How many people are still playing?

**Skott** · 04-07-2010, 22:15

I just reinstalled after hearing v1.6 being out. I hadn't played in a while so thought I'd see what changes there are. No plans to try NTW at this time.

**Zim** · 04-14-2010, 05:53

I'm still playing, or more accurately playing again. The game's a lot better since 1.5 (and now 1.6) came out.

**Peasant Phill** · 04-18-2010, 13:20

I just started playing again. let's see how it goes.

**Martok** · 04-19-2010, 05:29

I'm afraid I haven't played Empire in months. I've wanted so badly to like it; but in the end, I just got fed up.

I got tired of the crashes, the imbalances, and -- most/worst of all -- the craptastic AI, especially on the strategic level. And while the various patches/updates have fixed the majority of the first two problems, CA/Sega has done almost nothing about the last one: I got sick of DOW's from factions that should've had little or no reason to want to attack me, DOW's from factions that didn't have an even-remotely realistic chance of beating me, factions refusing to accept peace terms no matter how badly they were losing to me, and factions that offered ridiculously lopsided deals (in their favor) that no ruler in their right mind would ever accept.

The "Black Knight" AI has been a problem with this game from the beginning, and I've seen no signs that it's improved in any significant or meaningful way. I keep desperately hoping against all odds that CA does at least one more update to fix (or at least significantly improve) it, but it's hard for me to be at all optimistic at this point. Unless & until the campaign AI is addressed (especially with respect to diplomacy), ETW will remain forever uninstalled on my computer.

**Durango** · 04-19-2010, 07:00

Originally Posted by Martok

I'm afraid I haven't played Empire in months. I've wanted so badly to like it; but in the end, I just got fed up.

I got tired of the crashes, the imbalances, and -- most/worst of all -- the craptastic AI, especially on the strategic level. And while the various patches/updates have fixed the majority of the first two problems, CA/Sega has done almost nothing about the last one: I got sick of DOW's from factions that should've had little or no reason to want to attack me, DOW's from factions that didn't have an even-remotely realistic chance of beating me, factions refusing to accept peace terms no matter how badly they were losing to me, and factions that offered ridiculously lopsided deals (in their favor) that no ruler in their right mind would ever accept.

The "Black Knight" AI has been a problem with this game from the beginning, and I've seen no signs that it's improved in any significant or meaningful way. I keep desperately hoping against all odds that CA does at least one more update to fix (or at least significantly improve) it, but it's hard for me to be at all optimistic at this point. Unless & until the campaign AI is addressed (especially with respect to diplomacy), ETW will remain forever uninstalled on my computer.

Why not play Medieval instead?

But really, this killed any hope I had that Empire would be playable. And with Napoleon, why would anyone even bother?

**Fisherking** · 04-19-2010, 18:46

If you have not played NTW you can not judge it.

It is a different beast than ETW.

I have not been able to drag my self back even after the patch. I have no idea what got changed.

But I will tell you that NTW is more than worth the money, especially now that the price is so reduced. It is a different experience totally and entirely from what you got in ETW.

It is a shame that everyone is so gun-shy now, because it is an excellent game.