Discovering continents for fun and profit

Shiber · August 16, 2002, 16:21

Quoting from another thread:

If we could be the first civ to make contact with those civs [I was referring here to the "missing" civs which we haven't made contact with yet and are probably living on another continent or two somewhere], we'd be RICH!!
The civs living in the other continent(s) are probably technologically backward in comparison to us because all of the Abananaba civs have been trading techs AFAIK. Why, we could sell them tons of technologies for gold and gpt! We could also sell communications but I'd rather be the only civ with communications with civs from overseas.
We should therefore make it a high priority to research means of safely traversing ocean tiles.

adaMada suggested that this idea deserves more attention and that I should open a thread about this so I did.

Comments anyone?

Kuciwalker · August 16, 2002, 16:34

The civs on Abananaba Minor have a better chance.

GodKing · August 16, 2002, 16:44

Skywalker - by your statement above, it implies that you have played ahead!!!

Please say that is not the case. Justify what you just stated, or erase it.

I agree with you Shiber, we have the potential to reap a fortune if we contact them first. First we sell them all the techs they are missing. Then when we are done with them, we sell their maps and their knowledge of to all the known civs.

Good thinking.

Kuciwalker · August 16, 2002, 16:49

No, I haven't played ahead. I just think that they'd be closer to another continent. In my experience, the map generator always leaves close gaps between continents.

Kuciwalker · August 16, 2002, 16:51

Also, it seems to have a tendancy to leave only very small gaps between continents and the bottom of the map.

GodKing · August 16, 2002, 17:03

Glad to know you were not looking ahead.

Aro · August 16, 2002, 17:12

Skywalker is right, IMO. Btw, the British are building the Great Lighthouse in Nottingham. They have good chances, too.
Look at this: (I'm not playing ahead, just supposing)

OPD · August 16, 2002, 17:26

If the other 4 are "here probably" it would be good for us as the area to the south of us, around uber isle, would probably be littered with islands full of late age resourses.

From the attached image were doing well (IMHO).
The Aztecs look quite big but hey won't be able to keep up later on. The Romans are also looking strong especially if they decide to take out the babylonians soon.

Inverse Icarus · August 16, 2002, 17:30

Quote:

Originally posted by OPD
From the attached image were doing well (IMHO).
The Aztecs look quite big but hey won't be able to keep up later on. The Romans are also looking strong especially if they decide to take out the babylonians soon.

the aztecs will be the powerhouse of this continent.

babylon is goign to culture-rape rome and russia. all of abananaba minor will be weaker because of it. looks good for us.

Shiber · August 16, 2002, 17:46

I still believe we have a better chance to discover the missing civs than the AIs. I've never seen an AI travel over the oceans looking for other landmasses.
Btw from my experience, in maps where there is more than one continent there is usually a luxury (or two at most) that are unique to one of the continents. If we go to war with one of the missing civs (we should think think about this option before we sell them any techs though) and manage to get a hold of several tiles with a luxury that is unique to the lost continent we'll be able to monopolize it in Abananaba!!
Just think of the gpt!
/me gets greedy...

OPD · August 16, 2002, 17:49

When I play I usually help the Aztecs along if I'm not right next to them as they keep other civs small but are never a threat once the industrial revolution kicks in.

Aro · August 16, 2002, 17:55

Hmmm... Shiber, this could be a good and tasteful goal...How much this will cost? I mean money and time. We need navigation or The Great Lighthouse. In my games, I always go for the Great Lighthouse just to look for other lands.

Shiber · August 16, 2002, 18:05

We won't get the great lighthouse unless we take it from another civ. Hopefully France are about to complete it and we'll get to take it from them. Otherwise we're gonna have to go for navigation.
The downside is that this will take us off the road to democracy...

IMHO we should research navigation nonetheless. After all, we can always buy democracy but we can't buy exclusive access to the lost continent.

GoodFella · August 16, 2002, 18:23

Without the great liighthouse, there's no way we'll discover any new civs unless they build lighthouse or if they're not discovered until navigation.

Jonny · August 16, 2002, 19:20

Quote:

Originally posted by GoodFella
Without the great liighthouse, there's no way we'll discover any new civs unless they build lighthouse or if they're not discovered until navigation.

Not neccesarily. I usually send galleys until I get lucky and one finds it without sinking. Usually only takes me 3 or 4 times.

Kuciwalker · August 16, 2002, 20:41

We need our galleys for Uber Isle, which I am convinced is not a continent. Continents generally only come close together in one spot. Also, England is more likely than Greece because Greece has Sky Isle just off it's coast, and continents usually aren't THAT close together.

Donal Graeme · August 16, 2002, 22:48

We can pray to the banana that in our war with France that we get a Leader, and use him to create the Great Lighthouse. That would be the easiest, but not most likely way, to succede.

Inverse Icarus · August 16, 2002, 23:11

the gallies are going to uber isle. we're sending both of them out to the island at the same time. I'm hoping (at least) ne survives.

IF, somehow, both survive, one shall return to the mainland and the other shall explore uber isle.

If one does survive, it will begin scouting a little, and we will need another galley from the mainland. this galley could be loaded with a settler / spearmen and Uber isle could be colonized with the (possible) expense of the mainland galley. The settler stack would be safe.

After the "initial dropoff", the galley on uber isle will begin scouting again, unless we see substantial need for more settlers immediately (ie a large landmass). Uber island could populate itself after the initial kickoff, but if we need it done quickly we could devote more "mainland resources" to it.

As for finding other civs, I doubt we will but I'm all for it. After the fall of France we'll have some time of realitive peace. Sure, we'll be crushing America, finishing them off, but I consider fighting the Americans to be peace. We're just claiming our land. During that time I'd promote galley construction alongside the horsemen / knights we would need for our next target, but i dont know how useful they'd be.

adaMada · August 17, 2002, 01:06

Quote:

Originally posted by UberKruX
As for finding other civs, I doubt we will but I'm all for it. After the fall of France we'll have some time of realitive peace. Sure, we'll be crushing America, finishing them off, but I consider fighting the Americans to be peace. We're just claiming our land. During that time I'd promote galley construction alongside the horsemen / knights we would need for our next target, but i dont know how useful they'd be.

Basically, this is exactly what I'm thinking -- as soon as we finish the war with France, let's get some boats out there and try it

.

-- adaMada

GoodFella · August 17, 2002, 01:21

What makes you think its an island?

Shiber · August 17, 2002, 07:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Donal Graeme
We can pray to the banana that in our war with France that we get a Leader, and use him to create the Great Lighthouse. That would be the easiest, but not most likely way, to succede.

I would create an army first and win a battle with it so we could build a heroic epic and get more leaders from future battles.

Aro · August 17, 2002, 08:48

Well, THAT's a major question. For what can we use a Leader, if we get one? I'm have a tendency, in my games, to use them to build Great Wonders or armies, IF I playing with a militaristic civ (I get six, once). However, this isn’t our case, we are religious and industrious, and build the Heroic Epic could give us the same chances to get another leader as a militaristic civ… or not? I’m not sure about the probabilities. Anyhow, this deserves a better discussion. Personally, I would like to build the Great Lighthouse.

Kuciwalker · August 17, 2002, 08:54

IF we get a leader, and IF we don't use him to build an army, we're going to build the Great Library with him, NOT the Lighthouse.

Shiber · August 17, 2002, 08:58

I'd bet a hundred gold pieces that the lost continent(s)/islands are separated from our mighty continent by ocean squares. The great lighthouse won't help us with that, as we will still be unable to safely traverse ocean squares.

Kuciwalker · August 17, 2002, 09:01

I know! We'll all by a whole lot of stuff from the 'Poly store, and not only will we save a bunch of cats, we'll have a spy plane that we can use to find the other countries!

Aro · August 17, 2002, 09:09

Quote:

Originally posted by skywalker
IF we get a leader, and IF we don't use him to build an army, we're going to build the Great Library with him, NOT the Lighthouse.

Quote:

Originally posted by Shiber
I'd bet a hundred gold pieces that the lost continent(s)/islands are separated from our mighty continent by ocean squares. The great lighthouse won't help us with that, as we will still be unable to safely traverse ocean squares.

You both are right, for sure. But I can’t stop to imagine how profitable could be find the others civs before our neighbors… Well, just a thought.

Panag · August 17, 2002, 11:32

hi ,

we could start to get around the world , there is going to be more places with civ's , .....

we know not enough of the world

we need to master the sea , and the land that is in it

have a nice day

adaMada · August 17, 2002, 12:21

Sorry, but I don't have the game open in front of me -- what's the first Naval unit that can go through ocean squares?

How many techs would we have to get to have one... can we safely assume that, if we get it the same time the AI does, we'll have a higher emphisis on finding the other civs then they will have in exploring? Also, what are the chances of the other civs coming and finding our neighbors shortly after we meet them, or even before? That'd probably null the long term advantage of making first contact, though we could probably still get a ton of money by selling between the groups even in a few turns.

Any thoughts?

-- adaMada

Jonny · August 17, 2002, 12:31

Quote:

Originally posted by adaMada
Sorry, but I don't have the game open in front of me -- what's the first Naval unit that can go through ocean squares?
-- adaMada

I think they are the Frigate, Galleon, and Privateer, which all come with Magnetism. (i think, anyway)

Aro · August 17, 2002, 12:52

Galleys or Caravels can do it, if we get navigation.