One of the main reasons I see as to why people don't want to even try TI is because it takes so long (8 hours I hear). Personally, I have owned this game for 5 years now but have never been able to get it to the table since my gaming group just doesn't have the time nor the inclination to play the same game for more than 4 hours max. I have read lots of suggestions on BoardgameGeek about how to make the game faster by having timers for turns/negotiation, making sure everyone knows the rules inside and out before starting, setting the game up completely before everyone arrives, playing with less than 8 players etc, but even then they admit it will still be 6 hours.

What I'm wondering then is, could I just give all my players 2 VPs at the start of the game to reduce the playtime? How much would that alter the experience? Would it really make that much of a difference to how good the game is or to how much of its mechanics we would get to engage with?

I know on BGG, as with every game on BGG for that matter, basically any suggestion of changing even the smallest most insignificant aspect of the game is treated as blasphemy worthy of death, but be real with me please. Would it really make that much of a difference if I just started my players on 2 VPs each? And if so, how so? If it would ruin the game, in what way(s) would it ruin it?

Thank you for your help and advice. I've been so keen to actually play this game for so long, I just need some way to convince my group to let me bring it to the table.