Noob Setting Comments

[lordhoff]

I started out in "medium" like I normally do but, well, I was getting my butt kicked so I ratcheted it down. It was mentioned that, in "noob", the AI was less aggressive and this got my attention since I prefer to turtle in these games. It did allow that and I've learned the game well enough that it is time to ratchet back up. Here are my observations on noob compared to my first couple of games in medium:
- you get additional supplies etc a lot more often (wood stockpile found, etc)
- there are no supply rules lessening ship and settler value
- cities cannot be starved into submission
- cities cannot be persuaded with influence making influence points only value as a cheap item for trade (really, that's using an exploit, though)

Yeah, I'm missing a lot using noob. I do, however, like the less aggressive AI. I found it a bit annoying early in the game at medium so I'm leaning towards the setting just below that. Still, I wonder how many of these other things will be restored or what I'll be missing that even higher values have. I guess there's only one way to find out! So, if anyone reading this is considering using noob, these are the changes I've noticed and, yes, the game is still fun in that setting. There may be more like, perhaps treaties and alliances are assessed differently. I just don't know at this point.


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[pavelk]

Hi lordhoff,
you are absolutely right. As per manual, game difficulty changes:

• How aggressive AI players are in general
• How often random and semirandom events occur (the lower the difficulty the more often the good events and less often the bad events occur)
• Production of all the resources (for human player). The lower the difficulty the higher the "bonus" for player. AI's production of resources is always the same no matter what difficulty is chosen.
• How quickly the army morale lowers and increases (with lower difficulty the army morale decreases slowly and increases faster).
• How much spoils of war you get (the lower the difficulty the higher the spoils of war of independent cities).
• How quickly the happiness lowers and increases (similarly to army morale - with lower difficulty the happiness decreases slowly and increases faster).
• How precise are general's advices (the lower the difficulty the more precise the advices).
• What game options are turned on by default

All the listed items except of the last one are configured per each difficulty level and cannot be changed. On the other hand, the game options are pre-set per selected difficulty level (like army morale, general morale, loyalty, etc.) but you can decide to turn them on even in the lower difficulty levels (in the New game window). The reason why some of them are turned off by default (for Noob, Beginner and Easy levels) is to not overwhelm a newcomer with too many rules at time.

Have fun exploring the other features!:)

[lordhoff]

That last item really got my attention. Sounds like I can have my cake and eat it too! Translation: some advanced features with a less aggressive AI. The additional supplies only mattered early for me - after a bit of success, I had plenty of everything. If someone really wants a challenge, forget the Germans - I say the Celts are really tough to win with. Easiest? For me it was the Romans as I won in medium on the first try - the only one I was able to do that with. Historically, they were the winners so that was expected. Also, I completely forgot about earthquakes, etc. They did happen in my first couple of games plus I think in higher settings, enemy troops come over to your side if you are doing well against their entity - that didn't happen (as I recall, may have rarely) in noob.