Damnyankee said:
um, who is ur cultural adviser?
It is from a graphics mod in the downloads section.
For advice on Sid games try looking at the Sid games in the succession games forum. They can be quite detailed.
This particular game has been a huge trading exercise. Also it played like a Continents map, the AIs were really bad at making contacts.
The important thing is to get contact with all the other Civs ASAP. A little luck is required in meeting the other civs before they trade too much with each other. Your starting techs need to be leveraged into the other first tier techs. It helps if you start off with something good to trade(masonry,alphabet, the wheel).
First I did a 50 turn research on writing. When I got it only one opponent did not but no matter. I mortgaged everything (made tax collectors and sold my last resource) to buy Code of Laws. Traded it around an ended with more gold than I started with as well as the middle techs. Then I went 100% science on literature. Got it at the same time as someone else. Was nonetheless able to trade it around for the remaining required techs. The bonus tech (engineering) I was able to leverage into the Government techs as well as Feudalism and a huge profit(200 or so gpt).
The middle ages was characterized by me trading one end of the map against the other. I ran 0% science and had a substantial bankroll for leverage. I also gave away techs to the laggards so I could trade with them later. After printing press things got harder, but they discovered that one quite late. I had to resort to a five fingered discount on Physics because the trading window there was just too tempting, luckily I succeeded. Later I just bought/traded the remaining required techs.
I had a good start and a decent amount of luck which I still need. Otherwise it is often "New Game".
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