wonders

[Jabah]

I almost allways played at deity level in a 'Isolationist, Industrial, Perfectionist' style, going for republic and democracy, trying to be first in production & science and avoiding war (at least long one) until late. So games are often long ending often in modern age wars (all sides) including if unlucky nuclear wars and space race.

According to all that, the only one I REALLY want is the HOOVER one (cause it 1. boost production everywhere 2. reduce pollution. at a time you have NO other solution because hydroplants are expensives and can not be constructed in most cities).
Of course lots of other are great (specialy LEO for your settlers) but if the AI built them I can survive without.
In the early ages I also try to have most of the 'science' ones (Colossus, Newton and Copernic) in a science city but it is more because I don't want the AI to be ahead in science.

Jabah

 

[gurgelgnutten]

The good old wonder discussion...
Well, well. I have reached some 1500% now, waiting to register on the HoF list.
Here is my opinion:

1. Different level, different wonder.
2. The amount of cities affects your amount of wonders.

I assume you go for deity. If you do, then these wonders are the best (according to me)

1. Michaelangelo´s Chapel
2. Hanging Gardens and Leo´s Workshop (haven´t decided yet)
3. Hoover Dam
4. Pyramids
5. J.S. Bach´s Cathedral
6. Adam Smith´s Trading Company
7. SETI Program
8. Isaac Newton´s College
9. Copernicus Observatory
10. Colossus
11. Darwin´s Voyage
12. Women´s Suffrage

The rest are mostly crap.

 

[Ecco]

Hey'all

The main deal is that most wonders expire at some point, and i really don't like that fact...

At a higher level, the Library is a good deal, because i can go for the more advanced techs, while the other guys catch up to me and give me the not-so-modern ones.

The Pyramids is a must, i've never played without having em. But to have them i usually give up my rights to hanging gards and/or the Wall.

Mike's little Chapel is another must, i don't even try to become republican or democratic without it.

Leo is a nice thing, because it turns all those shity warriors to riflemen... Not that bad really...

Some guy said that he got SETI + Hoover with the King Richard. At a higher level that's not really possible: 1) someone else will catch up and get industr 2) only one city is industrialized, coz you can't have factories. But on the whole, it's also a neat thing.

Care for cancer is a nice deal, as is the one which gets you -2 unhappy citizens (i never remember is it the Bach or the Shakes)

So that's as far as wonderz go...

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"Anyone can win, unless there happens to be another entry."
- George Ade

 

[oryx]

Mike's Chapel is the most valuable wonder to have.
~ It does not expire! And it comes into the game relatively early which only enhances its value.
~ You don't have to build and maintain cathedrals.
~ You can keep the luxury rate down and the other rates up in Republic/Democracy.
~ When you conquer new cities, you don't to worry as much about disorder. If it has a cathedral, you can sell it off as a bonus.

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"There is no tiddle-taddle nor pibble-pabble in Pompey's camp."

 

[goodbye_mr_bond]

The Pyramids over the Great Wall???? I've NEVER built the Pyramids (though it's nice to capture them). I've also never NOT built the G. WAll. On any level. It's so nice, especially on Deity level, to have city walls in every city. It's the best way to expand.

Another often overlooked wonder is Shakespeare's: no unhappiness ever in the city! Build it in a high-production city, get yourself a few dozen artillery, and happily kick butt under Democracy.

 

[Kev]

The very first few wonders all seem to have great value - especially on the higher levels of Emperor and Deity. This is why I go for wonders very early (warrior, settler, warrior, temple, wonder) and I do this with 5 of the first 6 cities I build. I know that the Colossus, Great Wall, Great Library, Pyramids, and Hanging Gardens all give a great advantage early on, and things like the Lighthouse, Oracle, and even Sun Tzu's (though it becomes available a bit later)can provide a great service for certain situations as well.

If you are playing with 7 civs, there WILL be choices that you'll have to make in that you'll HAVE to let one or more of these be built by the AI.

With this in mind I used to forget about the Pyramids - especially in Deity where the wisdom prevailed that larger cities just meant more unhappiness - not more production. However, I found that I often fell behind the civ that DID get the Pyramids or they were at least a major pain in the rear until I took them over. Even on Deity, the AI only has to deal with King-level unhappiness so their cities are allowed to grow at a pretty good clip. Now, I take the Pyramids first above all else for several reasons:
1. I can build settlers all over the place and not suffer the same loss in production.
2. Entertainers can help in unhappiness, and when I do designate a worker to be an entertainer, I will then start a settler. When the settler is ready, I don't lose production as it was that unhappy citizen that "broke off".
3. I can put workers on forests, oil icons, mines, silk, special mountains, etc. This will allow me to grow slower (as if I did not have the Pyramids) while being much more productive in shields and/or trade.
4. Once I have the Chapel and the Cathedral wonders, my production, trade, and everything else can skyrocket. Key in the mid game with the important wonders available then.
5. Keep those damn things out of the computer's hands.

I don't claim to be an expert, and everyone has his or her own style of play, but I've played a bunch of Deity games with and without the Pyramids and in my estimation they are well worth it!

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Diplomacy - the art of
saying "Good Doggie"
until you can find a rock

 

[Andu Indorin]

At the deity level, you're won't be able to sweep all the wonders. I continue to bypass the Pyramids, and rely on the Colussus and the Hanging Gardens -- supplemented by the early aquisition of Monotheism and Mike's Chapel -- to drive the growth of my civilization in the early game through "We Love the Consul" day.

The Great Library is the last of the early wonders I obtain, just to keep it out of the AI's hands.