Going back to Chieftan

[juballs2001]

im at emperor level, and i think i will go and play a cheiftan game right now, i am going to try and build every wonder possible in one town, now i just need to start a game where i am on a river and a costal city, but this will be an experience

-Juballs

 

[rbis4rbb]

Usually, when i just want to play a quick, easy game where I can trounce the AI, I move down to Deity. But it gets boring for me

 

[juballs2001]

Usually, when i just want to play a quick, easy game where I can trounce the AI, I move down to Deity. But it gets boring for me

you move DOWN! to diety??? WTH

-Juballs

 

[rbis4rbb]

Note the winking.

 

[Darkness]

I never play chieftain....

 

[classical_hero]

I have only just made the step up to warlord.

 

[microbe]

IMO if you can't beat Regent, there is sth wrong.

Chieftan/warloard are really for one-time players. If you really like the game and are smarter than the AI, you should be able to beat Regent easily.

Too low levels aren't fun. It's not fun to have to research all the techs without being able to sell for even a tiny amount of money. It's not fun to take an AI city defended by a reg warrior.

 

[Tomoyo]

@Microbe: I know a former Civ2 addict that really likes the game and he thinks Civ3 is awesome, but can't beat Chieftain. I would think that he is stuck in Civ2 mode, but some people can't win.

Although I can't see how...

 

[Bagatur]

I strongly agree with Tomoyo. There are many ppl, who just DONT KNOW the mechanics of the game, even many interface features or actions or rules are unknown foir them. I wasnt able to win, before I read War Academy articles and before my friend guided my attention to some details. Now, I can always win on Demigod.

 

[punkbass2000]

Yes, I'm reminded of a post by Arrian over at 'poly some time ago where he was talking to someone who had worked on the game and was asking him anout his strategies etc. because the guy was having trouble beating Warlord or some such. Anyway, the guy ended up asking a bit about what exactly triggers GAs and what they do etc., and Arrian explained and asked how he didn't notice notice all the extra commerce and shields. The guy replied, 'I don't really pay attention to that sort of stuff.' I believe Arrian characterized this person with the phrase, 'I don't know what I'm doing, I just push units around.'

 

[microbe]

You are all right. I think almost everyone was such a player before he came to CFC. So you all know what's wrong about those people.

 

[viper275]

I mainly play at Emperor, Monarch for something relaxed and Regent as a guinea pig for most variants that aren't too hard. I did think up one, however, that I'd only want to play on Chieftain or Warlord. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=2203175&postcount=3 For the conquests... it depends on the conquest. For example, WWII Pacific is pretty easy for any civ except the Dutch on Emperor, and I think I'm going to win as Japan on Sid. Yet others I find difficult on Monarch.

In my opinion, for general games, if you don't mind losing, with basic game mechanics you can get up to Warlord. Jumping to Regent will take a bit of effort.

Edit: Microbe is right. When I came here, it was Warlord for epic games. That, however, changed .

 

[Leo Tang]

Im now stuck in emperor......I just leap to it and found many difficulties....i think i should get familiar to Monarch thought i hv already won two games on it.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Ah, thanks.

In that case, I must correct my earlier post:

I never play Chieftain, but I sometimes play Warlord if I'm going to do a 5CC or some other variant.

*blink blink*
*stares at sg forum*
*indicates victorious OCC on Deity*
What level is it you play on usually?

 

[Ben E Gas]

If I want a relaxing game I open up the "powerbar" program and beef up my civ a little bit.

 

[dexters]

I'm mainly Monarch. Emperor is a challenge. I'm 1 of 4 or something like that. The games I've technically lost were mostly abandoned not played to the end.

If I may go OT somewhat a reminisce on my early games:

I don't know how applicable this is to C3C but in Civ3 vanilla, when the game was first released, my first few Chieftan games 'after' I learned the mechanics (they were probably my 6th or 7th starts) were quite shocking in terms of how well I felt the AI competed. I was still stuck in the Civ2 mode and I think it proves that the Civ3 AI is leaps beyond that Civ2 AI. Biggest surprise for me w was just the number of units the AI could field and the AI's single minded determination when its at war.

I'm to this day very much in awe of the time the Aztecs (on Civ3 Vanilla 1.00 unpatched) poured Juguar Warriors through the forests for 20 turns. My makeshift maginot defensive line barely held. Even with Rifles, I was running around trying to pick off the units.
I remember noting over at 'poly that wars in Civ3 wars felt like events because the AI would hit you with a ton of units.


One question I have for those who play above emperor.

Can we still get a sense that we're playing a normal Civ game? I'm not really a big fan of outlandish gambits (i've read several geared towards Deity play) designed to win but mainly detract from the 'standard' style of play.

 

[Arathorn]

Can we still get a sense that we're playing a normal Civ game?

First off, what's "normal"? That's an incredibly difficult question to answer.

Secondly, a qualified "yes", up through and including deity but probably not Sid. At deity, there are still LOTS of ways to win -- military, tech lead, suck-up-all-game diplo win, etc. etc. etc. You can do things like a 5CC and actually be competitive and beyond in terms of research or pure cash or military, depending on your focus. Yes, the quality of play has to be higher (things like micromanagement, worker management, diplomacy, kill ratio, etc. become much more important), but I think it feels like any other game...you're just behind a lot and the AI stacks get HUGE. My experiences on Sid have led me to conclude that most of the time the way to win Sid is with a lot of military.... But that could be my bias. I'm certainly not aware of anyone getting (and holding) any kind of a tech lead on Sid, but that's to say it's impossible....

But, if "normal" means always ahead in techs and leading the opponents in every facet of the game...then the answer is no. For some people (no blame here, just saying), a game where they're not way ahead isn't "normal" or fun. If that's "normal", then, no, upper levels will never be normal. You start in a hole and it can get quite pronounced at times. Trying to catch up is the best part for me, though, because once I'm caught up, I've won, essentially.

My $.02,
Arathorn

 

[punkbass2000]

I whole-heartedly agree with Arathorn. If one is playing at their appropriate skill level, IMO, they shouldn't be catching up and turning the game around until at least the late middle ages, after the universities and marketplaces are up everywhere, and often not until into the industrial age with artillery.

 

[Masquerouge]

You start in a hole and it can get quite pronounced at times. Trying to catch up is the best part for me, though, because once I'm caught up, I've won, essentially.

I agree with you, man
I used to play on Regent, and Regent only, for a couple of years, and I very recently moved on Monarch, because one day I realized my Regent games were over way too early ; as soon as the early middle-age I could tell I was way ahead. So no challenge in view for 3/4th of the game !

Now in Monarch I find all the fun is back ; in my last game, I catch up really late (late industrial / early modern), giving me a lot of trouble and worry, and the race to the spaceship IS actually a race ! Amazing.

That said, quite unfrequently I go back to Chieftain. It's a bit like turning the god mode on in FPS ; you just want to relax and blast everything without worrying about silly health bars and disappearing ammos.

 

[dexters]

if "normal" means always ahead in techs and leading the opponents in every facet of the game...then the answer is no. For some people (no blame here, just saying), a game where they're not way ahead isn't "normal" or fun.

Just to clarify. Normal as in having a balanced empire on all fronts. And not having to use a gambit, (like built all X units and rush the AI) that detracts from the spirit of what the game was designed for, albeit many people play in a variety of ways at the lower levels, but I think most play it like it was designed fo.

I've played my fair share of Emperor games and they have so far felt just like any other. Only much harder. However, I'm not sure if this holds in Diety and above, hence the question.