Can someone tell me how to play the game or where to find the rulebook?

[Dis]

I downloaded the demo, I can't find any kind of pdf document in the directory that explains how to play the game.

I'm lost, I never play RTS games, and have no idea how to play. I'm getting my ass kicked on the tutorial part

anyone know where I can find rules so I can play the tuturial to see if I like it?

[Snotty]

The tutorial should give you verbal cues when you start to drift away from what you should be doing. Also ron has an extensive help system, go into options to turn help onto high, and then simply mouseover anything you want information for. One other thing for learning your way around is the panel in the bottom left corner. It has all the actions that unit can perform and if you click on any building it will show what you can research or build there. Atick at it, its well worth it.

[Dis]

well at least I beat the tutorial mission now

I still think there are a lot of shortcuts available that I don't know about. The only way I could figure out how to build buildings was to make a citizen (or use a citizen who doesn't look like he's doing anything) and have him build the building.

moving military units is a pain, and locating them all is even more of a pain. The way points are nice, but don't seem to always work.

And it took me a while to figure out individual buildings could research different things. At first I was only researching via the library.

All and all it's pretty easy on the tutorial mission now. At least militarily. I couldn't figure out how to make peace with Shaka Zulu dude. He kept pissing me off, so I eventually just built a huge army and went from city to city conuering them. I think I won because I covered 70% of the map at that point, he only had 1 city left that I knew about.

Like in TBS games the ai has a weakness towards an all out offensive blitz. When I was playing defense the ai was was doing alright I suppose. But it's too annoying playing defense. I don't like fighting on their terms. If I do nothing he will attack every five minutes or so. He's so damn annoying I decided to just wipe him off the face of the earth.

Is there a way to raze cities? Although I'm glad I didn't raze them. It takes a while to get them going, but it was much easier to build my army closer to his lands.

[Nacht]

Originally posted by Dissident
well at least I beat the tutorial mission now

Congratulations

I still think there are a lot of shortcuts available that I don't know about.

There sure are, check out the Info Thread - RoN interface feautures.

The only way I could figure out how to build buildings was to make a citizen (or use a citizen who doesn't look like he's doing anything) and have him build the building.

What other ways did you expect

moving military units is a pain, and locating them all is even more of a pain. The way points are nice, but don't seem to always work.

Use control groups, you should only need a few of them. For me, waypoints work fine.

And it took me a while to figure out individual buildings could research different things. At first I was only researching via the library.

Use the TAB key, repeatingly pressing TAB select all the buildings that have research available.

All and all it's pretty easy on the tutorial mission now. At least militarily. I couldn't figure out how to make peace with Shaka Zulu dude.

I don't think you can in the tutorial.

Like in TBS games the ai has a weakness towards an all out offensive blitz. When I was playing defense the ai was was doing alright I suppose. But it's too annoying playing defense. I don't like fighting on their terms. If I do nothing he will attack every five minutes or so. He's so damn annoying I decided to just wipe him off the face of the earth.

AFAIK the tutorial is easiest level, fear the first ai attack on moderate.

Is there a way to raze cities?

There's a raze botton in the lower left screen. But the city has to be assimilated before you can do that.

It takes a while to get them going, but it was much easier to build my army closer to his lands.

Takes a while to get them going? IMHO after your third city, cities just serve to claim territory, no need to get them going. A temple for defense and borders and optionally a university or market is all you need.

Not that claiming territory is unimportant by the way.

[Dis]

yeah but it takes a while to build units in your core cities and move them to the front line.

I built barracks, horse stables, and even a siege factory in one city. I built some farms when I finished those things- not that I needed them- I was rolling in food.

How many cities do you guys normally build?

and thanks for the responses, I'll check out tha interface link.

[uglyduck]

Originally posted by Dissident
yeah but it takes a while to build units in your core cities and move them to the front line.

Put them on auto "march to front line". Place the red flag from the building they are produced in (Barracks, Stable, Siege etc on a General commandng the main force. When produced they will then find the General wherever he may be.

You appear to be unaware of a lot of shortcuts etc for this game. I suggest that you avidly read the Strategy Forum here and at Rise of Nations Heaven and Universe etc. This game has more "extras" than any other such game yet.

[Bridger]

If you want to relocate your barracks/stables/etc. then you can simply click on the barracks in question, press the delete key (it takes a few seconds for the building to actually be raized) then build it closer to the front lines.

Also if you click on a produciton building (be it a city, barracks, market, etc.) and right click on the ground, any units produced by that building will "rally" around the point you clicked on (called the "rally point").

For general military control, double click a specific unit to select all units of it's type on the screen. Click a unit and press the "home" key to select all units of that type on the map.

Ctrl+# (numbers 1-0) sets a control group. So take all light infantry for instance, select them, then hit ctrl+1 on your keyboard. Now if you hit the 1 key again, it will select these units for you. Double tap the 1 will take you directly to where that group is. Setting the rally point of a building onto a unit will "rally" all the units built in that building to join directly into that group.

Hope those help.

[Alexander's Horse]

Dissident, you are such a lazy bum.

[Dis]

yes

I can't help it if the demo didn't come with rules

actually I'm so lazy I didn't raze my old barracks. Actually I used them to research other military units- knights and such.

When do you get generals? I'm guessing that is later in the game.

[FrustratedPoet]

When do you get generals? I'm guessing that is later in the game.

You can produce them from Forts, which you can build from the Miltary Buildings tab when you have the required level of tech.

[rah]

Moved to strategy, where it belongs.

RAH