Magnificent!

[vaalen]

I have waited for this game for a long time. So far, it has surpassed my high expectations. I think it will prove to be even better than Field of Glory Empires. It is not just based on the same game system, it truly improves it and provides a rich gameworld, unlike any other.

Bravo, Pocus!

[Laboratorium]

Could you please be more elaborate in your praise.

I am playing Empires for years and see no single improvement in this game.
But of course I left the beta, because I really hated the changes.

So what is better?
The region UI for example now has two columns which makes is harder to use. Downgrade.
The map looks worse. Downgrade.
The political system with placing people in the court, does not add up to any strategy. You just have to check them and place them. Just work for nothing.

And I would be interested in how the Authority System improves the gameplay?
Can small nations expand with the authority system more easily than very large ones? If not, then it is a downgrade.

Does it have a better army or recruitment system?

So what is so much better?

[gronk]

I would also like to know a bit more about this ...

I loved Empires when it came out, then they added the "anti-blobbing" changes to the point that it became virtually unplayable (for me).
There are still quite a number of very good systems in Empire, which I assume they have not changed. (trading and resource availability comes to mind).

I quite like the new look, but I generally care little about visuals unless they get in the way of efficient management of stuff.
Still my most important question is: what (if anything) have they done for blob management? In Empire the original implementation was very bare-bones and every "fix" after felt like arbitrary to just slow down blobbing.
I would also like to know what diplomacy looks like now compared to Empires.

[SuitedQueens]

I am playing Empires for years and see no single improvement in this game.
But of course I left the beta, because I really hated the changes.

How do you not see that every single system is improved is beyound me. Its like comparing Master of Orion 2 to original. I wish it can be more pronounced in terms of increasing probabilities for every single facets to make ut mofe apparent. My single gripe so far is what you do with units and conquests outpaces economy. So it can sometimes feel that it stagnant and nothing bad happens. If you read the manual and played at least a single game to turn 250 you can see the difference. The biggest noticeable improvement is the midgame AI and AI actions during wars in general.

The region UI for example now has two columns which makes is harder to use. Downgrade.

Are you serious? Its easier than ever since most pops limited to 2 rows essentially. Its was made easier and accessible to aid AI in regional development.

The map looks worse. Downgrade.

You have way more factions at the same time inclusing vassals, but only so many colors. Use search CTRL+F function more often. Cities are more varied in looks as well.

The political system with placing people in the court, does not add up to any strategy. You just have to check them and place them. Just work for nothing.

Actually thats one of a few truly dangerous curveballs game can throw at you. RTFM if you missed how important characters Loyalty is. And then Royal Marriages, Peer related decisions, etc.

And I would be interested in how the Authority System improves the gameplay?
Can small nations expand with the authority system more easily than very large ones? If not, then it is a downgrade.

Yes it can of large factions controlled by AI. Negative Authority effects should be more pronounced IMO since I easily spent 270 turns, had only 2 Civil Wars and was doing great on economy. I described the biggest positives in the new thread "strategies for the new players".

Does it have a better army or recruitment system?

Definitely. My only gripe is that due to historic accuracy you can't have as many stacks at the same time for extremely fun exploitstive gameplay.

[Laboratorium]

How get the UI to a readable size?

Needs to be double and a better readable font.

So strategy in this game is to pick the strongest one compared to the neigbors and play 100reds of turns to get some more troops.

Lame...

[Surt]

How get the UI to a readable size?

Needs to be double and a better readable font.

So strategy in this game is to pick the strongest one compared to the neigbors and play 100reds of turns to get some more troops.

Lame...

UI scale. Go to Options

UIScale.JPG (36.39 KiB) Viewed 2061 times

Select one.

[SuitedQueens]

How get the UI to a readable size?

Needs to be double and a better readable font.

So strategy in this game is to pick the strongest one compared to the neigbors and play 100reds of turns to get some more troops.

Lame...

First of all you can't even comprehend my responses, so its not the text size issue. Next: game has UI scaling options AND you can replace font files on your own. Check Steam guide.

On strategy: read my quick guide. If you want to win fast and efficiently racking up Warscore to Humilate for Legacy and a few Metal reach territories is what you do. But even on suicidal difficulty you can win with no wars at all. Buy regions, go for Renaissances, build Stewardship & Piety. You can roleplay in the one of the best 4X sandboxes ever.

[Laboratorium]

I do not know...

Take a good wargames with some things that could be improved and make it into a workerplacement game, where you are restraint to do anything but wait till you build up.

You can not recruit...
You can build an army composition based on what is good in combat.

Empire had battles. Even if you start with one province, you start recruiting and beginn to expand during the first few turns.

What is this about sit there with 2 provinces and recruit an army only to have strave for lack of manpower. Which takes at least 20 turns.

It is so bad. How can you make a really good game into this? I can t get it...

And I can not get that they want to sell it a the improved successor of Empire. While the game has nothing in common except for using the same engine.

[springel]

This game is not designed to play as every faction with equal possibilities.

If you chose from the 'uninteresting' factions, even just survival can be nearly impossible. But the game warns you about that.

[Surt]

That is not a problem, I love the build up, the struggle to get the right balance of resources, the composition of the armies.
The start armies are generally what the nation can support, if you want so different kinds of troops, disband those of your army you don't like and hire those you like. But the armies are smaller than Empires, no more do the Persians show up with 600 units on your doorstep.

[SuitedQueens]

I do not know...

Take a good wargames with some things that could be improved and make it into a workerplacement game, where you are restraint to do anything but wait till you build up.

You can not recruit...
You can build an army composition based on what is good in combat.

Empire had battles. Even if you start with one province, you start recruiting and beginn to expand during the first few turns.

What is this about sit there with 2 provinces and recruit an army only to have strave for lack of manpower. Which takes at least 20 turns.

It is so bad. How can you make a really good game into this? I can t get it...

And I can not get that they want to sell it a the improved successor of Empire. While the game has nothing in common except for using the same engine.

Wrong. Just get gud. I can start as a single region and conquer big faction in 50 turns on Suicidal difficulty. AI is bad at army compositions, so you can crush them from the get go. If you want to roleplay: small factions supposed to use Mercenaries, unit exchanges via Diplomacy and various Recruit RGDs. Don't use untrained levies in the frontline unless they will go up against peasants, opposing levies or light troops. Rebate (free unit support) really helps. Levy slots should be occupied by cheap supports with 9 (reduced to 8 dmg) Range Damage. Early on you can easily support army large enough for non-Plain non-Desert combats. Use Retaliate to train and rack up Warscore.

[Laboratorium]

This game is not designed to play as every faction with equal possibilities.

Empire was... So a mayor downgrade here too.

[Laboratorium]

You wont convince me. I bought the game only because I have played so much of Empire and wanted to support the company making something of this kind.

But still I really hate every changed they made.

It is so much worse. And when people tell you that a downgrade is magnificient.

Maybe Slitherine will sell this stuff, because Medieval times has more interest than the greek and roman times.

But never say it is a successor of Empire. It is a totally different games and in my eyes puts in complexity where it is not needed and prevents you from playing a grand strategy game by the bad mechanics.

They can t even fully explain the Authority mechanism...
They just say it is good...

[GeorgePattonIII]

@Laboratorium;

Let's summarize:

1) You don't like the game and nobody will convince you otherwise. No problem!

2) You only bought the game because you "wanted to support the company". Thank you for your generosity!

3) Those of us that like the game are "weird in our tastes". Well, they say there's no accounting for taste!

Now what should we talk about?

[TheDeadeye]

Yeah. He keeps ranting about other things and is just being "German < The annoying kind" about it. Just put him on ignore and you'll spare yourself his needless drama and lack of tact.

[Pocus]

If you have a Steam copy bought directly from Steam and haven't yet left a positive review, don't hesitate. We're right on the razor's edge of 80%, and just one more negative review could drop us from 'Very Positive' to 'Positive.' The latest negative review came from a player who played the game for 20 hours, apologized for giving a thumbs down due to this or that, and then played for another 12 hours. Go figure what goes on in people's minds.

[Blathergut]

well...i THINK i posted a review...but there was some 'error w your review' but I couldn't see what

it shows on my Kingdoms library page but i don't see it on the store page...maybe takes a bit of time?

Dan T.