I'm enjoying this one so far. While it's only the first of what will no doubt be many more chapters, as the introduction chapter, it's not bad.
The TA has helped battling quite a bit. I haven't been trading goods for it or chasing high levels, so I can't comment on the demands for FP goods trading.
The ronins are the only really useful unit for the player so far. Though I will say the ninjas have made using CRAB mechs somewhat viable. As they can see through the stealth and have a good chance at being in range for the first shot.
After earning a handful of contestants estate from soccer, TA and now a pirate ship, my battling GE has gotten significantly more efficient. So I am definitely liking the trend of including battle boosts as an effect of special buildings more often.
I thought fighting the map was interesting, seeing units from so far back with such high boosts seemed like an odd decision, but it actually made the playing through battles more interesting as I was up against units and boost combinations i had not seen before.
I am curious if there will be a new harbor goods production in play. As chapter 1 for AF/OF both gave us the *under construction* versions and VF doesn't seem to have one yet. If it will be under construction for chapter 2 and opened in 3, or just put aside as a mechanic. I would like to see one, as much as I think that system needs some refining, I think it worked for what it was meant to do.
FE goods from GBs is pretty great. But also nothing 'new' as it was the next expected shift in the course of goods producers. And still doesn't change the minimal useability of AF-VF goods in guild treasury from those donating GBs.
Something often suggested in proposals is a shift in the donating GBs at AF. Rather than suggest the common idea of age selection for the donation. I would like to float the idea of shifting to crowns production. (I'll be putting that idea into a formal proposal soon, once I crunch some numbers and figure out what payouts I believe would be fair.) Crowns, also being a collection option I think has been overlooked as a possible for many of the newer GBs in favor of just more coin / supply / goods / medals. Feel free to keep using FP as a collection option though. I'm fine with that.
I do want fewer chapters in the ages, and I doubt that's a thing that is slowing down any time soon. So I want the chapters to have value. VF1 added some new stuff that didn't disappoint me. So long as the chapters ahead bring in new, useable and valuable things. I won't be too bothered by them.
My biggest complaint isn't directly about the age itself, but about the timing of the release of the age and the summer event. That issue being, why would you give me a ship, days after allowing me to LEAVE the oceanic future? It would make all the sense to have the ship in OF. It would fit so perfectly and be awesome... But no. We can't have nice things like that. We get the ship. Which is admittedly awesome. I got 3. But now, they just float around my virtual world and that is just... so mean.
All in all. I give it 6.5/10 so far. Id have made it a round 7. But an age can't be completely judged by the chapter 1. And I'm docking a half point for the virtual ship debacle.