Civ 5 Change AI difficulty?

[Arrowx9]

Hi there,
I started a game on an awesome map, but realized the AI is wayyy easier than expected (This is my first two civ games, I tried as chieftain and warlord...same thing --> have 8 cities, and most AI's have 1 or 2 cities, and I am double in score of the best player...it's really weird...absolutely no competition and no fun)

I'm tired of starting completely new maps. I wanted to play the same map, but crank up the difficulty.

1. Is it possible to change the difficulty of the saved game (mid-game)?

I tried saving the map and then replaying it from scratch, but starting locations all changed. I tried to fix the starting locations in worldbuilder, but it doesn't stand by them when I start a new game and specify the edited map....what gives?

2. Do you have any suggestions of how I can play the same map, same starting location, but harder difficulty? I remember there was a civ3multitool in civ3, and i read online there is a debug feature in civ5???

3. What's up with the AI, why is it so easy even for me (beginner)? I remember I got my ass kicked on warlord in civ3. Is it broken, or are they investing and will recovery very quickly? (i'm about to transition to classical era)

Thanks,
AR

 

[Supernaturalist]

The AI is a bit pants at the moment, I'm afraid. There's no way to change the difficulty mid-game. I'm sorry that I can only recommend you start a new game and try King. For me, King is relatively balanced, and I've been playing Civ for a while. Depends how much challenge you want from the game. If you want to be truly tested, go higher than King. If you just want to play the game, but don't want a steamroll and at least to be tested slightly, go King.

At least, that's my opinion. Try and find your difficulty sweetspot.

 

[Slowpoke]

for whatever reason, the handicap benefits for playing below prince are truly massive. If you want a real game, play on prince or higher even if you're pretty new.

 

[Arrowx9]

Thanks guys, so for someone who played civ3 quite a bit (usually under regent and sometimes monarch), played no civ 4, and now wants to play civ 5, think king would be well matched?
Ideally by the time all land is settled (excluding wars) it would be nice if everyone had roughly equal land.

 

[Slowpoke]

Well, if you want all civs to have roughly equal land, my Mega Mod makes them have roughly the same expansion rate. Unfortunately it is quite a huge change from civ 5 that it turns off a lot of people. I suppose later this week I could make an A.I. expansion mod component, since I think any mod would benefit from it.