Starting setup

[Hornhelm]

Just curious - what is the most common starting setup you guys use? I always go for max number of civs on the biggest map, and I have recently started using wet-temperate to maximise the good land (then hope that there isn't too much land around the equator for oceans of jungle).

Also, is it normal to keep restarting the game until you at least get some grassland and a river (as in, is there any point starting a game in Emperor-Deity without perfect starting conditions?)

 

[Chieftess]

Lately, I've been enjoying wet, warm, 5 billion years, 80% pangaea maps. I usually play tiny and small maps since my computer isn't the fastest computer there is.

 

[Civrules]

I play... Standard maps, 60% ocean Continents, 4 Billion age, Normal climate, and Temperate temp.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

I like Standard, 80% water, pangaea, normal climate, temperate temp, 5 billion years.

 

[WildFire]

Standard map, Continents (70% water), normal climate, temperate and 4 billion.

Die Zulu!

 

[Paalikles]

I rarely get the time to play these days.
I do enjoy a good whopping game of standard maps - any shape. Most of the time I go temperate normal 4 billion - but I try to swap around abit whenever I have time.

The game I am playing "currently" is a huge map, pangaea with max opponents, regent, Americans. It has been a while since I did any work on that game though...

@your last question:
I'd say - if you can turn less advantageous starting position in your favor when playing a game - then you should feel that you're doing the right thing.
If you dislike certain starting lineups - well, I cant see why you should consider that not to be normal.
People like different things

 

[Jaybe]

Large map, large continents, random climate/age, Romans with standard number of random AI, Regent difficulty, restless barbarians (against whom there is zero (nada, no) combat advantage).

 

[LordKestrel]

Random size, random type, warm, wet, 4 billion.

 

[Emperor Xerxes]

Generally any game large or huge with continents. I like having lots of states and borders with water like an alternate Earth. I find pangea a bit dis-engaging and too surreal.

 

[Khshayarsha]

Most often I play with conditions poised in the middle. Medium temperature and humidity; 4 billion years.

More mountains means it's harder to build mines and roads, but hey, if you're Industrious that is not a problem.

Again, more jungles means extra hard work clearing them, because those squares are no good until cleared.

More mountains means more chance of iron, gold, and gems. More jungle means more chance of coal.

I never choose islands. I like either pangaea or big continents, max land area.

I most often play on a large map. I take the full dose of rivals, always random. (But they're not completely random; Persia always, ALWAYS gets Babylon as a neighbor.)

I hate, hate, HATE having to start on not a river. If on the first move I'm not on a river, I usually ditch that game and restart. If I have to move one square to get to a river, thereby wasting my first 4000 BC move instead of building a capital, it puts me at a severe disadvantage from the get go. The other civs are merrily founding new cities like crazy and I never get caught up until late in the game. I have won games like this, by Space Race, but am always way behind on points until the modern age.

I wish I could tweak the game so that I can always start 4000 BC on a riverside seacoast square. If I don't get a river at the start, it almost isn't worth it to continue. (Even though I have won games with this disadvantage.)

 

[warpstorm]

Random

 

[cgannon64]

I almost always use Large Continents, 70% water, everything temporate, and Roaming Barbs.

Call me boring, but I get enough excitement from this map as I need. Plus its the most accurate to real life.

 

[Sir Clive]

Random everything except for barbs (roaming) and map size.

I like to be surprised

 

[MaximusParthas]

Huge 220 220 continents 70% ocean with max cities. 4bill. Av. temp. Cities buildable on mountains. Diety level "modified".

 

[Khshayarsha]

I don't know why, I always choose Restless or Raging Barbs! I like getting more elite units and gold from beating them up!

 

[tjhooker]

Tiny map, temperate, either 3bill or 5bill. Raging Barbs. Pangaea.
Max civs. Regent/monarch.

 

[budweiser]

I use large pangea or continents. Default barbs, middle temperature, landsize, age, and moisture. Pangea vs Continets depends on which civ I am playing. If its a colonial power (france, spain, england, or a new world civ) then continents, all else pangea.

 

[Globetrotter]

Huge map, all civs, large continents, random barbarians.
All the rest is mid-mid-mid (climate, temp & age)

 

[TheNiceOne]

I usually play all random, just like Warpstorm, with max number of civs for the size. I sometimes play with a non-random map size (small, normal or large), but I think the exploration phase is more fun when I have no idea of the shape of the world.

Its a pity that it isn't a random setting whether the map wraps around between east and west too. That would be very realistic, since the humanity didn't know until late middle ages.

 

[jeremiahrounds]

mid everything about the map ~ all civs ~ difficulty monarch or diety depending on my mood.
I refuse to pick a setting just because it makes a certain play type viable. Guess i should start entertaining random.