Game speeds: Pros & Cons

[drewisfat]

If there are enough AIs cramping each other maybe

I've recently started delving into quick deity games. My first victory was with war chariots vs cramped AIs with AZ's game as inspiration!

With standard 7 player settings it's already insanely hard. I tried an elepult "rush" against someone... Took the first city easy enough. After a turn of healing I prepared to move out, and was greeted by a bunch of pikes and xbows. After plowing through them, regrouping and moving towards his capital I was worried if I would be able to get past all the longbowmen and maybe even maces he would have.

Ofc that was an irrational fear... He was already on musketmen :suicide:

I was able to win on standard settings once with Rome. Rushed IW and killed the nearest guy, and immediately after the other guy I was bordering got DOW'd on by two people. I joined in and got most of city spoils

 

[Belisar]

I've always thought a large number of players, like myself, prefer Epic. This poll is quite old, but it supports that conclusion.

Yeah, epic gives the right "civilization" feeling, plenty of rounds to build up, plenty of time to move the troops without the imbalance issues from marathon with regards to troop production & action.
On marathin, you often achieve superiority in ancient times, so the rest of the game is mop up and not really enjoyable.

 

[kyljys]

I usually play epic speed because that is quite perfect middle ground between a long and meaningful game experience and the fact that it won't take as forever as it could. Quick speed is good for trying out new strategies and games can be done in an evening.

 

[sylvanllewelyn]

This belongs to the General Discussion forum.

*****

Do you want a multiplayer game that can finish in 2 hours, or do you want a single-player game that simulates a civilisation? Make up your mind, they are mutually exclusive.

For an epic "civilisation" feel, we need technological bottlenecks, Malthusian constraints, rebellions and dynastic cycles... etc.

HOWEVER... reading the discussions and notes from many years ago, I believe that the Civ4 core mechanics and key parameters were originally balanced for multiplayer.