jonpfl said:
Do you start next to your teammate?
It depends on the map, in the MP maps you will start together -- Inland Sea, Ring, Team Battleground. In the SP maps you may or may not -- Pangaea, Continents, etc.
Yes.
No.
Yes, but with a catch. In a team game the costs of technologies are increased depending on the number of players on the team. I'm not sure if it's a direct ratio or not, but generally it will take you just as long to research 1 tech in a team game as it will in a SP. However, if you have a player or players who aren't teching very well, your overall tech will slow down -- you can't neglect GNP.
Also, because of this, everyone on your team should research the same tech. If one player researches Bronze Working while another researches Animal Husbandry, you'll take twice as long to get both.