Early game goals

[Spartan_RawB]

These are some of the goals that I set for myself in a multiplayer game, and I would like to know how they compare with some other players:

20 cities by 2000 BC
1 early wonder by 2000 BC

What I would like to know is how fast do people normally get to monarchy? Also do people have other goals such as:

Getting to philosophy by a certain date?
Getting to trade by a certain date?

Thanks a bunch.

[Ming]

20 cities by 2000BC I guess that's one of the reason's I lose to ICS'ers If I'm lucky, I have 12 to 14 by then...

Monarchy by 3250 or 2850 depending how long it takes me to start my first city. Anything after that, and I know I'm way behind.

The rest are really based on the situation I have to deal with it.
I'll have an early wonder long before 2000 if I have a city with great production. But if not, 2000 seems about right.

Philosphy... it depends whether I think I'm in the hunt to get it first. If I think I have fallen behind, I will take a different path... probably head straight to trade or go the "war" route.

While I like to get to trade asap, sometimes it just doesn't work that way... again, depending on the situation.

So with the exception of Monarchy, I don't really set any firm "date" goals, because everything is really subject to the game I'm playing.

[Deity Dude]

what settings in 2x2x 20 cities seems reasonable in 1x1x its seems almost impossible

Citywise, I have the following goals (SP): (I play ICS with cities as close as possible, except my SSC which gets full radius)

3000 BC - 3 cities
2000 BC - 8 cities. I can deal with lower numbers, but I like to have at least 8.
1000 BC - I definately want my SSC by now. I hope for it earlier, but sometimes there just isn't a good site.

With techs I don't have time goals, just an order.

Monarchy
Trade
Pottery
Writing
Astronomy
Monotheism
Republic
Construction
Medicine
Sanitation
University
Banking
Theory of Gravity
Democracy
Economics
Explosives
Railroad
Refrigeration
Automobile
Computers
Robotics (Heh heh heh... so much for that pesky neighbor)
Space Flight
Plastics
Superconductor
Fusion Power
Mobile Warfare
Labor Union

A lot like Paul's OCC path, except modified to get Mike's and HG.

Wonders (In order):

HG
Colossus
Cope's
Marco's Embassy (Not on small maps, just normal or large)
Mike's
Shake's
Ike's
Darwin's
Apollo

My strategy seems to be quite good, but for some reason, I can't get under 1600. I feel ashamed that I haven't come closer than 500 years from Solo's record. I welcome critiques from civ geniuses such as Paul, Ming, DaveV, SGs, Smash, Rah, Solo, Xin Yu, and the countless others that post here, so please tell me how to improve.