Complete Mac Mayania

[Beamup]

Welcome to the first C3C SG run entirely on the Mac, in celebration of the much-anticipated Mac release.

We are Mac Mayaniac of the Maya, playing on Monarch level against 7 random opponents.

Map Settings:
Large map
Restless barbarians
Continents, 70% water
Warm climate

All other settings are default.

Here's our start:



A quick stop by F10 indicates that our opponents are the Aztecs, Iroquois, Dutch, English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Celts. Nice - 4 new civs, and 3 with major changes. No vanilla civs.

We've got a river, wheat, and gold. There also seems to be a coast that we could reach in one move, but that would take us away from the river and put the wheat and one BG outside our radius until the first border pop. We can irrigate the wheat and make our capital into a settler factory if we so desire.

Once everyone has checked in, I can play the first 20 turns, and then we can start on a 10-turn rotation.

Roster (based on signup order from the other thread and me starting)
Beamup
dojoboy
Serkhon
Blue Monkey
frunobolax
Aoxomoxoa

Standard 24 hours to post a "got it," 48 hours to play.

My intention would be to found on the spot. Moving away from the river would be quite painful for us, since it'll lose us the bonus city food until we get out of Despotism. The wheat and BGs are also an important factor. I would start researching Warrior Code at 100%, and get Warriors out for scouting while working a mix of BG for production and Wheat for growth.

Here's the save:

 

[dojoboy]

dojoboy in the house!

Should you play an intial 10 turn rotation, then we each play 20 turn rotations from then on? I believe that is commonplace.

 

[Beamup]

I'm pretty sure the standard is the other way around, due to early turns being very fast.

 

[Metropolis Man]

Beamup, look like a nice start. Just so I'm clear (remember, this is my 1st SG), I take my 10 turns after Blue Monkey posts his file, correct? I've never attached files in this forum, but I'm assuming all I do is click the paper clip icon and then find my file in the documents folder?

 

[dojoboy]

..., due to early turns being very fast.

Right, which is a reason for 20 turns versus 10.

Here is the general description.

I'm flexible, but with that said, I'd much prefer to play 20 turn increments.

 

[Beamup]

I'm flexible, but with that said, I'd much prefer to play 20 turn increments.

Sure, we can do that. We can always cut back to 10 if they're taking to long later in the game.

Just so I'm clear (remember, this is my 1st SG), I take my 10 turns after Blue Monkey posts his file, correct? I've never attached files in this forum, but I'm assuming all I do is click the paper clip icon and then find my file in the documents folder?

It'll be 20 turns now, but that's pretty much right. Blue Monkey posts the save from the end of his turn, you post to say "got it," then play your turns and post the final save.

As for files, you should make sure to zip (or stuff) it before you post it - this particular file was reduced by 98%, so it really is important! Then, when you're writing your post, there'll be a "manage attachments" button (scroll down to find it) which you click, then browse to the file. Screenshots should be uploaded using this procedure so that they can be posted inline, instead of at the end of the post. Try to keep them reasonably small (.jpg is a good choice).

 

[dojoboy]

Preliminary roster (based on signup order from the other thread and me starting)
Beamup (up?)
dojoboy (on deck?)
Serkhon
Blue Monkey
Metropolis Man
frunobolax

This order is good with me. I may PM thos other guys to expedite their "registration."

 

[Metropolis Man]

As for files, you should make sure to zip (or stuff) it before you post it - this particular file was reduced by 98%, so it really is important! Then, when you're writing your post, there'll be a "manage attachments" button (scroll down to find it) which you click, then browse to the file. Screenshots should be uploaded using this procedure so that they can be posted inline, instead of at the end of the post. Try to keep them reasonably small (.jpg is a good choice).

Can't I shrink files directly within OS X? I've got Stuffit Expander to expand files, but don't you need the Deluxe version to shrink files?

 

[Beamup]

You can zip files from the Terminal. Just type

zip (targetfile).zip (file to be zipped)

where, of course, you replace the stuff in parentheses with the appropriate filenames.

 

[dojoboy]

I'll view the save file tonight, around 8:30 EST, to offer thoughts.

 

[Serkhon]

Ready to go. I'd say move the worker onto the grain first and see if there is anything we might miss before settling. Exploring down the river might reveal a good second city site but that would mean moving away from the center of the map.

 

[dojoboy]

Ready to go. I'd say move the worker onto the grain first and see if there is anything we might miss before settling. Exploring down the river might reveal a good second city site but that would mean moving away from the center of the map.

We should scout along the river w/ our first two warriors assigned to exploration.

 

[frunobulax]

Fruno checking in - nice looking start!

Agree with Beamup to build capital city in place ('Macmayania'?), establishing a settler factory, with worker going to irrigate wheat then mine the shield-grassland tile NE of that. Agree with dojo re. scouting downriver with warriors (SW).

[OT: am I the only non-American here?]

 

[dojoboy]

I think we need to set some hard rules regarding governors and workers. Like, no governors and no automating workers. I was assuming this was a given, but...better to check w/ the group.

 

[frunobulax]

I think we need to set some hard rules regarding governors and workers. Like, no governors and no automating workers. I was assuming this was a given, but...better to check w/ the group.

Good suggestion, I agree - I've never automated governors or workers in any games I've played.

 

[Beamup]

Absolutely. No automation - which I also was assuming was a given.

 

[Metropolis Man]

Definitely no worker automation. The only situation where I feel it's allowable is to clear pollution in the Industrial Age and beyond.

Something else we haven't really discussed is Science and Entertainment sliders. Beamup mentioned he was going to research Warrior Code at 100%. My only thinking on that is if we take 50 turns at 10 or 20% we'll have the gold to also buy a tech when we meet up with another civ. I'm not sure how much gold we'll have if we max out research right away. Not to mention at Monarch difficulty we only have 2 content citizens before revolt. If research is maxed then there is little we can do to make citizens happy (aside from 2 warriors garrisoned) at the get-go.

 

[dojoboy]

Something else we haven't really discussed is Science and Entertainment sliders. Beamup mentioned he was going to research Warrior Code at 100%. My only thinking on that is if we take 50 turns at 10 or 20% we'll have the gold to also buy a tech when we meet up with another civ. I'm not sure how much gold we'll have if we max out research right away. Not to mention at Monarch difficulty we only have 2 content citizens before revolt. If research is maxed then there is little we can do to make citizens happy (aside from 2 warriors garrisoned) at the get-go.

I'm in agreement w/ Beamup.

In Despotism, increasing the happiness slider is wasting gold. Hey, we're despotic. Remember? Once in Republic, then give it a bump.

Also, a treasury before Republic is only good for purchasing techs because you can't rush production w/ gold in despotism.

As to purchasing techs rather than researching them - this would completely restrict our ability to gain techs that are important to our goals (short term and long term). For example, if we did use the Republic slingshot and ignored other techs to get there ASAP. The AI would throw AA techs at our feet for Republic. Actually for CoL or Philosophy first, then we can collect later for Republic. Also, we could time trading Republic, or giving it, to a nearby civ whom we have plans to attack. Once they have, wait a turn, check to see if they're in anarchy, then attack. They'll likely be with out production for 5 - 6 turns (unless they're a religious trait civ).

I've played your approach before MM, but I really feel it's counter productive on Monarch and below. Also, in C3C, the AI does not sell techs as easily as in Civ3 due to code changes.

 

[Metropolis Man]

I'm in agreement w/ Beamup.

In Despotism, increasing the happiness slider is wasting gold. Hey, we're despotic. Remember? Once in Republic, then give it a bump.

Also, a treasury before Republic is only good for purchasing techs because you can't rush production w/ gold in despotism.

As to purchasing techs rather than researching them - this would completely restrict our ability to gain techs that are important to our goals (short term and long term). For example, if we did use the Republic slingshot and ignored other techs to get there ASAP. The AI would throw AA techs at our feet for Republic. Actually for CoL or Philosophy first, then we can collect later for Republic. Also, we could time trading Republic, or giving it, to a nearby civ whom we have plans to attack. Once they have, wait a turn, check to see if they're in anarchy, then attack. They'll likely be with out production for 5 - 6 turns (unless they're a religious trait civ).

I've played your approach before MM, but I really feel it's counter productive on Monarch and below. Also, in C3C, the AI does not sell techs as easily as in Civ3 due to code changes.

It all sounds good. I'll keep the 'ol research slider maxed. So are we all in agreement that the first order of research business is a beeline to Republic?

 

[dojoboy]

It all sounds good. I'll keep the 'ol research slider maxed. So are we all in agreement that the first order of research business is a beeline to Republic?

I believe we are going for WC first, inorder to build JTs.