What level are people playing???

[Quokka]

Emperor. I have just moved up from Monarch about 2 months ago. Took a bit of time to get used to being behind in the beginning but I have won several games on Emperor and feel ready for worse starting (map & barbs) conditions.
I have also been trying some of the variants, Always War, OCC, 5CC and others and have been playing them on Monarch first to get an idea of how they play out. I would get spanked jumping into them on Emperor.
I find that my style is changing from builder to a more warmongering one the higher up the levels I go.
Deity is still in the dreamtime for me though

 

[Darkness]

Regent, and winning most of the time, so I guess it's time to move up to monarch and get my butt kicked a couple of times...

 

[Ville]

Chieftain, Warlord and Regent.
I always win at chieftain.
But it is strange that first I beated AI in regent 10-0 and then played a game at warlord and I lost!

It's a strange world

 

[dojoboy]

Monarch/Emperor, mostly Monarch.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

I enjoy Monarch, occasionally Regent, Emperor gets kinda tough with a bad start. Deity - I play to proove to me that i can do it. but it isn't fun.

 

[Mercade]

Warlord and winning, so perhaps next time I'll move up in the world. Too bad you can only have 8 civs in standard PtW! On a huge map that isn't very challenging.

 

[DaDoo]

Regent

Been playing since the first day civ3 came out and I'm still stuck on regent. Just the past 2 games I discovered a new way of laying out my cities and now I'm literally 1 era ahead of nearly all the AI civs. I'm going to give Monarch a try on my next game and see how I hold up.

What's that new way of laying out cities you ask? I place cities close to each other the same way like the AIs do instead of space them perfectly

 

[shramj]

Warlord, It seems to go good with the way I play but I think I will try a level or two higher now, it seems once I get to the Industral/Modern Ages, the AI seems to really fall behind and then I start getting bored, I am ready to move up in the world!

 

[Rowain deWolf]

Voted Emperor although it is more and more going to be Deity


Rowain

 

[sabo]

Originally posted by Quokka
Emperor. I have just moved up from Monarch about 2 months ago. Took a bit of time to get used to being behind in the beginning but I have won several games on Emperor and feel ready for worse starting (map & barbs) conditions.

Quokka:
have you had much luck on Emperor without getting the GL? Seems to me if I don't get the GL on Emperor I might as well give up. I should probably stick it out and see if the AI slows down in techs later in the game but I'm usually so far behind without the GL I get discouraged.

 

[Mojotronica]

I win most games at Monarch, but I allow myself to restart saved games if I have a particularly bad turn.

So in reality, I'm maybe 50-50 at Monarch level. About right.

 

[Oakes]

I've noticed that sabo... If i don't get the GL, i have lots of problems in Emperor. I feel the first 20 moves are so important in Emp, I'm still trying to figure out the right build pattern.

 

[Padma]

I play mostly on Regent. I can win on Monarch, but I don't have the time to devote to the game. On Regent, I can play for 30 minutes, save the game, and come back to it 5 days later and easily pick up where I left off.

 

[Arathorn]

Deity...or beyond. Emperor has gotten too easy -- win by cavalry pretty much every time. There's no challenge there.

I'm currently playing a "no tech" deity game. I got my starting two techs and will never get another. It's ... well, rough, but I'm making good progress. I give it a better than 50% chance.

It's all about finding your challenge level.

Arathorn

 

[Reagan]

65% Emporer and 35% Deity. Emporer is becoming far too easy, so those figures are starting to reverse.

 

[Oddible]

Mostly Monarch but a Regent now and then if I wanna kick butt. Have gotten most victory conditions on Monarch now (except Conquest). So probably ready to go back to Emperor. Have played a few times, but involves way too much brain power to be considered a game. Hehe.

Have PTW but have yet to get involved in a multiplayer game. I'm in California and by the time I get home from work (7PM) the action's already started and not much new starting by that time...

Oh well...

 

[JonathanValjean]

Now that I have won a few times on Monarch level, I'm going to try to tackle the Emperor level in my next game. I do so with much fear and trepidation, so wish me luck....

 

[Quokka]

@Sabo 10

I make it a point to get the GL for exactly the reason you pointed out. But I have had some games where I didn't get it. It's usually the only Wonder I get until the late Middle Ages unless I get lucky with GL's.
In direct answer to your question I have won twice without building or capturing it, as the Egyptians and Persians. Not sure how many I lost or gave up on (many more than twice). Both those times where with good starts and lots of luxuries, which was the key I think. Plenty to keep me happy + less luxury tax + trade potential. Industrial trait helped too. With no luxuries I got no joy and no win.
I am still not really comfortable having no research for a long time. I used to have the tech lead on Monarch and could pre-build and plan Wonders better. Also better soldiers meant less soldiers which meant better infrastructure. I am still very unused to having the smallest and worst military.
I am getting better but time constraints mean I don't play the ones I am definitely losing for their learning potential as often.
At least Emperor is better than Deity. I never get any Wonders or anywhere at that level. Sometimes I feel lucky when my Settler founds a town it stays mine and doesn't flip immediately to whoever is next door.

 

[tctatheel7]

Monarch
if it's lower then it's too easy for me.
higher, and it's too hard for me.
beaten it a couple of times like this, and enjoy it the most by far.

 

[chowell]

Emperor. I won nearly all games at lower levels using my Civ II techniques, but have only won at Emperor so far by reloading. Have hopes in current game - usually go with Huge map and 5 random civs. Always way behind on tech til late on - getting used to buying/trading tech instead of researching/GL as always before.

A request - can the moderators make a space for "usual level" in our profiles so that we can put others posts in context and when we post we don't have to keep giving the same info?