So I just started playing FfH about five days ago after having played lots of the Ancient Mediterranian mod and vanilla Civ. I found it quite hard to get started even normally this sort of thing doesn't give me trouble. There is just so much new information. I think part of the problem is that it isn't clear what information a new player needs and what information they can pick up later.

So I thought I would share some of my thoughts on how to get started.

I found it easiest to just pick a civilization and try playing it for a while . I tried playing the Elves (Ljosalfar). See the FfH wiki for brief (and long) descriptions of each of the Civs. (http://civ4wiki.com/wiki/index.php/FfH_Civilizations). Since the different Civilizations can play quite differently (e.g., Elves can build cottages on forest), your choice of Civ matters more than in Vanilla.

Don't worry about magic to begin with. I tried to figure this out and it just confused me. Start playing the game. If you want to have units that cast spells, you'll need to develop certain technologies (you won't start with any at the beginning of the game). Similarly, don't worry too much about Mana. Basically, keep an eye on the mana nodes you see around the map and try to build near them so you can tap them later in the game.

You probably will want to spend some time looking at the technology tree once you are playing. Because of the fantasy aspect, there are certain incredibly powerful options at your disposal. For example, if you follow the nature loving religion (fellowship of leaves) you can adopt an incredibly powerful civic (Guardian of Nature) that will make forested cities incredibly happy. So you may want to look a couple of techs deep at your options.

Overall, I've been really enjoying the game. In some ways, playing it for the first time has a special charm: everything seems new and particularly wonderous. And that's what fantasy is about, after all.

-- Hypnotoad

Im hoping that we can polish some of the learning curve out of the game. Im all for new features, but I want those features to be accessible without having to come here, ask questions, and do a lot of reading.

Some examples of improvements in 0.16 for new players (people reading this problably dont have nee for these changes) are:

1. Strategy text added to every civs dawn of man screen. Giving players a feel for what is different about that civ.

2. Requires tag on units and civs that will list any special requirements in the mouseover help.

"they can't build siege any weapons"? <_<

Other than that part, those look like very fine improvements.

"they can't build siege any weapons"? <_<

Other than that part, those look like very fine improvements.

Yeap, the Ljosalfar have never been able to build siege weapons.

Yay, that's my strategy text that I see in the Ljosalfar screenshot!

*feels accomplished again*

Yay, that's my strategy text that I see in the Ljosalfar screenshot!

*feels accomplished again*

Yes it is! :goodjob: Writing those was a fantastic idea and I wanted to get them into the mod somewhere so new players could see them. The dawn of man screen seemed like a good place.

Speaking of which, if you would like to update any of the civ descriptions in your thread or in the wiki I'll make sure to get the updates into 0.16 too.

I believe there is a mistake there ? The right wouldn´t be "they can't build any siege weapons" ?

I believe there is a mistake there ? The right wouldn´t be "they can't build any siege weapons" ?

Oops, I see what you mean now. I'll fix it.

Kael:

Those look like they would help a lot. I found the one paragraph strategy texts helped a lot as a new player. The one line descriptions of the various civs also helped a lot. Any way to put those on the screen where you choose what Civ you want to play? That way a new player would have some idea what the various Civs are.

When you post 2.16, I would suggest writing a short paragraph to help players get started. It soudnds like you can honestly tell them that if they install it, they will be able to basically figure it out as they go. Then point them to the wiki and the FAQ.

If anyone else has suggestions for how to get started playing, I encourage you to add them to this thread.

I'm not looking at the game so I don't know what's there right now but I think it would be VERY helpful if there was a brief tips/explanation sheet when mana nodes are first revealed.

Yes it is! :goodjob: Writing those was a fantastic idea and I wanted to get them into the mod somewhere so new players could see them. The dawn of man screen seemed like a good place.

Speaking of which, if you would like to update any of the civ descriptions in your thread or in the wiki I'll make sure to get the updates into 0.16 too.

:) I'll work them through. Just in case I don't have 'em all updated by the time 0.16 is nearing release, toss me a PM about the impending deadline and I'll hurry up. (I'm dreadful at getting anything done without deadlines.)

I'm not looking at the game so I don't know what's there right now but I think it would be VERY helpful if there was a brief tips/explanation sheet when mana nodes are first revealed.

I will add the popup if someone will write the text for me on what it should say.

I will add the popup if someone will write the text for me on what it should say.

Mana nodes are the essence of magical power. Tapping these sources of power, invovles moving an Adept to the Mana node, and selecting which Kind of Mana it should tap. After the Construction of the node, your civilziation will be provided with 1 source of that type of mana. Access provides the ability to learn spells of that type. Additional sources of a single mana type provide free promotions to magic using units, to a limit of 3 total sources, providing 2 free promotions.


-Qes

In .16, is mana going to be revealed later in the game? (i've always been able to see it from the beginning)

In .16, is mana going to be revealed later in the game? (i've always been able to see it from the beginning)

No its going to be available from the begining. If I placed the popup I would probably do it when you research knowledge of the ether, because thats when they start to get important.

Before it was revealed with Knowledge of the Ether, but it lead to citys built on nodes, making them unusable, or worse, with building improvments on nodes being impossible, you could see where the nodes where anyway, as you wouldn´t be able to build any improvment on the given tile...

No, its revealed fromt eh beginning so that you can plan around it. (and don't build cities on it.

Before it was revealed with Knowledge of the Ether, but it lead to citys built on nodes, making them unusable, or worse, with building improvments on nodes being impossible, you could see where the nodes where anyway, as you wouldn´t be able to build any improvment on the given tile...

It's better to see the nodes and wonder what they do than to not see them and wonder why you can't build a farm/cottage on this darn tile. :)

Yep... I think that way too

No its going to be available from the begining. If I placed the popup I would probably do it when you research knowledge of the ether, because thats when they start to get important.

The development of Knowledge of the Ether has unlocked powerful new secrets for your empire. You may now build Adepts, apprentice mages with a basic understanding of the hidden arts. Once you step further down on this path, you'll be able to unleash the powers of mighty Mages and Conjurers.

Before you can cultivate the arcane arts further, your empire needs a better understanding of the undercurrents that power all magic. Just unlocked, four technologies now lie ahead of you: Divination, Alteration, Elementalism and Necromancy. Two of them (Alteration and Divination) lead to the Sorcery tech, which allows your Adepts to directly apply the forces of magic in a vast variety of ways and eventually upgrade to Mages. The other two (Elementalism and Necromancy) lead to the Summoning tech, which gives your Adepts the ability to upgrade into Conjurers. Conjurers use magic to impose their will on reality and bring forth monstrous creatures of all kinds.

All four technologies allow you to convert the raw mana nodes in the world into more refined ones, boosting all your spellcasters. All the spells in the game belong into one of the sixteen spell spheres, each of which has a corresponding mana type. Your casters gain access to the spell spheres by picking a promotion of that type when they gain a level, and you can only pick promotions from spheres that you have at least one mana for. Should you have two mana of the same type, you will gain the level one promotion for that spell sphere for free. Three mana of the same type give two free promotions for units that have developed past the Adept stage. Check the Civilopedia to see what sorts of spells are available in each spell sphere, and remember that your Palace already provides you with a couple of types of mana.

Your Adepts can only access Channeling spells. Mages can access Channeling and Sorcery I spells, while Conjurers can access Channeling and Summoning I spells. Archmages can access everything that Mages can and Sorcery II as well, while Summoners have access to all Conjurer spells and Summoning II spells.

In case you wish to read this again, this text can be found under Game Concepts - Knowledge of the Ether.

Sorry for the confusion about mana being visible for the start. You can tell I haven't played in a while (can never find the original Civ disk now that I got warlords). I like the QES flavor text & Hypnotoad's detail. I guess the thing that I would find helpful in addition to the general mechanics are some additional tips/bullet items for spellcasters.

I've probably started ~40 FFH games and I think I've had a grand total of 2 or 3 upgraded mages/conjurers. I usually quit playing before finishing the game but quite honestly I don't know how experience for mages work & what they need to upgrade. The only times when I tried to be magic-heavy I couldn't figure it out so now I usually don't bother and just stick with basic casters for land cleanup & lvl1 spells.

I don't know if other FFH players would be quite as inept as I have been but a strategy/explanation of mages/upgrading would be helpful along with these other strategy tips.

It might be worth mentionning the additionnal level requirement to upgrade adepts to sorcerers or summoners, and that of Reagents to upgrade sorcerers to archmages (do conjurers require this as well ? can't check at work).