So whatcha all doing for BG1

[Smirk]

Clearly the golden age isn't worthless, but debatable in some terms with the cost. One thing of note based on the graph that the increase and later drop are not much offset, and seem to be about the same place they would be without the golden age. This either means they were all too late to dramatically affect gold production in your empire, or too short to really affect it.


While you may consider them weak, there is really no other effective replacement to increase production at will. So will always have a role in a fast space race.


Great games Dave and Taelis.

 

[Smirk]

On another note I wish that program would output some game dates (or the game used turn number?), even if only every 20 turns or so, what year is turn 73, or 273?

 

[Dianthus]

On another note I wish that program would output some game dates (or the game used turn number?), even if only every 20 turns or so, what year is turn 73, or 273?

73 = 1425 BC
273 = 1215 AD

That's not really your point though, is it?

 

[DaveMcW]

I use autolog for generating useful dates. I suppose eventually someone will publish a reference chart for all 3 game speeds.

 

[Taelis]

Does score count for anything? I just finished a 1520 launch for 110511 points.

 

[superslug]

Does score count for anything? I just finished a 1520 launch for 110511 points.

I *think* we've got it setup as the first tiebreaker, with submission date next if finish dates and scores are tied. And that score should help your game's position on the raw score table...

 

[MeteorPunch]

On another note I wish that program would output some game dates (or the game used turn number?), even if only every 20 turns or so, what year is turn 73, or 273?

This is a cool mod. It shows the time as well.

Simultaneous Time, Turn, and Date

 

[Taelis]

Defying the accepted wisdom about the neccessity of financial, the weakness of creative, and the value of starting with bronze working, I just tried a game with Hatshepsut. (spiritual/creative, starts with agriculture and the wheel)

Launched in 1490, despite forgetting that I was playing a spiritual civ for the first half of the game.

 

[Zevus]

I just finished a game with Mansa again and launched in 1480 w/ 72324 score (time spent 3hr58min).

I gave up on it around 1150-1200 AD when I saw that I wouldn't be able to finish before 1400 and had a bunch of towns go into unrest and what not (some towns had up to 3 unhappy ppl in 'em for a while)... Kinda regret that now, probably could have launched 3 or 4 turns earlier if I had payed more attention. Probably won't do another game, that's my 5th and it's getting boring now. But who knows... Guess I'll submit this one anyway.

 

[Taelis]

I just finished a game with Mansa again and launched in 1480 w/ 72324 score (time spent 3hr58min).

Does anyone else suspect the in game timer is wrong? CivIV says my last game took 4:01, but I'm pretty sure I played for 7 hours.

That would be a clever way to make us forget how much of our lives we're wasting on this game.

 

[Dianthus]

Does anyone else suspect the in game timer is wrong? CivIV says my last game took 4:01, but I'm pretty sure I played for 7 hours.

Was you playing for the full 7 hours, or doing other things by Alt-Tabing to, say, the HOF forum? Just wondering if maybe the game is only counting time when Civ4 is actually being used...

 

[Taelis]

Nope, I played non-stop, and I use two computers, so I rarely alt-tab out of the game.

 

[Shillen]

Yeah I'm starting to suspect it's wrong as well. I mean I played one over the weekend that I was just rapidly going through it and not caring about micromanaging at all. I quit when I built apollo (since it was like 1520AD already) but even rushing through the game it had taken me like 5 hours. I don't see how 3 hours is possible and still do well.

 

[Zevus]

Does anyone else suspect the in game timer is wrong? CivIV says my last game took 4:01, but I'm pretty sure I played for 7 hours.

That would be a clever way to make us forget how much of our lives we're wasting on this game.

Yup, I actually remember thinking that under 4 hrs was pretty short. I just checked my initial autosave time and it was at 12:29 AM, final game save was at 5:31 AM. I played it all the way thru except maybe 5-10 minutes (had to save, exit, and reload twice to get rid of sluggishness)... Looks like it missed at least 45 mins there.

 

[Tall German Joe]

Defying the accepted wisdom about the neccessity of financial, the weakness of creative, and the value of starting with bronze working, I just tried a game with Hatshepsut. (spiritual/creative, starts with agriculture and the wheel)

Launched in 1490, despite forgetting that I was playing a spiritual civ for the first half of the game.

Hmmm, I think I see where you're going with this, and its given me motivation to try what I think you used for your strategy (except I'm going to try it with Mansa, and hopefully the early 3 gold cottages will make up for those 180 hammers).

 

[Taelis]

Hmmm, I think I see where you're going with this, and its given me motivation to try what I think you used for your strategy (except I'm going to try it with Mansa, and hopefully the early 3 gold cottages will make up for those 180 hammers).

Hmm, now I'm curious, what did you have in mind?

Chopping six forests with a theater selected, for lots of free hammers? I did try that. It doesn't work though, most of the hammers just disappear. I assume there's a limit on overflow.

There are some interesting starting strategies that DON'T involve bronze working though.

 

[Tall German Joe]

Hmm, now I'm curious, what did you have in mind?

Chopping six forests with a theater selected, for lots of free hammers? I did try that. It doesn't work though, most of the hammers just disappear. I assume there's a limit on overflow.

There are some interesting starting strategies that DON'T involve bronze working though.

Hmmm, now I haven't a clue what you're talking about. I had assumed your plan was to ignore Pyramids and Stonehenge and instead use those 800 or so resources to get a ton more early settlers and workers. Whats this about theaters now? It makes sense to me - Pyramids shouldn't matter much since most of your bigger cities will be pumping settlers/workers, and then creative could take care of Stonehenge, which just leaves the Oracle for the 3 important early-game wonders.

 

[Taelis]

Ahh, yes that was my plan. I see now that by 180 hammers you meant stonehenge. Doh!

Being creative is great for this gauntlet - skipping stonehenge means one more great scientist from the great library. Getting calendar sooner, for happiness. And the 180 hammers you mentioned. More culture means filling in the gaps between cities faster, and always winning the culture battle for important squares.

Of course being financial has benefits too, and I've thought a lot about how to maximize the creative trait to make up for the obvious loss.

BTW, the trick I mentioned borders on being an exploit, but one can chop two forests while building a theatre, and if both workers finish at the same time, get extra hammers. Enough extra hammers to get the theatre almost for free. (the production bonus for the theatre applies to both forests). But this can be done better with other traits discount buildings, so it isn't an advantage of being creative.

 

[baptiste]

I am struggling as to be before 1600 in space, and i am deeply wondering about two important points :

1) do you open borders ? it helps a lot on relations, but with these kind of other civs, is it risky ? (i play usually as manka with gandhi/cyrus/haspe/victoria, not the chinese he declared war on me one time)

2) how about religion ? since in every game i grab confusianism and taoism, i was wondering about it. I chose not to choose any religion, never. non at the beginning (even if i have access to) and free religion asap. Because these ai are very religion-sensitive, so they do not appreciate if you are different from them. How about you ?

Another point : as a spiritual civ, do you accept demands about switching civics ? It just makes 5 turns without you preferred one, and it allows you not to have the malus for refusing. What do you think about it ?

 

[DaveMcW]

1. Civs can't backstab you with Open Borders (unlike Civ3). The only thing you lose is the ability to block settlers, but if you send out your own settlers fast enough there is plenty of land.

2. The pacifist AIs will leave you alone as long as you keep them Cautious or better. With open borders and tech gifting this is not a problem, even if you have a different religion.

3. -1 to relations is nothing, as long as you keep them above Cautious.