GOTM4 Practice Games

[doyen]

As we move up in levels, the initial moves in the game become increasingly important. In the interest of giving everyone an opportunity to practice and discuss their initial strategies in a number of different settings, I prepared ten maps with starts identical to that shown for March's GOTM. For those interested, I took the first ten random maps generated, given the critera used this month, and made only the modifications necessary to replicate the start we will have. If there is interest, I will do the same next month.

Enjoy!

 

[doyen]

Here is game 4. Games 1,2,3 and 5 had to modified. Those modified games are now located further down this thread.

 

[doyen]

Here are the next five.

 

[The-Hawk]

Thanks doyen...

 

[Roland Ehnström]

Good Job!

-- Roland

 

[Sparts]

Though I appreciate the good job, (at least) the first save game is incorrect. For some reason, the lake is giving only 1 commerce (instead of two) and there's a plains hill, instead of grassland hill.

 

[Tauro]

Thx, I've just been crushed several times today even if I'm not new on emperor. I've reached the erliest defeat ever: 1400 BC from 10 (ten.... t e n...... T E N!!!) barbarians, six archers and four warriors vs my poor two warriors.....
But I will try again

 

[doyen]

Though I appreciate the good job, (at least) the first save game is incorrect. For some reason, the lake is giving only 1 commerce (instead of two) and there's a plains hill, instead of grassland hill.

Thank you very much for pointing this out. After looking back the saves, I found similar problems with 1,2,3, and 5. In 1,2, and 3, the hill in the NE was plains instead of grasslands. In 1 and 5 the lake was missing one commerce. I made the changes, and will repost the improved saves below, since I can't figure out how to replace the old saves with the updated saves in my original post.

 

[doyen]

Here they are. If anyone else finds something fishy, please just tell me, and I'll make modifications.

 

[Seraphinus]

Thanks. Please do it again next month.

 

[doyen]

Thanks. Please do it again next month.

Your welcome. I'll be glad to do it next month. Hopefully I'll get every map right the first time, next time.

 

[culdeus]

Hope it's like save game 1!!!

 

[kommie]

I've read that the random map generator can be a little bit "unimaginative" at times, so you could get some very similar maps and starts for a certain set of map generation criteria.
I hope none of these maps come too close to what the actual GOTM will be like (outside the initial visible area), otherwise it'd ruin the GOTM both for us, since the surprise is ruined, and for others, since it'd be somewhat akin to cheating.
I played Ronald's edited saved game, although might give these a miss.

On the other hand, 2 games of civ could turn out very differently even if played on exactly the same map...

 

[doyen]

I've read that the random map generator can be a little bit "unimaginative" at times, so you could get some very similar maps and starts for a certain set of map generation criteria.

Before the patch there was a bug where maps weren't random. The patch fixed that. If you look at the maps I produced, you'd see wide variation. I seriously doubt you are going to see anywhere near an exact match with the real GOTM.

 

[popsicledeath]

Thank you for doing this, it's greatly appreciated! I was going to do something similar (if not for everyone just for myself), but I'm so very lazy. Off to try them out! Thanks + infinity!

 

[popsicledeath]

I think I found a bug or something in file 4. When the cultural boundary of the capital expands it founds Buddhism. Couldn't find an obvious reason as to why. Kinda funny.

 

[Sparts]

I think I found a bug or something in file 4. When the cultural boundary of the capital expands it founds Buddhism. Couldn't find an obvious reason as to why. Kinda funny.

I noticed that too, very strange indeed.

 

[kommie]

same here. i was pleasantly surprised... but had to abandon it, coz its obviously not a legit start

came here to try some more of these test games, but noticed that the real GOTM4 is out already!! might have to give these a miss and get right into it

 

[Sparts]

For the best result I ought to first try more of these games with different starts. But then again, it's just a game, so I'll go play the real save. I won't end up in the top 10 anyway.

 

[greentea]

Emperor is a big jump for me, so I will want to practice a lot before I start the actual game. I wonder if anyone would want to comment how they played some of douen's paractice games. I just "finished" the first one after my attempt to get a diplomatic victory failed. How early do you wage wars? I was able to pack only 3 cities and then had to attack Egypt, which was the top civ at the time. I took 2 of hers on very juicy spots, but immediately Isabela backstabbed me and took one from me, razed the other. Hattie resettled and I took it from her again, but that was all I could do. I beelined to Mass Media, but unfortunately powers changed significantly and I failed. How do you handle early midgame, that is somewhere around 1AD when a military intervention becomes necessary? I got Hindu and the CoL Oracle and most of the time only Mansa was ahead in tech, but apart from surviving, I had no perspectives. I looked through the Emperor articles on the forum, but most of them are civ-specific and won't work for Gandhi. Any other Emperor learners want to share their experience from the practice?