PYRAMIDS a must or no??

[PanaGo]

Originally posted by ACM
Maybe an option like "It depends" should be available at the poll.
In my opinion wonders like Pyramids and Hoover Dam are very good, but their effectivness varies according to the size of map/continent you build the wonder in.
For example, in a Pangea (any size) I'd say Pyramids are a must. However in an archipelago Standard map or smaller they aren't so important.

You are so right! It depends on the game type-map,like many others things in the game!

 

[Ironikinit]

No wonder is a must for me. I might be able to snag the Colossus out of the early wonders, or maybe the Lighthouse. To tell the truth, I hate the Great Library. Dang thing actually seems to slow down tech growth.

Probably the ones to really aim for are the Sistine Chapel and JS Bach's, IMO. All the rest are lower priority. I figure that if you have any sort of sizable continental empire, doubled cathedrals are great for the larger cities, and 2 unhappy people made content is good for the smaller cities where I don't have cathedrals. I'll start building a palace in hopes of getting one of those before I'm even close to entering the medieval period.

Other than that, it really all depends on the situation, as others have pointed out.

 

[Thunderfall]

The poll is re-opened! Feel free to cast your vote if you haven't voted already.

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

Originally posted by Smash
but the only "must have" seems to be at least 1 barracks.

Amen to that I like the pyramids, but would much rather take them than bother building them

 

[CivGod]

It is not a must have. It is not better than most wonders. A must have is when it give you unquestionable values that no other wonders can give you. I can do just as well with Sistine Chapel and JS Bach's etc. weather it is a little better than other wonders. That depends on your situation.
CivGod

 

[Arrian]

They are definitely not a "must have" for me. I've never built them in Civ III. Actually, I was always in the minority when it came to the Pyramids... I didn't like them in Civ II either (WLTKD handled my city growth just fine)... although Civ I was another story altogether.

The size 6/12 caps, to me, limit the usefulness of the Pyramids. Also, managing to beat the AI to them (I play on Monarch) is pretty tough - and would hamper my early expansion, which runs counter to the advantage granted by the Pyramids (more cities = more free granaries and growth). I'm a Great Library kinda guy, Colossus if I can, but the "must have" Wonders for me are:

Great Library
Sistine
Copernicus
Newton
-ALL Ind. and Modern Age Wonders

Very close to "must have" are:

Sun Tzu
Bach
Adam Smith

Usually, if I get the Library, I'm all set. The best thing that can happen in my games, generally, is that one of the AI's builds the Pyramids really early... wiping out the other AI's built up shields, while I, who beelined for Literature, switch to the Great Library and build it pratically uncontested.

-Arrian

 

[Magnus]

The Pyramids are just too hard to get - I have a better chance with the Colossus as I try to make my capital coastal and the AI just plops their first city anywhere. Since I go the fastest route to Republic tech-wise, despot rusing is very minor in my campaigns. I shoot for Colossus if I can and the Great Library which is an absolute MUST HAVE!

 

[Ironikinit]

Ugh, I don't like the Great Library, I swear it actually slows down tech development when I get it. The AI stop researching or something and I'm always in the lead anyway.

I agree with something Rear Admiral said, although he favors the GL, and that's that the Pyramids weren't even a must have in Civ II. WLTK did it all, major major exploit, even tho I didn't know what an exploit was at the time.

The only wonders I really drive for are JS Bach's and Sistine Chapel. You're scored by happy people after all.

The UN is something I think I better build, too, especially if I've been warmongering, or the biggest AI civ will win the game.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

The Pyramids isn't for me a must have.

Although in the long run it is better than bulding all those granaries yourself you do commit as city to doing nothing else for a long period of time in the early game when expansion by way of building settlers if often more important.

If I feel that my expansion as a civilisation won't be compromised by building this particular wonder then I'll take it on...

 

[Hobbes]

In CivII a must have, I always built them. In CivIII, I build them when I can, which at the higher levels is not often. I have found that at emperor and above you cannot afford to take a city out of the production loop for the large number of turns required to build.

 

[Reichsmarshal]

It's possible to even get the pyramids? Seems the colossus is one of the only easier early ones to obtain.

 

[Lisa L]

When going for a conquest strategy, I don't waste the time needed to build the pyramids, especially at the higher difficulties. It is better to capture it and not waste time managing your cities' moods.

 

[tpasmall]

I see the Pyramids as a must build, but thats because i consider all wonders, great and small, as must builds. If another nation somehow beats me to building one i declare war on them automatically and capture the city. My record for most wonders in a single city is 12 Still trying to break that though.

 

[Bamspeedy]

My record for most wonders in a single city is 12 Still trying to break that though.

What difficulty level? On chieftain Huge map, I can build ALL of them in my capital. Thats if I start on a coast with a river (get up to 12 citizens with no aqueduct required) and some hills/ grassland. I have it build about 2 settlers and a temple, then immediately start on building those wonders, starting with the pyramids. Those two settlers I had built will make my settler producing cities for the rest of my expansion. I have my first worker build nothing but mines in the capital to maximize the production potential. Then when the worker is done building all the mines, I use shift-A, so it doesn't irrigate those tiles later on. Occasionally rush some city improvements in between wonders, if no one else is building any of them. The only problem is in the middle ages, there seems to be so many wonders that it's a little tricky to get all of them.

 

[tpasmall]

My record is on warlord difficulty, on chieftian i can get most of them in my capital, but usually miss a few of them.

 

[Kefka]

I would say the pyramids are good when you can get em but a must have for me is Sun Tzu's is a must have cause everytime I get my army the latest tecs its outdated so I am usually always upgrading atleast all my defenders up to mecanical Infantry.
and If I can I get leo's workshop, those upgrades drain my wallet quickly!

 

[pompeynunn]

I've posted this question a couple of times in a couple of other threads, but not found an answer at all.

Has anybody actually managed to build The Pyramids on Deity level? I have never managed it, despite putting all my efforts into it after the best starting position I can find.

If it turns out that it is not possible to build The Pyramids on Deity because of the advantages the AI gets, then this is a serious flaw in the AI, in my opinion.

 

[tpasmall]

Originally posted by pompeynunn

Has anybody actually managed to build The Pyramids on Deity level? I have never managed it, despite putting all my efforts into it after the best starting position I can find.

No its not possible, ive tried forever and cant get it, the closest ive gotten is with the americans, and thats 19 turns left to go

 

[ChrisWade]

Pyramids early on allow each of your cities to grow quick enough to produce more settler units, so you can expand your civ quickly. This is very important as the land mass is soon used up by other civs expanding as well. If you manage to get a fair share of land early on it saves having to have as many wars later on to expand your empire.

 

[Ptolemy]

I MUST have every wonder!
I MUST have every wonder!
I MUST have every wonder!
I MUST have every wonder!
I MUST have every wonder!
I MUST have every wonder!