TERRIBLY DISCOURAGING GAME!

[LoBaron]

Evil. [X(][:D]

[Itdepends]

And the AI would only be able to follow the 100% historical route if the player did likewise- which would be ..........boring.

[wdolson]

The game is a challenge to a player the first time they play because you're learning the ropes. One strength of this game is that the AI does things that were historically possible, but were not done in the real war. Nagumo wanted to consolidate his victory and get out of dodge before the Americans could react, so he did turn and run back to Japan as fast as possible. He could have lingered around Pearl for a second strike, or gone west to the Marshalls.

It may be frustrating the first time you play, but you'll learn to appreciate it the next couple of times you play and the AI does something completely different. When I was testing the game, I lost count of how many times I restarted. Andy's AI scripts kept me on my toes every time.

One of the strengths of a game is replayability and IMO, this game ranks very high on that scale.

Bill

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Roger Neilson 3

The Empires ones get a scratch on their side and over they go......

He he he

Roger

Scratch? How about a whiff of a scratch? I've had the Hiryu sink just from the wind of a 1000lb'er [:D][:D]

[Historiker]

Well, I had Shokaku being hit by a 1000lbs and she got 1 sys damage! [:D]

[Commander Stormwolf]

can't expect the enemy to do exactly as you want them to..


also recommend playing a pbem against a human opponent, you may understand the war a lot better

[Hanzberger]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Well, I had Shokaku being hit by a 1000lbs and she got 1 sys damage! [:D]

Yea but hit the stockpile of kegs on deck....

Don't give up on this game, it's a mind bender and the best pc game of it's kind. Just play through the turn or start a small scenario.
Try a couple of restarts to get the results you want. I think playing the AI, I would not want to harm the KB on the first turn either.
d

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Well, I had Shokaku being hit by a 1000lbs and she got 1 sys damage! [:D]

Yeah, but what about the 35 floatation and 90 fire damage? [:'(]

[Mac Linehan]

Auchinleck -

Welcome to the AE Forums!

Just to put things into perspective, I bought WitP (original) in 2004, but never really got the hang of it; there seemed so much to do and learn that it was overwhelming.

It wasn't till AE in 2009 that I actually began to stick with it, and slowly but surely began to grasp (at least) the basics.

I am so pleased to have a new player join us! Lots of good advice posted by folks who know what they are about. Please stick with it, don't hesitate to ask for help. I am addicted to this forum because of the quality of the members - a very smart group of gents and lady.

Hang in there, Sir - once AE has you in it's grip resistance is futile... <grin>

Mac

[crsutton]

Yes, welcome to the forums and congratulations on your first ever "rant"..[;)] While not ranking among the best I have seen (or done myself) you are off to a good start and with a little experience you should be able to vent and rant about this game with the best of us....(Well nobody rants as good as Castor Troy)

Seriously, don't give up. It is a hard game to master with a steep learning curve but I think that is what makes it one of the best out there. If you love history and the Pacific War there is no other. And, what you posted tells us and you is that you were surprised and taken aback by the AI. Well, if the AI did exactly what you expected it to do then you know that you will soon be able to figure it out and the game would quickly become tedious and boring.

I am not a fan of AI and always play humans, but I played the AI for first six months of the campaign and found the AI in AE to be one of the best in that it really did a great job in the early months. After that, it just got too easy to figure it out.

My suggestion is to start with the smaller scenarios and don't hesitate to ask questions here. There is plenty of help here. And it seems like there are a tremendous amount of new players posting on the forum as of late. Find a newish human player and start a small email game. It is much more fun. My experience is that playing solely against the AI limits your learning and allows you to form bad habits. Give it another try and I bet you will be lurking here for a long time...

[danlongman]

I always told my kids that a game you won or did well in the first time around
was a waste of money. You will have fun for an hour and put it away forever, bored already.
This game is kinda huge and I found it humbling. Try not to blame the game if you have trouble
at first...you SHOULD have trouble. Unless you are remarkably gifted. On your spare time google "Dunning-Kruger Effect" and do a
little self-psychoanalysis on that one.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Well, I had Shokaku being hit by a 1000lbs and she got 1 sys damage! [:D]

I want YOUR die rolls!!! [:D]

[LST Express]

Stick with it, in no time at all you'll be wearing the AI out and looking for one of these guys to play.

[Chris21wen]

ORIGINAL: Auchinleck

I mean I just paid $80 for the download. I started with the US side on historical difficulty, on December 8th, my first turn to do anything. So I command my scattered CV taskforces (Lexington) & (Enterprise) back to Pearl using the safest route back from air attack, so what happens? The Enterprise taskforce gets wiped out, except for a few destroyers by the apparently not too in a hurry to get his precious Pearl Harbor strike force Nagumo, back to Japan. It also attacked the Indianapolis on it's way back to Pearl also. NOT VERY REALISTIC! I'm surprised the AI didn't invade and capture Hawaii while they're at it! What, do I need to play with the AI heavily favoring the US in order for this to play out even close to historical??? Extremely discouraging to even want to start over. Considering how long my first turn took, with all that needs to be done on the first turn! I'll bet the lousy programming that went into the game would do the same thing again anyway, even if I could talk myself into starting over. Can I get my 80 bucks back???!!!

Fisrt and formost this is a game not a simulation so anything is possible esspecially PBEM.
AI scripts are randomised as much as any computer can randomise.
Why isn't attacking Indianapolis realistic? Nagumo was cautious with a little more aggression he could have found the two US carriers plus other stuff. Personnally I would never send my carriers back to PH until I was sure the Japanese had withdrawn.
Might try a PH invasion first turn, has anybody tried it?
It does take a looong time for any Japanese first turn and as you progress you will find other turns taking a long time as well.
The AI isn't brilliant and players should alway win against it despite a few setbacks.
If you replay the turn you willl get a different result.

[RogerJNeilson]

ORIGINAL: Empire101

ORIGINAL: LoBaron

ORIGINAL: Roger Neilson 3

I have to ask, are carriers that important to the Allies? I regularly lose a few, or alternatively never use them....... hasn't done me much harm.....


But then I'm crazy.

Roger

It s your third account, and you are still here. Thats what I call tenancy. Whats a few carriers? Pffff.... [;)]
I admittedly have this sinking feeling, if one of mine is sinking...


Edit: tenancy is the wrong word I just found out...what is the correct one? tenacious?

Well yes, but tenancy is just as good, as many, like Roger, live in the forum, so technically they are tenants[:D]

I am getting treatment for it.... but the drugs have side effects!

Roger

[Commander Stormwolf]

*player has carriers sunk going back to pearl"*

NO FAIR! THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN LAST TIME!,
KB WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE


*man drives home from the bar, get DUI*

NO FAIR! THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN LAST TIME!,
THAT TRAFFIC STOP WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE


AE functions on the principle of available microstates,
and a distribution of outcomes based on those microstates,

as does real life [:)]

[khyberbill]

This time I'll send the Big E and the Lady Lex tf's south,

Why send them back to Pearl? I usually go and pick up that Marine unit on Wake and then raid the SouthWestPacific and leave them in Oz. All they can do in PH is fish for tuna.

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Auchinleck

I mean I just paid $80 for the download. I started with the US side on historical difficulty, on December 8th, my first turn to do anything. So I command my scattered CV taskforces (Lexington) & (Enterprise) back to Pearl using the safest route back from air attack, so what happens? The Enterprise taskforce gets wiped out, except for a few destroyers by the apparently not too in a hurry to get his precious Pearl Harbor strike force Nagumo, back to Japan. It also attacked the Indianapolis on it's way back to Pearl also. NOT VERY REALISTIC! I'm surprised the AI didn't invade and capture Hawaii while they're at it! What, do I need to play with the AI heavily favoring the US in order for this to play out even close to historical??? Extremely discouraging to even want to start over. Considering how long my first turn took, with all that needs to be done on the first turn! I'll bet the lousy programming that went into the game would do the same thing again anyway, even if I could talk myself into starting over. Can I get my 80 bucks back???!!!

It's actually encouraging to hear the AI is doing a good job. Most of the complaints I've heard usually say the AI isn't up to the task. I suppose I should go back and ammend my Amazon.com review in which I said the AI "isn't the best opponent". [8D]

[Terminus]

It ISN'T the best opponent.

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

It ISN'T the best opponent.

Well I went back and amended my review to say:

"Also note, depending on your own level of competency at the game, the AI may not be the best opponent."

How does that sound?