Spawning in Tundra?

[EndoConvert]

Hmm, I just started a Continents game in which I spawned pretty deep in tundra. Is this supposed to happen? I've never had this happen to me before, and I didn't set any weird climate settings for the game, and my resources option was set to standard.

 

[grenzdebil]

Are you perchance playing as Catherine? If so, a Tundra start seems to be quite common. All in all, the "Start Bias" tied to the civilizations seems to be much stronger than in previous Civs. Arabia almost always starts in desert, Suleiman seems to be coastbound and Russia ... well ... I started a lot of games with Russia because I like their UA, their UA and their UB - I forfeited about 9 out of 10 of these games because I found myself right in the middle of nowhere or even in the "Badlands". Either Tundra / Snow or between the sea and a m***********g huge desert.

So, bascially: Yeah. Russian starts are ... sub-par. I desperately want a "Regenerate Map" - button.

 

[Novare]

Hmm, I just started a Continents game in which I spawned pretty deep in tundra. Is this supposed to happen? I've never had this happen to me before, and I didn't set any weird climate settings for the game, and my resources option was set to standard.

I get tundra starts all the time, I use oval in case that is why, and for the most part it is because the computer runs out of starting places to put you and all the other civs and cs.

When I have the map revealed I will usually notice a chain of CS's in tundra and snow with 1 or 2 civs. Just like the real world extreme north and south is cold and the temperate areas are the middle.

I would just say bad luck on the starting loc and good luck in that you dont get that to often.

As far as starting options from what others have posted setting option to wet means more forests, hot more deserts, and cold larger icecaps.

 

[Bibor]

Post patch I'm getting tundra a LOT, with any leader, not just Catherine. I have yet to hear of a great civilization that started out in a tundra... and don't tell me "Russians" because that's not true

 

[EndoConvert]

Are you perchance playing as Catherine? If so, a Tundra start seems to be quite common. All in all, the "Start Bias" tied to the civilizations seems to be much stronger than in previous Civs. Arabia almost always starts in desert, Suleiman seems to be coastbound and Russia ... well ... I started a lot of games with Russia because I like their UA, their UA and their UB - I forfeited about 9 out of 10 of these games because I found myself right in the middle of nowhere or even in the "Badlands". Either Tundra / Snow or between the sea and a m***********g huge desert.

So, bascially: Yeah. Russian starts are ... sub-par. I desperately want a "Regenerate Map" - button.

I was actually Iroquois. Aren't they supposed to spawn in forest most of the time? I had none in my region of tundra. And I was surprised to discover there was only one other civ on my continent, which was big enough that I was expecting four or so.

 

[braindrain]

I desperately want a "Regenerate Map" - button.

I miss this feature too!

 

[Dralix]

I was actually Iroquois. And I was surprised to discover there was only one other civ on my continent, which was big enough that I was expecting four or so.

I always thought that the starting locations were balanced, when all factors are taken into account. So if you have poor starting terrain, you might have more than average resources. Or in this case, maybe your poor starting location was balanced against having only one opponent to compete for land with.

 

[Bibor]

I always thought that the starting locations were balanced, when all factors are taken into account. So if you have poor starting terrain, you might have more than average resources. Or in this case, maybe your poor starting location was balanced against having only one opponent to compete for land with.

Maybe if the capital could be moved. As things are now, capital needs to be in a good spot since its the easiest one to grow properly.

 

[EndoConvert]

I always thought that the starting locations were balanced, when all factors are taken into account. So if you have poor starting terrain, you might have more than average resources. Or in this case, maybe your poor starting location was balanced against having only one opponent to compete for land with.

I don't think that logic works in this case. True, I had only one opponent (Ottomans) to compete with on my continent. But look at it from their point of view: the Ottomans spawned in a much more favorable spot and also gained my same benefit of only having one opponent on the continent to compete with. So their starting location was virtually strictly better.

(It didn't end up mattering though; I discovered that the Ottomans foolishly sent most of their scouts and warriors exploring through a mountain pass, and then I moved a couple units in to that mountain pass to block it off and then rushed and conquered their nearly defenseless homeland before their forces could make it through my blockers at the mountain choke. )

 

[Civanator]

What I just found in the bottom of Civilizations.XML is this section called "Start Region Priority" and "Start Region Avoid."

And lo an behold:

<Civilization_Start_Region_Priority>
		<Row>
			<CivilizationType>CIVILIZATION_ARABIA</CivilizationType>
			<RegionType>REGION_DESERT</RegionType>
		</Row>
		<Row>
			<CivilizationType>CIVILIZATION_AZTEC</CivilizationType>
			<RegionType>REGION_JUNGLE</RegionType>
		</Row>
		<Row>
			<CivilizationType>CIVILIZATION_INDIA</CivilizationType>
			<RegionType>REGION_GRASS</RegionType>
		</Row>
		<Row>
			<CivilizationType>CIVILIZATION_IROQUOIS</CivilizationType>
			<RegionType>REGION_FOREST</RegionType>
		</Row>
		[b]<Row>
			<CivilizationType>CIVILIZATION_RUSSIA</CivilizationType>
			<RegionType>REGION_TUNDRA</RegionType>
		</Row>[/b]
	</Civilization_Start_Region_Priority>

Seems that Russia is supposed to start in the tundra every time.

Along with that, America will always start on a river and the English and Ottomans will always start along the coast.

 

[Bibor]

You should also add Pachachuti (start region "Hills") and Isabella (start region "Coast"). Not sure about Temujin.

 

[timtofly]

Seems that Russia is supposed to start in the tundra every time.

Along with that, America will always start on a river and the English and Ottomans will always start along the coast.

In my current game both Englands did not start near the coast. I am England playing against England. Actually I am on a terra map and I started on the Nile (southern Egypt) England started in Moscow. Russia started in Bejing and China started in North Dakota.

 

[Wyvernjack]

In my current game both Englands did not start near the coast. I am England playing against England. Actually I am on a terra map and I started on the Nile (southern Egypt) England started in Moscow. Russia started in Bejing and China started in North Dakota.

It's my understanding that start_region_priority != guaranteed starting position. I'm not sure how priority factors into the map generation, but I've played plenty of games that don't match the start_region_priority.

 

[biohazard72]

For the civs which have badlands as start locations, try checking "Disable Start Bias."

Proceed with game as normal. I only would play with start bias as the Incas, Iroquois, and England, because it's important for their UAs.