Triumph Studios has released a new update on the games website with information about the next expansion for Age of Wonders II called Golden Realm.
More information.
Age of Wonders 3 - Golden Realms Expansion
- Thread starter Couchpotato
- Start date
Honestly, I gave AoW3 up, and the simple and sad truth is: it is too difficult. I failed 6 times in a row in the first scenario! Then made it and failed even more miserably in the 2nd one. I play strategy games for 25 years, I play even difficult Paradox games, but this game simply beats me.
ONE single mistake, the enemy AI destroys me entirely. If I move forward quick, they destroy my bases behind me, if I wait and build, they enemy outbuilds me sometimes 10 to 1.
Good grief. Most difficult game ever.
ONE single mistake, the enemy AI destroys me entirely. If I move forward quick, they destroy my bases behind me, if I wait and build, they enemy outbuilds me sometimes 10 to 1.
Good grief. Most difficult game ever.
D
DArtagnan
Guest
Too combat oriented for me - and the strategy aspect is weak.
Thankfully, I've invested in Endless Legend, and it's much more up my alley.
I quite liked Fallen Enchantress, but alas - they refuse to implement multiplayer - so I don't play it.
Thankfully, I've invested in Endless Legend, and it's much more up my alley.
I quite liked Fallen Enchantress, but alas - they refuse to implement multiplayer - so I don't play it.
Thank you for this.
Wasnt aware about this game.
http://g2g.amplitude-studios.com/RoadMap2/Endless-Legend
Honestly, I gave AoW3 up, and the simple and sad truth is: it is too difficult. I failed 6 times in a row in the first scenario! Then made it and failed even more miserably in the 2nd one. I play strategy games for 25 years, I play even difficult Paradox games, but this game simply beats me.
ONE single mistake, the enemy AI destroys me entirely. If I move forward quick, they destroy my bases behind me, if I wait and build, they enemy outbuilds me sometimes 10 to 1.
Good grief. Most difficult game ever.
I disagree that it is the most difficult game ever (there are strategy games that are more difficult trust me - try Fantasy Wars or Elven Legacy maps where getting Golden medal is simply unreal...and you have to save - and load - during the round after almost every single unit that has moved or attacked...). I usually spent lots of hours on single map at Age of Wonders 3 - I start it and then after 20-30 rounds I restart it and again and again until I finally beat the enemy with absolutely minimal losses. I almost finished Elven campaign and then I realized that my heroes had really crappy artifacts so I restarted the whole campaign. I'm playing GOG version and there is no time counter but I'm sure 100+ hours are gone and I haven't even finished one campaign.... But I'm getting there
I found this game (on Normal difficulty) to be hard - I've been playing strategy games for a long time too, but the main thing is not to give up - there is a way to win every single map - it's just bloody difficult to discover it sometimes... And although AI is not perfect the game is not easy at all - you can't create one big army and try to conquer the whole map - the AI will take lots of your cities in the meantime. You have to invest in research a lot and look for good artifacts and create strong army - high tier units with lots of experience - preferably golden medals and the units have to mixed as some are vulnerable to fire or electricity or posion, etc.
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- Oct 27, 2012
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it is an option but I never tried it - I don't know why but I feel like a cheater whenever I switch to easy difficulty. Some games are easy on Hard/Impossible (King's Bounty series except for Warriors of The North). I should have tried playing this game on easy but I just don't feel like it - it can be finished on normal - it's a challenge but it makes my gray matter work harder and that's what it's all about
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Hey cool, I had not heard of this either. How is it? Difficult?? (I am getting senile, I need easy games lol.)
EDIT: I watched some alpha footage, wow they actually looks good! I like the map design, and the fact the battles happen on the same map not an extra map. But it looks - again - like it totally overpowers the unaware player. XD
D
DArtagnan
Guest
It's still in Early Access - but it's supposed to release in September.
The AI is getting better - but I haven't played it enough to judge it properly. But I never care much about AI in these games, as I'm all about the multiplayer.
From what I've seen, it's the closest to "my thing" in the genre since Master of Magic. It has a ton of cool features from the best 4X games, like the population specialization from Civ/MoM, the minor race significance from Birth of the Federation, and so on. It's also got a lot of unique flavor and a nice UI.
It's also based on the D20 system, which I think is a great choice for combat.
I do worry September is too early. It kinda looks like it could stand at least 3-4 more months of pre-release development.
However, it's EXTREMELY smooth and slick for an early version.
I play it on easy!
I tried it on normal the first time and got my but ended to me, so I switched to easy. I also use auto-combat pretty much everytime because it's more competent than I am and take less time.
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Michael Dean
Watchdog
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- February 19, 2009
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I've been playing AoW3 on hard and yes, it is truly difficult. I may need to rethink my basic strategy for what is required for a sustainable victory path.
I agree with your synopsis on the Elven Legacy games: a real challenge. I tried to ironman one or two of the titles on hard and couldn't make it through the whole game. I finally settled on only ironmanning individual missions on hard (no saving during the missions themselves) and I'll tell you, those gold victories are about as easy as cutting off your own arm. I'm on the last mission in the EL: Siege title and have been for about three years now. Ugh. Love those games, though.
Eador…that's a tough nut as well. That's the only strategy game I can't even come close to beating on its hardest level.
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I've only played multiplayer/skirmish games and not campaign/scenario which may be much harder than the "Lord" setting AI I still use, but I wouldn't say AOW3 is unusually difficult in any way.
My tip would be remember to keep at least 3 units defending your towns because bandits are usually in groups of 3 and with a castle wall any 3 tier1 units can defend against that.
Also, try sorcerer or druid where you can summon units directly into your campaign army and keep your real units in your base defending until you've scouted out a big target. Dreadnaughts Flame Tanks are pretty huge for a T3 unit and a few well placed shots will win whole fights.
And as for heroes I feel you might as well always build them as archers and focus your level up points on stats and not waste them on spells. Pick 1 or 2 heroes as leaders and give them some whole army effecting talents but focus on stats for your combat heroes.
PS. Regarding Endless Legend.... I've had it recommended to me but I'm going to wait until they actually add the multiplayer before buying in this time. (unlike Elemental)
My tip would be remember to keep at least 3 units defending your towns because bandits are usually in groups of 3 and with a castle wall any 3 tier1 units can defend against that.
Also, try sorcerer or druid where you can summon units directly into your campaign army and keep your real units in your base defending until you've scouted out a big target. Dreadnaughts Flame Tanks are pretty huge for a T3 unit and a few well placed shots will win whole fights.
And as for heroes I feel you might as well always build them as archers and focus your level up points on stats and not waste them on spells. Pick 1 or 2 heroes as leaders and give them some whole army effecting talents but focus on stats for your combat heroes.
PS. Regarding Endless Legend.... I've had it recommended to me but I'm going to wait until they actually add the multiplayer before buying in this time. (unlike Elemental)
I was able to do the full campaign on normal without too much difficulty but the game seems lacking to me. Part of the problem is the Ai is much more agressive so you have to move fast; I think in the earlier gme (aow2-sm) you could hang back and divide and conqur e or other such things. With this game it is attack and attack fast and that seems the only effective startegy which imho makes it very one dimensional.
That is true. AoW3 maps are often decided quickly, and it is indeed a rather challenging game. I personally enjoyed it a lot though, so I'm looking forward to the expansion. I seem to remember there being some.. particular reason why there should be an expansion. I can't remember what that was though. I've probably got a post about it around here somewhere, but I just can't be bothered right now.
Humanity has risen!
SasqWatch
I'm a bit disappointed that an expansion is released when I already bought the main game, but at least they're not pulling a Paradox and selling you tons of different campaigns and pieces of DLC.
I like AOW3 a lot since it's nice to have a game that IS a bit more about combat sometimes, and it has the best tactical I've experienced in such games by far.
Kind of like how I consider Civ5 to be a masterpiece and by far the best version of Civ ever (and some do not) but I can also enjoy Pandora First Contact which has some civ-like elements but is considerably more combat oriented - just depends on my gaming mood.
I like Endless Legend too. I don't really limit myself to just one game. Thus far I see potential in Endless Legend and can't really fully get into it (granted, haven't played the last update or 2 since it was feeling very incomplete at the time). Kind of like how I'm sure GC3 will be excellent but since Brad usually does AI last and it's still missing some stuff, it's more of a simulator or "creative mode" experience compared to what it will be eventually.
I really wouldn't compare a game like AOW3 and Endless Legend anyways - they are different types of games. AOW3 is very much about awesome tactical battles, with RPG elements on heroes, and somewhat simplistic empire building and management. The tactical in EL is pretty simplistic, the heroes are less complex IMO, and I'm not sure they'll ever be adding some kind of global spell casting system or even tactical spells? I'm not even sure I'd call the empire building more complex in Endless Legend just different - it's still pretty streamlined vs something like Civ.
It's pretty sad that they charge money at all. Games should be free and software developers should make games as charity for all as community service.
Yeah!
In reality, the game has had pretty solid post release support. Could they do more? Sure, why not. But releasing an xpac isn't really that big a deal.
Kind of like how I consider Civ5 to be a masterpiece and by far the best version of Civ ever (and some do not) but I can also enjoy Pandora First Contact which has some civ-like elements but is considerably more combat oriented - just depends on my gaming mood.
I like Endless Legend too. I don't really limit myself to just one game.
Thus far I see potential in Endless Legend and can't really fully get into it (granted, haven't played the last update or 2 since it was feeling very incomplete at the time). Kind of like how I'm sure GC3 will be excellent but since Brad usually does AI last and it's still missing some stuff, it's more of a simulator or "creative mode" experience compared to what it will be eventually.I really wouldn't compare a game like AOW3 and Endless Legend anyways - they are different types of games. AOW3 is very much about awesome tactical battles, with RPG elements on heroes, and somewhat simplistic empire building and management. The tactical in EL is pretty simplistic, the heroes are less complex IMO, and I'm not sure they'll ever be adding some kind of global spell casting system or even tactical spells? I'm not even sure I'd call the empire building more complex in Endless Legend just different - it's still pretty streamlined vs something like Civ.
It's pretty sad that they charge money at all. Games should be free and software developers should make games as charity for all as community service.
Yeah!
In reality, the game has had pretty solid post release support. Could they do more? Sure, why not. But releasing an xpac isn't really that big a deal.
Humanity has risen!
SasqWatch
I was agreeing with you. I was saying that their way was the right way to do it: making one meaty, valuable piece of content giving you your money's worth, rather than milking your dedicated fans multiple times.
Many DLCs haha! You know nuthin Jon Snow! I am a SIMS GAMER. I am battle hardened with DLC! Millions of them! Bah... Paradox! They have 5-6 DLC altogether. Try Sims! The have 50 at Day One!
Strong words their Dart as a lot of games claim to be the next Master of Magic, and fail every time. It's a self-fulfilling curse most of the time.
I really have to stop getting my hopes up.
