Does this seem odd to anyone else?

As far as I can see from the Editor standard is 100 x 100 tiles and large is 130 x 130.

So is this an abnormally tall map?

Melifluous

Having used the editor a lot I know what could be the meaning behind the 100X130. It turns the map visually into a square, same hight as width. He could have graphicly wanted to make a special mapshape.
Also, making the shape 100X130 could also mean that on a "random" map with these parameters all "layers" are bigger. Thick Jungle in the middle, thick Tundra near the poles, ect ect.
I am curious.

As for tactics. I tested as well and there is one way that would make this a LOT easier. We need luck though. We need the Temple of Artemis. Soon. Either build it or Capture it.

But the ToA means you have to hold off education?

At the end of these games I am getting around 1500-2000 cultre per turn, do you think ToA that ends so early will actually help?

I'd never go for education in this game. First, Despotism means a lot of corruption and not so much production. If we have to crank out 200 shield Universities that will not help that much IMHO. I prefer 4 GS over a University any time.
We also should prevent getting Feudalism in the game as it makes our GS obsolete, so why research at all beyond the few needed techs in the Ancient Era? With the cash we get we can get literature by buying/stealing it. I say that once we get the wars going, we can pop-rush some of these but our main culture will have to come from temples.
Remember that if we get Artemis 2 setlers (60 shields and 4 pop) will produce more culture then one Lib (80 shields).

Well, we need about 60% of the landmass. I can't imagne getting it without Cavs, although maybe 30% of Deity games I can finish by Knights so it is possible.

Of course, we would never rush unis. That much is obvious. ;)

BTW, in your test did you play Deity 100k? Did you really get there in the ancient age??

difficulty: Emperor

Perhaps that explains my PoV?

On deity it would be very hard to try and conquer the world with GS, on emperor...why not? [fdevil]

I wonder how hard this game will be. I get the impression that these games are anything apart from standard. [ponder]

However we can get to Cavs if needed without Education, so I guess my original point is invalid. ToA will be very powerful...

Free and instant temples in every city will be a game buster. We need to check that this wonder is still available. Iirc they adjust the bic to make C3C compatible with PTW and vanilla Civ. Its possible they'll remove it.

ToA's nice, but IIRC the temples' cpt doesn't double after 1000 years, so if you're going for 100K handbuilt temples might be more beneficial....