Poll -- Do you lose at 'your' level?

[gonzo_for_civ]

This really interested me! I was wondering if you guys lose at "your" level. By your level I mean do you ever lose at the
level(s) you have mastered. By level, I mean difficulty level of course.

Basically, if you are a deity player, do you lose at deity anymore?

 

[sethos]

There's no fun if you always win. In my last game, the Babylonian space ship arrived the same year as mine - but I played the Indians.

 

[Ren]

My level is usually Prince.

I don't 'lose' but I don't necessarilly 'win'

In other words I usually just play until 2020 AD and get a mad score, usually at peace with the world. I am far from a good player but I don't really care, I play games for fun more so than playing to win.

 

[Marlos]

I can't remember the last time I lost, but I certainly have lost before.

Wait! I do remember the last time I lost! It was the GOTM for December 2001, where it was a small map, deity level, and a neighbor was right next door! (in fact, I never finished because my Fundy neighbors started nuking me, and I didn't submit the game)

But I would have to go back a long way before I could remember losing on a random map.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

I actually stopped playing for about a year and a half because I didn't find the game challenging anymore (i.e. never lost). Then I found CFC and started playing again.

I will say that when I first bought Civ I lost many games learning how to play it. But, once I got a method down for how to win, I never lost at it after that.

My games now are much better and with much higher scores than what they use to be. But, even my 'old' games were at the top of the 'rank' the game has.

 

[Lucky]

Didn´t lose lately, at least not to the AI.

Now that I found the GOTM I only play those games, but I think I´m adept enough to survive and win any Deity game now.

 

[floppa21]

AI can beat me on King level. I fall behind in tech and can't get things done... Maybe if I was far away secluded on an island or two... But on playstation, it's random map EVERY time and no cheat method for placing myself where I want to start... Prince I can do well at. Starlifter telling me to do Emporer or Deity next...

 

[starlifter]

If Civ 2 had limited variability, the replayability would be be small.

When I first started playing, it was with the book open and trying to understand what what going on and hit the keys without making mistakes. Such a huge array of stuff to figure out... it was great. I had no real idea about trade and such... it was basically a grind it out and outmaneuver the enemy game. Games usually ended in the 1950's to about 2010, and though I won, I marvelled at how they could make a game that so closely paralleled the "real life" timelines.... but then I discovered details like how to make Taxmen, Scientists, and the use of improvements (i.e., Stock Exchange, Superhighways, Airport) for income, trade, and happiness. And then the power of WLT_ days.

And now, like many people I'm sure, it is rare for a random map game to even be close, unless you give the AI some more advantages (like terrain)... and since ultimate victory will be assured, the fun is in how the game is played and progresses... to see the enemy driven before you... to hear the lamentation of their women...

 

[Philosopher12]

I've only lost once at "my level". It was a lont time ago, at Cheiftain. I started on earth map as the isolated Americans. I was trying to win at the space race for the first time, however, my SSC sucked. When I finaly went to Europe (1430), The Mongols were gigantic!!! I made peace and revolted the Greeks (who had a colony in Austraila) into the Russians (1505). the Mongols and I destroyed the Greeks and I discovered Babylon. I threw Cavalry after Cavalry hopelessly at their Muskets behiend city walls, hoplessly. then, the Babs allied with the mongols, and when I attacked Babylon with one of my Cavalry units, the Mongols declared war!!!!!!!!!!!!(1735) They drove me (and the Russians) entirely out of Europe right before I got Space Flight (1957). All my attempes for a counterattack failed even though I did manege to destroy a mongol colony in America (1986-2001) and I retired in 2020. When I built Apollo Program (2054), I found out that the mongols had all of Asia, Africa, and half of Europe. They had betrayed the Babs and had taken Babylon, they had forts loaded with Mech. Inf. or Fanatics, the spanish, who had two cities in spain, one in austraila (with the russians, english (revolted from somebody), and the mongols), one in Sweden, and one in Newfowndland, were prmitive. Europe also had the French (in the Moscow Area and northern France). England remainde unocupied. I captured the Spanish colony in America (2060), but the French were wiped out (2069, with the Russians (2064) and the English (2067). I started to build a SS, but the Mongols overtook me and landed on AC in 2089, followed by me in 2112.

 

[Old n Slow]

I was trying to OCC at a lower level -- spen too many turns trying for that optimal site. Also built a couple of extra Wonders along the way. Replayed the start a total of four times -- won twice, lost twice -- interesting variance on the ai status in the different games.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

Hmmm.. these results are still undecisive. I need more votes!!! I hardly lose at my level but my level keeps changing too.

 

[Pongui]

If you never lose, the game is but a comfort toy.

If I'd follow through every game to its conclusion, I'd be a frequent loser. Those games where I cheat-peeked my start region, and restarted - half of those I'd have lost. I might reject six openings before settling down to play. Then I try to forget the briefly revealed map.

I often quit games because I'm winning too easily, too.

 

[EdwardTking]

Yes; I play large worlds with 7 AIs at
deity and lose 90% of the time.

I know that many others do better; but I am not convinced
that there are any players who can consistently
score 100% at that level and with those parameters.

There is a lot of luck involved; both with huts and
starting positions. If a distant AI can dominate a
large distant continent and get run away republican
growth; then at AI Deity pop, research and resource
rates; it may be unstoppable.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

That's good edward! Even if you lose most the time you got to stick in there until you learn how to win more consistently. You are an example to us all

 

[ArmOrAttAk]

I lose sometimes not afraid to admit it. If I didn't what would be the purpose playing? I pop huts without saving and having a hutful of barbarian legions, or chariots can really stunt your growth early. Diety/7 civs/Raging hordes/Large random, or world maps. Might get a bad starting position> desert for miles which is a serious handicap vs. that AI civ on endless grassland rivers. Set down that important 2'nd, or 3'rd city> barbs land> setback, or an AICIV unit is in range(even though he SHOULD have no idea the city is there) another setback. Discovering 10 advances in those first 10 huts none of them being monarchy, causing your monarchy eta to soar could be 50+ turns! setback. This happened recently no not 50 just for monarchy I was still on ceremonial burial.
A few setbacks early and I'm probably going to lose.
Another time I was stuck on this little island all grassland maybe 7 shields. Forested some, sent a trireme looking for land no luck. Sent this trireme all the way around the south pole, nothing. Meanwhile barbs kept landing, science was stunted because I couldn't expand, needed to build wonders, find land, research seafaring, sigh anyway it was painful.
If I can make it through the beginning without too many setbacks the game is mine.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

That is another thing. If people get through the early game, they seem to always win. Is this the case with all of you?

 

[Pongui]

Originally posted by gonzo_for_civ
If people get through the early game, they seem to always win.

That's a very broad insight. Lost in details, I'd never realized that!

The human player's greatest strength is strategy. In the early game there's no room for strategy; all is tactics, which may be confounded by fate, and which the AI can do nearly as well as the human (worker allocation in the city menu, for example). Once you rise above the Era of Dice, you're almost sure to win because it's a contest between your IQ and creativity, and the AI's.

 

[insurgent]

I always play at deity level and I've honestly never lost a single Civ2 game (except very difficult scenarios). I find the AI too stupid and easy to fool. And, as stated above, an AI is not skilled in strategy. It is merely programmed to follow patterns of play, rather than strategic thinking and innovation.

 

[ArmOrAttAk]

Did anybody bring their shovel to this thread? It's getting pretty deep. I could get 100% winning percentage with that save and reload feature too I reckon.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

Tough croud! Yeah, I guess this thread is finally pointless.