unclesporky

Join Date 05/2016

I must be playing with the wrong number of AIs for my map sizes...

The game doesn't offer any input into how many AIs is appropriate to any given size of map. I've been playing on normal difficulty with sizes like 5 AIs on huge, I also did a game with 8 on insane. Now I keep seeing posts like "oh I'm playing on huge with 27 AIs" and I'm just like...holy crap dude.

I started one game on large with 5 AI and got a total of 3 planets to my name before nothing else was colonizable, AIs didn't seem to fare any better. Colony rush was over before it began, and it felt awful, I like that long period before you meet anyone where you just get to claim a bunch of territory.

Is my problem that I haven't tweaked anything else? I think all the galaxy settings are on default, which is occasional everything. Does everyone bump up habitable planets to common or something? There must be something I'm not getting, because with the settings people are talking about there aren't any planets to colonize.

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erischild

Join Date 01/2012

+136

I have 14 factions on an insane map with common stars and planets, tight clusters. I have lots of stars and planets and room. So does everybody else. I have played games with a bunch more crowding. I have played games where things are very sparse. The settings are there to be explored. You are not doing anything wrong. You just haven't tried everything yet. That part is pretty easy to fix.

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Larsenex

Join Date 04/2009

+212

I play only on Insane now using Spiral with abundant stars, planets and rare on hab and hab extreme. I have all factions plus 10 more plus abundant minors. That is about 27 or so majors. I also bump up to common nebulae and black holes.

Fun stuff!

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Quoting erischild,

reply 1

Yeah I guess, I just feel like I have seen a lot of posts with what sound like really packed maps, and it just makes me think well of course I'm having a fun easy time on normal mode with these settings, I'm playing with way easier settings than everyone else, apparently.

I'm newish to 4X and I don't know if there is like some sort of common 4X settings that all 4X players have a handle on, what is accepted as the right mix of planets and AIs, that sort of thing.

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Horemvore

Join Date 08/2009

+123

I fit in 8 AI + Self on a Gigantic map(I use Map editor to place the Start Positions so the spacing is even), no Minors, Spiral, Abundant everything! I am like you, like to have a bit of space to get my empire rolling. Usualy get around 28-38 Plants per faction. Playing on Gifted, Slow tech(Not that it makes much difference). It can get quite intresting mid-end game! 3 AI were at war in my current game for over 120 turns and it looked like a stale-mate to me, then BAM! Now one AI has 1/4 of the Map! Should be very intresting

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As others have said, there are no "right" settings. It's just about what floats your boat.

I tend to play on lonely galaxies with lots of empty space and many civs struggling to eak out an existence.

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I usually play on Insane with 11 AIs and around 20 Planets for each Player (~240)

and still think its pretty crowded, we NEED bigger maps

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Larsenex

Join Date 04/2009

+212

There is a new map size rumored to be called, "Crazy Frog" which is supposedly twice the size of Insane. I think it is gonna need at least 12 gigs of ram though.

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neilkaz

Join Date 06/2011

I play on Large with 7 random AI's and my custom race. Stars and habitable planets are common. (Abundant was too many planets as I often came out of the colony rush playing Incredible with over 20 planets and a huge advantage.) Now that I've just stepped up to Godlike (massively stronger AI's than Incredible) I've stuck to common but will admit to rerolling a couple of really bad starting positions last night. I also play with anomalies common and precursor relics abundant (few of them anyhow).

https://forums.galciv3.com/466640/page/1/ and scroll down to post 19 compares map sizes. This info should be pinned in a FAQ here if it isn't.

I will soon buy a new high end computer as I haven't in a few years and then I may play Huge maps and will let all 11 AI's play.

I guess I play on large with 7 AI since it is similar in size and scope to MOO2 Huge which I've played many hundreds of times.

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admiralWillyWilber

Join Date 05/2009

+99

Yah i would say something is wrong your expanding to slow. Try making your home system factories. You probably should up your habitability. Hopefully you have minors to abundant and pirates on with that few a factions. I would say download more factions and pack it with as many as your system would allow. But play around with the settings untill you find what you like.

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