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Now truly free to play...
Dr_Negative
Member UncommonPosts: 47
For those that care, this game just received a massive overhaul update yesterday. You can now play the entire game and earn all premium content for free by collecting "Empire points". You still have the option to purchase it all with cash as well.
http://www.ageofempiresonline.com/en/articles/blog-20120615
Comments
Anyone know how many empire points you can earn by doing stuff?
I just installed the game, and have played half a dozen introductory quests. Level 3, and I have 102 empire points. I think I had 100 to start with (beginners' gift?) and then I guess I earned 2 more?
It seems a little opaque.
Basically in order to net Empire Points, in bulk, you need to be 40 basically. Alliance Wars are where the chunk of it appears from (calculated and given at the end of each 24 hour cycle, weekly cycle and monthly cycle) based on how much effort you put into your alliance.
You can get EP via doing specific alliance quests (which are FAR too hard for anyone alone) crete, skirmish (both boosters you have to buy) or by levelling up (which is a miniscule amount)
I won't lie to you, this update, overall, is a giant stab in the eye. I love the game and the team, but its really not very good at all.
# Ai was changed to be "more challenging" yet its ld to not even being able to solo grey quests, in epic gear.
# Scaling is all wrong, even down to lowbie levels.
# Anyone who isn't premium is going to find it VERY hard indeed.
# The Tech Tree is a giant mess and the older one was far superior. Star techs were removed and that is a BIG nono as far as the community is concerned.
# Lots of bugs still appearing. Connection issues. Lag, etc.
I honestly am not sure what the QA dept. was doing, but it wasn't providing honest feedback for this update; which is a shame,as I say I love it
----
I'll let you decide though, as you have rightly said its now free (although the extent of that is debateable) but go in with open eyes
# SW:TOR : Tylantia, Sivis, Aeonis, Aehris, Xaehrin, Vhyce, Tehren, Suvis
# Ryzom : Kasumi / Secor / Anuihlm
# City of Heroes/Villains : @Tylantia
# Age of Empires Online : Tylantia (Abydos server)
# Stargate Worlds : Kadael
# WoW : Tylantia, Siinaar, Sivis, Moofangles, Aehr, Cehr, Chaizen, Ocep, Tzias
I haven't played in a few months. I originally bought the Greeks, but have them all now. I will have to check it out after what you said.
One thing that you point out that NEVER affected me was connection/lag issues.
Having played a little more, it definitely feels like there is an enormous amount of functionality gated behind "premium required". Lots of equipment, lots of technologies, lots of quests.
Is it feasible to earn the 900 points required to buy a premium civilization in-game? Doesn't feel like it - maybe if you buy one premium civ for cash and then play that one to earn points to unlock the others.
That's cool by me, I have absolutely no problem with having to pay $10.00 to play a game "properly" if they give me a free trial to see if I like it or not. Just like to know how things work before I open my wallet. :-)
This was a glitch in the patch and is being fixed.
http://www.ageofempiresonline.com/en/articles/blog-20120618
The devs stated about 3 weeks of playing time (not in-game time) from the average player to earn enough points for a premium civ. It really depends on how much you play it though.
A little off topic, so I apologize, but how does this compare to AOE2 or AOM? If it's semi close, given it being an online type of style, I'd give it a try.
Thanks.
It will have more of a AoE and AoE2 feel to it, as those where the games the former Ensemble devs were going after. The quest system is pretty much the same as the prior games' campaign scenario missions, with the option to co-op them. It also has MMO-like features such as gear and trading, with an auction house coming soon.
Skirmish-Hall booster would be the random-game mode equivelent, with custom map settings, resorces, game-mode, etc. Up to four humans vs. up to 4 AI. And of course you have Sparta arena for the PvP aspect.
I played both games you mentioned extensivly during my youth, personally I think they did a great job on this one too.
I have a feeling that 3 week estimate is for when the game is actually working and playable , not in its current wrecked state.
10 days now or so since the bloody abortion of a summer update and they have done nothing significant to fix it. They really should have just cut their losses and rolled it back and did another few months work on the update instead of forcing it down our throats and leaving paying customers with an unplayable game.
Ill never spend another cent on this crapload or with these moronic devs.