Marco Polo's versus Great Library

[ramses II.]

I found that in Single Player Games (I play Deity), Marco Polo's Embassy is more useful than the Great Library. You can trade the techs you really need, you can trade maps. My own research focusses on key technologies which allow to build the correspondant wonders.
When i trade techs, I begin with the civ that owns the GL.
I don't want to be the #1 civ in the world, i normally give a lot of techs to my allies to make them #1 and #2 civ.
without GL or MP, it's harder to win, but it isn't impossible. You need ships and diplos to contact the other civs (embassies).
Later in the game you should build the UN.

[Carolus Rex]

Woha, three new threads in the Civ2 strategy forum! I applaud your efforts!

I concur, but in MP games the GL can be a good restriction on allies trading techs, and the other civs are less prone to deal with you à la AI if you have the Embassy. Still, a great way to find other civs early and ally in games with many players and/or on large maps.

Carolus

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Welcome to Apolyton, Ramses. I think you'll find that there are very few people here who value the Great Library (in SP); for most, it just slows down research by giving you techs you don't want. MPE is more valuable, not only becaus eit lets you trade for the techs you actually want but also (as Carolus says) because it lets you trade maps.

I think it's overstating it, though, to say that it's tough to win without either. It may be harder to win via world conquest without MPE, but I've gotten to Alpha Centuri many times without it. It's nice, but by no means crucial.

[Marquis de Sodaq]

Rufus is right, the GL isn't very hallowed in these halls. Marco Polo's is okay, but a lower priority than some other wonders. It is very useful for early contact on large maps, tho.

[Smash]

Marco's for solo games
Great Library(or both!) for MP games...not duels though ....yes...did it once