1.9: some impressions

[Pico 22]

By now, the selling point should be “three games for the price of one” - or even four, if you don't care about various paths. So I played three games, all of them on the simplest, fluvial map.

The opening part: more complicated than before but not in a good way. I could not get through it without building two lumber camps because the villagers don't want to build houses even with perfectly good terrain available; and then it takes them ages before they invent big houses. Played most of it on x3 which I don't like at all.

Labor path: aspirations, no final goal (yet).

The first one I played. I did not try it the hard way and I don't think I will ever reach 100 citizens either – I reached the “exemplar” level and then got bored. My villagers were very happy, though, and they had one fair after another (but no fair tents, etc.) while I was taxing them mercilessly. Maybe I should retry this one on hard.

Clergy path: aspirations; goals are “an awe inspiring” abbatial church and the monk statue.

I played this one on “hard” which is not hard at all. I had quite a few other problems, though: I wrote in another post about the whole mess I had with splendor/penalty points; this did not happen in my other games so I don't know if it is specific to this path or I was just unlucky. I also wrote about how “awe inspiring” the abbatial church really is; let's hope it's just a placeholder. The same goes for the stone church portal which is just pitiful for such a building.
But the real elephant in the room is Batyushki. His “Monastic life” mod was a very good approximation of the way a medieval monastery functioned and influenced its territory. In 1.9 the developers copied a few parts of it but not the whole system: did it seem too complicated to them or what? The result is predictably bland and illogical. - I mentioned some other problems (cloister design, terrain) in yet another post. A lot of work has to be done in this department.

Military path: no specific aspirations, no final goal (yet).

The big problem here seems to be how to get enough splendor. The answer is to build as many forts as needed and, after you reach the points, to delete them (if you don't really want them). Not elegant but it works. Buildings that (I believe) should give you points (castle, weapon smith, etc.) don't. The missions system is better than in 1.8, though, because you can choose and pick the ones that reflect the present state of your army – and your needs - the best. - I built a sort of fort (but no watchtowers available – these people really feel secure) and I noticed the archery target flashing: does that mean we will get archers and army balance problems? Let's hope.

On the whole, better than 1.8 but worse than 1.8 wirh mods.

[Mike]

Thanks for your criticism. As for the Abbatial Monastery, you'll see nice changes once 1.9 releases ;)

[Chiurama]

It's also really difficult to earn money before you have a tax office. So if you are out of money to buy tools, bad luck! The trader is a very slow way of earning money.

[vjraymon]

I think your opinion is mainly about gameplay, but not on city builder aspect: what do you think about new buildings and their visual?

[Wuik]

Originally posted by Chiurama:

It's also really difficult to earn money before you have a tax office. So if you are out of money to buy tools, bad luck! The trader is a very slow way of earning money.

Hello,
The trick to get money and tools stay always the same ...
Make a big army, because if you can't promote serfs in the hard path, you be able to promote yours recruits without break the path....^^

[Pico 22]

Originally posted by vjraymon:

I think your opinion is mainly about gameplay, but not on city builder aspect: what do you think about new buildings and their visual?

True, but there are not all that many, are they? I certainly liked the new monastery; it has a kind of rough feeling about it which seems just right. The additional facade is a nice touch but there is only one portal which is good for hospices but not for the church (later on you can replace it with the stone one but you have to tear down the whole church to do it - which, of course, I did).
Planters are simple (good) but most of the other new greenery is too elaborate for a medieval cloister. A lot of those that I've visited had just grass inside, like in the game; others had paved paths, very low hedges in simple square patterns and maybe a couple of trees.. Often there is a fountain (with *drinkable* water) in the middle or at one side or corner of the cloister. Nothing more - the elaborate ones came later.

...
The maniac that I am i did start labor at hard: not too hard but you certainly have to know what you are doing, especially at the start - not for beginners. Also very slow; I spent most of the game at x3. I started in the valley and was surprised to notice that not only did the villagers start to buid houses immediately but they started to buld big ones as well. The only logical explanation: the game secretly sends all the stupid villagers to the fluvial map and all the smart ones to the valley.

Also, an important point that I forgot to mention at the beginning: in all of my 1.9 games not a single villager got stuck. VERY good and a medal to the developers!

[ShepherdOfCats]

I'm still trying to find out how to get a good start myself but I can definitely tell you that my strategy of expanding territory early is doesn't work for me anyways, lol. I bankrupted myself in a few minutes. But I'm not disappointed, just gonna have to change some habits.

[marco]

Originally posted by ShepherdOfCats:

I'm still trying to find out how to get a good start myself but I can definitely tell you that my strategy of expanding territory early is doesn't work for me anyways, lol. I bankrupted myself in a few minutes. But I'm not disappointed, just gonna have to change some habits.

Same here. Two starts, two times bancrupt. I don't feel I did a lot wrong, stayed on one territory but money just doesn't come in. I lost interest in a third run because I don't see a way to generate money - which is needed for everything.

Edit: Ok I did a third run, cut corners and once taxation kicks in, there is an uptick in m,oney :)

[Wuik]

Originally posted by marco:

Originally posted by ShepherdOfCats:

I'm still trying to find out how to get a good start myself but I can definitely tell you that my strategy of expanding territory early is doesn't work for me anyways, lol. I bankrupted myself in a few minutes. But I'm not disappointed, just gonna have to change some habits.

Same here. Two starts, two times bancrupt. I don't feel I did a lot wrong, stayed on one territory but money just doesn't come in. I lost interest in a third run because I don't see a way to generate money - which is needed for everything.

Edit: Ok I did a third run, cut corners and once taxation kicks in, there is an uptick in m,oney :)

Hello,
Just follow the tutorial....that is enought ...after built the rustic church..Begin to make an army in the wooden keep..tools and money will coming soon ^^