Original Question was about lag and multiplayer quality. It is true that PTW was bad for MP. If you buy Conquests, you also get the newest PTW included. Conquests multiplayer is quite good. Lag is reasonable - except for large internet games. You will have a minute lag between turns if there are 4-6 players. More computer players seem to elevate this problem. But I play on LAN and have only a rare occurance where one player will have "windows has encountered and error and cannot continue".
Wardog wanted to know about MP. If you play with friends and computers, simultaneous turns is the best option. The timer is quick during the beginning when you have few units. As unit numbers increase, you are allotted more time per turn. For example if we have 4 players, the turn may last 5 minutes. 3 of the players will finish their turn and hit spacebar within 2 minutes. They can still move units and change production until the turn time limit or until the fourth player finishes his turn and hits spacebar. This is quick unless you have a new player, or if one person is waging a huge war, while others are status quo.
Once more for clarification, when the turn starts, all four players are moving units at the same time. This can add a huge twist on the game as a player can move units into a city to defend the same time you are attacking it. Or as you attack city A, they could be attacking your city B. It makes bombard units a little harder to use I have found. (picture your target moving, or you may lose visibility of the target as they could destroy your scouting unit.) But I find this 'human' twist giving me a 1000x more satisfying game experience.
No offense to anyone I hope, but using the same civ to kill the same stupid computer on the same settings just different map is a tedious act. I challenge you all to match wits against a skilled Civ opponent. You will be very glad you did. (Perferrably a quick opponent too!)
