Game Balance Issues - Newbs view.

[The Lady Redneck]

Turns out I do like calculations. Here's one for all the people that have played for so long and paid so little, urging me to be patient. I can progress right through my current age research, level up my oracle to level 6, complete the statue of zeus and attack my neighbors for an estimated 28,000 diamonds. What luck, I see that there is a bonus pack of 29,000 for only $199.99. No patience required.

OK I have played a long time (first joined just before the end of the Beta Stage of the game) I am one of those who have only paid a little. I know people who spend nothing on the game and also others who do spend serious cash on it . Not because they have to do so to get anywhere, but purely because it a hobby. The game devs and those in Market Research NEED feed back from people all across the game spectrum. Those who do think they can spend their way through the game to succeed, do at some point end up against a brick wall purely because they have not taken the time to learn the actual game.

In my journey through this game (and for a short time Elvenar as well) I have made friends and shared knowledge and asked for and received help and advice when I needed it. I have also on a couple of occasions ended up getting through support to discuss a problem with one of the devs which resulted in a program glitch that effected Elvenar and FoE getting sorted. So the game is genuinely open and fluid in a way that others are not. I honestly am not trying to put you down or tell you you are stupid. But all your answers just let me see that you really are not getting it at all. You have decided that YOU have it all figured out, YOU do not need help or advice. Almost as if no other viewpoint but yours may be considered. No-one - but no-one, whether they have just started playing, or who has been playing for years, have done so with out asking for advice on things that have them stumped.

To get the most out of the game you need to join a guild that has experienced leaders, who have been there and done that. And who are more than happy to help others. That is the only way the game will open up for you (or for anyone) I still ask for help and come here for advice. I know the others do also. The guys on these forums will also help you willingly. But not if your answers continue to be dismissive and border on the derisive. You need to stop being so blinkered. You will get back as good as you give and you will not win because they genuinely do know more than you on the subject of this game.

 

[Rhyyss]

First and last post. ...this is what makes me quit this game after researching up to the second tier in the Early Middle Ages.

You think I'm going to sit around waiting for research times.... You think I want to take a year playing this game through the space age? Think again.

The trade system takes a day to get what you need....

INNO should make a spin-off game that takes you from the Stone Age to the Future in about 6 hours. Lots of flashing and quick rewards, but without all that pesky waiting around and planning. With a Big Boss you have to fight at the end. And then you WON!! Hooray for you, pookie!

 

[Emberguard]

INNO should make a spin-off game that takes you from the Stone Age to the Future in about 6 hours. Lots of flashing and quick rewards, but without all that pesky waiting around and planning. With a Big Boss you have to fight at the end. And then you WON!! Hooray for you, pookie!

To be fair, nothing stopping a player from going “everything is more or less unlocked by Early Middle Ages, I’ll make that the end of game”. Or making Colonial Age/Industrial Age end of game. Fits nicely as a complete package as beyond that you change into Era’s and the game balance changes to a harder challenge

 

[Nicholas002]

INNO should make a spin-off game that takes you from the Stone Age to the Future in about 6 hours. Lots of flashing and quick rewards, but without all that pesky waiting around and planning. With a Big Boss you have to fight at the end. And then you WON!! Hooray for you, pookie!

Lol. it could be called "Add Water and Stir Empire", and it could feature @Agent327's idea: a "do all" button where you hit the button and it plays the whole game for you!

 

[Algona]

Lol. it could be called "Add Water and Stir Empire", and it could feature @Agent327's idea: a "do all" button where you hit the button and it plays the whole game for you!

I'd like to reference you to Progress Quest.

Best. Game. Evar.

Meanwhile, back on topic:

Funny, normally I can scroll up a bit to identify the topic. This is the thread by the guy who quit after three days then came back to the forum to continue discussing the game he quit?

Hmm, Progress Quest is a lot more interesting. I'm off to the killing Fields.

 

[Nicholas002]

I'd like to reference you to Progress Quest.

Best. Game. Evar.

hehe... I checked out progress quest. that's exactly what I meant! good call @Algona !

 

[67Sage101]

INNO should make a spin-off game that takes you from the Stone Age to the Future in about 6 hours. Lots of flashing and quick rewards, but without all that pesky waiting around and planning. With a Big Boss you have to fight at the end. And then you WON!! Hooray for you, pookie!

Yea. I can see how my rant was insulting to all of you who sit around and plan your month to month progression and level up by aligning calendar dates of special events and GvG and GE activities.

 

[67Sage101]

I'd like to reference you to Progress Quest.

Best. Game. Evar.

Meanwhile, back on topic:

Funny, normally I can scroll up a bit to identify the topic. This is the thread by the guy who quit after three days then came back to the forum to continue discussing the game he quit?

Hmm, Progress Quest is a lot more interesting. I'm off to the killing Fields.

If I could delete the thread I would. Face it we all like to post. Makes us think someone is listening, even if they post things like "your the biggest idiot on this forum I've ever seen".

 

[Algona]

If I could delete the thread I would. Face it we all like to post. Makes us think someone is listening, even if they post things like "your the biggest idiot on this forum I've ever seen".

You wouldn't want to do that! Deprive us of all the fun?

Ain;t no thing. Agreed, forum addiction is a very real problem.

Leastwise for me.

If you look at my first post in this thread, I have no problem with your post, it's reasonable. This game ain't for everyone.

And heck if you wanna hang out and talk about whatever, why not?

Join the party, pull up a chair, crack a joke, throw a barb, make a point.

All with the understanding we get to do the same.

So, wanna talk about the dumb thing in the game, the dumb things in the forum, or both?

And should you decide to get back into the game, well, you can always ask for help, you will get quality answers. And chaff.

Have fun and belated welcome to the forums.

 

[DreadfulCadillac]

I've been playing since 2013 and even back then when Colonial was the highest age and level 10 was the highest your GB could reach I still took my time getting familiar with the game etc. INNO promoted a free game, which it still is, with the option to PAY if that's your style. I paid $5 in 2013 and just this year spent $80 for expansions. I am still in tomorrow age/era only because the game changes as you progress so it's prudent to have healthy GBs , make a few friends , and enjoy.

No one is getting a prize to play .... unless you feel the need to be in the top 100 of your world for some sort of virtual satisfaction.

I'm about to crack top rank 2000 in my main world Arvahall only for being an active slayer of the hood GE and GBG which my guild is in platinum. This week we are kicking virtual a$$ ....not sure I like the league point addition .... I'll know in a month or so.

Every merge I get to see those players at the back end of the hood, that have rushed to get into tomorrow with nightmarish laughable city setups. Kids ? Adults ? I have no pity but to slay their defense and sometimes plunder ....i love plundering the Maharaja palaces when I see they are available....

There's my 2c to this thread and a hardy har har for you quitting in early middle ages ....smdh

League points arent a ADDITION. they have always been there, now its just that they show them.

 

[The Lady Redneck]

Yea. I can see how my rant was insulting to all of you who sit around and plan your month to month progression and level up by aligning calendar dates of special events and GvG and GE activities.

Nope.. Wrong again on 2 points. (Sorry)
1. You did not insult me at all. You can if you want... it would not bother me. But you insulted my game before even knowing what it was really about. That is a no-no. And I am sure the others here felt the same when they read your rant. But I have read your amendment so you have my forgiveness. Which I am sure will mean a lot to you. Anyway A belated welcome (I think) to the Forums.

2. "sit around and plan your month to month progression and level up by aligning calendar dates" Are you nuts!?!!!?!! That would involve maths
And FoE Math is in a league of its own. It would stump Einstein.

 

[Triopoly Champion]

So, wanna talk about the dumb thing in the game, the dumb things in the forum, or both?

I always prefer other players to think I'm dumb.

An Arcless players laughed at me and said I put 60 fps to his GB and only got 40 fps back, thus I didn't tell him anything, good thing I have 30 GBs including FoD and Voyager, so his guild leader didn't discover my level 81 Arc.

 

[Dominator - X]

I doubt this will budge developers since the end goal is diamond sales, but this is what makes me want to quit this game after researching up to the second tier in the Early Middle Ages. Actually, I changed the title to a newbs view . I can see why most of the commenters had a cow and I agree this was a rush to judgment in hindsight. But what it tells me is how off putting this game can be to a new player when they don't realize they stepped into a game with a timeline of years instead of months.

1. Housing payouts don't scale as much as the costs. I can gain 72/hour with a stone age hut, I only get 60/hr with a Middle Ages House. If's it a 2 story house it's 50/hr. The payouts should scale with #people and #age. Agreed coins are not a big deal later in the game though.
2. Production payouts don't scale. Iron Age goat farm produces 220/hr. A middle ages Tannery/Butcher - 160/hr. And the tannery costs more !
Smaller footprint...not worth the reductions. Acknowledged, the issue is production / square.
3. Forge Point payout should increase with #Age. Your game scales research from 10 FP, to 500FP in the late ages. You think I want to take a year playing this game through the space age? Ok. I see that seasoned players (4+years) have lots of ways to get FP. So this point is lost on seasoned players that know the tricks. But looks like a mountain to players in the iron age.
4. Forge points for trading: Stupid. The trade system takes a day to get what you need, it's underused and too costly. Still agree that trading should never require a forge point especially since trading is only vital to new players.
5. Insult to Injury: I unlocked MarketPlace that produces 430 happiness @ 3x3. Cost is $4165 and 15470 (lower than originally posted ?) Honestly still feels like a glitch considering it takes the most production of any building in EMA.

Do you always quit in RL when things get too difficult? The game is designed to use your brain to figure out ways of being successful. Just like coaching or managing a sports team, there is no one way to do it. There is not just one way to succeed. However, listening to others who went through and figured out how to overcome the same struggles you are now going through would help you exponentially.

 

[Rhyyss]

I buy diamonds all the time. I used to have three kids, but now I'm down to just one - I sold the twins off for diamonds to power level my Colosseum.
I had to give up crack to support my diamond habit.
I live in a box and play at a free computer at the public library.

I've only been playing for a week, but it's worth it... So, so worth it...

 

[Emberguard]

Ok. I see that seasoned players (4+years) have lots of ways to get FP. So this point is lost on seasoned players that know the tricks. But looks like a mountain to players in the iron age.

It's only a mountain if you're looking too far ahead and trying to beat the end of the game with current equipment. It's not a mountain if you're looking at what you have, what you can do to increase your output and just enjoy the game at the point you are for where you are.

Think of any game you normally play. Most games don't show you the entire journey up front. So you concentrate on the current level, the current stage or whatever is immediately in front of you and you slowly get through the game without really noticing how much better or stronger you get unless you ever look back at the beginning.

 

[tablething481]

Interesting viewpoint.

 

[qaccy]

Coming back to this thread, I'm gonna give a brief overview of my time with the game. Started in 2013, and from the beginning my focus was always on research. I built goods buildings, traded as necessary, and pretty much was full-steam ahead on research and advancing in age until I made it to the end of the tech tree, which I believe was around Postmodern or Contemporary by the time I made it there. I built GBs along the way, both of them for each age as I moved up. I leveled them a bit, but obviously I was focusing on research so none of them made it to 10 until I ran out of research.

I've always supported the game with diamond purchases from the very beginning. Pretty dumb spending early on. I bought both Babel and Zeus with diamonds, including the FP to get them to level 1. Beyond that, I bought a single premium culture building from most ages up until Progressive (I skipped the Pillory in Early Middle Ages) and a couple Film Studios and Urban Farms in Modern and Tomorrow respectively. I did also buy up the diamond expansions immediately though, so I wasn't a completely lost cause back then. Eventually though most of my diamond spending went towards events, getting the new shiny things that were slowly going to take over the game in the coming years. I'd probably be considered a 'whale' by many players, but I'd definitely be a small fish in that pond!

One of the obstacles I faced was the map getting fairly difficult to fight through eventually, but that wasn't too big of an issue. I was getting a decent amount of goods from GBs, albeit randomly distributed, that I was able to still keep up with goods needs as I slowly worked through the map. And with ME+ using older goods deposits, I didn't need to worry about unlocking goods deposits as much so my map really fell behind at that point and I started waiting until advancing past the map's age to power through it. The other 'major' obstacle was a serious supply shortage during Colonial and most of Industrial due to fairly rapid replacement of residential buildings. This mostly went away after I built Albert Hall and as research generally slowed down with the higher FP and resource costs allowing more time for supplies to build.

Overall, I'm making this post mainly because there seems to be this subtext that going slow is recommended or supposedly better than moving quickly (or, quickly in FoE terms). I don't personally agree with that. The inconveniences I faced felt relatively minor, or at least weren't significant enough to make me consider slowing down. I wanted the more advanced units, the stronger buildings, the more valuable goods, as soon as I could reach them. I didn't wanna piddle around in the middle ages for years. Perhaps my approach wouldn't really be executed the same way today though, now that there are so many events and event buildings, and additional game features to take advantage of a player's resources. Perhaps I would have taken things a bit slower if I'd been moving up in a FoE that has GE and GBG, where I'd be missing out on a ton of extra stuff from not having the military strength nor goods necessary to acquire it. Perhaps now, compared to the mid-2010s, taking it more slowly is a decidedly better approach. It does seem that there aren't many rushing these days, in any case!