I am new to game; What is the best setting to play on?

[Mr. Goblin]

I am new to this game.

I have only tried playing on the "roll play" setting.
What do you guys feel is the best setting to play on?

I fin that on Roll-play. The game basically keeps things in the dark, and does not tell you what certain event choices do for you.

I like keeping "characters ageing" realistic, year by year. But, at the same time, I find that they become very old (or die from other means) quit often. The turns go fast; but the characters seem to GO fast! I am not sure I like this; because it feels that I barely get to experience characters and their builds. Before they end up dying so fast.

Same with diplomacy. Just as soon that I spend like 240gold to bolster relations with another faction. Their leaser dies.... a new one is instated... and that one hates me (laughs).
Seems a waste of money; just to have good relations with another faction for only a few turns... before their leader dies.

I am on the fence with it all.

But, what do you guys like to play on? What setting; and why?

[Siontific]

Personally I don't really change any of the advances settings - I like the balance of the game as is. With something like longer lifespans that just makes the game easier and that's not a direction I like to go in.

Ultimately though you'll find a sweet spot - there's a lot of different tweaks you can make to find a difficulty right for you. Roleplay is probably not something I'd recommend for a new player since understanding what is going to happen to you in events is pretty important, mechanically, imo.

No events mode is actually a mode I find fun, and good one for learning games, imo - it speeds up the pace of the game, and the game feels more like a classic 4x game. Though understandably you lose some thematic elements.

[4X-Fan]

I always set the difficulty settings to give a fair game (so that the AI has neither has advantages/penalties both with the game ongoing and also no additional cities at the start).
The same approach for strength of tribes and barbs. Reason: Aside from not liking the AI cheating...the AI is good enough to give you a fight without any boni here.

With the games pacing (turns scale, character aging) I tend to experiment still around.

There is one additional setting I always check: Reducing extra movement in fatigue state to doubling the normal. I don't like the idea of blitzing around too much with a single unit (and - in honour of the good games AI - I just fear that the computer will use "unlimited" this for pretty sneaky operations)

[Dale Kent]

Originally posted by Mr. Goblin:

I am new to this game.

I have only tried playing on the "roll play" setting.
What do you guys feel is the best setting to play on?

I fin that on Roll-play. The game basically keeps things in the dark, and does not tell you what certain event choices do for you.

I like keeping "characters ageing" realistic, year by year. But, at the same time, I find that they become very old (or die from other means) quit often. The turns go fast; but the characters seem to GO fast! I am not sure I like this; because it feels that I barely get to experience characters and their builds. Before they end up dying so fast.

Same with diplomacy. Just as soon that I spend like 240gold to bolster relations with another faction. Their leaser dies.... a new one is instated... and that one hates me (laughs).
Seems a waste of money; just to have good relations with another faction for only a few turns... before their leader dies.

I am on the fence with it all.

But, what do you guys like to play on? What setting; and why?

May I suggest changing turn scale to Seasons, which will slow character ageing.

[Twelvefield]

Roleplay is for roleplaying the game, it disables hints for your choices. As a new player, don't do that. You should learn how the choices work before you put the blindfold on.

Also: play the tutorials and read the manual (see the splash page in-game, there's a link there)

I tend to play on the default settings, random medium or large maps, and I like to choose my Dynasty in the game. What I really ought to do is play out the Scenarios, I have yet to do that.

[jotwebe]

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

Roleplay is for roleplaying the game, it disables hints for your choices. As a new player, don't do that. You should learn how the choices work before you put the blindfold on.

Or, opposite take: as a new player, before you know, or half-remember, what the choices do, is the best time to roleplay. You'll never be as unspoiled again. Just keep the difficulty low enough that lack of min-maxing won't kill you.

[omnius]

Like Dale Kent suggested play with seasonal turns so that your characters age a year every 4 turns and leaders can reach the Great cognomen.

[Metal Gear Banana]

My settings are basically the polar opposite of yours!

I use Lengthy character lifespan and one Season per turn, so that the characters live the longest possible lives. The starting leaders are handcrafted by the developers and I want to use them as long as possible.

I would suggest not using the roleplay setting as a new player. Even with it turned off, you will get plenty of roleplay vibes. There are over 4000 events in the base game now. 5000 with all DLC.

[Mr. Goblin]

Originally posted by Metal Gear Banana:

My settings are basically the polar opposite of yours!

I use Lengthy character lifespan and one Season per turn, so that the characters live the longest possible lives. The starting leaders are handcrafted by the developers and I want to use them as long as possible.

I would suggest not using the roleplay setting as a new player. Even with it turned off, you will get plenty of roleplay vibes. There are over 4000 events in the base game now. 5000 with all DLC.

Interesting. Long term life. Seasonal Turns.
I should try that sometime next game.

[Twelvefield]

Definitely give it a try, it changes the game quite a bit. I like the short, fiery life cycle, though. I find the Methuselahs tend to overstay their welcome.

[Mr. Goblin]

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

Definitely give it a try, it changes the game quite a bit. I like the short, fiery life cycle, though. I find the Methuselahs tend to overstay their welcome.

Yes. I would prefer to enjoy a more fully life of a character in power. To feel like that character had enough time to possibly build a 'legacy'. That potential anyway. However; with the other options that I have been playing on. Shorter life and shorter turns. Leaders seem to die off very quickly. From old age or illness (sometimes even combat or event death... which is fine).

But, at the same time I want the aging of characters to also feel balanced with the TURNS that go by. And how the game builds-forward with those turns. In time and technology.

[Metal Gear Banana]

Originally posted by Mr. Goblin:

But, at the same time I want the aging of characters to also feel balanced with the TURNS that go by.

The settings I mentioned result in the first leader dying approximately 100 turns in. Obviously depends on the starting age of the character though.