Rise of Nations, initial impressions

[Dis]

how does conquer the world work? Seems to me like the only play mode worth playing, but I don't know all the details.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


last night i played on moderate difficulty, as Nubians, diplo-allowed game, on "north atlantic" map.

Im getting well on my way to 10 hours of play, which to me justifies a $10 game. Its fun, in an AOEish kind of way. And lets one see what certain marginally civish improvements (civics tech, ruins/goody hut. special resources, etc) do to that kind of game. With the many options for play, I could easily play several more skirmishes just to minimally explore the options. And then Id like to try the conquer the world thing at least once, and Id like to see what the modding community has done (some of the player made scenarios/campaigns for the first AOE were terrific)

I doubt this will go on my list of all time greats, and yeah, I think Brian Reynolds should have been capable of more (apparently some folks think ROL WAS better, from a RTS genre POV, but im not interested enough to try it) but a waste of money, not at all.

Sounds a fair assessment to me.

[Sarxis]

There was a mode patched into the game that did auto-pause every so many seconds. It has been a while, but if you have the patches (or the xpack?) go under mods, and load it up. It was more annoying than anything. I just usually play on very slow speed with intermittent pausing.


Crap! I need to load this game up again now. Thanx a lot LotM! I was having fun with GlaCiv2 up until I read this post :P

[mactbone]

CtW mode had a set of scenarios like colonizing the New World where you and a few other civs started with one "province" and the rest all neutral and the object was usually to take the other side out. You would decide to attack a province and then be taken into the RTS map and fight it out with neutrals or an opposing army. the computer nations would also get an opportunity to grab territory and sometimes you would defend. Provinces could contain wonders or other resources which would affect your RTS skirmishes - like a free unit with every barracks or extra resources, etc.

[lord of the mark]

still playing this.

I should just go and do CTW, but my OCDness makes me want to get familiar with more of the civs first, and while doing that, the different maps and scen styles.

While I still havent managed to make good use of flanking, I do find the combat enjoyable, what with A. Cats/cannon having bonuses againt buildings B. The need to take care sending troops into enemy terr, and to use wagons to lessen attrition, and to rotate troops back to heal. C. Starting to make use of generals.

OTOH, in many ways less immersive than AOK. I do miss the peons responding in different languages, for example. The infinite resources, though lessening micro, take away something from the civie side of the game (maybe I need to play at a harder level for resources to be more challenging) And yes, the ages fly by.

Checked the user made scen dls, none that grab me right off, but might try a few.

[Wiglaf]

Get the hobbit game. Battle for Middle Earth 2. You can control pimpin or pippin and command huge ass armies and just run over everything you can see and I think it is based on the books.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
still playing this.

Sounds like you got your few squid worth. Now, time to move on.

[lord of the mark]

knew youd say that. Im away from HL long enough I might just start it again, but I still want to do some more RON.

BTW, is it squid, I thought it was quid?

Maybe you guys should go back to using galleons and knuts

[DrSpike]

Squid is like a jokey slang version of quid.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Squid is like a jokey slang version of quid.

Really? I think my next game, I will specify the brits as one civ, and kill them early, only to avoid such barbarism

[John-SJ]

Or, you could play the British. Being an actual barbarian might be fun to try. Once, anyway.

[lord of the mark]

too late, ive already started CTW game as Egypt.

[Main_Brain]

I was quite sure the Workers of each Nation responded differently?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Main_Brain
I was quite sure the Workers of each Nation responded differently?

maybe I need to adjust the sound settings, I dont recall them answering at all in RON.

[lord of the mark]

BTW, the Conquer the world campaign is oddly fascinating. While the "Strategic wrapper" is quite thin, it not only motivates the the tactical RTS scenarios, it interacts with them in interesting ways. For example, in Risk it was always silly how easy it was to move from South America to Africa. Well CTW, its not so easy, cause the tactical map imitates the real map, and has a huge area of water, and not enough land for many cities, and its hard to get a dominant enough position at sea to invade, plus you cant strategically flank with "supporting armies". You can try to pick terrs that have cards or resources that complement your civs abilities, or that match to your intended strategy. You can weigh spending tribute on cards (for offense) or infra (for defense). All in all, oddly addictive.