Best map size settings for fun

[Civinator]

I want to know, what are your best settings for map size to have the most fun with C3C (Worldsize, number of civs, distance between civs, tech rate, optimal number of cities).

May be I can include some of these informations in my epic mod and may be these informations can be interesting for other modders, too.

 

[Blue Monkey]

I like to play on huge maps. I usually end up leaving some of the civ slots empty ("none"), although I like having the full range of choices - I replay many times with different combinations of civs.

 

[TopGun]

I like to play on huge maps. I usually end up leaving some of the civ slots empty ("none"), although I like having the full range of choices - I replay many times with different combinations of civs.

That's what I do, too.

 

[timerover51]

I like to play on huge maps. I usually end up leaving some of the civ slots empty ("none"), although I like having the full range of choices - I replay many times with different combinations of civs.

I do the same, except that I stay with archipelago and continent maps.

 

[Civinator]

Yes, but what is a huge map you play on?

Is it 160 x 160 like the unmodded C3C, is it 256 x 256 as in the Teturkan Mod, is it the maximum possible size of 362 x 362 or is it a size between them, that you have modded for your best fun output?

 

[Virote_Considon]

I use the default "Large" or "Huge" sizes (depending on mood), Pangea, 31 civs, a fast tech rate (I have lots of modded in techs ), the default number of Optimal cities (but with more corruption-reducing improvements and wonders!)

Recently, I've started playing "Huge" maps again, because I found that with 31 civs on a "Large" map, not only was it a tad too crowded, but many civs were also starting directly next to another civ (so they could not even found a capital!)

 

[Vuldacon]

Huge Worlds with Max Size and Limits to accommodate all makes for Best Games unless a Faster Playing Game is desired.
...Really there is no single answer to Map size and settings because there are many different games that need to use different map sizes and settings. I am sure players have their personal preferences as to what they like Best but it is the Game itself and what it requires that makes it Fun rather than the Map Size and settings. Large or Small, if well done, all map sizes are Fun.
Fast playing scenarios and very long playing MODs are both Fun... Variety is good.

 

[JSnider]

Usually Huge (say 200x190 minimum), number of civs between 12-20 with a min distance of around 30, tech rate the default normally, and optimal cities around 35-45. Vary the numbers somewhat but these tend to make stronger and larger AI civs (or so it seems) and some really long wars in the later stages of the game.

 

[WildWeazel]

362x362 31 civs

 

[BadKharma]

I usually play the stock Huge and leave a couple civ choices as none like has been stated. If I play a modded epic game I set Huge to 200 x 200. I think the crowding can really become a problem if you use all the Civs available.

 

[Fergei]

I will necro this instead of a new thread as it is fully applicable. Some observations I have.

- the optimum map size will vary based on ocean % and land quality. If you get this wrong you can have rival capital cities planting just two spaces apart in a complete mess. I am now going to copy my ruleset across multiple scenario files where the only difference is the number of Civs per map size.

- 70% ocean with good land may have the same suitable land size as 60% ocean with poor land.

- 60% ocean really benefits from a lot more AI Civs than the default. Realistically, if every Civ has space for 6-8 cities then that is enough for the game to function

- I divide the number of land tiles by the number of Civs and try to keep that ratio constant across all map sizes (factoring in ocean %)

- if you do this you should also keep the tech rate the same across all map sizes.

- for 31 Civs and 80% ocean I go for 206x206 (to match the ratio for 60% ocean in small (10 Civs) and standard (14 Civs))

- the larger the map the higher the ocean % I want and the more inclined I am to archipelago (or at least not Pangea). With 31 Civs it is great to have 2-4 rivals on your home continent and be eventually able to reach a neighbouring continent by galley. Somewhere you need to interfere with through diplomacy to slow them down and prevent a runaway AI. Then comes Lighthouse or astronomy and you realise your home continent was a molehill and your glorious domestic dominance is irrelevant on the world stage. I love that feeling. It feels like each game has three distinct chapters where you start at square one each time and have to work hard for goals as new challengers appear. A game with a dull opening chapter can burst into life at the second or third chapter.

 

[timerover51]

Yes, but what is a huge map you play on?

Is it 160 x 160 like the unmodded C3C, is it 256 x 256 as in the Teturkan Mod, is it the maximum possible size of 362 x 362 or is it a size between them, that you have modded for your best fun output?

I should have responded to this much earlier. The huge map that I play on is typically 300 X 240, or 360 X 300, 70& to 80% water, archipelago. Normally, no more than 7 other players.

 

[Quintillus]

I should have responded to this much earlier. The huge map that I play on is typically 300 X 240, or 360 X 300, 70& to 80% water, archipelago. Normally, no more than 7 other players.

Better late than never !

I used to be Huge (160x160 in Conquests, although 180x180 in Vanilla) all the way person. I'd occasionally push it, I remember having a 220x220 map once. But the amount of time I want to spend per game tends to be a bit lower these days, and I've played enough GOTMs to find enjoyment on Standard (100x100) size maps.

So my sweet spot these days is probably somewhere around Large (130x130 C3C, to 140x140 Vanilla). Maybe a bit larger with rules that prohibit desert/tundra settling, then Huge is still okay. Beyond that though, I find the overhead, both of managing my own empire and the AI's turn times, doesn't generally outweigh the increased epicness of a larger map.

In other news, I've concluded that the world is simply too big for me to play a whole-world map and have the level of detail I'd like to have in, say, France. I've been spoiled by more focused maps of France with lots of detail (in Civ3 but also in other games), so a map of France on a world scale that can fit three cities seems too small, but a map of the whole world at sizes that would make me happy with France is too big to be playable. So the happy medium is a map of, say, Europe, that has detail and is playable.

 

[register]

Same as Quintillus, mostly played Standard maps or smaller. Do not have enough time to play bigger maps.

 

[Fergei]

Better late than never !

I used to be Huge (160x160 in Conquests, although 180x180 in Vanilla) all the way person. I'd occasionally push it, I remember having a 220x220 map once. But the amount of time I want to spend per game tends to be a bit lower these days, and I've played enough GOTMs to find enjoyment on Standard (100x100) size maps.

So my sweet spot these days is probably somewhere around Large (130x130 C3C, to 140x140 Vanilla). Maybe a bit larger with rules that prohibit desert/tundra settling, then Huge is still okay. Beyond that though, I find the overhead, both of managing my own empire and the AI's turn times, doesn't generally outweigh the increased epicness of a larger map.

In other news, I've concluded that the world is simply too big for me to play a whole-world map and have the level of detail I'd like to have in, say, France. I've been spoiled by more focused maps of France with lots of detail (in Civ3 but also in other games), so a map of France on a world scale that can fit three cities seems too small, but a map of the whole world at sizes that would make me happy with France is too big to be playable. So the happy medium is a map of, say, Europe, that has detail and is playable.

Why do you prefer a smaller map for Conquesta versus vanilla?

 

[Quintillus]

Why do you prefer a smaller map for Conquesta versus vanilla?

It's not that I prefer them, but that the Large/Huge map sizes are smaller (if you don't mod them) in Conquests than Vanilla.

My guess would be that Firaxis shrank them because they realized the Vanilla defaults were a bit ambitious for the CPU power of the day when it came to AI turn times. I'm not sure if the switch occurred with PTW or Conquests, since I jumped straight from Vanilla to Conquests.

 

[WildWeazel]

In other news, I've concluded that the world is simply too big for me to play a whole-world map and have the level of detail I'd like to have in, say, France. I've been spoiled by more focused maps of France with lots of detail (in Civ3 but also in other games), so a map of France on a world scale that can fit three cities seems too small, but a map of the whole world at sizes that would make me happy with France is too big to be playable. So the happy medium is a map of, say, Europe, that has detail and is playable.

There's a big earth map kicking around somewhere that has differently scaled regions to emphasize temperate land and give civs some breathing room. You might enjoy it if you don't look too hard at the minimap.

 

[Quintillus]

if you don't look too hard at the minimap.

Yeah, that's the key. I remember one where Europe was as large as Asia, and that's a bit much IMO.

But, also, I've had my day of playing whole-earth epic-game maps; see also my signature.

 

[Fergei]

It's not that I prefer them, but that the Large/Huge map sizes are smaller (if you don't mod them) in Conquests than Vanilla.

My guess would be that Firaxis shrank them because they realized the Vanilla defaults were a bit ambitious for the CPU power of the day when it came to AI turn times. I'm not sure if the switch occurred with PTW or Conquests, since I jumped straight from Vanilla to Conquests.

Ah, thanks. I would agree with your guess. This is potentially very helpful in terms of getting reasonable end of turn durations on my old computer. I will assume they felt 160x160 at 60% water was workable for most machines of the day, so I will calculate the amount of land tiles on such a map and apply that to larger maps that are 70% or 80% water. Its as good a starting point as any for me.

 

[Fergei]

In terms of earth maps and the Europe problem I tend to put the imperialist only Civs in their colonies to try and fill out more sparse areas of the map. So England and Spain in the Americas, Portugal in Mozambique and Netherlands in Malaysia. I also give the Celts, Dutch and Japanese mapmaking at the start to give them a hope in hell and help settle Asia.