emperor and beyond on huge maps?

[gallego]

I see a lot of people who are successful emperor+ players, but usually it seems that people play high difficulty games on standard maps or smaller, which I feel is much easier since neighbors are much easier to rush. I find huge maps much more difficult because you usually can't immediately rush a neighbor due to the distance, and you get beaten to settling land because not only is the AI faster than you, they grab relatively more space on the bigger map. I don't really feel like taking the time to gauge my level of play on smaller maps since I don't have much time to play and I find smaller maps to be unrealistic and Starcraft-like*, so I wanted to ask:

What is the consensus on how much harder it is to play huge maps on those difficulty levels? Is there anyone out there who is a successful emperor/immortal player on huge maps?

(*Granted, some people might play smaller maps due to system limitations.)

 

[Snaaty]

Bigger maps are more difficult, as you have already pointed out yourself because of:

- normally no early rushing because of huge distances to neighbours
- huge AI empires
- more AI´s you have to conquer
- usually more then 2 continents (more naval invasions)

I would say it adds about one level from standard size to huge size maps (faster AI tech-speed because of bigger empires, more troops etc.)

Still it´s possible to play these maps also at emperor+ levels, but you have to have luck with close neighbours for an early rush (or play earth map for exemple) or you have to adapt your playstyle and learn to play without an early war.

...

I also prefere to play on huge maps. Two of the games I played you can find when you click on the links in my sig (one emperor game with an early rush on earth map and one deity game on a random huge map (still playing this one))

 

[madscientist]

I find huge maps ore difficult also. You also need more cities for those national wonders and quests, while maintenance costs don't really matchup (8 cities on huge maps cost about as much as standard maps as far as I have seen).

I played Huge maps for 1 1/2 years but recently switched to standard maps for the better. I did it to stop my computer from choking in late BTS games, but found alot more variety in game play.

 

[Indiansmoke]

Bigger maps are more difficult, as you have already pointed out yourself because of:

- normally no early rushing because of huge distances to neighbours
- huge AI empires
- more AI´s you have to conquer
- usually more then 2 continents (more naval invasions)

I would say it adds about one level from standard size to huge size maps (faster AI tech-speed because of bigger empires, more troops etc.)

Still it´s possible to play these maps also at emperor+ levels, but you have to have luck with close neighbours for an early rush (or play earth map for exemple) or you have to adapt your playstyle and learn to play without an early war.

...

I also prefere to play on huge maps. Two of the games I played you can find when you click on the links in my sig (one emperor game with an early rush on earth map and one deity game on a random huge map (still playing this one))

I played the earth map 18 civs on odysee speed...it is very very easy, much more than normal size maps. Maybe this speed is broken as it is Marathon turns with epic production.

 

[shyuhe]

it depends on what game speed you're playing the bigger map with. If you don't scale your game speed to the map (i.e., go slower as you get a bigger map), you'll probably have a harder time. It'll be harder to move troops around to attack and as pointed out, the AI will expand faster than you can keep up.

I've rarely played huge maps but I don't like it - the turns take long enough on standard size maps for me and I don't want to punish my system that much.

 

[rantamplan]

Hi all,

I do play emperor on huge maps, I agree it might be more dificult but I dont do it not becouse its more dificult or more easy but becouse this is a strategy game, I like designing strategies to win and sincerelly in smaller maps you allready know what you have to do for winning so you no longer have to design a strategy --> means fun is over for me.

in the other hand, victory on such maps is posible, i just archieved cultural victory in emperor huge map, now im trying to wonder how to win in inmortal huge map (trying to avoid red coats, pretorians and such while doing it).