Can someone tell me what is going on here? How is this a reasonable start?

from Stardock.net Forums

I started with an Insane Map.  I was just curious about the performance and playability, plus I like to see large maps. :)  The recommended number of players is 63, but I think Brad likes the maps way too crowded, so I reduced it to 55 - maybe still too many as noted below.

Turn 10 - two of the closer star systems are already occupied by other empires.  One empire started with a colony ship and had sister planet they colonized right off.  I gambled and sent my initial colony ship off to find a place to colonize.  Suddenly, some empire, who's homeworld  I haven't even discovered, makes a bee-line straight for my companion world!  They did not have any ships scouting, as you can see in the image, they have no ships in the area.  So either they got lucky, or the AI saw my planet.  Stardock swears up and down that the AI has the same fog of war as players.  Fine, let's say it did get lucky.

But how is this a fun start?  What is it with 4x games these days that need to pack every map with as many players as possible?  Civ VI, Stellaris, Endless Space 2, GalCiv3 all do the same thing and  I guess the devs think it helps "get to the good stuff?"  But what about the first two X's?  EXplore and eXpand?  They're actually the best two X's.  But when you pack the map with players there's no elbow room, no room to grow and develop an empire, it's just warfare from turn 1.

I could remove more players from maps, but how many?  Does anyone have suggestions on number of players per map?  Because I hate the guesswork of figuring out how many players to use and the random placement of empires which seem to always be on top of one another.  You know what game had a reasonable balance between growth of your empire and then experiencing other empires was Distant Worlds.  The difference being between that game and those mentioned above is that DW did NOT have multiplayer. 

 

too damn close

 

And by the way - that is a STUPID AI move.  Eventually my influence will flip that planet.  Thanks to the AI for building it up for me.

 

 

28,736 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I'm trying an insane map with 5 civs.  Should be interesting :)   I always find maps way overcrowded at even half the recommended # of civs.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

30-45 players seems to work pretty well. It's not to say you wont get major civ. close to you, but you have the ability to branch out.

Although I personally don't like the map, you can also try 'Tight Clusters' as your galaxy type to further mitigate major civs spawning near you.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Rare Star help separate how close each star system will spawn. I always play with it.

Cluster settings. Scatter spread things out evenly/randomly, like how you drop green pea on the floor. Loose Cluster make a group of star system spawn close to each other then separate it by void of nothing. Help creating buffer zone where there is nothing but empty space. Tight Cluster just put everything so darn close to each other. It is the only option i dislike. Spiral is just. . .spiral? There is big gap between each arm but you are guarantee to find someone to be on your arm. It quite fun since you can estimate where everyone will be at.

*Loose Cluster could potentially zone someone out if next closest cluster is beyond their ship range. I been on island where i can't contact anyone until around turn 50 when i got second and third tier tech for life support.

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I find this thread ridiculous.  One start and complaining?  Do 100 and if they're all equally off to you, then maybe.

 

I don't play on the biggest maps but I play on big maps and I cut the recommended number of AIs in half so there's some room to actually explore and expand before contact.  The AIs are pretty damn efficient as expanding though so be careful what you "wish" for with your settings.

Reply #5 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Quoting Voqar, reply 4

I find this thread ridiculous.  One start and complaining?  Do 100 and if they're all equally off to you, then maybe.

End of Voqar's quote

This is just an example, I have 650 hours in GalCiv3 so it's not just one start.  And no, it doesn't always happen, but it happens waaay to often.  But maybe you like the close starts?  Can you tell me what is the appeal?

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I always play insane with about 15-25 civs. But what works for you is a matter of personal taste that you have to try for yourself. WIth my number to adversaries it usually takes about 40-70 turns until I meet another civ.

About AI beelining to your neighbor planet: I strongly hope that the fog of war applies now to the AI as well, but it could also depend on your difficulty level. Perhaps could someone clarify how that works in Crusade.