Moo3 too much for us at this point ;)

[Killazer]

In a few months from now, Moo3 will be the greatest thing since sliced bread But right now, it's just too much for us..... lol....

[JonahFalcon]

I hate to harp on this point, but you ought to at least browse through the strategy guide. And you have to keep playing.

In fact, I found one good way to learn to play was to be hyper-aggressive - build a fleet with the intention of being a conqueror. You'll learn that you have to design short-range, long-range, indirect fire, troop carriers, and work them in concert.

From there, you learn how to stabilize your economy while at war.

After you play like that, you learn a lot about the inner mechanisms.

[Killazer]

Ya I was being sarcastic. But that does seem to be the case right now. The game does in fact have quite a bit of depth and a very great amount of variables that can decides victory or defeat. I think its a good game, but prolly will take a while for ppl to realize that

[JonahFalcon]

Try being militaristic and hyper-aggressive one time through, though. You'll learn a lot about the game - especially why and how you lost, etc.

[KoalaBear33]

Originally posted by JonahFalcon
I hate to harp on this point, but you ought to at least browse through the strategy guide.

Strategy guide is optional. One shouldn't need it to PLAY the game (master the game then yes but not play)...

KoalaBear33

[JonahFalcon]

You don't NEED it, really. But it does help understand the game, and clarifies some of the more obscure points.

Browse it - see if it interests you.

[Cado]

Jonah is right.

Browsing the Strat Guide helped make some sense on certain items where the manual was just plain short.

You really do not need it to play but, it does clarify things a bit.

[JonahFalcon]

Plus, if you ARE a stat hog, it does detail each tech statwise, including weaponry. However, in the entire month I've played MOO3, I've never referred to the strat guide for weapon or other tech stats.

The ONLY thing I've used the strat guide for in terms of reference is diplomatic stance.

[peacenik]

If QS wants the 500000 copy 'big hit' mentioned in an interview a few weeks ago, the first patch should include a walk-through tutorial designed for a MOO/space strategy newbie. I'm enjoying the learning curve, but someone new to this type of game might be scared off without some help. People on this type of board don't need it, but the other 475000 buyers probably do, and we need them happy if we want more quality strategy titles.

[Harry Seldon]

Strategy guides are for cheaters. Where's the fun in finding answers on page 37 when you can discover the tricks of the game for yourself ? Sure, after you play the game for awhile buy it to see what you missed. I did for FFVII. But I beat it twice before I did.

[JonahFalcon]

Strategy guides are not cheating tools.

[be0wulfe]

Originally posted by JonahFalcon
I hate to harp on this point, but you ought to at least browse through the strategy guide. And you have to keep playing.

Bullplucky. That should have been a warning that the designers had failed in encapsulating & hiding complexity.

FWIW, your average non-twitch gamer will be able to make it through just fine w/o a S/Guide, if they take some time to read over the manual, look at the screens & play a few experimental games before getting serious.

That being said, the interface and data presentation is one that will grow on you over time, but not gell immedeatly. Now that, I don't think is necessarily good.

[LordGek]

I don't know...maybe I'm jaded since I already read the strategy guide many weeks ago but since I've started playing I've found the game's manual and the readme.txt a HELL of a lot more helpful to understanding the game so far.

I think some of these online deals like Lore Weaver's Race Guide are a lot more informative since his information is more up to date than the strategy guide's.

Maybe its just me but I get a strategy guide for the detailed charts and statistics but the official guide all throughout just felt so vague and hazy when it came to concrete details. Not even trying to list all of the techs and not giving you all of the details about the ones it did.

I also thought the official guide's "Detailed Strategies for Each Race" was a big joke. He just walks us through the first few turns of games he played as each of the races. None of his examples seemed to ever get beyond the first few colonies or into any real wars with the other races (early game strategies are nice but so are the mid and end game stuff).