First time playing an AOW game.

[Commander Raymond]

So this is my first AOW game, I saw it on new releases and looked really cool. I am familiar with Paradox games (I play HOI4 and Stellaris) so I am not new to turn based strategy like this. I didn't have much time to play yet since I work during the week but I enjoy what I have experienced so far. I just have a variety of questions to ask as the wiki for this game is still under construction and doesn't have a lot of info I am looking for.

-The intro cinematic made it seem like there is basically 2 options to play. a god that came down and just yeeted everyone and took over a powerful empire, or someone who survived the horror and made his own kingdom. Are the differences only through starting bonuses or does it have any sway later in the game? Like if i play as "Fantasy Jesus Christ" where i came and took over the kingdom like the intro cinematic suggests, can i still play as a good empire? or does it force me down the road of evil.

-From what i see this feels somewhat like Civilization with the Cities, but I cant figure out how i would start a new city, is there a unit i need or research to be able to make new cities somewhere?

-Is there an actual end to this game or is it like stellaris or HOI4 where there really isnt an end, you just get bored or feel like you completed what you can and move on.

-Does the alignment really matter besides initial relations? or do you start taking major penalties for going down the path of evil if you start off good.

-I bought the season pass DLC thing with the base game, historically are the DLC's good for this series or are they kind of like a mystery box like most of paradoxis DLC where you might get like a couple good ones but the rest is kinda Meh or garbage.

-Finnally, is there like a difficulty between what race you choose? like are certain cultures and races harder to play then others or are they all kind of the same, and just the starts are different.

[Ragmund]

- Nope, aside from your own role-playing, the choice of leader type affect some bonus-penalty modifiers only. That said, lore-wise there're good wizards and evil champions as well.
- To build a city you need to build an outpost first. Which is done by taking a hero to the desired place and clicking on it... You'd figure the rest, I think.
- The end to a level - sure. The end to the campaigns - yeah, obviously. The end to the sandbox game? Whenever you chose for it to end.
- Some bonus-penalty stuff, but mostly diplomacy and role-playing.
- So far, Triumph always delivered when it came to DLC's. We'll see how it goes with AoW4.
- More or less, it's all the same in terms of difficulty. Some tome combos can be more powerfull then others, but racial bonuses themselves are not that impactful, imo.

[Commander Raymond]

Originally posted by Ragmund:

- Nope, aside from your own role-playing, the choice of leader type affect some bonus-penalty modifiers only. That said, lore-wise there're good wizards and evil champions as well.
- To build a city you need to build an outpost first. Which is done by taking a hero to the desired place and clicking on it... You'd figure the rest, I think.
- The end to a level - sure. The end to the campaigns - yeah, obviously. The end to the sandbox game? Whenever you chose for it to end.
- Some bonus-penalty stuff, but mostly diplomacy and role-playing.
- So far, Triumph always delivered when it came to DLC's. We'll see how it goes with AoW4.
- More or less, it's all the same in terms of difficulty. Some tome combos can be more powerfull then others, but racial bonuses themselves are not that impactful, imo.

Oh ok thats good to hear, to expand on the campaign stuff you where talking about, there is like quest lines you complete and you complete an overall "campaign" by defeating like a mean dragon or something sort of like a classic RPG where you defeat some boss after a long questline or is it more complex then that.

[Estellese]

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

So this is my first AOW game, I saw it on new releases and looked really cool. I am familiar with Paradox games (I play HOI4 and Stellaris) so I am not new to turn based strategy like this. I didn't have much time to play yet since I work during the week but I enjoy what I have experienced so far. I just have a variety of questions to ask as the wiki for this game is still under construction and doesn't have a lot of info I am looking for.

If you would like more direct help, do feel free to add me. Happy to join co-op up and offer what advice I can. Don't know everything, but I know some things.

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

Like if i play as "Fantasy Jesus Christ" where i came and took over the kingdom like the intro cinematic suggests, can i still play as a good empire? or does it force me down the road of evil.

The game is set up so that you can basically RP anything you want. So your character may have come from the mage place and taken over through evil means. Or maybe they just showed up one day and were like "hey, I'm pretty powerful and there are these other pretty powerful people like me showing up and taking over everything. Let me lead so I can protect you from them." And the people said sure. Or maybe these people had been taken over by an evil wizard king, and your guy showed up and booted that wizard king out, then took over to protect them from the rest of the wizard kings of this world. It can be whatever you want, it does not force alignment.

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

-From what i see this feels somewhat like Civilization with the Cities, but I cant figure out how i would start a new city, is there a unit i need or research to be able to make new cities somewhere?

Move your leader or a hero to the place you want to build a city. Click the land. Click "build outpost"

Your hero/leade can now leave while that builds. Once it is built click the outpost and upgrade it to a city.

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

-Is there an actual end to this game or is it like stellaris or HOI4 where there really isnt an end, you just get bored or feel like you completed what you can and move on.

What do you mean by "end?" I've not played HOI or much of stellaris.

There is a win condition, and once you win that match ends. But you can just start another match.

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

-Does the alignment really matter besides initial relations? or do you start taking major penalties for going down the path of evil if you start off good.

AI of a similar alignment will like you more, AI of a differing alliance will like you less.

I think that's about all it does unless you play high culture. (High culture had buffs that ONLY work at the extremes. Pure good, pure evil, or pure neutral. Going to any in between alignments loses the buffs.)

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

-I bought the season pass DLC thing with the base game, historically are the DLC's good for this series or are they kind of like a mystery box like most of paradoxis DLC where you might get like a couple good ones but the rest is kinda Meh or garbage.

The DLC for AOW3 and Planetfall were good and added a decent amount to those games. IMO.

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

-Finnally, is there like a difficulty between what race you choose? like are certain cultures and races harder to play then others or are they all kind of the same, and just the starts are different.

Your race is just a skin. Pick whichever one fits the character you are making best.

Your culture and mind/body traits will make a considerable difference. Read those carefully and pick whichever you think best suits your playstyle (or if going full RP like I do, the playstyle of the character you made).


I best get a cookie for doing all these quotes on a phone :p

[Ragmund]

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

Originally posted by Ragmund:

- Nope, aside from your own role-playing, the choice of leader type affect some bonus-penalty modifiers only. That said, lore-wise there're good wizards and evil champions as well.
- To build a city you need to build an outpost first. Which is done by taking a hero to the desired place and clicking on it... You'd figure the rest, I think.
- The end to a level - sure. The end to the campaigns - yeah, obviously. The end to the sandbox game? Whenever you chose for it to end.
- Some bonus-penalty stuff, but mostly diplomacy and role-playing.
- So far, Triumph always delivered when it came to DLC's. We'll see how it goes with AoW4.
- More or less, it's all the same in terms of difficulty. Some tome combos can be more powerfull then others, but racial bonuses themselves are not that impactful, imo.

Oh ok thats good to hear, to expand on the campaign stuff you where talking about, there is like quest lines you complete and you complete an overall "campaign" by defeating like a mean dragon or something sort of like a classic RPG where you defeat some boss after a long questline or is it more complex then that.

Well, the "campaign"is basically a number of scenarious which have pre-defined scripted events and alternative, "story-based" victory conditions. Also, they have voiced intros and outros, and beating those scenarios unlock unique (with unique appearances and backstories, that is) characters to play with. Other than that they're played like any other map you can create on your own. You can even ignore the story victory conditions and just go for standart ones (kill everyone, for example, or cast the ultimate spell, etc.).

As for the story, each scenario gives you some agenda - sometimes you play good guy, sometimes evil - which you need to achieve. Usually it means you need to beat some bad (or good) guy, but in story realms they give you alternative, more complex ways to do that. Although conventional "get strong, get army, kick him in da face" choice is always there as well.

Hope that answers your question.

[Stormwind]

I play Stellaris too, think of the race creation as being similiar to the faction creation in Stellaris, you pretty much make your own civlization, what it looks like, starting traits, etc.

To my mind, the biggest playing difference between the two is AoW4 gives you minute tactical control over the battles. (of course I am ignoring the different genres)

The games are different but I think they will appeal to the same sorts of players, if you like one, decent chance you will like the other.

[Commander Raymond]

Originally posted by Ragmund:

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

Oh ok thats good to hear, to expand on the campaign stuff you where talking about, there is like quest lines you complete and you complete an overall "campaign" by defeating like a mean dragon or something sort of like a classic RPG where you defeat some boss after a long questline or is it more complex then that.

Well, the "campaign"is basically a number of scenarious which have pre-defined scripted events and alternative, "story-based" victory conditions. Also, they have voiced intros and outros, and beating those scenarios unlock unique (with unique appearances and backstories, that is) characters to play with. Other than that they're played like any other map you can create on your own. You can even ignore the story victory conditions and just go for standart ones (kill everyone, for example, or cast the ultimate spell, etc.).

As for the story, each scenario gives you some agenda - sometimes you play good guy, sometimes evil - which you need to achieve. Usually it means you need to beat some bad (or good) guy, but in story realms they give you alternative, more complex ways to do that. Although conventional "get strong, get army, kick him in da face" choice is always there as well.

Hope that answers your question.

yeah except with each new answer i get a new question lol.

So i saw that maps or "realms" when you start a new game, does each one of those premade ones have a unique adventure to them in terms of campaign or is it random regardless

[Ragmund]

Originally posted by Benkei Kuruma:

My best advice to anyone new to the game, especially if you haven't played the others, or even if you have, is to go through the Story Realms first. The "beginner realm" is really just a sandbox that, in my opinion, doesn't do a good job at teaching you how to play the game. The story realms from what I understand are handcrafted and paced a lot better to let you learn the game's systems little by little. That, and they teach you a lot more about the game's lore, which gives you more motivation to play.

Not exactly handcrafted, as they're procedurally generated as well, but they are indeed less random and more predetermined. Like, say, the main villain is always to the south of you, separated by mountains, with an abandoned wizard tower with a side quest along the way (that's not a real description of a real map, just an example of how it works).

[Ragmund]

Originally posted by Commander Raymond:

Originally posted by Ragmund:

Well, the "campaign"is basically a number of scenarious which have pre-defined scripted events and alternative, "story-based" victory conditions. Also, they have voiced intros and outros, and beating those scenarios unlock unique (with unique appearances and backstories, that is) characters to play with. Other than that they're played like any other map you can create on your own. You can even ignore the story victory conditions and just go for standart ones (kill everyone, for example, or cast the ultimate spell, etc.).

As for the story, each scenario gives you some agenda - sometimes you play good guy, sometimes evil - which you need to achieve. Usually it means you need to beat some bad (or good) guy, but in story realms they give you alternative, more complex ways to do that. Although conventional "get strong, get army, kick him in da face" choice is always there as well.

Hope that answers your question.

yeah except with each new answer i get a new question lol.

So i saw that maps or "realms" when you start a new game, does each one of those premade ones have a unique adventure to them in terms of campaign or is it random regardless

Story realm = a unique adventure. Other premade realms = a map with some unique features. Custom realm - generic map you can customize however you like (climate, landscape, size, etc).

[David McMurdo]

Welcome to Age of Wonders Anonymous.

There's no recovery.

[Ragmund]

Originally posted by Benkei Kuruma:

Originally posted by Ragmund:

Not exactly handcrafted, as they're procedurally generated as well, but they are indeed less random and more predetermined. Like, say, the main villain is always to the south of you, separated by mountains, with an abandoned wizard tower with a side quest along the way (that's not a real description of a real map, just an example of how it works).

That's actually really cool that certain elements are still procedurally generated. Makes replaying those maps a lot more interesting.

Both pro & con for me personally. It's good for replayability indeed, however I miss the classic AoW 1-3 campaign maps. I hope we'll at least get more story realms with future dlc's. Also would've been good to have an option to play on premade maps without any randomly generated elements. That way the community could've created its own "old-school campaign-style" missions.