The disappointment of a warring newbie.

One thing you miss COMPLETELY, is that this is a perpetual game with no end and therefore the only true goals are your own. This what what makes Illy unique as well as complex.

Many people want a McDonlds type game where you can build quick, kill quicker, and have the game end in quick measure so you can hold your reign just long enough to make it, but not establish anything. Thus the McD's mentality - get it fast, eat it quick, and it's over before you really enjoyed it. This doesn't mean you wont enjoy it, but you wont get to enjoy the full benefits of what you accomplished, nor see the end results of your accomplishments - for good or ill.

This game is much akin (in my mind) to the book/TV series - Game of Thrones.
This is as much if not more about subtleties and diplomatic strategies (long term) than mass armies and brute force. There is MUCH more to this game than the surface armies and diplomatic units as the tides of battle, leading to wars can turn on dime or a traitors leaked information.

The Dwarven Lords is much like the Dwarves in books, they are quiet and no one really knows what they are doing or what they are capable of. But one thing is certain, like the ancient wars of legend, the Dwarves were a part of every War and deadly when they entered the battle frey.  However like the fantasy books, they did war on their own but most often came into battle with their allies. They knew, as the Dwarven Lords do, that while the mass armies of your enemies are fearsome to behold, it matter little when they are surrounded by friends.

It is easy to sign a pact, but more difficult to keep it when you don't know if you can trust the ones you align yourself with. It is an easy thing to have 15 confederations.. it is more difficult to keep them together once the heat of war burns their homes to the ground (and months of work are laid waste). Many might be willing fight, but few are willing to give such large scale sacrifices.

Thus there are many battlefields here with armies, politics, diplomacy, secrets/spies, and the like. To win on the battlefield will not depend whole on your ability to fight but to keep others from joining in - THAT takes a great deal of diplomatic negotiating, a high degree of trust, and proof, your cause is a 'right' one OR.. that aligning with you has enough benefits to negate any fear that might take hold.

If you are looking for a bloody game.. learn the full depth of this one for it is not the blood on ground you need worry about, but that which is spilled in the silence of word or shadows of your own room. Welcome to the - Game of Thrones

Edited by belargyle - 21 Jun 2012 at 20:16

/me does not want a throne but will pay for a recliner with yummy cupcakes

Gilthoniel wrote: Hmm... High King Belargyle's post set me thinking. I always liked his imagination and the way he applied it to his Alliance  - The Dwarven Lords. He argues that this game is far more complex than it appears at first sight and that the  gameplay is far more focussed on interrogation of those complexities and the setting of objectives based on the circumstances  that the game presents. Actually I disagree, but I will be the first to admit that his imagination is closer to the latest concepts in game design than mine. Listen to this podcast by Mitu Khandaker first broadcast on BBC radio four this week. http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/fourthought (I'll bet the fires are burning bright within the hearths of the Hall of the High King tonight )

LOL.. fires do burn brightly in the Dwarven Halls :)

In truth many see it your way, though I'm not exactly sure your playing style many in that proverbial boat are looking to only fight (squash armies and towns), trade grow, then yes they miss the other complexities of the game - this kind of playing is typically toward a singular interest and mind set and in order to enjoy it the game itself needs to be geared in the majority toward this concept. Nothing wrong with this kind of gaming but it misses the fullness of the concept design of 'this' game which desires to go beyond a singular interest.

Thus the other aspects of the game come into play only once you step outside of what I consider singular-concept playing. For instance, in becoming an alliance leader, or part of that alliances upper leadership, a person finds out that alliances are tricky and small schemes of various sorts of being breathed in quiet corners. While you build your alliance, you note that population is one thing but gives you no real credibility in the global community and as such you find that your reputation is more than just a by-word.  As you grow in this you again notice that the more intense you alliance becomes in moving up in the ranks (vai population size, inter-activity,and other things) you realize there are schemes of all types to maneuver and manipulate the game mechanics, alliances, people, ect... and you must now determine what you will do such information, or if the information is false to test your integrity or commitments. As you continue you realize these little schemes grow larger, more complex, and much more dangerous.. and commitments signed in the proverbial blood... but traitors still lie in the wait. Information is Key to any future or coordinated alliance function (war or otherwise) and you begin to notice you have some information is being leaked, though most isn't significant you realize you now have a spy!

It goes on from there depending how invested you desire to be, your end goals for yourself and your alliance, overall game play, ect...  And if you desire to change game mechanics you either need to come along side those who are perceived as controllers/popular (that depends on your perspective  ) and gain influence and political power to convince them they need to change an move in a different direction... or possibly gaining political or maybe backing for an over throw.

There is always different views but I like the fact you can create a world you wish IF you are willing to "play the game" in it's many and varied aspects. (But that is me )

Edited by belargyle - 23 Jun 2012 at 21:15

If I want to smash armies, I play a game on my computer, against the computer.

it could be that the current game systems deter warfare also, its kindof a shame, so many parts of the game are not played, if some changes were made by the devs maybe there would be more warfare without the threat of losing so much time invested in building, maybe raids can be hidden or some other sort of enhance current feature or added feature? i vote the game have more sneaky attack functions than the current ones, almost all dip attacks are detected, u see things coming from afar like raids, this area of play could really be alot of fun if easy changes were made, we have alliance prestige pools now, maybe features could be added that cost prestige...which i add is given out free each day and can be earned by recuiting new players to the game and by winning tournaments.....some warfare is needed to make the game less static, more interesting