0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
I like China as a civ solely because Agriculture/Mining is an extremely versatile starting tech combination. Pavilions are nothing spectacular, but a nice little bonus. Same with Chu Ko Nus, which I've never really used effectively in single player let alone MP.
Augustus is a bit of a tricky one. Fast built settlers (easily 2 pop whipped), wonders and forges are the main bonuses. Doesn't synergise particularly well with China, but a decent all-around set up.
Fog gazing says the fph 2N1E is on a river with floodplain next to it. Tempting location to move my settler to. I think I'll move my scout 1NW, settler 2N1E, and go from there.
![[Image: Civ4ScreenShot0126.JPG]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28594063/Maps/PB11/Civ4ScreenShot0126.JPG)
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What are your thoughts on your civ/leader combo? Traits? UU/UB?
