Is the game too slow at start?

With the release of the new realm, which is slower than the first beta realm, we've receive some comments that the game is too slow. That new players quickly run out of things to do and will get bored.

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First of all, like always, thank you for those comments, they guide our development in a very significant way. You help shape Realm of Empires!

I would like to respond to these concerns. First of all, your comments suggest, we do a poor job in explaining what this game is about, why it is slow, and what you can do in the mean time. We intend to improve on this! This blog is the beginning.


As as I have said before in Realm of Empires 15 minutes per day and in What is Realm of Empires, this game was specifically designed such so that it does not rule your real-life.

Unlike games like Mob Wars and its 100 clones, that require you to sit at the computer and click a 'DO JOB' button 10 times, Realm of Empires was specifically designed not to reward constant mindless activity but rather reward strategy, communication, planning.

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Some will argue it is actually a poor business model. Most games want to encourage you to spend as much time clicking (and hence seeing as many ads as possible)! We don't think so and hope you will see the value of what we are trying to do.

Hence we resist adding any features that reward 'clicking' even though it appears as an 'easy' way out. We hope players will see the depth of the game when it is not constant clicking and staring at the screen that benefits your but rather your ability to forge real, strong alliances, plan battles etc. And at the same time, does not force you set your real-life aside. It was designed this way, to allow busy people to be able to compete equally.

What we do want encourage, is what I call 'smart' activity. When you run out of silver and feel you have nothing to do, consider this:

(A) Find a strong clan to join

If you have to sit there and click-click-click all the time, how will you find the time for duediligence in choosing your clan? Joining a good clan is the most important decision you will make and the first few days, while you are protected from attacks, is the time to do it.

Examine the map closely, study your neighbours. What clans are they part of? don't choose a clan that has 1 member next to you and the rest, including the leader are on the other side of the know world. You will be the first to be eliminated in wartime. So choose a clan with many members near you.

This takes time, and I personally find it more fun then clicking 'do job' 10 times, and I hope you guys will feel the same.

Also, don't just join a largest clan. Join a good clan - study their clan profile. Do they seem organized? how many people are involved in leadership? What reputation do they have?Remember, you do not want to be labeled a clan-hopper. Choose early and wisely. The game is designed so that you have the time to do so when it matters.

You will find RoE Power Tools helpful in these tasks

(B) Meet your neighbours

This is extremely critical! Do not just be content with knowing your clan mates. Get to know your other-clan neighbours. You may find them very helpful one day but people help their friends, so take the time to get to know them.

Who knows, you may be able to enlist a spy in some clan this way - now that is fun! ever wanted to play 007 before? well here is your chance and not in some computer controlled artificial intelligence environment but with real people, with real consequences (like loosing your empire, a product of months of play! :)

(C) Get involved in your clan

You will find it very rewarding when you get involved in some leaderships position in your clan and believe me, clan leaders welcome such help!

Do you have a friend in another clan? Perhaps you may want to be a liaison to this clan? Want to be able to invite valuable players to the clan? - then as your leader for this permission. Perhaps you want to help moderating the forums? etc, etc, etc.

Soon you may find your way on the council, with the power to shape the future of thousands of players while you learn value lessons easily transferable to real-life politics!

Participate on the forums - get to know the political landscape of the realm. Who is trust worthy, who is a liar and cheat? What clans are your true allies, what clans are at war, is there a war brewing?

(D) Prepare to raid neighbours! The medieval style :)

Another critical strategy, is to attack inactive villages for silver.

A village which is inactive, ie, the player is no longer playing can be easily spotted as its points will not change. Although the player is inactive, the silver mine in this village continues to produce silver.

If you attack this village, you can plunder its silver. Think about it, while your silver min at level 10 in realm 2 produces just over 300 silver per hour, the village you attack may have in it 3000 silver!! That is like 10 hours of your silver mine production. and I bet there will be more than 1 inactive village near you.

Light cavalry is particularly efficient at this task as it is cheap to recruit, can carry a lot of loot, and has a good offensive capability.

Remember, each village start with some Citizen Militia so spy on a village first and then use the battle simulator to find out if you attack is worth while!

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All this takes time, in fact, if you want to be REALLY involved, it can take a LOT of time! :) But, it is clear we have not explained this well enough in-game and will try to remedy this.

Also, we do have a few features on the drawing board that will give new players more things to do while and helping achieve the goals explained above.

Remember, this is a game intended to be played over many months. It is nor an arcade. If you are used to the many games like Mob Wars on facebook, you will find it very different and perhaps confusing. I encourage you to gave it a try, you will not be disappointed!!

I hope you found this little 'discourse' interesting and I welcome your comments!