IMO they should try to force this balance based around improving/developing tiles. If an Empire wants to go wide or tall there shouldn't be any specifically forced mechanic limiting this but instead the cost of producing the settlers and developing the tiles acting as the main consideration.
How you could balance it would be to reduce tile yields across the board and then implement more options for upgrading tiles (perhaps offering multiple upgrades for farms, mines etc). This would mean a player could spam out as many cities as they want but until tiles are upgraded only tiles with bonus's would be particularly useful leading to stagnated cities until workers come on board.
A tall empire would be able to have its cities working fully upgraded tiles (based on current level of technology), wide empires on the other hand would rely on bonus tiles initially and basic tile upgrades until much later in the game when their production starts to flow.
You could even add in other mechanics where perhaps tile upgrades will degrade/disappear if they aren't worked for several turns.
This would potentially push players to build nations more suited to their terrain instead of being locked into ideal builds. If you're cut off in a small area you'll be able to go tall and develop, if you've got a large region with good land expansion will be easy but a large region with poor land will probably lead to an early tall focus and a mid wide focus when workers are easy to pump out.
Obviously its too late for such changes but IMO this would make building up an Empire much more interesting.
How you could balance it would be to reduce tile yields across the board and then implement more options for upgrading tiles (perhaps offering multiple upgrades for farms, mines etc). This would mean a player could spam out as many cities as they want but until tiles are upgraded only tiles with bonus's would be particularly useful leading to stagnated cities until workers come on board.
A tall empire would be able to have its cities working fully upgraded tiles (based on current level of technology), wide empires on the other hand would rely on bonus tiles initially and basic tile upgrades until much later in the game when their production starts to flow.
You could even add in other mechanics where perhaps tile upgrades will degrade/disappear if they aren't worked for several turns.
This would potentially push players to build nations more suited to their terrain instead of being locked into ideal builds. If you're cut off in a small area you'll be able to go tall and develop, if you've got a large region with good land expansion will be easy but a large region with poor land will probably lead to an early tall focus and a mid wide focus when workers are easy to pump out.
Obviously its too late for such changes but IMO this would make building up an Empire much more interesting.
