also the youtube channels mentioned, did not know about the ones you mentioned.

[Brichals]

There are good lets plays in the stories subforum.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=407

[Randall_Flagg]

Succession games is where to look, I mean who can foregt island hopping and how that little game made so many discoveries!!