The game is just TOO easy!!!!

**quadalpha** · 03-10-2009, 06:10

You are missing the point if you play it like a conquer-the-world-o-meter. It is primarily about building something that you can identify with. The direction CA is moving the franchise is more toward balance and atmosphere, exemplified by the fact that the default objectives are no longer "conquer a mass of provinces," but are a much smaller set aimed at recreating the historical aims of the nations involved. The move to reduce the number of armies and provinces, and to take the recruiting of agents out of the players control accentuate this shift in emphasis, and makes the player care more about what he has. So of course you are not going to enjoy it very much if the only reason you play is for conquest; then the game might as well be a chore, much like how the latter parts of previous TW titles often turned out. To get the most out of it, you need to invest your faction with a little personality.

**DisruptorX** · 03-10-2009, 06:12

Originally Posted by quadalpha

You are missing the point if you play it like a conquer-the-world-o-meter. It is primarily about building something that you can identify with. The direction CA is moving the franchise is more toward balance and atmosphere, exemplified by the fact that the default objectives are no longer "conquer a mass of provinces," but are a much smaller set aimed at recreating the historical aims of the nations involved. The move to reduce the number of armies and provinces, and to take the recruiting of agents out of the players control accentuate this shift in emphasis, and makes the player care more about what he has. So of course you are not going to enjoy it very much if the only reason you play is for conquest; then the game might as well be a chore, much like how the latter parts of previous TW titles often turned out. To get the most out of it, you need to invest your faction with a little personality.

Its less fun when you don't get to defend your empire because the AI never launches naval attacks, never invades, and generally just sits around. Late game if you want a fight, you have to start it.

I'm enjoying Empire, myself, though.

**Mailman653** · 03-10-2009, 06:44

I'm just the average player who plays on the default setting as far back as MTW so I can't atest to the difficulty of the game on VH etc, but what I have noticed is that I have an abudance of money and a very peaceful excistence. In M2TW I would bulid up trade as fast as I could but I would always be low on cash and waring with one or two other factions.

As opposed to ETW where I seem to have almost an abudance of cash and hardly anyone trying to topple my empire down.

**Polemists** · 03-10-2009, 06:54

It all depends on how you play, I have gone bankrupt several times over in ETW. Do to losing trade rights do to past wars and new alliances.

As for

Its less fun when you don't get to defend your empire because the AI never launches naval attacks, never invades, and generally just sits around

I have had the AI do all of the above quite frequently on M so I dunno, maybe you should go with medium

Venice took over two of my ports with large navies, invaded my empire, and took out both my school and new church before it struck my capital, weaving around larger defended cities. I was quite impressed considering it was only turn 16...last time I ask venice to become a protectorate

**NimitsTexan** · 03-10-2009, 07:10

Originally Posted by Polemists

It all depends on how you play, I have gone bankrupt several times over in ETW. Do to losing trade rights do to past wars and new alliances.

As for

I have had the AI do all of the above quite frequently on M so I dunno, maybe you should go with medium

Venice took over two of my ports with large navies, invaded my empire, and took out both my school and new church before it struck my capital, weaving around larger defended cities. I was quite impressed considering it was only turn 16...last time I ask venice to become a protectorate

So you are saying you had the AI transport land troops on a ship and invade a costal region/island against you?

**Callahan9119** · 03-10-2009, 07:47

I will agree with you there. I'm attacking france completely in the new world and have no resistance. Indians are another matter though.

Still way more fun than any other TW game, I love techs, makes the campaign map more than just making buildings.

I can complain (my SLI doesnt work) but this is a great game. The game everyone wants, where the AI behaves like a human is far off, so far the AI has been good (try medium units).

**Yun Dog** · 03-10-2009, 07:47

Yeh I hear your concerns but I think theres a few issues here. Bear in mind this isnt a criticism in any way.

I mean you wanna make it harder give the AI insane stacks of death with bonuses and have it attack at all costs, someone can mod that in. I would be bored if I was defending against endless stacks of men.

To some degree wasnt that mid - late game STW with masses and masses of stacks of the few that were left, I dont think I ever bothered to finish a game once it got to that stage. So my first thing would be make sure your not looking at Shogun with rose coloured glasses because it was the first of its kind.

ETW:
I played through the Tute - ok that was alright, but easy yes, but its a tute.

I then went to VH/VH and the few battles I fought I got either pwned or just won by a few stragglers, that was encouraging enough to leave VH till later. As far as the AI sea invasions surely that can be fixed?

Then I went back to Med/Med cause I intend to get some value out of this game, then I will play through at hard, then I will play through at VH/VH, and then I will play all the factions, and then they will have patched/upgraded the game, and Ill play through a few more times, and then I might play it a few more times for old time sake.

On the up side I hear theres going to be a MP campaign so all your challenge issues will be solved then.

Its sort of a glass half full thing. Can you think of alot of recent game releases that had proved challenging for you? or lived up to your expectations, or werent full of bugs? What about the last two titles of this series - were they challenging? Cause I goto be honest mate I dont think your going to get that game you want for a long time to come.

The way I look at it, if Im not going to enjoy this game then I really have to look at why Im still playing games, and what game will ever be good enough to challenge players who have played this game as much as we have. Cause Its along wait till the next one.

Even if I get a month of honeymoon period where Im excited about the game, before I get bored or frustrated... thats sounds like I got a month more than some people. Once I get to the point where that excitement is no longer there, goodbye gaming.

Till the day this incredible game your waiting for comes out, Im going to play this one and enjoy it.

**sassbarman** · 03-10-2009, 08:10

I agree completely with the O.P. the AI is far to passive. CA really have to look into this and stop relying on pretty graphics to carry their games. It's not much a game when there is little to no chance of losing.
Having said that it's still fun to play because there is nothing else out there like it, but it could be so much better.

**Polemists** · 03-10-2009, 08:17

First point

So you are saying you had the AI transport land troops on a ship and invade a costal region/island against you?

Costal yes, Venice sailed upwards from it's city in southern greece. Landed near Vienna, whose troops were trying to take Venice and had lost, and then proceeded to march upon my capital.

Islands, yes. Spain invaded Cuba from Hisponola despite our regional trade 15 turns prior, do I assume to the fact I took Gibraltar and we were at war.

Not saying it happens all the time, but it can happen.

Again this goes back to what you want from your AI, and what people. Want I have lost battles, I have lost cities.

This isn't to say the game shouldn't provide some challenge for all levels, but remeber these forums are by and large veterans. People who play strategy game, after strategy game and never feel the AI is "good enough". The only way to satisfy most of those people I assume is to let them fight each other on MP.

The AI, is AI, it is not a person, it will never be as good as a person can be for years and years.

I find the game challenging and fun, not impossibly easy. I think the average gamer (who CA is trying to cater to do to the fact that apparently veterans and hardcore don't have enough of a market) will enjoy the game.

The fact it has resounding reviews and lots of fan faire I think is good. Is it perfect no? Is there a easy battle from time to time? Sure. By and large though I think the average gamer (Guys used to play M/M, will find it a nice challenge.

The AI at least has some tactics this time, which to me anyway, is a vast improvement over MTW2.

Again, I found MTW2 challenging at times. So take it all with a grain of salt.

**Fisherking** · 03-10-2009, 08:56

I am just curious, is anyone who thinks it is too easy playing with small unit size?

I have been lead to understand that the AI handles small units better than large one.

I could be totally wrong, of course. I am still waiting for my copy to arrive, while you guys have already been playing for a week.

I can’t say I will be too disappointed if the AI is not an insane warmongering conquer which will never make peace on any terms. I have had that in the last several games. One that looks out for its best interests may be a good thing.

By the same token, naval invasions are risky to undertake with a lot at stake if anything goes wrong. So if the AI isn’t spamming fleets and armies to invade every scrap of land, that is ok too. If you go cranking it up you are going to wined up with the silly junk you did in M2. Iceland will be attacked by the Barbary states on turn 2, and so on.

Who the heck launched massive sea invasions in this era or any other? If you mess with this too much you will have totally ridiculous happenings and it is just best tweaked a tiny bit or just left alone.
Armies far from home need continued support to win. Leave it to the human players to do that.
I am sure it will be fine when we get the MP campaigns and you can be worries that someone real will be on your doorstep with 3 fleets and full stacks.

Changing some of the AI’s aggressiveness is going to wreck a lot of the history. You may or may not care but some do. It will spoil a lot for the newer players and those who RP the games, and you are still going to beat the AI some how. If you couldn’t the game wouldn’t sell.

Use some imagination to make it harder for your self! Don’t tech up and use small armies.

Napoleon managed to do much the same thing as you are managing to do, so no big deal and no surprises there.

Maybe I will be singing a different tune once I have played for a week, but for now, I just see it as a bit of boasting.