cooperative multiplayer difficulty

[Squidmaster]

I frequently play Civ 5 multiplayer with my girlfriend, mom, and a friend or two. Unfortunately, all of the computer opponents play at the level of the lowest human player, rendering the games far less challenging. I make sure to put the computer in teams to match the human players, but that takes away almost all of the diplomacy in the game and doesn't increase the difficulty nearly as much as one might think.

What can we do to increase the difficulty in a reasonable way? Thanks for your help.

 

[Yalish]

The only way to increase the difficulty is going to be to raise the difficulty level of all human players. I realize it's the obvious solution, but it's the only one you're going to find.

Do they have objections to doing this?

 

[Squidmaster]

That it will depend on who is playing at any given time. Is there anything that we can do to help less experienced players if they are willing to take this step? It seems like there is no way to guarantee a adjacent start locations or anything like that. It's a little frustrating.

 

[Yalish]

That it will depend on who is playing at any given time. Is there anything that we can do to help less experienced players if they are willing to take this step? It seems like there is no way to guarantee a adjacent start locations or anything like that. It's a little frustrating.

Certain map types have a team start setting that will ensure that team members start close to each other. Skirmish, North vs. South and East vs. West -- perhaps also Hemispheres.

These map scripts are all only designed for 2 teams though.

 

[Crustacian]

There are maps with historical start locations which would help control proximity