You can also play against a mix of humans and computer-controlled opponents if you like. You can chat with other human players and maintain diplomatic relations with them. You can also change the game rules in multiplayer games to move the game along more quickly if you want to finish in a night. But if you can't, you can save multiplayer network games and continue them later on. Players can also come and go, with the computer taking over control of civilizations that have lost their human players.
New humans can also take over computer-controlled civilizations.
Hot-seat play is not as lame as it sounds. Civilization II Gold are a pile of game scenarios, as well as a powerful scenario editor to create your own scenarios. Some of the scenarios are basic, modeling a specific period in world history or a standardized set of events. Others are remarkably creative, allowing players to develop magical and mythical civilizations. Macworld's Buying Advice All in all, Civilization II Gold is an impressive refinement of the Civilization series.