I have to admit I've been a bit torn on this issue since the beginning. On the one hand, yes it starts to seem very pressing as you get further into a campaign. You look at a maybe 20-ish province empire on turn 100, and it looks like it will be very difficult if even possible to complete the objectives. When I thought about it, though, I discovered that the little edge of anxiousness that I was feeling about the time limit lurking on the horizon was actually a very positive thing. It was pushing me to manage the empire better, to learn more effective strategies. It made me keep on top of everything, and coordinate multiple simultaneous attacks in order to make better progress. This made me feel very uncomfortable at first, as it felt like the game was demanding too much from me. Over time that's changed though: I've become a lot better and more comfortable at managing things and making good progress, and feel like I've grown as a commander and empire manager as a result. It's grown on me so much that though I know I can sometimes appreciate the merits of a slower game, I will likewise miss the edge-of-a-knife drive that a fairly demanding time limit lends to the game.
Bookmarks