Favorite era?

Torpid · October 3, 2003, 21:22

Mine's the Industrial Era. I don't know why, but I think it's really cool. Industrialization = factories = more production = awesome. What about you guys?

vmxa1 · October 3, 2003, 21:50

I like middle ages, serious conflicts occur there and you have a large enough empire to have fun.

Rhothaerill · October 3, 2003, 21:51

Ancient because what you do in the ancient age sets the tone for the rest of the game.

Least favorite: modern. The game is either over or virtually over by then.

Torpid · October 3, 2003, 22:15

Middle ages, that's it. Sorry 'bout the mistake.

Solomwi · October 3, 2003, 22:52

Industrial.

While Ancinet sets the infrastructure of the game, and I love Middle because of the multitude of tech paths that can be taken, and how dramatic the difference can be, not to mention all the marvelous Wonders, Industrial is where I always have the most fun. Marines, Tanks, Infantry, Artillery and a modern Navy make late Ind warfare absolutely the most enjoyable part of the game for me. The tactical and strategic options, somewhat limited in the first two ages, just open up like a flower. The production and population explosions both let me know if all my forward thinking in Ancient paid off or not, and where I messed up. Industrial is also where I start really building a large standing army that can strike anywhere in the world with great force in a reasonably short time.

What strikes me about both Industrial and Middle is that early and late in each one feel almost like two separate eras, whereas at the end of the Ancient, I still feel ancient. Speaking militarily, with the right civ (Germany) you're only three techs away from the entire range of units, but in the next two ages, the unit difference from early to late is much wider.

Modern is an afterthought, with enough cool perks to keep me interested.

ChrisiusMaximus · October 4, 2003, 04:05

I like them all but for me its the Middle Ages that takes the top spot,

Ecthy · October 4, 2003, 06:05

Middle Ages and Industrial, just for the historical atmosphere

kermit_the_frog · October 4, 2003, 07:14

Modern age is best beacuse whe i get there thats when my big wars starts =D

Ecthy · October 4, 2003, 07:19

Yeah, mine start at industrial, but modern is even better, with tanks and all

Harovan · October 4, 2003, 09:19

My interest decreases with progressing game. The ancient age is cool, you lay the base of your game strategy here and build up your economy. Then comes the medieval age. Pikemen, knights, catapults, later replaced by musketmen, cavalry and cannons. The best wonders of the game. Nice atmosphere. When I hit the industrial age, things become increasingly boring. I usually already have a big advantage here, and mostly the ToE gets me so far ahead, that the game is virtually over. The industrial age ends the need for good tactics and smart unit placement. The railroads a la Firaxis ruin the game, at least for me. Huge stacks of footsloggers, the lacking ability of the AI to use bombardement, and the ruining of once thriving AI civs to pitiful, backwards communist countries in endless MPP driven wars do the rest. Most of my games end in the industrial age, because I can't stand them anymore. I'm in most games far ahead and feel as if I'm herding a drove of idiots. The modern age has cool music, but that's about all good I can say about it. Thank god, with the UN, the spaceship and the quickly growing culture it has plenty opportunities to leave the mess victorious.

GhengisFarb™ · October 4, 2003, 09:21

Seriously, if the game stopped technologically progressing at Industrialization that would be just fine with me.

In fact I have made a mod that does just that, waiting on Conquests to finish it up and then I hope to get a PBEM started with it.

Harovan · October 4, 2003, 09:25

Quote:

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
In fact I have made a mod that does just that, waiting on Conquests to finish it up and then I hope to get a PBEM started with it.

I'm in, I'm in!

GhengisFarb™ · October 4, 2003, 09:32

Great, now if we can just get Conquests...............

Dominae · October 4, 2003, 11:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
My interest decreases with progressing game. The ancient age is cool, you lay the base of your game strategy here and build up your economy. Then comes the medieval age. Pikemen, knights, catapults, later replaced by musketmen, cavalry and cannons. The best wonders of the game. Nice atmosphere. When I hit the industrial age, things become increasingly boring. I usually already have a big advantage here, and mostly the ToE gets me so far ahead, that the game is virtually over. The industrial age ends the need for good tactics and smart unit placement. The railroads a la Firaxis ruin the game, at least for me. Huge stacks of footsloggers, the lacking ability of the AI to use bombardement, and the ruining of once thriving AI civs to pitiful, backwards communist countries in endless MPP driven wars do the rest. Most of my games end in the industrial age, because I can't stand them anymore. I'm in most games far ahead and feel as if I'm herding a drove of idiots. The modern age has cool music, but that's about all good I can say about it. Thank god, with the UN, the spaceship and the quickly growing culture it has plenty opportunities to leave the mess victorious.

Sometimes I enjoy the Industrial era, but mostly I feel the same way as Sir Ralph here.

Dominae

joncnunn · October 4, 2003, 14:24

Industrial #1, love building up those Hospitals and Factories in the early to mid industrial period.

#2 is Middle Ages, particlarly mid to late as I catch up with the AI in techs.

Agreed about still feeling Ancient at the end of the Ancient era. On maps with more than the normal amount of land and greater space than normal, I've sometimes not even finished REXing yet on Emperor when the AI enters the Middle Ages.

Agreed about the game virtually being over by the time modern era comes around, the only game that I survived the ancient era and yet lost the game in Single Player was when I purposely chose a one land mass challenge with no fresh water on my land mass & no luxaryies anywhere on the map. (4 players: All survived, I as Greece had a substantial lead at the end but 2 of the AIs were able to vote for themselves, so even with 1 AI supporting me, couldn't win by UN, and the game would have needed to have run thru about 2080 for me to have won by culture.)

Ecthy · October 4, 2003, 14:24

When is Conquest coming out then?

Harovan · October 4, 2003, 15:07

In ~4 weeks (USA).

Theseus · October 4, 2003, 15:22

My favorite is Medieval, hands down.

That said, I've had a lot of fun in every era, including Modern. Took me a while to get there (I didn't finish a single game for at least the first six months I played), but, oh, Modern Armor, how do I love thee...

Tall Stranger · October 4, 2003, 15:37

While Middle Ages are fun, nothing beats the ancient era, IMHO. The discovery of whether the map generator gods were kind or cruel, the REXing, the initial scramble to make contact with other civs, and the glee of plotting your neighbors dismemberment

are a blast.

G'Kar · October 4, 2003, 15:44

I voted modern, but I probably like industrial better. That's when you get some of the most interesting units; destroyers, battleships, carriers, planes, infantry, arty, tanks. And unlike the modern era, there are usually meaningful war to be fought during industrial.

Ecthy · October 4, 2003, 18:04

Industrial is still coolest, and if it's only because of that es-dur sonata 3rd movement from.... can't think of the composer now...

Snotty · October 4, 2003, 18:08

Industrial has the potential to be coolest. If only I could get there and still have the AI breathing down my neck....

Ecthy · October 4, 2003, 18:11

damn... what's that name?

GhengisFarb™ · October 4, 2003, 18:40

I don't think its near as fun when your WINNING. The constant struggle to get ahead, being right on the edge of domination and doom is the best part the game.

Hagbart · October 5, 2003, 09:15

I like the ancient age the most. Layiing out the empire is fun.

Mountain Sage · October 6, 2003, 07:19

My best era is the 'Monkey era', where humankind could pick up bananas for free in the world's jungles.
My best season is when the bananas are ripe.

The banana smiley is overworked...

Brundlefly · October 6, 2003, 13:27

Ancient because they game moves quickly. I have never played a game into Modern age. Halfway through Industrial, it either becomes clear that I will win the game, or the game becomes too difficult to manage and I get bored and start over. This is on emperor level. On Diety, I never get out of Ancient because the other civs become too powerful and I feel like I cant catch up to them.

MrWhereItsAt · November 4, 2003, 00:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
My interest decreases with progressing game. The ancient age is cool, you lay the base of your game strategy here and build up your economy. Then comes the medieval age. Pikemen, knights, catapults, later replaced by musketmen, cavalry and cannons. The best wonders of the game. Nice atmosphere. When I hit the industrial age, things become increasingly boring. I usually already have a big advantage here, and mostly the ToE gets me so far ahead, that the game is virtually over. The industrial age ends the need for good tactics and smart unit placement. The railroads a la Firaxis ruin the game, at least for me. Huge stacks of footsloggers, the lacking ability of the AI to use bombardement, and the ruining of once thriving AI civs to pitiful, backwards communist countries in endless MPP driven wars do the rest. Most of my games end in the industrial age, because I can't stand them anymore. I'm in most games far ahead and feel as if I'm herding a drove of idiots. The modern age has cool music, but that's about all good I can say about it. Thank god, with the UN, the spaceship and the quickly growing culture it has plenty opportunities to leave the mess victorious.

Amen to that. ALL of it.

Jethro83 · November 4, 2003, 08:39

Recently, I've avoided warfare in the ancient era, preferring an agressive peaceful expansion strategy. I will also be building up my spearmen and chariots and a substantial cache of gold to upgrade them later on.

Once the middle ages kick in, borders are more well-defined, and I have a better idea as to who I can cooperate (few resources, behind me in tech, far away, never demanded tribute), who I can simply tolerate (kept to themselves so far, no resources, far away) and who I absolutely must eliminate (someone who demanded tribute, someone next door, someone getting too powerful, or someone with too many of the world's resources). Then it is total war with knights and musketmen (and far later on cavalry) until I stand alone in control of most resources, and the larger part of my continent.

That is the time where things get the most interesting. Therefore, my answer to the original question is the Medieval era. However, I'm one who doesn't consider the Industrial and modern eras boring. During the Industrial era, I simply consolidate the gains from my empire's total war period by enacting a policy of pure building and peaceful trade, possibly even with former enemies I might have spared.

Then when Modern era kicks in, I like to play the world peacekeeping force with my battleships, aircraft carriers, stealth bombers, marines, etc. trying to keep the smaller guys from destroying one another, or being destroyed by other larger powers.

Master Zen · November 4, 2003, 14:00

Modern Era.

Yeah, I only get there about once in ever 20 games but modern warfare is just soooooo fun, especially if it's you against a powerful killer AI fighting an all-out war all over the world. Those wars are well worth the wait considering I usually finish in the middle ages or industrial.