Just Some Newbie Observations

[Darielle]

I just started a new ID last night in order to understand and experience new players' concerns on the new tech tree ... something I was painfully aware that I understood not at all. I just finished Chapter 1 a few minutes ago (except for one optional). I just want to say that while some things are easy, some things are absolutely ridiculous. Not being at neighborly help right at the getgo, when you need it most, is problematic. But one of the biggest problems I encountered was in the Seasons. One of the weekly quests was "use three coin rains." How the heck is a one-day-old ID supposed to get coin rains? I used up a refresh and .... great ... use 3 pet food. Again, how is a 1-day-old ID supposed to get pet food? I used my last refresh for the week and got a quest for 430 goods. Considering the fact that each of my level 1 factories produce 6 goods in 3 hours (and yes, I got a couple up to level 3 to produce a whopping 10 goods each), 430 goods is a lot to ask. But of course no refreshes left, so I'll do it.

Another thing ... I completed only the number of provinces to open Chapter 2 ... plus one. And yet even though I was careful not to overscout but do only what the quests and game required, my provinces are all now red. I can understand overscouting, but doing barely more than the minimum and they're suddenly all red? And I notice something strange with the fighting algorithm too. When I pit 5 of my newbie treants against 3 dogs, it's fine; I don't lose any troops. When I pit those 5 treants against 1 dog ... damage (though I still win). And I tested that several times ... one dog gives you damage; two or three does none. I understand that the further away a province and all that, but I'm talking about fights within the same province or in equal ringed provinces. No sense at all.

What's a newbie who doesn't have any experience to think? I'm not sure I'd stay if I didn't know it gets better. Just my take and general thoughts on my 14-hour old ID.

 

[Katwick]

When I pit 5 of my newbie treants against 3 dogs, it's fine; I don't lose any troops. When I pit those 5 treants against 1 dog ... damage (though I still win). And I tested that several times ... one dog gives you damage; two or three does none. I understand that the further away a province and all that, but I'm talking about fights within the same province or in equal ringed provinces. No sense at all.

As I recall you're looking at one LARGE squad vs several small Squads. The small Squads can be killed on the way in. The large squad can penetrate your defenses and thereby do a lot more damage.

Take a close look at the squad sizes.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Was that one optional tech you did not do, a squad size upgrade? If so, you need to complete it, if you want the provinces to be easier.

 

[Tuschunreal]

I just started a new ID last night in order to understand and experience new players' concerns on the new tech tree ... something I was painfully aware that I understood not at all. I just finished Chapter 1 a few minutes ago (except for one optional). I just want to say that while some things are easy, some things are absolutely ridiculous. Not being at neighborly help right at the getgo, when you need it most, is problematic. But one of the biggest problems I encountered was in the Seasons. One of the weekly quests was "use three coin rains." How the heck is a one-day-old ID supposed to get coin rains? I used up a refresh and .... great ... use 3 pet food. Again, how is a 1-day-old ID supposed to get pet food? I used my last refresh for the week and got a quest for 430 goods. Considering the fact that each of my level 1 factories produce 6 goods in 3 hours (and yes, I got a couple up to level 3 to produce a whopping 10 goods each), 430 goods is a lot to ask. But of course no refreshes left, so I'll do it.

Another thing ... I completed only the number of provinces to open Chapter 2 ... plus one. And yet even though I was careful not to overscout but do only what the quests and game required, my provinces are all now red. I can understand overscouting, but doing barely more than the minimum and they're suddenly all red? And I notice something strange with the fighting algorithm too. When I pit 5 of my newbie treants against 3 dogs, it's fine; I don't lose any troops. When I pit those 5 treants against 1 dog ... damage (though I still win). And I tested that several times ... one dog gives you damage; two or three does none. I understand that the further away a province and all that, but I'm talking about fights within the same province or in equal ringed provinces. No sense at all.

What's a newbie who doesn't have any experience to think? I'm not sure I'd stay if I didn't know it gets better. Just my take and general thoughts on my 14-hour old ID.

i am also trying new tech tree. My challenge so far has been "kp lock". I have no place to put my kp until i make more boosted T1 to trade for non boosted T1 so I can open the next research tree item. I will watch the scouting as I approach chpt 3. Chpt 2 was yellow and it appears that to get to chpt 3 i will be yellow and not red. I absolutly agree on seasons...no way i can do some of the quests as what is needed is not open to me yet.

 

[Darielle]

Was that one optional tech you did not do, a squad size upgrade? If so, you need to complete it, if you want the provinces to be easier.

Yes, it was.

 

[Darielle]

Was that one optional tech you did not do, a squad size upgrade? If so, you need to complete it, if you want the provinces to be easier.

Good point.

 

[Darielle]

i am also trying new tech tree. My challenge so far has been "kp lock". I have no place to put my kp until i make more boosted T1 to trade for non boosted T1 so I can open the next research tree item. I will watch the scouting as I approach chpt 3. Chpt 2 was yellow and it appears that to get to chpt 3 i will be yellow and not red. I absolutly agree on seasons...no way i can do some of the quests as what is needed is not open to me yet.

Thanks, yes, that's a problem for me too.

Everyone has made good points about the squad sizes ... newbie error, lol. Been so long since I had to even think about it. I put out five day military buildings and feed my fire and they're dead, period. Now I'm having to remember actual strategy. Thanks for all the reminders.

 

[Darielle]

Well, I did the advanced scouts of chapter 2 thinking that my unopened provinces would turn to orange from red. They didn't. I'm solidly in chapter 2 now. I need 25 provinces to open chapter 3. I have only 12 towards that goal. Every single, solitary one is red. I haven't overscouted. I've done everything I can do. You mentioned, Tuschunreal, that you had yellow in Chapter 2, not red or orange. How did you manage it? What am I doing wrong? I was careful to do one ring at a time (not do something stupid like go in a straight line or something.) I honestly can't understand this.

 

[Iyapo]

Advanced Scouts only reduces the cost of provinces that are not scouted. Once you scout a province, the cost is locked in.

 

[Darielle]

Advanced Scouts only reduces the cost of provinces that are not scouted. Once you scout a province, the cost is locked iTrue

True. These are unscouted. It's funny though ... when I refreshed, they were no longer red. I think maybe they didn't improve from red when I finished the squad size upgrade that I had left in Chapter 1, and I had to refresh to see the change.

Thanks, everyone, and thank you, Enevhar, for reminding me to do that one. I was in such a hurry to get to the fellowship tech that I didn't want any extras. But yeah, that might have done the trick. I just thought they'd improve immediately. Didn't realize I had to refresh the page. Duh, lol.

 

[Darielle]

One thing I will say, though. I don't think they should even be orange when I've done all the researches for tech upgrades and I'm nowhere near having enough provinces to open the next chapter. Overscouting, yes (even though that should be explained first to a new player). But not overscouting and still winding up with all orange or red? That's just mean.

 

[Tuschunreal]

Well, I did the advanced scouts of chapter 2 thinking that my unopened provinces would turn to orange from red. They didn't. I'm solidly in chapter 2 now. I need 25 provinces to open chapter 3. I have only 12 towards that goal. Every single, solitary one is red. I haven't overscouted. I've done everything I can do. You mentioned, Tuschunreal, that you had yellow in Chapter 2, not red or orange. How did you manage it? What am I doing wrong? I was careful to do one ring at a time (not do something stupid like go in a straight line or something.) I honestly can't understand this.

@Darielle i wish i knew what i did. The last province might have been orange. I did have 10 provinces left to explore when I got to the last couple of research tree items. Not sure if that had any affect. I made it to chpt 3 and need 45 provinces still at 25 as i just made it into chpt 3. There are 14 green (2 bars) then it jumps to 4 bars (i think it is orange) for 4 provinces. That has me short of the 25 more provinces needed so won't know till later as they reveal themselves if they stay orange or turn red.

 

[BrinDarby]

i wish i knew what i did.

Is it possible its because of the "ring" they are in ??
Ring X might be yellow but X+1 red ...

 

[BrinDarby]

like this @Tuschunreal , possibly

 

[Darielle]

Is it possible its because of the "ring" they are in ??
Ring X might be yellow but X+1 red ...

You're right; it does depend on ring, but it shouldn't jump so wildly. All of my ring 2 are now green. The ring three are all red ... in other words, just one ring further jumps all of them 3 levels of difficulty. For a newbie still working on ring 2 provinces, I find that unfair, especially when I don't even have half the provinces needed to open the next chapter.

 

[Darielle]

@Darielle i wish i knew what i did. The last province might have been orange. I did have 10 provinces left to explore when I got to the last couple of research tree items. Not sure if that had any affect. I made it to chpt 3 and need 45 provinces still at 25 as i just made it into chpt 3. There are 14 green (2 bars) then it jumps to 4 bars (i think it is orange) for 4 provinces. That has me short of the 25 more provinces needed so won't know till later as they reveal themselves if they stay orange or turn red.

I don't understand the mechanics of this at all, but I do wish you good luck.

 

[Dhurrin]

Well, I did the advanced scouts of chapter 2 thinking that my unopened provinces would turn to orange from red. They didn't. I'm solidly in chapter 2 now. I need 25 provinces to open chapter 3. I have only 12 towards that goal. Every single, solitary one is red. I haven't overscouted. I've done everything I can do. You mentioned, Tuschunreal, that you had yellow in Chapter 2, not red or orange. How did you manage it? What am I doing wrong? I was careful to do one ring at a time (not do something stupid like go in a straight line or something.) I honestly can't understand this.

It gets worse. I am in chap 3 with my newest testcity. Not even halfway in actually. So far, I have 40 provinces unlocked. In order to unlock chap 4, one needs 45 provinces, so I'm not overscouted. But still my provinces on the map are only orange and red, which makes no sense. As long as one is not overscouted yellow and orange would make sense. Orange and red does not.

And yes, same issues with the seasons quests here, quite a few are absolutely impossible. As soon as I entered chap 3 I got quests to gain 2 CC spells, but you only get to unlock those later on.
KP locks are a major issue. Which is made worse by event quests asking to buy KPs when you have nothing to spend them on.
As for Event quests; the ones for CC spells, VV, coin rains or supply windfalls, petfood, these are all but impossible for small cities.

Overscouting is a problem too, but it is ENCOURAGED by the game. Seasons quests, event quests, regular questlines, they ALL ask regularly for either relics or encounters. Since one cannot do any tourney or Spire encounters that means they ALL have to be map encounters.

Plus the quests to complete provinces or scout provinces. And without the tourney gaining relics means either crafting them in the MA once that gets unlocked and you get an offer, or doing mapencounters. Unless of course one wants to wait a couple of days hoping to get relics from NH.

All in all, the whole set-up for the early chapters is one big major turnoff for players who do not know the game already.

And unless one has time to log in constantly, or fills the city with armories, the barracks and traininggrounds easily get to be idle. But troops are heavily needed for encounters. And seriously, encountering mistwalkers in chap 1? that sure as heck was a major turnoff too. Yes, you can win those encounters, but even my light melee got severe damage from those. Again, NOT a way to encourage new players.

 

[Darielle]

It gets worse. I am in chap 3 with my newest testcity. Not even halfway in actually. So far, I have 40 provinces unlocked. In order to unlock chap 4, one needs 45 provinces, so I'm not overscouted. But still my provinces on the map are only orange and red, which makes no sense. As long as one is not overscouted yellow and orange would make sense. Orange and red does not.

And yes, same issues with the seasons quests here, quite a few are absolutely impossible. As soon as I entered chap 3 I got quests to gain 2 CC spells, but you only get to unlock those later on.
KP locks are a major issue. Which is made worse by event quests asking to buy KPs when you have nothing to spend them on.
As for Event quests; the ones for CC spells, VV, coin rains or supply windfalls, petfood, these are all but impossible for small cities.

Overscouting is a problem too, but it is ENCOURAGED by the game. Seasons quests, event quests, regular questlines, they ALL ask regularly for either relics or encounters. Since one cannot do any tourney or Spire encounters that means they ALL have to be map encounters.

Plus the quests to complete provinces or scout provinces. And without the tourney gaining relics means either crafting them in the MA once that gets unlocked and you get an offer, or doing mapencounters. Unless of course one wants to wait a couple of days hoping to get relics from NH.

All in all, the whole set-up for the early chapters is one big major turnoff for players who do not know the game already.

And unless one has time to log in constantly, or fills the city with armories, the barracks and traininggrounds easily get to be idle. But troops are heavily needed for encounters. And seriously, encountering mistwalkers in chap 1? that sure as heck was a major turnoff too. Yes, you can win those encounters, but even my light melee got severe damage from those. Again, NOT a way to encourage new players.

Total agreement there.

 

[Tuschunreal]

View attachment 16618

like this @Tuschunreal , possibly

my last one was like the ones 6 away with 4 boxes filled...i think that is orange. I am going to try and carefully do my scouting to see if how i have been scouting affects staying 'not' red. if i do this right here is the transition from green near the end of my available provinces to scout.

 

[Mykan]

the one thing they fixed with the new tech tree was the province scouting, you now get SS techs consistently to keep combat achievable. Let's just ignore you can't make troops quick enough to supply the larger squads Its a similar issue with techs, they are cheaper but your production can't keep up with the costs.