How to compensate for different skill in MP?

[Cruelsader]

Occasionally I play a LAN game with my friend. However, I always end up dominating the game since my skill level is monarch/emperor while my firend's skill level is regent. Is there any way to compensate for different skill, e.g. give my friend accelerated production or whatever? Thank you for your time and answers!

P.S. We have PTW. We usually play a simultaneous moves regicide with 6 AI civ on a normal size map.

 

[Abaddon]

well are you trying to beat the AI between you or just hav an even match?

y not just give him free techs/ workers now and again?

 

[Cruelsader]

well are you trying to beat the AI between you or just hav an even match?

y not just give him free techs/ workers now and again?

The aim is to have more even match. So far, I have gifted him teches, resoruces etc. But I believe that the game would be much more interesting if he could get the "compensation" in some other way - this would make it possible to compete (not neccessarily war, just some real competition) Currently he does not have any realistic chance to become the greatest civilization.

 

[onedreamer]

you can mod a scenario where his level of diff. is Regent and yours Emperor.
And make him start with more stuff than you do.

 

[Abaddon]

onedreamer seems to have the solution.. but why not play with yourself having the penalty of having to automate workers at all times?

 

[mastertyguy]

that would be a really bad penalty (maybe it isn't the right way to say it)

 

[Theoden]

You could let your friend start with extra units like the AI does on harder levels. An extra settler and two workers, and some units will help a lot.

 

[gmaharriet]

I'm not sure how this would work, but could you give him a handicap of several turns head start on you. You would found your first town and just disband the first "x" units (maybe workers to keep your town at size 1) produced until he had 10, 20 or 30 turns of play before you actually begin building anything useful to you.

 

[Tomoyo]

Or just fortify your settler and worker for 40 turns...

 

[Bluemofia]

I think no setter building for the first 40 turns would be sufficient.

 

[Tomoyo]

It might be just me, but sometimes when I have bad terrain I can't build a settler until turn 40 or something like that...

 

[Bluemofia]

Well, then the bad terrain makes up for it.

 

[onedreamer]

giving penalties is not a good idea IMO. It is better to give bonuses to the opponents.

 

[Cruelsader]

Thank you all for the replies! I liked several suggestions but finally went with onedreamer's reccommendation. It took me a few hours to figure out how to change the rules in civedit but it was well worth it (besides, I got much wiser while doing it ) . I set my friend to regent, myself to emperor and comp to monarh. I gave my friend (in addition to normal settler, worker, king, 10 gold, 2 techs, 2 civ traits) 1 settler, 2 workers, 2 warriors, 1 spearman, 1 scout, 90 gold, 2 teches, 1 civ trait. I also agreed to not build any great wonders. Maybe it is an overkill but I am so (over)confident of my skill. Besides, cionsidering how many hours we have spent on civ III he deserves to win.

Thank you once more of your suggestions! All comments (and additional suggestions) are welcome!

 

[Cruelsader]

Hmm.. I just reran the scenario on debug and discovered that AI civs do not get the normal monarh level additional units (2 defensive, 1 offensive). What have I done wrong? Or did I misunderstood the implications of AI difficulty setting? (I thought it would determine the extra support, units, trade bonuses etc for the AI)