Trading maps

[ybbor]

okay i've heard 2 conflicting ideas, one says : trade maps, the AI knows the world anyway, the other says: don't trade maps, then they won't go into/past your territory, what do you guys do?


EDIT: allow me to rephrase, should i trade MY maps TO the AI? i know i should get thiers

 

[LoneGunman]

I say both. They do know more of the world then U but if u can keep them of the empty land inside your territory you'll be OK.
And you can earn some gold from them.

 

[Adam7Eight]

Trading world maps to AI = a lot of gold.

 

[Godwynn]

Trade maps, anyone else notice how they know where every island on the map is?

 

[Goober]

I notice that the AI trades maps with other AIs quite frequently, because when I trade my maps for mucho dinero to one AI, it seems that it instantly trades with all the other AIs, and everyone can see what I can see.

 

[Krayzeenbk]

More like get maps from the AI. The player rarely has the best maps on high difficulty settings. You will need to sneak in an AI world map somewhere along the line for one of your techs.

 

[Quasar1011]

Yep. If an AI has 0 gold in its coffers, 12 gold will usually get them to cough up their territory map. If they have more gold, you will have to lay out more too.

 

[Padma]

The AI *does* know the entire map. However, it has been programmed to behave as if it does not (in most situations).

So trading maps is often a useful thing, netting you some gold, and more map information yourself.

 

[subbss]

I think of the world map as being very strategic. Knowing of a continent or island or resource the AI does not is more valuable than the gold you get from the AI, to me at least.

 

[JMK]

Trading World Map will allow you to make Gold but also will show you where Barbarians camps are located.
Very usefull.

 

[Turner]

Originally posted by Padma
The AI *does* know the entire map. However, it has been programmed to behave as if it does not (in most situations).

Except when sending settlers out! Perhaps there should be a generic resource icon that would be shown until you learn the appropriate tech.

I'm still not fond of trading maps. Slowly I'm doing it. I'd much rather trade my territory map than world map. At least that way they don't 'know' about what i've explored.

 

[dojoboy]

Well, my 2 cents is to sell maps to earn gold and gpt.

 

[KaDingir]

While it seems that a majority of the best players (as represented on this board, at least) advocate trading maps, I'm very reluctant to do so in the early game. Until I've established a cohesive cultural boundary I'd just as soon not tell any evil foreigners (vide "Persia") that I have prime real estate which I've not yet been able to settle.

 

[kb2tvl]

I trade maps becuase that AI will demand your map anyway. However, for c3c I don't trade as much as in regular c3.

 

[subbss]

I agree with KaDingir, early in the game it is more of an advantage to be the only one to know of unsettled land than to have gold. Not trading maps gets you more cities and resources which would not have been available if you had traded maps because the AI would have quickly settled all prime real-estate.
Gold can only be used to rush production and upgrade units which is only short-term.

I only trade for the AI's map or if it is so late in the game that the only unexplored area is the ocean.

 

[Lumin]

Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money. *cough* Ahem, I think you should trade maps to the AI to get those good extra gold early in the game.

 

[bru]

I do not trade maps until I feel I have control or can control unexplored land needed for my developmnet.

 

[sealman]

Originally posted by Lumin
Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money. *cough* Ahem, I think you should trade maps to the AI to get those good extra gold early in the game.

You forgot one important aspect of trading the maps, and that is Gold. You are too fixated on money

 

[Acalanthis]

I rarely trade maps and even on the the occasions that I do, it's usually only my territory map. If I have spare luxuries, the AI will often trade their maps so I try to wait for this one way trade. In games where I am not doing so well and I feel it would be an advantage to me and not to the AI, I might trade my maps but as little as possible as in territory but not world if I can get away with it. Also, on the turn that I trade, I try to trade the maps with other civs so that I can get maximum advantage rather than letting the AI make a profit out of my maps!

 

[RedAlert]

I never give my maps away to the AI unless I am really desperate. I will ask them for their maps in exchange for my gold, but I like to get all the newly discovered territories first. Sure I could get more gold earlier in the game, but in the long run more cities = even more gold, more resources, larger military, and more reason for the AI to keep of your back (So you have a chance to jump on theirs), since I like build my empire and let the AI build its and then have large scale wars. That's my strategy anyway.