I'm winning by 500+ points. Why aren't I happy?

[thelibra]

In a nutshell, playing Darius on Monarch.

I wiped out the Portuguese, Vikings, and the Romans before any of them had managed a 3rd city, and the 2 cities of theirs each that I captured, plus my own settler city, put me at my personal best, 8 cities before 0AD. Granted I was temporarily at like a 30% science till I could get my riverside cottages built, but by about 500AD, I had not only expanded further to around 15-20 cities, but my economy was booming, making hundreds in profit even at 90% science. My armies are top notch, I can't build cities fast enough to keep up with the demand for expansion, and I control the entirety of the largest continent in the game. Now it's the 1500's, and I'm well over 500 points above the next highest leader, and over 1000 points above the lowest...

This is by far my most successful game ever at the highest level of difficulty I've managed to win on in Civ... So why aren't I happy?

I mean now it's just kind of become a "hurry up and click to get to the next tech" game. There's no challenge left, but I really want the win. But it's just not as exciting as before, even if it's my best game yet...

What gives? Anyone else experience this?

 

[Cytral]

know what you mean, its now looking more like a job then something fun?

 

[duende29]

Well yes, once you think you've won it becomes rather tedious to do the clean job, but you never know if one of the other civs on the other continent is going for a Culture win or some other nasty trick.

Anyway, if you think you already won, just start another game, probably on a higher difficulty, unless you want the game on your scoreboard of course.

 

[Bandobras Took]

I had a recent game with the Ottomans where I knew I was going to win; it was just a matter of time, and I didn't want to put in the time.

I left the game alone for about a week, and when I came back, I was ready to easily stomp the rest of the opposition into the ground. It was actually kind of relaxing rather than the finishing grind.

 

[DigitalBoy]

Well yes, once you think you've won it becomes rather tedious to do the clean job

There's a world of truth to this. Conquoring your neighbors is fun, but picking up the pieces afterwards? Not so much (it helps if I can capture my rival's six workers, to play catch-up on improving tiles).

 

[Bushface]

It's the old four-X thing - explore, expand, exploit, exterminate. Once you've got far enough with the first three, the last is just a matter of routine and generally isn't quite as engrossing. Either get rid of the remaining puny opponents quickly and go for the highest score in your Hall of Fame (which is what I do) or simply say to yourself "I've won", exit, and start another game.
There are lots of variaions possible, of course. Try a different kind of map, a different leader, or a higher level.

 

[MarkM]

I think it's the case that many don't play a game all the way to the end, leaving it when outcome seems certain. In fact, after getting to see the victory graphics once, for me GOTM are the only games I do play to the finish now (and sometimes not even then, even when I'm winning, it's just not worth the time when the only motivation is seeing my final score on a website)

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Well a few options to help solve the boring 'I've won already' problem

1. Make it faster: play on a faster speed or (in game) go for a speedy minimal management win (Cultural/Space Race, as war requires extra maintenance costs)

2. Increase the difficulty level

3. Try for a particular goal besides winning

4. Save the game and then come back to it

 

[SlightlyMad]

Even on marathon, it shouldn't be too hard to just grit your teeth and bee-line for a victory once you're that far ahead. Much easier than in the Civ1/2 days, at least, with domination victories and vassals. Just focus all your tech on military, and load up galleons/transports with huge numbers of mobile units.

Take out your enemies one at a time, capturing cities until they capitulate, then give them all their cities back after that to avoid death by city maintenance. Wash, rinse, and repeat until you've won.

 

[jpinard]

You can do what I always do. Get cocky and gift techs to your neighbors. Or nuke somoene back to the stone-age so the whole world hates you. There really is something satisfying in taking th #2 civ and reducing their population to 10 citizens in a few short turns. Another thing I like to do is see a civ that's got a vassal or two and see how many nukes it takes before the vassals break free.

I had a recent game with the Ottomans where I knew I was going to win; it was just a matter of time, and I didn't want to put in the time.

I left the game alone for about a week, and when I came back, I was ready to easily stomp the rest of the opposition into the ground. It was actually kind of relaxing rather than the finishing grind.

That's a good idea!

 

[ajil]

this happens every time I play against the cpu. Sooner or later, it gets to where its obvious I am going to win, but I still have to play for another 4 hours or so. It's actually quite annoying.

 

[King of Town]

there's a guy on here that finishes games for people. I can't remember his name or why he does it. I am usually pretty far ahead midway through the game so that when i wanted to finish a space race, I had a tough time finding the most efficient route because I hadn't been that far up the tech tree. I have never built the following-modern armor, stealth bombers, mobile artillery ( or whatever it is called), or even mechanaized infantry. I know I am forgetting a few because I have never used them. Combination of the game moving at a snails pace, and having the game already won. I need to have some modern warfare. That was the big sell of this game, but I haven't tried it.

 

[bonafide11]

I agree completely. I reach a point in every game where I realize that I'm going to win but I still have to spend so many more boring hours playing just to finish it off.

 

[Soneji]

Ditto.

I leave the game for a while, until my appetite to finish it comes back.

Then it feels a bit fresher, not so mundane.