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● Starting at Age 1 is the only ultimate and fair game ♡

Posted: 15 Dec 2018, 03:19
by Coo1
Many players start games with predetermined conditions. Some of the conditions are like playing ages 5-5, 7-7, 9-9, 11-11. Other conditions are like starting with all map explored, no start of war for 10 minutes, fast pace, plains map, etc. etc. What those players would not want to comprehend is that these conditions are like a game of "scissors-paper-rock."
You make plane defense -- I make cannons
You make ground defense -- I make planes
You make offence military force -- I make spies

If one starts playing with age 1, then it is up to player to develop offensive and defensive features. It allows any player to anticipate what is coming next and develop protection strategy. If the game starts with age 9, then obviously spies are getting upper-hand.

So in my mind the most challenging game is the one which starts with no resources, no citizens, random everything, not explored map, limited number of population.
Population dictates style of the game. With thousands population, there is only one strategy -- exploding boom expansion and building maximum number of military.
With less population, other strategies come to play important role. Like importance of priests and walls, etc.
Pace ans speed is up to the liking of a players.

Playing those "fixed" games is not the ultimate game, it is a "subset" game.
Just my humble opinion.

Re: ● Starting at Age 1 is the only ultimate and fair game ♡

Posted: 15 Dec 2018, 08:30
by Dr.MonaLisa
It depends on preferences. Some players prefer fast pace, some medium pace, some even slow pace.
Those settings can't be compared. For example in fast pace spies die to an outpost with 1 shoot, while in medium pace it takes much longer, and a spy has a chance to poison.

Not all players have time for medium pace games (especially starting at epoch 1), because they usually take much longer.
I personally like fast pace more, because in medium pace my brain is not getting fully used. In fast pace I can spam buildings and send attacks from multiple sides. It makes me fully busy during game, and I enjoy it more than staring at the screen observing citizens collecting first resources.

Most balanced settings from the fast pace are epoch 5-5, because of resources (tin). In 5-5 usually all players have enough tin on the map to produce most effective units. In other settings gold, saltpeter, oil or uranium on the map decide about the victory. So that's the reason it's played the most, less excuses, easier to rate player skills.