Does map size affect game?

[rschissler]

Does the map size affect the game, other than the size of the map, fewer civs, and maybe fewer luxuries?

I've always played on a standard map and have been thinking of going to the small map. My reasons are that I really like the first part of the game, and by the time I get to steam power and railroads I usually have a large lead. So the last part of my game is moving large numbers of units around and knocking off AI cities one by one until I have conquest. In other words, the end of the game is kind of boring.

So I figure if I move to a smaller map, I'll have a shorter game and more fun. Does this sound good? I've been playing on Emperor lately (standard vanilla CivIII) so I don't think game difficulty is an issue.

 

[dmanakho]

yes, map size affect the game....
and i think it's time to bump level a little and switch to Diety

 

[AA-battery]

I like playing a tiny map with a bunch of islands. War becomes so much fun.

 

[Gainy]

Does the map size affect the game, other than the size of the map, fewer civs, and maybe fewer luxuries?

Yep. Techs are easier to research, the rate of corruption is higher, the optimal city number is lower (again adding to corruption), and there are probably several other things.

I know what you mean about the end game being boring, but I don't really like small maps unless it's multiplayer.

 

[citizen001]

Wars are more intense and the expansion phase becomes even more critical.

 

[Spatula]

I tell you one thing: bigger maps make my game operate slower

 

[siberian_wolf]

Sure yes!!! I always play Huge Maps, and now I decided to try to play a Standard Map...
I suck!! In Huge Maps I have time to get so many cities, that I can easily get more cities than any AI, including Agricultural ones! In Standard I got five cities and then I almost had no more space to get more cities!! And the Celts had nine cities!!
I'm used to getting at least 20 cities before that happens in huge maps... I usually have time to build a lot of stuff in my cities... I was shocked how I had to change my playing... now I'm going to Medieval Times, and finally I'm getting better... soon I'll have my Golden Age, and the AI will pay... hahaha, they will pay...

 

[rschissler]

Techs are easier to research, the rate of corruption is higher, the optimal city number is lower (again adding to corruption), and there are probably several other things.

What do you think about going into the editor and changing the settings for a small map to match everything from a standard map, except for the size and total number of civs? All I really want to do is have a shorter game with less territory to conquer. What adverse effects could there be from not changing the tech rate, optimal number of cities, and minimum desired distance from cities?

What does the minimum desired distance from cities mean anyway? Is it only in reference to where the AI civs settle their cities?

 

[bingen]

not changing research speed=slower research=possibly slower game
not changing OCN=less corruption=runaway civs have it easier=less game balance

distance between civs=I think it is the min distance between starting locations

 

[Gainy]

What do you think about going into the editor and changing the settings for a small map to match everything from a standard map, except for the size and total number of civs?

I don't think you should do that with technologies, as they have been made easier to research for a reason. Since you have less cities on a small map, you are going to have less science output. So making technologies 'cheaper' accounts for this - basically meaning you can research Masonry in the same time on a small map as you could on a standard map.
The corruption settings are quite annoying though in my opinion. It would be a good idea to change them (same with ocn)

What adverse effects could there be from not changing the tech rate, optimal number of cities, and minimum desired distance from cities?

There wouldn't really be any adverse affects from changing the tech rate, but regarding the cities, you will find that they get corrupt very easily. In my experience, if you build a city in the 'perfect' place next to your capital (so they aren't overlapping any tiles), that city will have corruption issues immediately. This is on a tiny map though, so it might not be as noticable on a small one.

What does the minimum desired distance from cities mean anyway? Is it only in reference to where the AI civs settle their cities?

I'm pretty sure it is the minimum distance between everyone's starting locations. IE the aztecs couldn't start within 11 tiles of the Germans, whether they were AI civs, human civs, or a mixture.

Hope that helps anyways