creating a library of early AC starts

happy 2 B here · July 3, 2001, 22:42

This is my first post. I just want to first thank everyone for all of the knowledge that they have shared on this site. I keep coming back time and time again to this game due largely to the new ways of playing that are revealed on this site.
The reason for this post is to put the question out there if people would be interested in forming a "library" or database of "engineered" great early AC starts. It has been my experience that a finding a great early AC start is truly like finding a diamond in the rough. To help alleviate this, I have been taking random starts with large amounts of starting techs and placing my civilization at a good starting site in close proximity to the key civ. While this certainly is "cheating" and "engineered," it drasticly cuts down the time required to come across such a start naturally. I currently am playing on test of time version, but I also have 2.42. If people would be interested, I (with other input as people see fit) could try to gather a group of great AC starts together. This would also give the possibilty of some sort of comparison game, which might also be interesting (although I'm certainly not in the league of many people on this site) If no one is interested in this, no hurt feelings, I just thought I would see what people think. Thanks again!

samson · July 4, 2001, 09:24

Welcome.

Interesting offer, although Solo has already "engineered" the ultimate early landing start - his river map scenario which resulted in a 500BC landing in OCC. There's not much point in trying to beat that.

Exceptional early landing starts are hard to find, as are good OCC starts, and we could, of course, create edited maps and save ourselves some time and frustration. But where do you stop? Four gold and 17 rivered grassland with 8 starting techs two squares down from the Purples, 8 more gold for helper cities and an offshore civ a short trireme ride away? If the map does all the work, the play becomes lazy.

At this point in time we are still in discovery mode with early landing theory and practice. And that is what is most exciting. Eventually what we've learned will become canon and pre-1000AD landings will be routine, even on mediocre maps. For now, we play on.

Rasputin · July 4, 2001, 10:18

Quote:

Originally posted by happy 2 B here
good starting site in close proximity to the key civ

what is a "KEy CIV"

KrazyHorse · July 4, 2001, 12:39

Go look up Beakers-The Definitive Cost of Science in The Great Library-Index thread.

Rasputin · July 4, 2001, 13:16

damn i sure got a lot of reading to do.. will print that off and read it on the throne room later

solo · July 9, 2001, 14:26

happy 2 b here,

A collection of good starts would be a great idea, but already we share good ones that we find in the threads describing new games from new starts. For a small map start, check samson's "Another early AC landing thread". I have a few good medium map starts you can pick from if you check out some of my games, the 776 game having perhaps the best.

Scouse Gits is building a collection of starts at his website, and is very likely to include the ones that we have been sharing here while developing early landing theory and strategy.