In anticipation of EMPIRE... 1701 A.D. Gold Edition

[Divinus Arma]

So. I am looking forward to Empire, but I know nothing about the period, nor about ships. So I thought I would start looking at games around the period. Today I bought 1701 A.D. Gold Edition. I started to read the instructions and it instantly looked lame. Then I saw a youtube thing and it looked ok.

IGN gave it game of the year in '07.

Anybody want to comment?

[Decker]

I personally would have suggested online research for the time period. Like using the external links in Wikipedia (located at the bottom) to find some websites that may help you. Or go to museums websites and search there such as the Imperial War Museum, etc...

Or you could read a book, but considering you wish to know more about that period right now... maybe later

Here are a few sites I have on hand that you could use for quick look ups

General Archieve of Military History Websites. I'd like to note that quite a few will mostly likely NOT show up when you click on them:
Military History Sites

Not exactly great in its coverage, but a good overview of some of the more important battles in British military history. Goes all the way up to the "Great Boer War":
British Battles

A site that covers the Crimean War. I do not really know the time frame of the game but this is at or around that particular time frame and will probably in an add-on or modded in some how:
Crimean War Research Society

Look in the left hand column here for articles (can be VERY long sometimes) on a good amounts of topics:
Military History Online

Basically the same as the first site listed but it seems to be more detailed:
Military History at KMLA

Another that also can get more detailed by conflict:
History of War Online

And one that appears to be dedicated to at least... the Napoleonic Time period:
Napoleonic Wars

I hope all of these helped you out and gave you some ideas As for the game... never played it

Cheers,
Decker

[frogbeastegg]

Lame? It's one of the best build-your-trade-empire games around!

It's closer to the city builder games than any wargame. It does feature fighting but it's far from the game's focus, and as such it's simplistic and somewhat dull. The game is all about exploring the New World, setting up your colony, expanding, exploiting resoruces, attracting more sophisticated (and wealthy) colonists, and raking in huge piles of shiny gold.

If you wanted something more combat oriented this is not the game for you.

[Husar]

What froggy says, if you were looking for realistic sailing or combat, this is definitely the wrong game for you.

[Ferret]

Europa Universalis 3 will teach you a lot of history about the time period

[Divinus Arma]

I loaded it up and gave it some playing time that day. So far I'm bored and wish I didn't buy it.

But I am willing to give it another shot. Maybe I'll put in an 8 hr stint tomorrow. That will tell me if its a keeper or not.

It just seems... gay.