Recommended map(s)

[Pazyryk]

I don't get to play a lot, but I do look at maps a lot (and how AI civs interact with them) during autoplay testing.

I strongly recommend Bobert13's Planet Simulator map. It's based on the older PerfectWorld3 and Tectonics map scripts (which are both great) with some improvements.

The reason I liked both PerfectWorld3 and Tectonics were the realism of land formations and climate regions. Specifically, you have mountain/hill ranges, deserts, forests, unfeatured plains, etc., that take up some space on the map. This makes regions of the map look different. In base Civ5 maps, the terrains are much more mixed, leading to every part of the world looking much the same. (Note: Of course I'm not interested in "realism" per se. It's just that real world geography is interesting. I want a map script that captures that rather than erasing it.)

IIRC, PerfectWorld3 typically generated more interesting land shapes (bays, peninsulas, etc.) but Tectonics had a better weather/climate/river system. I believe Planet Simulator combined the best of these two. What Planet Simulator does that neither did was add a good set of islands. So you don't have to pick Archipelago to have a good sea game. You can have a good land game and sea game all in the same map.

The islands should really add a lot specifically for Éa. I know Civ5 has conditioned players to stop looking for city sites unless they can be super-mega cities. But Éa players should try to "un-conduction" themselves. You can have Tall core cities and still look at single-plot island cities for strategic reasons or just to pick up some resources. The AIs seem to be exploiting this aspect pretty well (though I'm not sure how well they compete with human player in this).

Of course, the trade-off for "more interest" is somewhat less predictability and balance. But that seems like an easy choice to me.

Anyway, that's my recommendation. I'm sure players have their favorites.

 

[Razadlac]

Will try.
Is there a Ea-specific map planned in the future?

 

[Pazyryk]

I'm not going to make any scenarios with fixed maps if that's what you mean. (Anyone else is welcome too though.)

I might distribute an "official mod map script" at some point. My feeling now is that this would be Planet Simulator with some settings adjustments. For one thing, we'll want bigger mountain ranges when we have mountain yield/underdark system up and running. But almost everything else about it seems perfect for the mod.

 

[BrokenSky]

An Old World - New World thing like Terra seems kinda nessesary for balance; Since a "military" civ may go completely tall tech wise it may be impossible to cross oceans. It also allows the domination player the opportunity to get late game power through and alternate route, where otherwise you can policy and tech it to high pop, but you can't get more land without invading. Anyway the point is that if you do add this or a modified version of it, can you get it to have the whole old world new world thing as an option?

 

[Pazyryk]

The Planet Simulator maps usually have shallow water connection between major continents, though islands and some minor continents are frequently off by themselves. So that opens up exploration/settlement/trade/conquest of most if not all of the significant world with Sailing only, on at least many maps from this script.

But you still need Astronomy (tier 3) to get to those few island or minor continent cities even when you get a highly connected map. I'm not too concerned about AI players being isolated on a continent. Should we be concerned about a human player that wants to play illiterate/conquest game? I was thinking a while back about some alternative ways to enable ocean crossing. For example, visiting an allied mercantile city state, or conquering a civ or city state with Astronomy. You don't get the tech, you just get ocean crossing ability.

 

[Calavente]

@Paz:
IMO the mercantile / Naval CS is a good idea: pay gold (or threaten them) to get ocean crossing for x turns... (and a unit on ocean can continue on ocean even after the x turns)

imagine the mighty nation of Egypte buying phenician boats to conquer greece

 

[BrokenSky]

Or coastal mercenary Cs?