Dave Lawson
Chieftain
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 57
I play on normal now.
When I first started, I played on normal, because I typically start by playing a game in the default manner, as it was primarily intended. I found that games almost inevitably ended up late stage with tech-offs, and a generally unsatisfying feel to them, clicking end turn following by 15 build orders followed by end turn etc.
I started dabbling in epic and marathon, in the hopes that conflict would become a more important aspect of the game. It most certainly did. Simply put, units are far more valuable an investment if they most twice as often (or three times). However the AI is wholly inadequate when it comes to making tactical decisions, and I found myself guiltily stomping stack after stack of horribly led units. Often I would find myself outnumbered two or three to one, but on account of incredibly poor tactical management, the AI would still somehow lose the wars. Resoundingly. It left me feeling dirty -- almost as if I was using a cheat code.
So I started upping the difficulty, but at a certain point (Emperor) it simply felt that the AI was using cheat codes, and my actions were relatively insignificant. If anything it started to feel more dirty, because I became more and more reliant on the AI's poor warring abilities. Most avenues to victory became complete deadends, leaving only a few strategies.
So now I've moved back to normal speed, and play on monarch level. In doing so, I've lessened the impact of the almost exploitive wars between the AI and me, although there is sufficient risk that I'm unable to ignore that element. Also, if I plan to be aggressive, I need to invest far more heavily in that strategy. I've also started playing multiplayer with some friends, and there's no way I'd play a longer than normal MP game. Already it's tough to organise 3 or 4 sittings to close off a tight game. Just imagine if it became 12 sessions...
When I first started, I played on normal, because I typically start by playing a game in the default manner, as it was primarily intended. I found that games almost inevitably ended up late stage with tech-offs, and a generally unsatisfying feel to them, clicking end turn following by 15 build orders followed by end turn etc.
I started dabbling in epic and marathon, in the hopes that conflict would become a more important aspect of the game. It most certainly did. Simply put, units are far more valuable an investment if they most twice as often (or three times). However the AI is wholly inadequate when it comes to making tactical decisions, and I found myself guiltily stomping stack after stack of horribly led units. Often I would find myself outnumbered two or three to one, but on account of incredibly poor tactical management, the AI would still somehow lose the wars. Resoundingly. It left me feeling dirty -- almost as if I was using a cheat code.
So I started upping the difficulty, but at a certain point (Emperor) it simply felt that the AI was using cheat codes, and my actions were relatively insignificant. If anything it started to feel more dirty, because I became more and more reliant on the AI's poor warring abilities. Most avenues to victory became complete deadends, leaving only a few strategies.
So now I've moved back to normal speed, and play on monarch level. In doing so, I've lessened the impact of the almost exploitive wars between the AI and me, although there is sufficient risk that I'm unable to ignore that element. Also, if I plan to be aggressive, I need to invest far more heavily in that strategy. I've also started playing multiplayer with some friends, and there's no way I'd play a longer than normal MP game. Already it's tough to organise 3 or 4 sittings to close off a tight game. Just imagine if it became 12 sessions...