My epiphany about advanced starts!

[TommyTankRush]

Like many of you, I had felt a bit uneasy about advanced starts - you just don't feel the same emotional investment in a city you 'bought' like an oven-ready chicken that you do for one you hand-reared from a little fragile egg (to see that badly-chosen analogy through to its bitter conclusion.)

But, the other evening I tried this: Advanced start - future - duel map - continents - domination victory only - deity.

You and your opponent invariably spawn on neighbouring continents and you get an amazing fast-paced scrap with loads of naval engagements and air-battles as you fight to control the sea and to take out each-others' oil supplies.

Brilliant.

 

[Aurelius321]

When I move up to the next difficulty level I will advance start a couple cities for the first few games until I get my footing. Then get rid of advanced start.

Good idea though with the future battles thing!

 

[MrGreed]

I like advanced start to skip over the long process of getting your 1st settler out of the gate on marathon. I'm usually not a fan of that feature in other games but mindlessly hitting "End turn" 200 times before things start happening is a bit of a drag...

 

[dragodon64]

Personally, I hate advanced starts because I apparently just don't know how to use them. From my point of view, every turn normally played gives the human player an advantage, due to superior tactics, over the AI. Why would I want 200 turns without that advantage?

P.S. I loved the analogy with the chicken! I guess that's one way to look at it.