What wonder will you possess in BC 4000....

[starlifter]

Your civilization rises from obscurity in 4000 BC, and because of it's unique nature, can possess a wonderous asset. It is called a Wonder of the World. With it, you are charged to conquer the world or send a spaceship of colonists to a faraway star... you know the path ahead is difficult... emperors and dietys have told you that. You know the barbarians are raging. And at the dawn of your civilization, you alone must decide which wonder to possess... what will you choose?

 

[starlifter]

Further note: Assuming your civ could choose any Ancient wonder to begin with (e.g., as a 'bonus'... for free), and you'd be playing random map, raging hordes, 7 civs, deity/emperor level... which one would help you personally the most (e.g., your own particular playing skill & style), assuming an otherwise standard GOTM?

PS, This general idea comes out of another thread, and post by Old n Slow... but it might be doable some day, so be careful what you wish for .

 

[Ace]

As much as I like the Pyramids for rapid growth, I would take the Colossus for the extra trade. Can always build the pyramids in my normal rotation, while the Colossus is boosting tax and science income!!

 

[Lucky]

Hmm, it really depends on the map we are playing.
Starting on a small island I must say the the Lighthouse would be best. On a huge continent with lot´s of space to expand, the Hanging Gardens are almost a must.

I almost never build the Oracle, the GL or the GW myself, so they are out of the vote for me.

The last option would be the Pyramids, but the HG would still be more important for me.

 

[KingWilly]

Colossus for the extra trade, although like Lucky it may depend on the type of map. Hanging Gardens would be my second choice, just to decrease the happiness of my citizens early on.

 

[KingWilly]

Sorry, that should be decrease the "unhappiness" of my citizens early on.

 

[Kev]

I would go with Hanging Gardens assuming a Deity game. It would ge great to not have to worry about temples for that first part of the game, and that city will be great for later celebrations.

Also, I'd rather wait until I found a good SSC candidate before I build the Colossus. Often times it is NOT the capital that becomes the SSC, and I'd like control over where it goes.

 

[GaryNemo]

Even Emperor or King, the Hanging Gardens leads to great expansion. And once Monarchy, that city begins to celebrate and get the extra trade arrows anyway. So like Colossus, the one city gets extra trade in the mid-size range, and every other city gets one more citizen -- breathing room.

 

[sekong]

Even before Monarch, HG can let yr city celebrate, and the irrigation on grassland, and other specials won't suffer penalty. Second Kev about the control over the choice of Colossus.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

If I am playing on a real Archipalego (not the pseudo ones you get from the random map generator), like Lucky, I would choose Light house. On a continent, if my starting location is great for SSC then I would go for Colossus. (As Kev mentioned it is crucial to put Colossus in the right city.)

Otherwise, I would go for Great Library, set science to zero and build up my treasury. The early techs come quite quickly and with 6 other civs playing you are going to get the techs just a few turns after you would have if you researched them yourself. Besides, Great Library is one of the later ancient wonders thus the extra value you get out of having it at start is much greater than that of the others which you can build after 1 or 2 techs.

 

[starlifter]

Very interesting comments!

Now, what if you don't know the map layout ahead of time... keep in mind that if you have a "free" Ancient wonder magically appear at your capital's founding in BC4000 that you will not know the terrain.... but assume your capital has good ocean access. Would you Lighthouse types gamble on it, or play it safe with something else ?

 

[sekong]

I had chose HG for playing safe, even if the city is surranded by strange terrains like all hills. My other cities still get the benefit.
Of course it could be worse, say all mountains, but all of us won't survive anyway.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Without apriori knowledge I would definitely go with Great Library. In fact, the more I think about it, the more Great Library makes sense. As I mentioned it is the latest Ancient wonder. You can build Colossus, Pyramids, Hanging Gardens, and Great Wall after possessing a single tech. Oracle and Light house take 2. Great Library takes 4. This increases the value of getting it in 4000BC since you have more time to exploit it. The other thing is that at the beginning there are not too many choices for research and different civs have not had a chance to diverge in their pursuit of tech yet. So they are mostly researching the same things which is good news for Great Library. Also, near the beginning no one has a significant tech lead yet which is again good news for Great Library.
Finally, Great Library costs 300 shields to build while many of the others cost only 200. It makes more sense to get a 300 shield one for free rather than a 200 one.

 

[Lucky]

Well, since we allow clicking in the dark, there are still ways to find out whether it´s a small island or big continent we are on. I suppose you want us to choose BEFORE we even start the game. The I would prefer the HG, the Lighthouse is not that expensive, so it can be built later.

 

[Ace]

With no prior knowledge of the map, HG is the way to go. Kev is right about choosing the right city for Colossus, but, at diety, happiness can only help, no matter where its build.

 

[starlifter]

by Lucky:

Well, since we allow clicking in the dark,

That's a good point. I never click, so I forgot about that.

Just FYI: the current list of allowed and disalloweds is an exception-based list. That is, if something has never been disallowed or agreed upon "not" to do, then it is by default "allowed". I personally do not like some of the alloweds. And clicking is a great example of something that if I were simply making up the rules all by myself, it would be disallowed .

Anyway, I guess we have to live with it for now. Ya'll feel free to comment in the techniques thread about the various items (we are up to almost 3 dozen now).

PS, I started this 7 ancient wonder thread in this particular forums for a very specific reason (not another idle "wonder" thread ). The input is very helpful!

 

[LordValuna]

Originally posted by Ali Ardavan
Without apriori knowledge I would definitely go with Great Library. In fact, the more I think about it, the more Great Library makes sense. As I mentioned it is the latest Ancient wonder. You can build Colossus, Pyramids, Hanging Gardens, and Great Wall after possessing a single tech. Oracle and Light house take 2. Great Library takes 4. This increases the value of getting it in 4000BC since you have more time to exploit it. ....
Finally, Great Library costs 300 shields to build while many of the others cost only 200. It makes more sense to get a 300 shield one for free rather than a 200 one.

I agree, that your choice should be a Wonder which costs 300 to produce (free extra 100 production) . I normally dont build GL, asit gives you unwamted tech and puts AI tech goal to electricity.
I choose GW to get more cease-fires that can be taken advantage of!
meanwhile you can place Collussus in a good spot or build HG if needed. If you have trade early you should be able to build both safely with City Walls to protect you.

 

[duke o' york]

I hope that you have not all been choosing your wonders with the thought of being able to build others. The obvious thing is that once you have all chosen your favourite wonder to begin with then starlifter will ask Smash to create a future GotM for you in which you begin with this wonder and the other early wonders are shared out among the six AI civs. Also remember that if you are to start a normal game with a wonder then your capital will be founded for you that should inform your choice. It'd be nice to have the Colossus, but not if your capital has been founded among hills and mountains from which you will not get trade bonuses for roads. Likewise the Lighthouse if your first city is stuck in the middle of a continent.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by duke o' york
I hope that you have not all been choosing your wonders with the thought of being able to build others. The obvious thing is that once you have all chosen your favourite wonder to begin with then starlifter will ask Smash to create a future GotM for you in which you begin with this wonder and the other early wonders are shared out among the six AI civs.

Especially given the uncertainty of starting position, the best one would be HG. It helps deal with the main early issue in a deity game - unhappiness. Everything else can be dealt with one way or another - even trade/colossus.

I think duke's comment is worth noting. How much would your answer change if you knew you could have one and only one of the seven and that other civs would have the other wonders. Personally I'd stick with HG, but would anyone change their vote?

And don't be surprised if they make a GOTM where they give the 6 highest vote getters to the OTHER civs! Is Gotm 19 going to be known as the Large continent/Lighthouse game?

 

[starlifter]

by Duke o York:

I hope that you have not all been choosing your wonders with the thought of being able to build others. The obvious thing is that once you have all chosen your favourite wonder to begin with then starlifter will ask Smash to create a future GotM

Actually, I do have a specific idea. In fact, more than an idea... it is already refined ( your above guess is pretty far from it ).

I think duke's comment is worth noting. How much would your answer change if you knew you could have one and only one of the seven and that other civs would have the other wonders. Personally I'd stick with HG, but would anyone change their vote?

Well, to implement that would likely mean person making that setup would have to sit it out, since they would have to see and edit all the other Civs. Anyway, that is definitely NOW it ....

And don't be surprised if they make a GOTM where they give the 6 highest vote getters to the OTHER civs! Is Gotm 19 going to be known as the Large continent/Lighthouse game?

Most assuredly not THAT, LOL! I think GOTMs should be fun for all (or at least almost all) players, and in my book, having the lighthouse only, on a large continent, would not be fun, hehe.