Steep learning curve

[stagehand__18]

This game, to me, has a really steep learning curve. Not helped by there being no official "manual" or guide. The Google machine has produced some results, videos and the Big Wiki, this forum, of course, but it all seems to be vague sometimes - like an Auto repair manual that just says "remove the alternator." Sure ... um which bolts do I take out? Also there are no "tool tips" that pop up telling you "Click here to do this". (that you could turn off once you learn the mechanics)

I'm doing the quest to deliver the prisoners - escort them. I see the quest and click on it, and there's the big building and a big boat and a little "escort ship" and the lighthouse. The Wiki says left click on my boat - I assume the escort ship - and right click to move closer then right click on the other ship. No amount of changing the order of my clicking or right or left click nothing happens. Am I that stupid? click lighthouse. r click my boat. click my boat r click either other boat or water around the big boat. click big boat first r click my boat. Nothing.

I know it works because I did it a couple days ago ... I got the prisoners to the good guy and got congratulated for doing a good thing but I can't remember what I did ... it just sort of worked.

I have re-started the campaign several times now, I get stuck or confused and bail out and read and watch more google results then start again, I get a little further, then get stuck again.

Do I have to do the campaign or could I just go to sandbox and play? I am not new to city builder games, I understand production chains and cash flow and Happiness - or loyalty. But this is my first Anno game, so maybe there is a little catch up I need to do to understand how these developers set up tasks and how to accomplish them?

I admit there is a bit of learning the jargon and terms which bar on the UI to use and keyboard and clicking and all that. What menu tab contains the command or item I want, WHILE you are trying to get to know the story and the world we live in and politics and the map OMG.

I like the idea, I am a fan of games with depth and detail. A game that takes time to develop and play and lasts longer than 6-8 hours and it's over you either won or lost but it's over.

[Lailantie]

I totally agree with the steep learning curve and the lack of tool tips. The first game I played (that was No Man's Sky) constantly told you "press W to start, press E to exit" whenever you enter your ship. This comes handy if you haven't played for a while, and it's small in a lower corner.

I started this game with a free game and had no idea how to move my ship. Because it's the first thing you learn when playing the campaign, but I had no idea that the campaign was a sort of tutorial. So basically you left-click your ship so that you see its menu and also a circle around your ship inworld. Then you move around and right click the ocean, where you want your ship to go. Make sure your ship menu is still visible. If you lose your ship while searching for a good place, a right click won't do anything.

If you interact with somebody/something while in your ship, usually you get a popup menu by the person you interact with and you just accept.

For the escort ship, do you mean the ship you need to escort (= guide, keep safe)? Then, this is not your ship. You're the guardian. If you click all kinds of ships, yours will highlight in the color of your banner and the ship menu will pop up. If this doesn't happen, it's not your ship.