OGame: Anyone here play? Do you like it?

[Togakure]

I've recently come across an online real-time space empire strategy game called Ogame. Has anyone here tried it? Is there anyone here with significant experience playing it? What do you think about it?

It's too early in my examination to comment, but I'll come back and toss a few pennies once I've formed an opinion.

[Meneldil]

Quite boring, and there's no way to enjoy this game without staying connected 24/7. Once you've reached a certain score, people will attack you at 2PM, so you can't defend yourself.

X-Wars is IMHO much funnier and more entertaining. It also can be played without wasting hours and hours connected.

[Togakure]

I can understand your point of view. It's a fairly abstract game, but considering it's free, needs no downloads or plug-ins, and only requires a browser to play, I think it's a good deal and has been fun so far at low levels. Four of my clannies from the TW world think so too, and have joined Universe 9 and allied with me :san_cheesy:.

Here's a link to the game: OGame (http://www.ogame.org)

Drisos, Trajan, Darth Ishida, Azumi, and I (in an alter ego: Elindarion) are all just getting started in Universe 9, so if anyone out there wants to join us--come along and have some fun. Our alliance tag is 47s (47 RONIN). You can find us through the Alliances function of the game.

What kind of game is it? Well, click the link and check it out. Essentially it's a real-time galactic empire game, where you initially build mining structures to generate resources, which allow you to build other specialized structures, which enable research, defense production, and shipbuilding et. al.. You begin with one planet but can expand to control up to 9 total. In each universe there are several galaxies, each with hundreds of solar systems. Each solar system has 15 planet slots. There is a point system, and noob protection to prevent you from being crushed early on.

Once you have ships you can raid other planets/players and try and abscond with their resources. They can do the same to you--24/7 unless you go into vacation mode. Espionage levels and spy sats determine how much you can see of their stuff before you attack and vice versa. Beware attacking without intelligence ... I've grown rich fast raiding, but I invested significantly in Espionage Technology first, so I can raid knowing exactly what I'm up against.

Of course, you can also battle others for glory and profits (ships leave HUGE piles of floating debris--resources!--which can be recycled by Recyle vessels). Note that battles are statistical--no fancy graphics etc. Do your homework and you can win; if you don't, you might get seriously crushed.

There are ways to prevent disaster when you are offline, other than vacation mode (which requires that you stay off for 48 hours), but the methods take some practice (fleetsaving, etc.). The best way to avoid being attacked is not to be a profitable target ....

There are also Spanish and Dutch versions of the game, complete with their own servers and language (and perhaps others of which I am not aware). The one above is an English version, but has people all over the world using it (but communicating in English, which is a rule).

Yeah, you do have to check in very often pretty much to be successful and avoid problems. Not doing so invites attack while you're offline if you are significantly developed and producing a lot of resources (which accumulate whether you're online or not, unless you take your mines offline). But you don't have to be online continuously each day--just long enough to review the situation, send out raids and attacks, or defend against them, manage your research and production, and gather intelligence for your next moves.

If you know you will be offline for more than 48 hours, "vacation mode" works well. Once activated you CAN'T play for 48 hours minimum, and your mines don't produce resources--but I get the great majority of my resources by raiding anyway, so ... loss of mine income is no biggie.

Alliances also offer a great way to survive and thrive, and make the game much more fun cuz you have friends to pal around with.

Anyway, blah blah blah ... I'm enjoying Ogame as a change of pace. Considering it costs me nothing except my free time, and I enjoy it so far, I think it's quite a good deal. We'll see if it lasts.

[Trajanus]

Its a great game to just have some fun on. Come join us!

[Grey_Fox]

I play it with four more of my clanmates. We're in Universe 12 (one has another profile in Universe 6) and play under the tag EotG (Empire of the Gods :san_grin: ). Lots of fun, and there's a great feeling after your first successful raid :san_laugh:

[Togakure]

Heheheeeeeeee ... I've only 600 or so points after five days of playing, but I've raided over 500K in resources so far. Yes indeed, it does feel good! Some players are so silly ... they leave tons of resources on their undefended home world. Good espionage and cargo ships are all you need to prosper and grow very fast in the early game. If you intel correctly, you can plunder and plunder without losing more than a spy sat or two. So far, I've lost one small cargo ship and about a dozen spy sats. Considering how much I've raided, and comparing that to what a tiny amount my mines are producing .... lol!

I just sent off my first colony ship ... hehe ... I may get crushed soon, but I'm having fun at the moment. And even if I get crushed, I'll just build up again and have more fun (and watch my nemesis for an opening, and sweet revenge, lol).

Ogame, fun and free. A thinker's game--I like it.

[Grey_Fox]

Ojonin, you got it sweet. I've been at Ogame for the last week and a half in Universe 12 and everything is going so slowly. I've only just gotten my first two Heavy Fighters, and have lost 8 fighters and 3 transport ships in raids so far, and I'm ranked 2587 out of 10701 in the universe.

I know what you mean about stupid people, there are four guys in an alliance ranked in the top ten near my system and they have practically no defenses, last night alone I raided two of them simultaneously before going to bed, and then hit them again at lunch.

[Trajanus]

LOL clever chaps. Im just about to begin building my research lab and then get me some ships!

[King Edward]

OGame is ok, i had a uni 6 account and was leader of a TW community allinace but once i got about 12,000 points i was being hit so frequently by the top players that i could not progress any of my colonies, so i gave up. Very frustrating in the end.

[Togakure]

Yes I see. I have been thinking that hundreds of players have been in these universes for a looooong time, playing frequently the whole time, and will have a strength of several orders of magnitude greater than anyone starting now. Even if they get crashed, their infrastructure will remain, so they can rebuild rapidly and never really become "weak." Well, my solution will be to enjoy myself until that point, and learn all I can. When it gets frustrating I'll find something else to play until ...

They begin a brand new Universe (which I've read is happening very soon). Even though a new player would lack the experience of one of these compulsive-addictive vets, they'd still have a fighting chance if their development, defense, and opponent-hampering strategies were effective (and they were able to hop online everyday for a couple of hours or so).

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to tell of your experience.

[LeftEyeNine]

I formatted my PC. When my system was back up and running, I forgot to check my account.

It was the best thing I've ever done on my PC. After some point you only play since you have played it for some time. Something like watching TV -it fools you.

My 2 cents.