About the concentration of research:
Although concentrating on science works well against (current) AI, and CapitalAI is written with this in mind, one should not think this strategy works well against intelligent opponents; there is a long period: pre- industrial republic, where the production is so low that any major attack is deadly, also a pillaging neighbor can do extensive damage to your economy, and you don't have the power to stop it. Note: another player only has to occupy the tiles (yielding production) in the city area for one turn, and you have only one defender left, after is is killed that player has a gained very valuable city, worth the trouble? I think it is!
About big cities
This doesn't mean big cities aren't powerful, it only means that you should't count on one mayor city being enough. Especially in the new rules big cities are less powerful (still have to try the snapshot though)
About diplomacy
Admittingly diplomacy is/was not extremely powerfull on the long term, unless you can jump sciences. Then, however, it becomes one of the most powerfull effects in the game. I personally think that intelligent use of diplomacy is already too powerful (in 0.14), and unbalancing when AI programmers (and human players) will utilize its potential.
Posted 24-Apr-06 16:09 by Retudin