Fractal Map Frustration

[Phanixis]

I originally played Civilization 6 on continents but I am getting bored of that map style. So I started experimented with fractal maps. While the fractal maps are far more interesting, the game seems to cluster several rival civs right on top of me at the start of the game. I will be so close that my second city will generate complaints about settling to close from one of my neighbors. There will be no city-states nearby either. What is really frustrated is that there will be huge sections of the map left unoccupied late into the game because all the civs of are found within one or two clusters. This makes to early game a do or die war after which you simply grab endless amounts of land uncontested. But you must war first, because it seems like the player's civilization is always surrounded on all sides by rival civs.

I like the fractal maps but there needs to be a way to have the spread rival civs and city-states around the map more uniformly. It would make for a better game. I don't suppose there is any way to do this?

 

[Libermmucist]

There is a way, use the low sea level setting.

 

[SharTeel]

Go with shuffle, true random madness!

 

[kampori]

Even on continents I have this problem. I play on huge maps only, and I have now resorted to taking out most of the AI civs. I usually now play on huge with 4-5 civs only. I still start within 10 tiles of 3 other civs.
It's absolutely stupid. I miss CiV where I could go until the 1700s before meeting half the world.

Last game I played. Huge with 6 civs. 5 of us were on one continent (the smallest one). Russia was on his own on 2nd continent, with every single other city state (there was only one on our cramped continent). A huge, empty continent. He only had 4 cities. 90% of his landmass was unclaimed. Yet on our tiny chunk of land, us 5 civs were competing for every single inch.
Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[MaximusPlatypus]

I actually like the crowding. I even add 1-2 AIs to my fractal maps. Just take out anyone close to you in the Ancient era

 

[bladex]

Go with shuffle, true random madness!

i tried shuffle once i got prob the worst map i've ever experienced they were tiny little islands all clustered together with the Ai all surrounding me on little islands of their own. 1st thing they all did was invade my island. HATED IT.

 

[kampori]

I actually like the crowding. I even add 1-2 AIs to my fractal maps. Just take out anyone close to you in the Ancient era

Yes, and therein lies the problem. The only way to have a good map is eliminating your neighbours. And I hate that.
Back in CiV 75% of my games I never waged war or had war declared on me once. And I loved that. Playing the diplomatic game. Whilst still having space to create a vast empire.

Doesn't happen here. I prefer neighbours for trading, not for invading.

 

[spfun]

My last game on Pangaea had a second continent with city states on it and 2 other large islands not connected the the very cramped mainland. Some weirdness going on in creation of maps for sure.