I'm stuck in a rut

[homeyg]

I experienced this with Civ3 also. I'll start up a new game of Civ and either look at the start and say 'WTH do I do?' or else I mindlessly and crapily play along thinking that I know what I'm doing, but I just end up quitting after a little while. It seems like I can't formulate paths and strategies very well when playing and I can never stick with a game that I start with. I read some of the threads on this forum and become amazed because of the things people can do with this game, and I just have no idea how they do it or figure it out. Maybe this game just isn't for me..

 

[DaveMcW]

Watch your science slider.

If it's above 70%, you need to build settlers to expand. (Or expand militarily if all the land is taken.)

If it's below 70%, you need more workers and cottages.

 

[arbarbonif]

Personally, I have a severe case of newstartitis. I have actually completed about 2 games total. I end up either reading something that makes me want to try a new tactic, or I decide I am randomly bored with the leader I'm playing, or I leave the game for a while and forget where I was, or I decide I REALLY shouldn't have built the National Epic in THAT city so I might as well just restart....

If you find a cure, let me know too.

 

[Xurr]

Try this it helped my game quite a bit. Search through the forums and find a couple of walk throughs with strats that you like or think you can implement well. Then play a game at a lower setting than the walk through and try to duplicate that game play. Print out the thread if you need to refer to the strat. This will allow you see first hand how the strat works. Note that you will have to modify things for your own game a bit which will help you learn the ins and out s of that strat.

Do this for a few different strats and then combine and modify things to suit your preferred play style. Once you learn a lot of the ins and outs and different synergies things will really start to take off in your game play.

 

[Kate]

I'll start up a new game of Civ and either look at the start and say 'WTH do I do?' or else I mindlessly and crapily play along thinking that I know what I'm doing, but I just end up quitting after a little while. It seems like I can't formulate paths and strategies very well when playing and I can never stick with a game that I start with.

I have the same issue on single player. Unless I'm playing at a ridiculously low level, small map, high speed, and advanced start, I never stick with it for more than half an hour.

Oddly, I never have this problem when I play hotseat teams with my husband, because then we talk strategy together.

 

[Black Mech]

Well, this has nothing to do with your stratigies, your just cived out(odd to say on a civfanatics forum, but it does happen) just take a break from the computer for a while, go outside, clear your mind. Then go back to playing when you feel like you want to play. Another way to help, try to play a game without even thinking of anything people did here, remember as a wise unknown person once said "the grass is always greener on the other side".

 

[Dier]

I'm having a ball when I play on deity level, teamed up with one AI civ. Do I care that some of the people beat deity some of the time without a team mate? Hm, no.

 

[homeyg]

Well, this has nothing to do with your stratigies, your just cived out(odd to say on a civfanatics forum, but it does happen) just take a break from the computer for a while, go outside, clear your mind. Then go back to playing when you feel like you want to play. Another way to help, try to play a game without even thinking of anything people did here, remember as a wise unknown person once said "the grass is always greener on the other side".

That exactly describes the problem.

I've sat here and read so many things on this forum that anything I do just feels like I'm reproducing a starting move by some other player, giving me a sense of 'I just did this but I don't really know why'. I was thinking, 'hey, why not just play a game where I do whatever the hell I want' but then I sit down and start a new game and it turns out that I have no idea what I would do and I feel like what I would do wouldn't be good enough to win the game!

 

[homeyg]

If you find a cure, let me know too.

I've been searching for a cure for this for years..

Watch your science slider.

If it's above 70%, you need to build settlers to expand. (Or expand militarily if all the land is taken.)

If it's below 70%, you need more workers and cottages.

I'm in this weird phase right now where I have to rely on great scientists to be able to play Deity. I don't know what to do about this either..

 

[Deriem]

Oddly, I never have this problem when I play hotseat teams with my husband, because then we talk strategy together

The obvious solution to cure Restartitis is to post all games on CivFanatics so advanced players can pick your game apart! Or just get a friend who enjoys CIV

 

[iamnleth]

Personally, I have a severe case of newstartitis. I have actually completed about 2 games total. I end up either reading something that makes me want to try a new tactic, or I decide I am randomly bored with the leader I'm playing, or I leave the game for a while and forget where I was, or I decide I REALLY shouldn't have built the National Epic in THAT city so I might as well just restart....

If you find a cure, let me know too.

Wow, I have the exact same problem. I came to the conclusion that if I don't play a game perfectly, it bothers me beyond my will. I think I have OCD.

 

[NovaDream]

I fall victim to all of these Civ related maladies as well. I get to a point where seeing those jungles and green grasslands sickens me on sight. But if I close the game down, I feel like theres a Civ game I want to be playing.

One thing I would suggest (to myself as well) is to maybe try different gameplay settings or playing some scenarios. I tend to overlook the scenario portion of the game.

 

[homeyg]

I fall victim to all of these Civ related maladies as well. I get to a point where seeing those jungles and green grasslands sickens me on sight. But if I close the game down, I feel like theres a Civ game I want to be playing.

There could not be a closer description to what I have! I hate grassland!

 

[oyzar]

If you don't understand a move just ask about it... There are reasons for pretty much everything. Once you understand the reasons for the plays it'll be easier to play by yourself...

 

[AmazonQueen]

Most of my games I don't finish
I get to a certain point and decide I've placed my cities wrong or built a wonder in the wrong place or another leader would've been better for the strategy I'm following
I'm impatient and a perfectionist which is a bad combo
1 thing that helps is setting myself an objective beyond a victory type, a bit like the RPC games do. These games I get further and sometimes even finish

 

[vicawoo]

I fall victim to all of these Civ related maladies as well. I get to a point where seeing those jungles and green grasslands sickens me on sight. But if I close the game down, I feel like theres a Civ game I want to be playing.

One thing I would suggest (to myself as well) is to maybe try different gameplay settings or playing some scenarios. I tend to overlook the scenario portion of the game.

I find myself lost on scenarios, have no idea how i'll proceed, so it's the opposite for me. Civ, I guess you need an understanding of game flow. Like early, it's rex, conquer, or get wonders. middle, improve economy all around and beeline to liberalism or do some conquering.
higher difficulties, it's basically get myself into a winning position (large empire, tech lead)

 

[Spikey1201]

Wow I can't believe other people have this problem too...I have started SO MANY games but I always quit for one reason or another. I even quit a lot when I am going to win, just because sometimes it is so obvious where the game is headed that I just don't care about waiting another couple hundred years to see my strategy through. I think I need a new difficulty.

 

[manooly]

Wow! It is like I started this thread. This is the exact problem I have. I have started about a hundred games (no lie) and have actually never completed one!!! I love reading about strategies, loading different mods, and staying up to date with the most recent versions of everything. I even think about what I'm gonna start new while I'm at work. I can't wait to fire up a new game and say to myself "This is going to be the game I stick with!". I just recently re-installed civ4 and had a great game going with the Incan people. I actually made it to 200AD. I then proceeded to come here and read about how great Beyond The Sword was. So, I made the purchase and started a new game. The next night I read about an "Unofficial Patch" that is a must have, so I then started again. I then read about this great Mapscripter that will create maps near to what earth is today. I am going home tonight and starting a Standard sized map, with 8 Civs total on Epic. I am going to try a suggested Hemisphere map possibly. I will be Ragnar, Leader of the Viking people. This game I will stick with to the end for sure.................I think.

AHHHHHHHHHH Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TriPp]

I used to do this alot too when i first started, i think upping the difficulty cured me. Play at a setting where you play catch up for the 1st 1/3-1/2 of the game and if your still bored then idk!

Just go out there and wing it, i never have a strategy only a bit of direction. Planning everything out takes sumthin out of the game for me. Gotta keep it as unpredictable as possible!

 

[homeyg]

I don't think there is any cure for this problem except setting the built in alarm - "okay, I'm not allowed to stop playing this one game until this alarm goes off"

usually if i just play a game long enough i can stick with it, its just getting past the boring ancient times that i have trouble with..