Opinionated and Uninformed

I know this viewpoint frequently draws objections, but I believe newbs should build armies immediately. The combat system has moderate complexity, and hunting animals is quite entertaining. It also opens up all sorts of harvesting and equipment possibilities. Between hunting and trading, my early Illy experience was quite enjoyable. The usual advice of focusing on building up resource production may seem practical to bigger players, but it's also super boring.

I taught the latest CAVE rookie how to make his first million in a week. His pop is 450, with a new settlement. Making that first bit of coin is very rewarding, and it allows a lot of flexibility in your options once you can purchase all the items and resources that interest you. It's a lot more engaging than leveling your clay pit for the ninth time in a row. I think people forget that sometimes.

WeeAshley wrote: No offence taken.  My brilliant Texas Holdem idea was pretty decisively shot down.  Mainly because I agree that there are lots of other priorities.  I think it could work way down the road - when I'm in the ground and my children inherit my accounts. If something like this is ever implemented I think the key is using existing in game resources to bet.  Because you're right, I can't play on those free sites with everyone shoving all in every round.

Edited by Deranzin - 17 Feb 2013 at 09:48

Wee Ashley's thread has brought some fresh impetus into the game.  It has, at the very least caused other players to think about how to improve upon it.

Efficient at what, exactly? Population is almost completely irrelevant, except for the purpose of taxes (only for large armies in big cities) and for dispatching settlers. My build queue was never empty. Nor was I ever dependent on others for resource donations, past the first few newb care-a-vans. I built for gathering and trading, not raw resource production (although I certainly leveled my plots as well). Then I traded for gold, and loaded my caravans with resources purchased from trade hubs. Same result, different approach. If you want to go wild leveling your Common Ground, your population will grow faster than mine did, but I found breeding cows a lot less interesting than trading, hunting and exploring.

When people use terms like 'efficient', I'm curious to know the end goal. Mine was to enjoy trading and to become the biggest brewer in Illyria. Population... meh. A focus on population assumes you want to be a huge player fielding huge armies in tournaments and war. If that goal inspires new players, great, but I think Illy offers different flavors to different sorts of players.

WeeAshley wrote: A lowly newb can decide that, for a challenge, he never wants to read an online guide, he doesn't want to join a guild, and he doesn't want any resources from begging or offers in GC.  He will eventually progress to end game content, but it will take him a hell of a lot longer.

Rubbish.

Let's come back to this discussion in two months, and see if you're still willing to make any of these assertions with such confidence.

My initial method was to produce, gather, and hunt. I sold the items and used the gold to purchase basic resources. It helps to have good caravan capacity to haul back the raw materials from trade hubs. You complained of boredom, and I offered this approach as more interactive and time-consuming. YMMV.