What type of land mass maps do you like to play?

[Bamspeedy]

Was wondering what type of map most people like to play on.

When I first started playing Civ3, I liked archipelago, because I liked being on an island all by myself (as long as it was a big enough island), to totally develop all of my cities before conquering the world. Then found out that I hate naval warfare, so I switched to Pangea maps. I always play huge maps, 16civs. Was playing with 60% water, so that it was gauranteed most of the time that there was just one continent, so there was almost 0 naval units needed. Then I finally decided to switch to 80% water and found most of the time that there would be two big continents (sometimes a third, smaller one), but with so little land it was more fun because you would be fighting for land so much earlier (I suppose the same would happen on smaller maps, but you can't have 16 civs on the smaller maps). The AI is more aggressive towards each other, also (not just against me). The game I'm playing now, there was 8 civs on the largest continent, 5 on a slightly smaller continent, and somewhere out there is the other three civs. I'm waiting to see how long it takes the AI to find those other three civs. I'm on the crowded continent (of course).

 

[PaulNAdhe]

I like continents if they're actually continents. Too often the new map generator makes the continent world too much like Pangea with everybody on one strung out landmass.

 

[LayZMan]

I love pangaeas w/ lots o' land. Me likey war . W/ the inferior naval warfare, fighting on land is just more fun. Marching on cities to take them, succeeding or not. Getting attacked by a neighbor on the opposite front that the AI allies w/ out of nowhere. Since ships only transport a handful of units until the Galleon, I limit overseas warfare to nearby areas (makes sense, hinders my world conquest ).

 

[Greadius]

I play the 'real world' maps that I've downloaded from here, mainly Marla's map.

I just don't enjoy the game when all land is 'abstract'

 

[slothman]

Since I don't really get into the game until all my cities are connected by RR then I like lots-o-land. The air and sea development just isn't as fun. I might even change the editor to remove all naval vessels.

 

[simwiz2]

i usually play pangea 70% water. i used to use 80% but there were always 2 continents. of course, sometimes there are still 2 continents and theres always 1 civ, on a distant huge continent all to itself, well in the lead, while i am always jammed in with the other civs. of course the lead changes to me as soon as i conquer the large continent, and then its me, the survivor of large continent, vs a civ on a small continent. They don't stand a chance.

 

[Chewie]

Pangea 70% water usually - standard or small size, quick game is a good game. And with the high corruption factor playing islands is just a pain.

 

[Selous]

i like archepeligo 80% water on a large map with 16 civs .... or contenants 80% water ... get pretty similar maps

i like this because it restricts the power of the big players as u have to transport your force, invade then station troops there from your homeland because u have bugger all production, and after the enemy has taken the island it is generally easier to take back if they are really powerful because he cant re-enforce the citys streight away, this all changes after flight and makes bombers so much more effective as u can use them to take out airfeilds so the enemy cant fly troops in... in short .... i beleive it makes the game more even and fair as someone with a huge army doesnt mean that they can dominate the map like in a pangea ... stratigy must be used much more!! ..... and also im starting to think that the AI tremeres cant actually travel the seas before navigation or without great lighthouse and that this is a wives tale that has blown out of proportan

 

[Magnus]

70% continents for me, as that approximates earth. I always put climate and terrain on random, though.

*EDIT for Killer's post below: 60% is a reference to WATER amount, thus if you are playing at 60% then you are in actuality playing at 40% LAND. The Earth is roughly 70% water and 30% land FYI*

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

there`s an option missing here to pick several answers. pity the forum doesn`t support that.....

I usually play either Pangaea, 70/80% or Continent, 60/70%.

Continent 80 % gives too many strange strung out thingies (they look like they were dreamt up by Douglas Adams....)

I`m also missing a realistc setting: 40 % land!!!!! would finally makes oceans worthwhile