17-03-2002 23:41									#1
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Two questions for all:

Are you using an Earth map or random?

Do you start culturally linked or not?

R

	18-03-2002 04:16									#2
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i like the earth map

what is culturally linked???

	18-03-2002 04:24									#3
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Cultural linkage is when you have neighbors that are related to your civilization. For instance the French wind up with England, Russia, and Germany nearly every time if you don't turn off cultural linkage.

I like France's advantages and after a few games as them I got bloody sick and tired of having both the wicked witches on my borders. Elizebeth and Catherine at the same time can be a real pain.

To turn that off you have to change your preferences before starting a new game. Somewhere near the bottom of the list is a choice for cultural linkage.

	18-03-2002 04:28									#4
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did that feature come with the newest patch because if it did i havent gotten it yey

	18-03-2002 05:04									#5
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I like both to be random.
I like things to be unpredictable at the beginning of the game. Get tired of the same faces, you know? And I prefer to not know where the specific resources are going to appear in the game. If i played the Earth game, I would know where to send out settlers early to certain spots on the map to secure rubber, oil, etc. which would lessen the enjoyment for me. Too bad there isn't a way to randomize just the resources...

ps
I think culturally linked has been around for 2 patches? not sure though, its under the preference menu for you to check

	18-03-2002 06:05									#6
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Answering my own question, I do all of the above, depending on my mood, and which civ I want to play.

For instance, playing the Egyptians, Babs, Persians, or Romans on an Earth map with correct starting positions is a blast.

Playing Japan on a random culturally linked map is too easy, so I'll turn that off.

Playing Egypt on a random culturally linked map is pretty good too.

Depends.

R

	18-03-2002 08:02									#7
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Culturally linked, small, 5 billion, random pangaea large landmass map usually. Maps much bigger than that tend to give really slow games in the late stages, and the settings I choose tend to give fairly good land over the whole map.

	18-03-2002 20:16									#8
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Random maps, a bit of each (linked/not linked). Mostly linked, though. If I'm playing a builder game, which is most often, the linking helps, because you get a dilpomacy boost from that. It's easier to keep your neighbors happy.

-Arrian

	19-03-2002 00:30									#9
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Arrian,

What do you mean by a "diplomacy boost"?

R

	19-03-2002 01:12									#10
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rpodos,

Your "culturally linked" neighbors are predisposed toward...um... liking you, I guess is the best explanation. You have a small diplomatic advantage with them, as compared to non-linked civs. So, if you are the Egyptians, you will find diplomacy easier with Greece and Rome than you would if you were say... Indian. Sure, Rome is still aggressive and militaristic, but it's a little bit easier to placate them if you are "linked."

-Arrian

	19-03-2002 03:16									#11
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Usually random, linked, large continents, warm climate (very little tundra).

Unless I let the banana pick for me. Then all h*ll breaks loose...

Salve

	19-03-2002 03:27									#12
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quote: Originally posted by Arrian If I'm playing a builder game, which is most often, the linking helps, because you get a dilpomacy boost from that. It's easier to keep your neighbors happy.

I had forgotten about that feature ... Maybe I should give cultural linking a second try, even when the results are somewhat predictable. But it should definitely boost a builder style game ...

Too bad. If you had posted this three hours earlier, I'd be playing now.

	21-03-2002 21:19									#13
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I like all of it to be random. I like small to midsized island maps.

Playing on the Earth map is fun too, but I prefer the random maps.

I think that "Culturally Linked" bonus is silly. That should definately be random.

	21-03-2002 21:26									#14
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Arrian,

Is the "cultural boost" documented somewhere? Anecdotally, I have not found that to be the case. I mostly play the older cultures, and they all tend to be aggressive (anyone noticed that Persia is almost as bad as Germany?).

R

	21-03-2002 21:51									#15
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rpodos,

I'm pretty sure it was documented, I just don't remember where. I have, though, noticed it. If I start a game with the linked locations off, everyone I meet starts off "annoyed" (except for Joan of Arc and Ghandi, I think) with me. With the linkage on, I often bump into "polite" or "cautious" neighbors. When I play Babylon, Shaka is "polite" to start, usually. That helps.

-Arrian

	22-03-2002 03:25									#16
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Basically, the people with the same city graphics are friendlier towards each other that's all. And when you're playing with culturally linked positions odds are your neighbour is a cultural neighbour, in contrast to non-linked starting positions where you have the Persians next to the Iroquis and the English.

(Interestingly, the Americans share the same graphics set with the Iroquis and the Aztecs so they're friendlier towards them as towards the English and Germans... that makes me wonder what the people at Apolyton considered American in the first place. And what Lincoln as to do with Hiawatha and Montezuma.)

	22-03-2002 03:43									#17
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I use my own maps... thats all.