The way I play now

[Zaimejs]

1. Start a New Game. Usually random. Small on my laptop.

2. Settle... go for Petra... get a couple awesome cities.

3. Get tired. Go to bed.

4. Wake up. Start a new Game...

The cycle repeats. I have so many games I save, but I never get back to them because I like the start of the game. I am in a bit of a rut with desiring a desert spot for the Petra... or looking for a city with 4-5 fish and rushing Seaport.

 

[thegingerninja]

If going for Domination I can find later game dull but it is satisfying to beat the game. You need more motivation

 

[Syntax Error]

Well, I play very slow domination games because I don't like managing a whole lot of units. Usually, my maximum invasion force consists of 5 units and only when I get to Dynamite for Artilleries. Before that, it's usually teching and building. Once dynamite unlocks, I unleash all hell and burninate the countryside.

 

[Zaimejs]

That used to be my way... but what a boring pattern. Rush rifles and artillery... rinse, repeat.

I did have a fun domination game that was almost all ships. I played the dude that can capture enemy ships... had a huge armada and just ate everyone's lunch with very few land troops. Fun because it was different.

 

[Hustapha Thool]

Used to play huge marathon all the way to the end.

Now, usually Shuffle/Standard

Deity - Play till I get thoroughly smacked around. Success rate swings heavily but hugely toward failure. I can watch Deity LP's and say , hey that's what I do or would do but my I really must be playing a different game because i almost always get my hiney kicked.

Immortal - Play until I am pretty sure I am going to win or lose. Confident that if I make it past the Renaissance in pretty good shape odds are high that I would get a win.

Most recently completed game...
Emperor, Pretty much OCC until I annexed a second city to build Utopia Project. I had a choice of Science/Diplo or Culture on the last turn, I was kicking myself a bit for not going more to include Dominance which could have been easily achievable, but laziness and time do get in the way.

Rarely continue a game that I do not finish in one sitting.

I love starting games and experiencing unique maps.

 

[Alzadar]

Playing a game now on Large Islands, Immortal, 12 player, Epic, British Empire.

I think I'm only around 1500 AD but I'm probably going to stop playing it because the game is won. I've only captured two capitals (with a third being taken by AIs), but it would take ages to finish and there's no way I can lose. The AI is utterly terrible at naval combat from what I've seen this game: I'm confident that even if all 9 remaining civs declared on me (no chance, I'm best buds with Napoleon, Kamehameha and Pacal), I would win.

It seems as if the AI doesn't prioritize naval tech enough on water maps. I hit Ships of the Line while some rival civs were still fielding Triremes, which is a hilarious mismatch.

From my experience so far on Immortal, if I can make it to even the Medieval Era without being significantly behind, and then keep an eye for runaways and pound them down quickly enough, it's an easy win.

 

[Bex]

Start of my current game with Ethiopia I have desert with 5 salt on one side, flood plains down the middle, all hills on the other side (some gold). With mining, good to go. Pantheon for faith for desert tiles and Petra... my enemies might as well just give up now. It's some kinda Civ porn.

 

[omnivore]

I was interested to see I'm not the only one that does this: start many games into turn 200 or so then stop instead of going for the win. I find the initial "what does my homeland look like" phase much more interesting than the "welp, lets send some battleships and destroyers out capital hunting" phase. The only games I finish are ones I started to get a specific achievement (I haven't beaten the game with all civs yet, and have only won on Emperor at Dual, never higher.)

I'm playing a game now based on a post in the special challenges thread about getting "longest... name... ever" AND winning a culture victory. I ended up having to crank it down to Warlord though, got the achievement and now the victory is assured but time consuming.

 

[budweiser]

Yup, thats how I play. Put a couple hours in, 100-200 turns. Stop, because I'm not totally satisfied with the job I did or I feel I have it won.

Petra and a desert start is the best possible for an early win. Thats why it looks appealing. This is not to say the other starts are not balanced, they just take longer to play out.

 

[Dentalfury]

I almost always finish my games no matter the outcome. I usually play on Epic speed and I will admit that last 20% of the turns or so seem to consist of mindless buttom mashing to just get closer and closer SV or CV. I rarely go Domination unless I have a easy/direct route to enemy Capitals because of all the long term micro needed to finish it out past the industrial era.

 

[He-Who-Hunts]

The problem for me is that usually after a certain point the game is already decided, and with the exception of the odd game here and there its a reoccurring problem in the series.

 

[manu-fan]

Start a game on Prince, Large/Epic Continents with the latest leader alphabetically that I don't have a high score for.

Work towards Domination by taking over my own continent before conquering the other one.

For example, in my current game as Bismark, I have just about completed taking over my really big continent. Now, I'm filling in all the unpopulated spots with my cities, and now moving all my troops over to get ready to invade the other continent. I have Rifles, Gatling Guns, and just got Artillery. #1 in demographics on everything except approval.

That's the way I play.

Cheers.

 

[Zaimejs]

Another pattern I've noticed is that I've done random maps and fractal maps... and they all seem to be stupid islands. Bah. Humbug. I need to start playing on my PC so I can see the difference in the AI after the upgrade. Incredibly slow to upgrade the Mac version.

 

[Smokeybear]

I love starting games and experiencing unique maps.

I eventually realized that is the best part for me. A brand new world, all the possibilities and potential and... dangers! Everything still needing to be explored and discovered and digested. Each turn a new adventure. Every new game a distinct and individual place that is unlike any other world I've ever played in (usually), with it's own geography and charm.

Until it's all explored, everything known, civ established, risks minimized, and it's just down to rolling on through to the eventual ending. It's all good, but the beginnings... those are the best.

 

[ArguCa]

@OP

same here my friend! but I dont know why :/

 

[whyidie]

I eventually realized that is the best part for me. A brand new world, all the possibilities and potential and... dangers! Everything still needing to be explored and discovered and digested. Each turn a new adventure. Every new game a distinct and individual place that is unlike any other world I've ever played in (usually), with it's own geography and charm.

Until it's all explored, everything known, civ established, risks minimized, and it's just down to rolling on through to the eventual ending. It's all good, but the beginnings... those are the best.

Pretty much how I feel, for all those reasons, the early game is the part I enjoy the most.

 

[El Caballerion]

Play on marathon, really enjoy the first 3 eras, start losing interest after Renaissance (when the empire gets too large/boring to manage and most of the land has been colonized), usually quit and start a new map.

I've played over 150 games of ciV, but have only played around 6 to the end.

 

[Bead]

This might not be your thing but what I like to do the next day or the text time I boot up the game is go back to a save that I was having fun on and just try think about the world as it is. Who who else is there, who have been my friends and enemies and just kind of try to think of what it would be like to live there. Soak it all in I guess and if you like the atmosphere of the game stick with it. Even if you are losing.

 

[compwiz1202]

Well, I play very slow domination games because I don't like managing a whole lot of units. Usually, my maximum invasion force consists of 5 units and only when I get to Dynamite for Artilleries. Before that, it's usually teching and building. Once dynamite unlocks, I unleash all hell and burninate the countryside.

That's how my last game went. Askia (Me) vs Suleman. Got dynamite and puppeted three cities. Then I won culture, but continued, saved and went to bed. I will probably finish sometime just to wipe him out.

 

[manu-fan]

Well, I play very slow domination games because I don't like managing a whole lot of units. Usually, my maximum invasion force consists of 5 units and only when I get to Dynamite for Artilleries. Before that, it's usually teching and building. Once dynamite unlocks, I unleash all hell and burninate the countryside.

My army usually consists of 3 melee, 3 ranged, 5 siege and a 2/3 Horse troops

Cheers.