This first post will serve as a portal (index) to the rest of my journal. It may take me a couple weeks to recall my game base on my notes and saves.
My 80K game journal
- Thread starter Moonsinger
- Start date
Game version: C3C v1.15b
Game Level: Sid
Map settings: huge 5 billion years, wet, warm, archipelago with 60% water, sedentary barbarians, and AI at the least aggressive mode.
Rivals: All scientific civs (Greece, Babylon, Persia, Germany, Byzantines, Russia, Korea, and Sumeria; eveyone except the Ottomans).
Human Player: The Mayans - the only none scientific civ in this game.
MapFinder Settings:
Minimum domination limit = 4400
Minimum # of river = 1
Minimum # of cattle = 1
The rest of all other options were OFF.
After MapFinder going through over 24000 iterations, I got about 100 maps to play. Since I had bad experience with early maps with multiple of cows at the starting location, I decided to go with any map that has just 1 cow this time. Map #20843 was among 7 maps that I had randomly selected to play until 1000 BC to see what happen. The other four maps didn't go so well and I quickly abandoned most of them before 1000BC, but fifth one seem to have some potential and the rest was history.
Here is the starting location of map #20843:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_4000bc.jpg
It had a domination limit of 4411.
Game Level: Sid
Map settings: huge 5 billion years, wet, warm, archipelago with 60% water, sedentary barbarians, and AI at the least aggressive mode.
Rivals: All scientific civs (Greece, Babylon, Persia, Germany, Byzantines, Russia, Korea, and Sumeria; eveyone except the Ottomans).
Human Player: The Mayans - the only none scientific civ in this game.
MapFinder Settings:
Minimum domination limit = 4400
Minimum # of river = 1
Minimum # of cattle = 1
The rest of all other options were OFF.
After MapFinder going through over 24000 iterations, I got about 100 maps to play. Since I had bad experience with early maps with multiple of cows at the starting location, I decided to go with any map that has just 1 cow this time. Map #20843 was among 7 maps that I had randomly selected to play until 1000 BC to see what happen. The other four maps didn't go so well and I quickly abandoned most of them before 1000BC, but fifth one seem to have some potential and the rest was history.
Here is the starting location of map #20843:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_4000bc.jpg
It had a domination limit of 4411.
boogaboo
Josef Popper 4ever
One word: upgrade!
(and good luck)
EDIT : Two words.. Me stupid..
I thought you were starting another 80K, but it seems I was fantasizing..
Moonsinger, was there an advantage of using 1.15 over 1.22, an ethical dilemma, or was 1.15 simply the latest version at the time you started the game? 
@boogaboo: You realize that Moonsinger has already FINISHED this game, eh?
(Viz. Why are you giving her advice?)
@boogaboo: You realize that Moonsinger has already FINISHED this game, eh?
(Viz. Why are you giving her advice?)
EMan said:Moonsinger, was there an advantage of using 1.15 over 1.22, an ethical dilemma, or was 1.15 simply the latest version at the time you started the game?
There was no advantage of using 1.15 over 1.22 that I know of. These maps were generated before version 1.22 was released. Sorry for the delay...there was a big out of business sale at the mall today.
After founding the Capital in 3950 BC, I immediately set out to search for Alphabet at minimum speed; it should be discovered in about 50 turns (1750 BC to be exact). Further exploration showed a very fertile land with a few herd of cattle near by.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_2550bc.jpg
Basically, any town with a cow would first build a worker, then a granary, then settler, and more settlers and workers after that. My little Mayan empire of 21 towns at 1000BC:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_1000bc_21towns.jpg
After I finished the 50 turns for Alphabet, I start another 50 turns for Writing. You know me...I have never been any good with research.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_2550bc.jpg
Basically, any town with a cow would first build a worker, then a granary, then settler, and more settlers and workers after that. My little Mayan empire of 21 towns at 1000BC:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_1000bc_21towns.jpg
After I finished the 50 turns for Alphabet, I start another 50 turns for Writing. You know me...I have never been any good with research.
A few turn after Alphabet was discovered in 1750 BC, I sent out three curraghs to make contact with the AIs. Their journey were as follows:
1. Curragh #1 sailed South East along the coast of my island. Its whole purpose was to figure out the size of my island. Eventually it made Contact with the Byzantines and Russia and continue the Byzantine coast toward West.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_curragh1.jpg
2. Curragh #1 sailed South West along the coast of the Sumeria. It quickly made Contact with the Korean.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_curragh2.jpg
3. Curragh #3 sailed North along the coast of my island then East when it saw a red border from the east horizon and made a suicide run to make contact. Well, it wasn't much of a suicide mission because it would make contact whether or not it survive the next turn. It discovered Babylon and it survived the next turn...continued to follow the Babylonian coast toward East. Eventually, it made contact with Persia around 450bc and Germany around 390bc.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_curragh3.jpg
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_390bc_curragh3.jpg
1. Curragh #1 sailed South East along the coast of my island. Its whole purpose was to figure out the size of my island. Eventually it made Contact with the Byzantines and Russia and continue the Byzantine coast toward West.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_curragh1.jpg
2. Curragh #1 sailed South West along the coast of the Sumeria. It quickly made Contact with the Korean.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_curragh2.jpg
3. Curragh #3 sailed North along the coast of my island then East when it saw a red border from the east horizon and made a suicide run to make contact. Well, it wasn't much of a suicide mission because it would make contact whether or not it survive the next turn. It discovered Babylon and it survived the next turn...continued to follow the Babylonian coast toward East. Eventually, it made contact with Persia around 450bc and Germany around 390bc.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_curragh3.jpg
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_390bc_curragh3.jpg
It took me 100 turns to discover Writing (50 turns for Alphabet and another 50 turns for Writing). My civ was way behide in tech. However, I was totally stunt to realize I just beat both the Korean and Sumerian to Writing and it paid off big time too. I traded Writing for The Wheel + Mathematics + 399 gold (that was all they got) + 10gpt. Wow!
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_530bc_trade1.jpg
Of course, since Korea was the next door neighbor of Sumeria, there was no point in keeping the secret of Writing from the Sumeria. They gave me Bronze Working and all their gold (271 gold) for my Writing tech.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_530bc_trade2.jpg
Note: I was very happy to noticed that there was two source of horses within my boundary. On the sad note, as far as I could see, Furs is the only type of luxury on my island.
By 450bc, my good friend Theodora was first to discover the secret of Literature. This was my tech tree at the beginning of turn 450BC (as my advisor was complaining something about being backward in tech):
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_tech_tree.jpg
Of course, "we can't allow this to continue", my advisor said! it was time for some major trading...
1. Byzantine: Brought Literature from her for 524 gold
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade1.jpg
2. Persia: Traded Literature for 183 gold + Map Making + 7 gpt
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade2.jpg
3. Korea: Traded Map Making for their Iron Working + Mysticism + Warrior Code + 4 gold
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade3.jpg
It was very disappointed to know that there was absolutely no iron anywhere. Except for Persia, no one else had any iron. Of course, Persia was an ocean away and it would be impossible to make a trade until the age of Navigation. Anyway, life went on.
4. Sumeria: Traded Map Making + Literature for Polytheism + Construction
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade4.jpg
5. Babylon: Trade Literature for Philosophy
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade5.jpg
6. Sumeria: Trade Philosophy for Horseback Riding
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade6.jpg
7. Byzantines: Contruction for Currency + 311 gold
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade7.jpg
8. Korea: Contruction + Philosophy for Monarchy
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade8.jpg
9. Persia: Currency for Code of Law. Note: Xerxes offered me that deal at the end of my turn - since Persia was an ocean away, I suspected he had contact with Greece and Germany; therefore, I didn't really want to trade tech with him at all. It was a mistake; he caught me off guard and I agreed to his term. However, looking back, he could have deal with Babylon too; therefore, I was wrong to withhold tech from him in the first place, but then again, I'm sure I got good reason for not dealing with him in the first place. IIRC, he was at war with Babylon; therefore, I was his only tech dealer in town, except for Greece and Germany that I hadn't yet meet.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade9.jpg
A few more turns after that, I hooked up with Germany and was able to get the rest of the AIs' free techs (plus Republic). It was just a tech lead for just 1 turn, but still it was a "lead" and my advisor was very happy "we are technologically advanced!", he said.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_390bc_tech_tree.jpg
What my advisor failed to notice was that "we are also the riches civ in the world and the rest of the AIs' treasuries were 100% empty, not to mention that some of them are owning us a lot of gold per turn too). Oh well, can't expect my advisor to know everything.
BTW, this also was the end of my first session. I had been playing for more than 6 hours straight since 4000BC to 390BC in one shot without any break; I was tired and now looking back I can't really make head and tail with the rest of my note. Basically, I gave a lot of techs to the AIs to introduce most of them to the Middle Age to lower the cost of the free techs (hint: they were all scientific civs and my Mayan was the only non-scientific in this game). Then I bought those free techs and turned around to sell to whomever could afford them.
I traded Writing for The Wheel + Mathematics + 399 gold (that was all they got) + 10gpt. Wow!http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_530bc_trade1.jpg
Of course, since Korea was the next door neighbor of Sumeria, there was no point in keeping the secret of Writing from the Sumeria. They gave me Bronze Working and all their gold (271 gold) for my Writing tech.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_530bc_trade2.jpg
Note: I was very happy to noticed that there was two source of horses within my boundary.
On the sad note, as far as I could see, Furs is the only type of luxury on my island.By 450bc, my good friend Theodora was first to discover the secret of Literature. This was my tech tree at the beginning of turn 450BC (as my advisor was complaining something about being backward in tech):
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_tech_tree.jpg
Of course, "we can't allow this to continue", my advisor said! it was time for some major trading...
1. Byzantine: Brought Literature from her for 524 gold
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade1.jpg
2. Persia: Traded Literature for 183 gold + Map Making + 7 gpt
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade2.jpg
3. Korea: Traded Map Making for their Iron Working + Mysticism + Warrior Code + 4 gold
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade3.jpg
It was very disappointed to know that there was absolutely no iron anywhere. Except for Persia, no one else had any iron.
Of course, Persia was an ocean away and it would be impossible to make a trade until the age of Navigation. Anyway, life went on.4. Sumeria: Traded Map Making + Literature for Polytheism + Construction
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade4.jpg
5. Babylon: Trade Literature for Philosophy
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade5.jpg
6. Sumeria: Trade Philosophy for Horseback Riding
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade6.jpg
7. Byzantines: Contruction for Currency + 311 gold
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade7.jpg
8. Korea: Contruction + Philosophy for Monarchy
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade8.jpg
9. Persia: Currency for Code of Law. Note: Xerxes offered me that deal at the end of my turn - since Persia was an ocean away, I suspected he had contact with Greece and Germany; therefore, I didn't really want to trade tech with him at all. It was a mistake; he caught me off guard and I agreed to his term. However, looking back, he could have deal with Babylon too; therefore, I was wrong to withhold tech from him in the first place, but then again, I'm sure I got good reason for not dealing with him in the first place. IIRC, he was at war with Babylon; therefore, I was his only tech dealer in town, except for Greece and Germany that I hadn't yet meet.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_450bc_trade9.jpg
A few more turns after that, I hooked up with Germany and was able to get the rest of the AIs' free techs (plus Republic). It was just a tech lead for just 1 turn, but still it was a "lead" and my advisor was very happy "we are technologically advanced!", he said.
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads7/ms_sid5_390bc_tech_tree.jpg
What my advisor failed to notice was that "we are also the riches civ in the world and the rest of the AIs' treasuries were 100% empty, not to mention that some of them are owning us a lot of gold per turn too).
Oh well, can't expect my advisor to know everything.BTW, this also was the end of my first session. I had been playing for more than 6 hours straight since 4000BC to 390BC in one shot without any break; I was tired and now looking back I can't really make head and tail with the rest of my note. Basically, I gave a lot of techs to the AIs to introduce most of them to the Middle Age to lower the cost of the free techs (hint: they were all scientific civs and my Mayan was the only non-scientific in this game
). Then I bought those free techs and turned around to sell to whomever could afford them.
It was a Sid level. The archipelago map may be the reason for the slow tech race.
PS: I will write more this weekend.
PS: I will write more this weekend.
Thanks Offa!Offa said:
I really don't have any desire for GOTM. It has become very difficult to find time for it.
And if we ask you very very nicely? Truely amazing, nay staggering amount of points! 
Around 130BC, queen Theodora of Byzantine decided to invade my island. Immediately after her declaration of war, her archer attacked my southern most outpost and slaughtered my spearman defender. The outpost was defended by a spearman and a javelin. My Javelin returned fire triggering a timed Golden Age. Other than a huge fleet of Dromons bombanding along the southern coast, there wasn't any real threat. By 10AD, Theodora gave up her dream of conquest. This silly war had caused me a spearman and my soon to be best friend again, Theodora, an archer. 
This was the status of my Mayan Empire at 10AD:
Histograph
Domestic Advisor report
Palace Prebuild for the JS Bach's Cathedral which was finished in 90AD
By 300AD, I managed to squeeze a town next to the only source of saltpeter on the entire known world. Cash-rushed a temple immediately, then the library, then barracks, and spearmans in every turn after that. By 400AD, my saltpeter mine became fully operational. The time of peace had finally come to an end! The time for war had just begun.
FYI: Coming up next:
This was the status of my Mayan Empire at 10AD:
Histograph
Domestic Advisor report
Palace Prebuild for the JS Bach's Cathedral which was finished in 90AD
By 300AD, I managed to squeeze a town next to the only source of saltpeter on the entire known world. Cash-rushed a temple immediately, then the library, then barracks, and spearmans in every turn after that. By 400AD, my saltpeter mine became fully operational.
The time of peace had finally come to an end! The time for war had just begun.FYI: Coming up next:
a space oddity said:
Thanks for asking, but I really must focus on my RL business.
At this time, how many military units of each type did you have?Moonsinger said:
I noticed from you domestic advisor screen shot that you are running at 60% entertainment. In the cities that are visable, there is only one unhappy citizen. I have read other posts by you saying that you like to keep your citizens happy. I generally try to keep mine as happy as possible, but don't quite go to that extreme. Would you please explain a little more about your thoughts on this matter? Is this screen shot a just what is happening at this particular part of the game, or do you try to keep maximum happiness from the beginning until the end, and do you do it even if it is detrimental to your other plans?
I would like to add my congratulations on this fantastic game.
I would also like to say that your games and your posts have helped greatly in making me a better player. It is a shame that you are going to be leaving the forums. I tend to lurk more than I post, but I, for one, will miss your advice, insight, and probably most of all, the upbeat, helpful, and courteous attitude you display when posting.
Thanks,
Big Chief
I would like to add my congratulations on this fantastic game.
I would also like to say that your games and your posts have helped greatly in making me a better player. It is a shame that you are going to be leaving the forums. I tend to lurk more than I post, but I, for one, will miss your advice, insight, and probably most of all, the upbeat, helpful, and courteous attitude you display when posting.
Thanks,
Big Chief
Since 300AD, I had been borrowing a lot of money from Russia. Somehow Catherine managed to sell most of her techs at monopoly prices before I had a chance to buy and sell to the rest of the world. Nevertheless, I was making very good money from selling horses and left over techs. Those that couldn't afford to buy tech from Catherine got most of their techs from me.
Immediately after hooking up saltpeter in 400AD, I pretty much used all of my saving to upgrade at least 50 horsemen to cavalry and start a massive campaign against Sumeria. According to the military advisor, my military was weak. However, since the Sumerian were recently at war with both Russia and Korea, most of their troops were probably far away from home anyway. Therefore, I had a good chance against their cores. I landed 7 cavalry, 1 settler, and 8 musketmans in attempt to secure a beachhead. This was what it looked like in 420AD. Since I had 8 gallons running overtime between the two islands, by 420 AD, my beach head was pretty much secured. As it turned out, the Sumerian force were mostly archers, few pikemans, a lot of horsemen, and special warriors. They didn't stand a chance against my musket and cavalry. It wasn't hard to generate military leader at all. In 430 AD, I got my first great leader which built my first army of cavalry. Got at least two more leaders shortly after that from my defending musketmans. It was really a slaughter for the Sumerians. Their horsemen couldn't kill any of my musketmans and their warriors and archers were sitting duck waiting for my cavalry. Meanwhile, the world was fighting against my best friend Theodora (proving once and for all that the AIs do pick on each others). That was pretty much the end of the Sumerian. I wish it was that easy...Because some of their cities were deep inside Korea and Russia and I didn't want to buy ROP with neither one of them, I wasn't able to reach the last city of Sumeria until 680AD. I was at war with them continuously for 27 turns (they were completely wiped out in 680 AD, of course). My Mayan was in Republic at the time. Throughout the entire Sumerian war, the AIs were too busy forming and breaking alliance against Byzantines (they did all that on their own and I had nothing to do with it).
Immediately after hooking up saltpeter in 400AD, I pretty much used all of my saving to upgrade at least 50 horsemen to cavalry and start a massive campaign against Sumeria. According to the military advisor, my military was weak. However, since the Sumerian were recently at war with both Russia and Korea, most of their troops were probably far away from home anyway. Therefore, I had a good chance against their cores. I landed 7 cavalry, 1 settler, and 8 musketmans in attempt to secure a beachhead. This was what it looked like in 420AD. Since I had 8 gallons running overtime between the two islands, by 420 AD, my beach head was pretty much secured. As it turned out, the Sumerian force were mostly archers, few pikemans, a lot of horsemen, and special warriors. They didn't stand a chance against my musket and cavalry. It wasn't hard to generate military leader at all. In 430 AD, I got my first great leader which built my first army of cavalry. Got at least two more leaders shortly after that from my defending musketmans.
It was really a slaughter for the Sumerians. Their horsemen couldn't kill any of my musketmans and their warriors and archers were sitting duck waiting for my cavalry. Meanwhile, the world was fighting against my best friend Theodora (proving once and for all that the AIs do pick on each others). That was pretty much the end of the Sumerian. I wish it was that easy...Because some of their cities were deep inside Korea and Russia and I didn't want to buy ROP with neither one of them, I wasn't able to reach the last city of Sumeria until 680AD. I was at war with them continuously for 27 turns (they were completely wiped out in 680 AD, of course). My Mayan was in Republic at the time. Throughout the entire Sumerian war, the AIs were too busy forming and breaking alliance against Byzantines (they did all that on their own and I had nothing to do with it).
