Love it or hate it: The Great Library

[ElephantU]

Originally posted by Remorseless
Reading over the post replies to this question makes me realize I am WAY OUT OF MY LEAGUE! Sheesh, I play a couple of hours once or twice a week -- I got kids to feed, a house to pay off, a wife to ... well, that's none of your dadgum bizness! It's just fun for me..

Me too. Perhaps a few more hours/week, but the rest... Seems like we have some kids (high school/college) and some "oldsters" here at CFC - I wonder if anyone has figured out in what proportion?

Never worried about the beaker thing.

Worrying about "the beaker thing" seems to be what distinguishes the Masters from the rest of us...

I've only been playing for 10 or so months, so a question: is consistently finishing the Prince game with the "Magnificent" tag applied to my ruler's name good?

I'd say it's time for you to move up to King or Emperor level...

Part of the fun of playing is getting good at it and comparing yourself to others.

Seconds and Thirds to Marlos - compare yourself, read CFC and Apolyton, ask questions, try things. The GOTM is a great way to compare your progress to others facing the same scenario. Take a look at the top ten finishers saved games, and check the Spoiler thread to see if one of them posted their gamelog. Then ask why or how they did something.

 

[Father Time]

I LOVE IT!
It has saved my hide numerous times... ^^;; I always lag behind in science in my games. XP *is not the best of civ players*
I try to build it whenever I can! =D

 

[jonel1111]

I used to feel it was one of the tho 3 winders, but after I didn't get it a few times, I came to realize that I could trade for anything it would have given me. As my knowledge of the game progressed, I found I didn't even want it. I'd learned how to work towards specific goals and didn't want to be hindered by all the misc. junk. Now I frequently have Electricity before he GL is built. This I truly enjoy! The thrill of killing a Wonder before the AI can even get 1 use out of it! YES!!!!!

 

[bellisaurius]

I would take marco's over GL in almost any situation. The only time it doesn't benefit you as much is when you are exceedingly unpopular and no one wants to trade. Usually, this isn't a horrible problem in deity early in the game since the AI seems to start faster. Oh, and the maps are priceless for trading early on (even if you don't get the AI to trade maps, you just have to click on find city and you'll see the area they're in.

Otherwise, one has access to more techs since only one person needs to have a particular tech, and the AI's techs are often spread out enough that you can borrow from one to trade with another power even if your behind a given AI.

I've never betten the AI in deity to GL, I struggle just to get either collosus, HG, or lighthouse. Marco's is usually easy since I beeline to trade before going for monotheism, and the AI seems to prefers GL and GW over marco's even when they have a choice.

Maybe I should adjust my settler/caravan ratio to get more of the early stuff.

 

[Smash]

Hate it for solo play luv it for multiplay.

With Caravans/SSC I get almost nothing from it.Keeping it away from the ai would be the only reason.
Now in multiplay it is a differtent story.Humans are far more efficient at research and Great Library will yeild many techs.Usually at an in opportune time however.Like one turn before Invention it will kick you a couple of techs and add a bunch of turns onto the research rate.Many times it has allowed me or another to "steal" the wonder attached to a certain tech.
Also there is great leverage and flexibility if one,or an alliance,control both Great Library and Marco Polo's.

 

[AnarchyBoy]

Smash, you are so right! GL with AI players: a waste of time. GL with human players: free tech city! I've found one of the problems with letting the AI get the GL though. If I trade with one civ (say, the Romans) and another civ (say the Zulus) has the GL, then the Zulus automatically get everything I trade to the Romans. Then if I want to trade with the Zulus, I have nothing to offer them... they've already gotten everything for free!
So get the GL and Marco Polos together, or make sure you always trade technology with the civ that has the GL first!

 

[sethos]

I think Marco Polo's is more important. This way you get more techs AND - perhaps - allies. It's the 2nd wonder (after HG) I try to build.
The only reason to build the GL is - not to let the AI civs build it.
And if you have a new tech - try to trade it with the civ thas has got the GL first!

 

[ElephantU]

The other use for MarcoPolo - trade techs to Enthus or Worship, then ask to trade maps. Quantum increase in caravan routing efficiency. Or early conquest...

 

[CaptBoulanger]

Me, I don't use the GL because there's so few tech paths at that point in the game. It'd be much, much more useful later, which is why it is in my anti-religion patch. (It's the Intelligence Agency, and you can't build it until Espionage)

 

[ElephantU]

Sounds like your modpack really changes the fundamentals of CIV.

 

[CaptBoulanger]

In certain ways, yes.... most of the techs and units and such are still there (all the buildings too) but some have been renamed and/or tweeked. It's still designed for a full length game, but it's a bit different - there's a slightly different mix of military units (more ships mainly) and some things are based on different (usually later) techs. Might want to try it, could be interesting.

 

[ElephantU]

The unit modifications were interesting, but the anti-religion aspect was sad.

 

[CaptBoulanger]

One man's opinion... my opinion being that I didn't like having Christianity (which is not the religion I practice, and I do practice one - I'm no atheist) hurled in my face every time I play the game. If you look carefully there are still "religion" references, but they're not Christian.

 

[Enforcer Talen]

I build the great library if I cant build my super science city, and never build marco polo's. the embassies on higher levels dont give me tech I need, maps I want, and break treaties incredibly often. I dont worry about reputation as the game goes on (and yes, they backstab first. . . lol)

 

[covok48]

I think Civ II attempted to break away from the Christian mold as compared to civ I. But wether you like it or not, Christianity had a profound impact on the Western World at about the time you "discover" these technologies. So it's fair to say that it being "hurled" at you is just a refection of it's importance during that time period.

As for the GL, I'm still at prince (IMO that's where the game isn't tipped in anyones favor too much) so I build it when I can. Usually I'm a bit behind in tech so it comes in handy. I've started to play the game after five years and trust me...it's not like riding your bike . ;-)

 

[LordValuna]

Had a game once I captured GL, the AI's suddenly stopped trading. with each other. Then Greeks got RR switched to and built Darwin ; taking Electricity as on of their free tech; making GL obselete. So no advantage from a late capture of GL

While GL was in enemy Celts hands I got a fair hunk of tech everytime they begged for a cease fire or demanding tribute as a Communist (with Statue of Liberty). I suspect I could have done better conquering other cities and continueing to demand tribute from the Celts, letting them have GL