Massive map = more challenge?

[Jimbo30]

http://i.imgur.com/H5v8hZt.jpg

Hutama has 4 cities by turn 52, this is on a massive map at Soyuz difficulty. He's not even in the lead - Barre is close to me with at least 3 cities as well. I'm pretty sure massive maps could help the AI a lot. Anyone else tried it out?

 

[Callonia]

Not sure but, I think Massive maps is smaller than Huge maps on Civ 5.

 

[Doviello]

Massive is quite large for 8 players. I don't think we need larger maps without some extra sponsors to fill them up.

 

[Ryoga]

Not sure but, I think Massive maps is smaller than Huge maps on Civ 5.

Yeah but Huge maps in Civ V are for 12 players not 8. The AI has a lot of free lands to expand into.

Anyway as always massive maps make it more difficult simply because it is harder for you to keep everyone else under control. On Soyuz difficulty the AI can win before turn 270 if left unchecked.

 

[Jimbo30]

I always played on large continents in CiV but offset it a little by using high sea level. There's little doubt that the AI is far more potent as an overall force when it's given space. I didn't really expect to see this difference though - it's like night and day compared to BE on a standard map. I might continue with this game just to see how it goes though I am using the beba mod so I'm already gimping myself a bit.

 

[CaptainPatch]

I started 3 Massive map/Protean games. I didn't even use all 7 of the other factions. Despite all of that wide open spaces, in each of those three games at least three of the AI factions landed practically on my doorstep. They effectively had me boxed in by Turn 50. Conversely, they had oodles of room to expand on their backsides. It wasn't until the 4th start that I was allowed room to grow.

 

[Aeson]

More landmass seems to favor the player who can adjust their playstyle to it (many more Explorers early, more focused on expansion).

Though it does make it take longer to conquer an AI, just because there's more cities. (Capital sniping Domination not included.)

 

[bladex]

Not sure but, I think Massive maps is smaller than Huge maps on Civ 5.

they are that's why it's harder everyone is way more closer...

 

[bhavv]

Massive maps are easier if you get a nice isolated start with loads of room, but on my current game I had 3 AIs start all around me, but still enough space to settle a load of cities.

 

[bladex]

they made all the maps even smaller than they were in civ5....

 

[Pietato]

they made all the maps even smaller than they were in civ5....

You say that like Civ 5 had small maps. It did not.