warlord vs cheiftan

[saintides]

I recently gave my 10 year old nephew civ3 for his birthday. He's getting good. He totally kicks butt on chieftan level.

When he goes to warmonger, he runs into problems (he'll get it eventually though). I know some of the things he is doing wrong, I been throwing ideas at him when I get a chance (I been working a lot lately though, haven't had much time and he's not allowed on the internet much).

I just think the diffaculty balance between cheiftan level and warlord are a bit extreme, especially for somebody who is starting out. It seems they go from a walk in the park to holy cow I'm behind in tech all the time and I'm going crazy because Japan just attacked me with a stack of 12 swordsman and I'm scrambling like a mad man. I know I experienced that when I first started out.

Seems to me warlord should be a bit easier. I know many others having troubles on this level.

Smax was balanced out quite nicely.

I really don't see much difference between regent and warlord level either.

Just another gripe I guess. Just think the first 2 levels should be a bit more "kid and newbie" friendly".

I still love this game.

 

[Bamspeedy]

Yes, going from Chieftain to warlord can be difficult for a new player. The main difference between difficulty levels is the AI cost factor.

On Regent the AI cost factor is 10, which is the standard for the player (both the human and AI have the potential to build stuff, grow in population, and research at the same speed).
On chieftain the cost factor is 20, which means it takes the AI twice as long as the player to do stuff.
Warlord is 12, so the player now only has a 20% advantage instead of 100%.
Monarch is 9, so the AI has 10% advantage, plus a couple extra units.
Emperor is 8, AI has 20% advantage over player, and even more units to start with.
Deity is 6, AI has 40% advantage! Plus starts with 12 extra units!

I hear the most complaints of the transition from Emperor to Deity. Also, although the difference in advantages vary from level to level, the score is not adjusted proportionately. The other thing about difficulty levels is that as you go up in level, the fewer citizens are born content, so you must get military police, temples, luxuries, etc. faster, to get max production/commerce.

Of course, you could adjust these advantages in the editor, so you could perhaps give warlord AI a cost factor of 16?, thus making a sort-of 'in-between' level, so your nephew could more gradually move from level to level.

 

[saintides]

Originally posted by Bamspeedy
I hear the most complaints of the transition from Emperor to Deity.

I'm glad deity is hard. Only level I can't beat. When I do .. I'm going to throw a party and everybody will think I'm crazy for doing it.

I came close one time. Freaking French beat me to the space race. I hate the French (in civ).

 

[God]

Well there are alot of complaints in moving up levels.

Generally the big 3 would be, warlord to regent, regent to monarch, and emperor to diety. Then comes chieften to warlord, and least complained about is the monarch to emperor.

 

[bobgote]

i'm at the transition of regent to monarch. You'll find it a bit difficult to start with. Try going back to chieftain for a bit, a lot can depend on what terrain you get to start with, ie surrounded by plains with cows is a lot easier than in a desert or arctic. If you can do it easy on these last terrains, you can do it easy on warlord. If you can't do it on the next level, maybe it means you need more practice on the one your on