Civ Starting Locations

[Achilles517]

I just got the game last week and I'm furious that starting points for civilizations on scenario maps can't be customized....my first game was on the world map, and I was the Americans. Much to my surprise, I found myself starting in South Africa, with North America being controlled by the Japaneese!
On the map editor, the only option is a "Player Starting Location" icon, but no way to set specific civilizations on starting points. This is actually a step backwards from Civ2.
This obviously won't be a problem for random maps, but I like my Civ games to have a historical feel, and love playing on real world maps.
Is there any way a pach or modpack could alleviate this problem? Or is the game just stuck like this now?

 

[nikolai]

I support you! It goes without saying - should be the possibility to pre-determine the starting locations. Or what for their bothered to create an Earth Map?

 

[WarandPeace]

Originally posted by Achilles517
On the map editor, the only option is a "Player Starting Location" icon, but no way to set specific civilizations on starting points. This is actually a step backwards from Civ2.

THe option of realistic starting location should be given just before the start of the game, along with the diplomatic victory option and civ-special units/abilities.

There are many aspects of the old game, good aspects, which should have endured but did not. That is really a pity.

 

[Alphidius]

I agree with you guys. This is one of the 'major problem' of the game, random starting locations.

Sheesh, imagine the English starting in South Africa!

 

[bst1]

I'd also like to see them make toggleable the setting that makes you start next to the same civ(s) game after game when opponent selection is left to random. Gets bland seeing the Romans first everytime I play a game as the Egyptians.

 

[Caligula]

Yes, this is a very annoying problem, which I hope Firaxis will fix.

The other problem I´ve found with using (huge) realistic maps is that the corruption makes much of the land unusable, and forces conquerors to raze all of the cities they conquer. I think corruption levels should fall as communications and transport technologies improve. Consider, for instance, that managing the Roman Empire two thousand years ago was an entirely different thing to managing Canada today, yet the Civ3 model treats them similarly.

 

[bakant]

I think the reason they do not allow you to chose your starting locations is so that you can not cheat and give yourself all the strategic resources and everyone else none.

 

[phlayme]

you can fix it yourself. goto the Creation & Customization section of this forum. then goto the Save Game Maps section. the second thread (it should always be second as it has been "topped " by the administrator) is called "How to play on earth map with all correct locations in 30sec" by marla_singer which explains all you need to know about this problem. the only thing is i think you need to use the earth map that marla created (this is no problem as it is sooo much better than the one shipped with the game) it is very easy to use and it improves the game. IMHO firaxis made a big mistake with this omision. good luck and enjoy

 

[sydhe]

Actually, the reason you don't start off in historic locations is obvious. Where would the English, French, Germans and Romans start off on the map? (Or for that matter the Persians and Babylonians?) Things would get awfully crowded in Europe. For that matter, would the Americans start off right next to the Iroquois, unless you started the Americans in Europe, right next to the other traffic jam.