Patch 3!

[MikeV]

without outlining anyone's specific requirements set on the topic how is CA meant to magically "know" just what is too hard or too easy for everyone?

Maybe the difficulty settings are relevant now.

...

maybe everyone needs to readjust their own skills to the definitions of what the words Easy, Normal, Hard and Very Hard mean.

I'd settle for them documenting what they mean: what parameter values change with each setting, what criteria the AI algorithms use, etc.
Like the preferences file parameters.

That way, we'd all know exactly how the settings affect the app.

Some folks enjoy spending weeks or months trying to reverse engineer these things. I'd rather just read the design documentation. Then again, I'm a geek.

[AussieGiant]

You're just taking all the fun out of trying to find out MikeV

Certainly some basic explanation of what is different between each level of difficulty would help. But even then you are giving away various ways of beating the AI.

That would be bad for all those who say this game is too easy.

[MikeV]

You're just taking all the fun out of trying to find out MikeV

Certainly some basic explanation of what is different between each level of difficulty would help. But even then you are giving away various ways of beating the AI.

That would be bad for all those who say this game is too easy.

Well, to paraphrase a recent infamous US President: it depends on what your meaning of "fun" is

For me, it's the opportunity to explore various "what if" alternatives. It's not unusual for me to use the same campaign to make one set of decisions, then back up 10 or 20 turns and try another (I tend to keep a lot of save files, which also helps cope with the various & sundry CTD problems). But, that's just my approach.

Initially, I had hoped that E:TW would provide an interesting simulation of early Industrial Age warfare. Bugs aside, it turns out to be just a game: lots of eye candy, and a rather flaccid AI at both the campaign and tactical levels. Oh, well.