Did the difficulties drop -1?

S

Smokeybear

Emperor
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They seem to have gotten one level easier, in my experience so far. The last time I played CiV was over six months ago. I was fairly comfortable on King, lost sometimes, but did pretty well at that difficulty. Emperor was pretty tough for me. Fast forward to G&K, and now King seems as easy as Prince, and Emperor difficulty feels about like King used to. Perhaps it's the more laid-back AI, what with all the methods you have now to chill them out and stay friendlier without constant DoW's every two seconds... wondering if other players are feeling the same sort of thing.

Not saying it's good or bad (thought it feels pretty good to me), just curious.
 
I think it seems easier because you have more ways to help control happiness and monetary issues. That makes it easier to manage one's empire and then overpower the AI.
:D
 
I'm with the OP.

I think the player can use religion to GREAT effect, much more effectively than the AI.

I think there are more tall AIs which inherently helps the player, especially on higher difficulty levels.
 
the religion bonuses really help
also, more luxuries help too

side question: do you play sc2? my friend always plays someone named smokeybear
 
notadummy said:
the religion bonuses really help
also, more luxuries help too

side question: do you play sc2? my friend always plays someone named smokeybear
Click to expand...

Nope, not me. Never bought SC2.
 
+1 for me. The AI is much better at researching faster. Only my first 2 games were easier. But then I think they released a patch that fixed the issue with the AI not expanding. Now that they've been expanding they easily out expand me, out tech me, out money me, out happy me, etc.

I went down a difficulty level, but that's too easy. But the next one higher is too difficult. So I'm burned out on this game right now.
 
Disgustipated said:
+1 for me. The AI is much better at researching faster. Only my first 2 games were easier. But then I think they released a patch that fixed the issue with the AI not expanding. Now that they've been expanding they easily out expand me, out tech me, out money me, out happy me, etc.

I went down a difficulty level, but that's too easy. But the next one higher is too difficult. So I'm burned out on this game right now.
Click to expand...

What leve u on ? I think u might need a new strategy then most likely . Think about this . The most important thing is not getting killed and not getting out teched whick u touched on . So make sure both does not happen . Many ways to do that find the best way for u . Me I just make sure I keep my fighting force at least adequate , make sure I have enough strong cities who can build , have many resources , and strategic . I make sure that we put tech as a priority . Watch my neighbors too see who needs to be put in check and who could rush me even if they are a ' friend ' . U r pretty much good
 
Smokeybear said:
They seem to have gotten one level easier, in my experience so far. The last time I played CiV was over six months ago. I was fairly comfortable on King, lost sometimes, but did pretty well at that difficulty. Emperor was pretty tough for me. Fast forward to G&K, and now King seems as easy as Prince, and Emperor difficulty feels about like King used to. Perhaps it's the more laid-back AI, what with all the methods you have now to chill them out and stay friendlier without constant DoW's every two seconds... wondering if other players are feeling the same sort of thing.

Not saying it's good or bad (thought it feels pretty good to me), just curious.
Click to expand...

Yes things are easier by about 30% I would say Significant . And yes it is because of the happiness . Also the AI is not that much improved still makes the wrong units . But the AI is pretty good at teching still maybe a little better .Makes it interesting but I was doing good on King but challenged more . Now I am on Emperor and it is pretty easy so far . Might be going up again soon
 
I find it more difficult. I'm struggling with taking cities now. Everything seems much much tougher.
 
hudders said:
I find it more difficult. I'm struggling with taking cities now. Everything seems much much tougher.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've pretty much had to accept that the days of taking cities without losing any of my units are over, or at least when we're talking about land combat.

That said, it does seem like overall the game has gotten a bit easier. Or maybe I've just gotten better at it, or some combination of the two. :D
 
Well the did improve combat to make domination victories more difficult, since it is the easiest victory to get. Battleships are still OP against all cities 4hex from the coast. Also the AI eventually stops thinking about how you broke a promise on turn 50 when you are on turn 350.

Other than that religion and espionage has made everything easier. Easy to catch up to tech and gain happiness with them. Emperor was the first difficult I played on where the AI could possible beat me but with G*K at turn 150 or so I am the top civ. Changing it to immortal is a huge jump in difficulty for me but it is still possible.
 
Seems to me that although happiness is a tad easier, taking cities is harder, and cities can have much higher strength.

I had to take the Egyptian capital to prevent them winning by Culture in my last game, it had a strength of 211! I never saw a city anything like that before G&K.
 
The_Quasar said:
Seems to me that although happiness is a tad easier, taking cities is harder, and cities can have much higher strength.

I had to take the Egyptian capital to prevent them winning by Culture in my last game, it had a strength of 211! I never saw a city anything like that before G&K.
Click to expand...

Those are the fun type of victories. Having to summon up an attack force to stop someone else from winning. I had to do that against Egypt too before but they were going for a science victory 5/6 pieces(I was going for cultural). Had to make war deal with their 2 neighbors before my fleet arrived and destroyed their civ.
 
Something has deffo changed for the easier and I don't just mean happiness or gold.

EMP:Austria:Continents:Standard Size:Normal

In the above game I spawned next to Caeser, apart from him DOW on me (I did settle a city right next to him) he failed to successfully take my city and didn't ever spawn a second city. By the time I had a few cities (ok so I bought 1 via marriage, and not a particularly great city either) I had 4 cities, Rome 1, Carth 2 and France 3 (one of them in tundra with no luxuries? I razed that later). Once I cleared my continent I started buying cities on the other and with their units only easily took out England and Holland.

I find that you can end up being ally with cities accidently, the quests are too numerous and easy (e.g. destroying encampment, connecting a luxury, winning faith/culture/science etc etc). Mercantile cities are too overpowered in terms of happiness plus with additional luxuries it's easy to maintain happiness without slowing growth.

In this game I have built 80% of the wonders (probably 100% since renaissance) am 8 tech levels above the rest and can easily maintain ally with all remaining CS.

Okay Austria is overpowered but considering the start of the game I would have won with any race, her UU and UB have been barely used. Beginning location was coastal, no fish, just stone, silk and silver, no marble.

Play style: Went for GL, then settled 2 cities, then the national academy. Social policies: Liberty then mercantilsm now rationalism (have a lot of production cities so behind on SP's). Religion focused on money for the obvious reason.

BTW on another game I noticed Alexander can get 0 decrease per turn in CS with religion and right policies.

Edit: The other thing I do now is always leave the capital on production focus and try and build hanging gardens to compensate.
 
This is my experience too (actually started a thread on it last week).
Emperor seems ridiculously easy now, and you are right, the huge happiness bonuses you can get from religion and mercantile city states have a lot to do with it.
 
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