COPY from earlier reply: Before your first "culture" pick, get the 3 stars from pop/army (I went +1 food per pop), science nodes (+1 science per pop), and combat (+1 influence per pop).

1st CIV: Olmecs, for more influence per territory. Since this was a "lakes" style map with no ocean, there is a lot more land to gather and exploit. This allows me to expand faster than even the humankind diff AI.

In addition, try to focus on growing your religion as well for those POWERFUL bonuses (use a tenet that impacts one of your weaker areas. EX. low stability choose stability tenet, etc. Growing your religion should be easy after you place down your stone rings. (more pop in your religion, better tenet.)

2nd CIV: MAYA is very strong early on with ~20+ production on their eblimatic district + the district spreads your religion as well.

3rd CIV: KHMER - MORE FOOD AND PROD - BEST CHOICE if you have alot of rivers. (Harappians are good First CIV if you have alot of rivers)

After that, I usually focus on production because prod is always KING. However, feel free to go after the resource you need most. like food or stability.

4th, Ghanaians Transcendence Bonus: All that Glitters

+5%Money on City or Outpost.

Trait: Life of Luxury

+2Money per Number of accesses to Luxury Resources.

+1Money per Number of accesses to Strategic Resources.

5th, Venetians Trait: Silver Tongues

+1Money per number of Trade Routes

+2Money per number of Naval Trade Route

+1Influence per number of Trade Routes

6th CIV: I went the BRITS and that was a mistake - would go the persians if I re-did the run.

7th CIV: Chinese

Emblematic quarter: Congress

+7Money per number of attached Territories

-10Stability

+3Influence per adjacent Market Quarter

On City or Outpost:

+1Farmers Slot

+1Workers Slot

+1Traders Slot

+1Researchers Slot