Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Thats one of the things I like about Ulm. Low learning curve. If they are coming from other games then playing Ulm as if they were a tank commander tends to work fairly well. And it works with the demo.

Ermor is the nation that most newbies try soon after getting the full game. Since more of its actions are automatic, like gaining troops, its good for them. (Its also often their first post as they come in and announce how out of balance it is because it kicks everyones tail.) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">yeah ulm is like the human race from most fantasy rts games .
but at least i had no chance as newbie with ulm hehe .
ai builds hordes of troops .
ulm has always only few troops . so the ai swarms you and you always lose your first games as ulm. especially because most newbies ( i did so ) build the ulm infantry first .

against horde ai nations (especially e.g. pangenea , ermor , mictlan ) they just swarm you with 5:1 army size and you always lose as newbie .

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

Yes, the learning curve on this game is astronomical in size, but my God, once you start understanding some of the deeper parts of the game is it completely amazing.

I've posted this before, but I had actually put the demo down because I couldn't figure out how to do research (I must've clicked on every friggin thing I could find except the word "Defend" on the Commander icon).

It wasn't until a conversation with some friends (over beers of course) that someone brought up the glory days of Masters of Magic and I thought to myself "Could the dom2 demo be a possible...replacement?".

I immediately began downloading reference lists and after examining the sheer number of troops, magic items and spells I realized that this would be better than MoM. I went to the forums and began learning the tricks of the trade and bought the game. Within a week of having it, I was in my first MP game (and as Norfleet said, waiting to have my *** handed to me).

I have much, much more to learn. I couldn't tell you what Pretender chassis makes a good SC and what's the best way to find magic sites without a Rainbow Mage. Someday I will. AAR's have been a great resource.

But damn, this is fun.

Krool

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

You all lost me back there! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif Time for some catchup and a hot dog. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sorry, we slipped off into jargon and acronyms. About another question?

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">What does it mean that I follow this method, yet never improve?

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">What does it mean that I follow this method, yet never improve? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The polite answer is: switch to non-strategy games. Anything that prefers reflexes over careful deliberation.

There are many blunt, rude answers to the question. I'll leave them for others to imagine.

A middle-of-the-road answer is that you need to pay closer attention to why you're losing. How did your opponent(s) beat you. What mistakes did you make. Then stop doing whatever that is, and try something different.

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">What does it mean that I follow this method, yet never improve? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, you know the saying: For every winner, there are many losers. Odds are you're one of them.

So don't expect to win outright. You gradually improve through the process of getting your *** handed you repeatedly. Some individuals will always consistently hand you your ***. This will result in you improving to the level where you can consistently hand other people their asses. As you continue getting your *** handed to you, you'll learn how to hand out the asses of those who were formerly around your level, but weren't spending their time getting their asses handed to them.

Remember: Winners never quit, quitters never win, but people who never win and never quit are idiots.

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

This stuff is really interesting. One would think you all play this game all the time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">One would be right http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: What Would Really Help New Players
 

I only partly agree with Norfleet. If you play players who are much better than you you don't really learn anything. You just die and lose morale (and then everyone else in your squad routs). You only learn by playing against people who are somewhat better than you. Then you can see the differences in strategy in an environment where you can still have a chance to evaluate what is going on and adapt.