Map types

[InFlux5]

What's your favorite map types, and talk strategy for some of the more common map types: continents, fractal, shuffle, etc.

My personal favorite is Tectonics, which I just recently discovered and I think was added only in a recent patch. These maps are very natural and organic looking. They are also very challenging. Try one sometime and you'll see what I mean.

Fractal I don't play very much for a simple reason. I hate the snaky pangaeas that it sometimes produces.

Continents is the old standard. Most strats on the forums will apply. Taking out your neighbors may put you behind in tech but is usually worth it. Or you can go peaceful and trade/diplomacy/space. It's a well-rounded map, no wonder it's so popular.

Tectonics is, in my opinion, superior to Continents in the very natural-looking landmasses that it produces. Again, check it out if you haven't already.

 

[Warhead5654]

I like lakes maps

play in arid climate and ou can simulate life in the middle east.

i'll try tectonics though

 

[lilnev]

If you like Tectonics, check out the Perfect World map script in the customization forum.

 

[Skallagrimson]

I've been playing fractal lately, but plan to try tectonics.

 

[Cashew]

I used to play inland and tbg a TON, but now I just do boring old pangaea maps lol.

I remember donut was a lot of fun too though.

 

[InFlux5]

Another of my favorites is to create a custom game and choose Global Highlands. I like rocky maps because they create natural border between the countries in the form of mountain chains.

 

[ew0054]

When I first started playing it was always Pangea for me. I could spread out like an amoeba as I took over the landmass.

Then I moved on to continents for a more earthlike simulation.

Lately, I have been enjoying the tectonics, for the reasons you have mentioned. More realistic in the sense of being earthlike, which for me, leads to interesting diplomatic options in the late game.

 

[FlyinJohnnyL]

I'd play tectonics more but-and I know this is so petty-I hate all the FRIGGIN options. Can I just pick all default please? I'd rather be mashing end turn....

 

[WuphonsReach]

I'm a huge/marathon player. I used to play fractal all the time, with random climates and sea levels. However, fractal doesn't always produce good maps.

(As in "interesting".)

I recently switched to Tectonics, 60% water, normal aridity. This produces excellent maps the majority of the time with lots of choke holds, impassible (or with a few key passes) mountain ranges. There are often smaller islands sitting off-shore of a main continent. Sometimes you get long/thin strips of land that block navies unless you build cities/forts to cross them.

60% or 70% water means that you have to have at least some navy and that you won't meet some neighbors until after optics.

 

[Outshined]

What I want to know is how to pick a -randomized- map type. I usually play with all other settings randomized, with the intent of figuring out my strategy and adapting to the map as I go along. However, at the very least, you must still pick the map type, and knowing you are on an archipelago map from the start, for example, will pretty much determine your play strategy.

I guess I like to be surprised, rather than come to the game with a preset strategy.

Generally, I go with default options for victory conditions and things like that, and I prefer to play on small and tiny maps so that the world isn't friggen ginormous (and takes forever to play a map). Small maps to me feel more like an "average" size... AI's can still be pretty far away, but you don't end up getting in situations where you can peacefully settle 80 cities, either. I always play normal speed. I'm not really used to epic, it throws my game off a lot. Maybe I'd like it more if I could get accustomed to it, but I'm used to normal already.

I find low productivity maps very challenging; it's really tough if none of your cities have good hammer output (Looking at you, Archipelago). Low food maps, like Ice Age, can be a fun challenge. I think it usually hurts the AI more than me, though. One of my best wins was an Ice Age domination.