Re-loading Scale of Shame

[Casualty of war]

I just weaned a batch of kittens that really liked to trample the keyboard and turn off the power strip to my computer. They tanked several promising games.

I reload for starts, especially when I get one that is completely contrary to the civ I'm playing. "Oh great Mansa Mura, I am sure our nation would flourish in the desert. Why are we cursed to live in this verdant river valley!?!"

I try to avoid most reloads now. It's a slippery slope that I've been down before. I do replay skirmishes to get insight into how they would play out to better manage future ones.

 

[Baigan]

In most situations I prefer to not reload for mental hiccups. Sometimes, though, the game presents situations that are like puzzles. Can I capture this walled city in less than X turns without a Great General? Can I build Apadana, Oracle and Great Library as Sweden? In those situations, the challenge is in solving the puzzle, not beating the game. I have no problem reloading in those situations. It's like solving a crossword: you don't just give up when you realize that you wrote the wrong word.

 

[Finvola]

Not sure where this one lands but I thought of this thread the other day.

My start was ok- not good or bad but decent enough to work with. However, it looked like I spawned on an isolated landmass as I had yet to meet any AI or CS. I would have been ok being isolated, but I did find it odd that there wasn't at least one CS. I sent my scout over to a bit I hadn't checked out yet and it turned out I wasn't alone after all. I was on an isolated landmass with John Curtain as my only neighbor. I didn't even hesitate to hit the restart button because, nah.

 

[Pietato]

You forgot the ultimate pinnacle of reloading heights:

1a - You started next to Australia and their horrendous music, and are now compelled to reload the entire map, even though you also started next to Paititi, Auckland, Bologna and Nan Madol.

 

[Finvola]

I still would have reloaded!

 

[KayAU]

I think I may have done most of these at some point, but in general I stick with only numbers 1 and 2. I wouldn't feel much "shame" in any case, but reloading to optimize makes for a boring game for me. I think Stellaris has the right idea, though: achievements are only enabled in ironman games. That makes games where you can save and reload at will effectively "practice games", while you are prevented from save-scumming in "real games".