My Impression of Utopia Today

[Palem]

I'm going to get back to this thread, but I wanted to say that I think this is a classic case of just not being a good fit for a kingdom.

[Zauper]

Good kingdoms have always had plans in mind, setups, builds, and so forth. Usually some room for individual choice within that, but not extreme.

That mentality has trickled down because weaker kds have seen that it is so successful. There are plenty of good reasons for why it's optimal -- think, for example, about chaining a province. Is it better to hit a province 20 times on the same tick to chain them, or it is better to hit them 20 times spread over 5 ticks? The first will result in more overpop and desertions and is generally considered to be more desirable. Well, to make that happen, everyone needs to have the same return time. To make that happen, you need to be running the same barracks % with the same BE -- essentially, the same draft rate, and barracks.

Ok, so then what about guard stations? Generally, GS are one of the best buildings in the game, but if your kingdom isn't running GS and your province does, it's a selfish choice because you probably won't be chained and someone else in your kingdom will be chained instead, even if it would be better for your kingdom if you were chained instead. etc.

Kingdom strategies are about figuring out what is optimal -- for the kingdom -- and going from there. Doing that requires that the individual players of provinces lose the ability to do their own thing, because that is suboptimal.

[StratOcastle]

You don't have to play the game like everyone else. I've seen what the OP has and simply decided that I love the game but don't enjoy how most play. The game is an adventure to me. I try to learn but I've noticed a lot of kingdoms run essentially the same.

Rather than frustrate myself trying to lead a team into a different perspective I've chosen a path of challenge.

This whole "greed" thing needs to be put into perspective as well. I think the phrasing is off. I believe you have the option to teach by example. If your core is wrecked and you're still standing and aiding them up and warring like Hector than GS make sense. I use them without apology and I help my kingdom. I get complaints but yknow those guys aren't open to improvement, just the gold, soldiers, runes and targeting I provide in their service.

I've also run a province completely solo in a kingdom shell. All responsibilities for survival were on me. But even here I challenged myself to act with chivalry. I'm happy with my results and I enjoy Utopia.

Almost forgot @ all; we have a player here who wants to stay and all I see is discouragement. I'm independent and enjoy Utopia. Don't forget there's more than your way and more than my way. Let's keep players playing, ok.

[Palem]

Now that I have a minute to actually write stuff up, to a few of your points:

Micromanaging and kd-wide strategy - Having 22-25 people essentially playing randomly is terrible strategy if you wish to compete. It's a little cheesy, but provs need to be the gears of the machine that if your kingdom. You need to have synergy and work together. That being said, there are most definitely kingdoms that micromanage much more than other kingdoms, but things still need to fit within the framework that the monarch is trying to set. For instance, you suggested that part of your plans included taking on hits and trimming fat, but your monarch might be framing the kingdom in such a way that you can't afford kingdoms to be taking notice of your kingdom and actively hitting you. That's why I said this is an example of you just not being a good fit. I think there are plenty of kingdoms where you could certainly do what you want to do, but you'll need to communicate with leadership so they know beforehand and can either talk to you about it and/or adjust the kd's plans

New tools - Some of us are just dinosaurs. Use tools you're comfortable using :). That being said, Upoopu isn't a tool. It's intel storage, just like pimp. It just looks prettier with a little nicer setup lol. Also, I think you're putting a little too much emphasis on how much the tools "play" for you. The tools are just time savers that make it easier to play the game.

Utopia dogma - Much like in the real world, utopians try to model their play by what the successful kingdoms do. So things like having strict acre restrictions and dictating exactly X TMs and Y attackers and so on and so forth are fairly common, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily right, which is what I wish more utopians would understand, but there are most definitely kingdoms/leaders/players that are open to playing a little differently, which is what I think you're looking for.

Doom and gloom - Strategies are always evolving and it can be a bit of a shock to returning players to see how much the game has changed in terms of how things are played. That being said, at it's core, this is still the same Utopia you loved way back then, just with a different coat of paint. I think once you find a kingdom that's willing to accommodate you and your ideas, you'll be much happier.

[Panthira]

I just woke up after a measely, and typical, 4 hours of sleep.

Some of you guys missed the point of my thread, entirely. I enjoy the game. I enjoy some of the changes.

KD strat - I didn't say I was opposed to a kd strat or planning. We always did that.

I was not shocked by rules that have changed. Like I said, I was having fun and my prov was humming right along despite the constant feedback that I suck for doing well because somehow it's a negative for the collective. I was NOT much bigger than anyone in the kd, by design. I was playing exactly the way I was told that the kd needed. I readjusted constantly. It would be foolish not to?

Palem, I agree, but I was hit less than the king. We were not attracting attention, as far as I know, and I was barely bigger than others. My race and personality chosen for me, and I was told what to have of what, but to do that with that race/per... Anyway...
Time for coffee.

[Palem]

You're having fun by constantly being told you suck by a kingdom that doesn't share resources with you?

I have some ancient torture methods I'd like to try out that you might find enjoyable...lol

[Panthira]

Palem, you're so sweet to offer, but I have my torture hours filled for the week. :p

I am not awake fully. I enjoy the game mechanics, the numbers, and other things about the game. I do not like being micromanaged or being told how to play every single aspect of the game, because that part is not fun.

[LoRD_SaMPuaN]

Palem, you're so sweet to offer, but I have my torture hours filled for the week. :p

I am not awake fully. I enjoy the game mechanics, the numbers, and other things about the game. I do not like being micromanaged or being told how to play every single aspect of the game, because that part is not fun.

im sure your leaders would listen if you would prove you would have better results with methods you offer, by making calculations for both methods and comparing the results.. dunno what kind of aspects are we talking about here though, so cant really make better explanations..

[Panthira]

I don't know what the kd strat is, to be honest. "Stay the same size for wars," is all I am told.

I am told that is the optimal way to play and to play any different, expect to be GB in the ghettos, or be disliked for being different - even the slightest, but hello! Different races/personalities means we have to differentiate slightly.

[Persain]

I don't know what the kd strat is, to be honest. "Stay the same size for wars," is all I am told.

I am told that is the optimal way to play and to play any different, expect to be GB in the ghettos, or be disliked for being different - even the slightest, but hello! Different races/personalities means we have to differentiate slightly.

yes can u can do that +-50-100 acres. if you massively outgrow your kd (even if u think u have good econ) u will be hit down by bigger kds. Even if by some chance u dont get hit down, you make it harder for your kds to get war

[Panthira]

Did not massively outgrow kingdom. I am barely bigger than any of them.

[StratOcastle]

I travel. My assessments of the kingdoms I visit is something I keep to myself. I'll see as many as 7 kingdoms in one age when I travel. Lately I've been spending more time in one kingdom at a time as the player base shrank.

I'd say the most challenging problem is the ability and willingness of players to actually work as a team. All organized kingdoms I've visited are totalitarian. This sounds worse than it plays, but it is controlled. Less organized kingdoms tend not to know what that chemistry is. Luckily I'm a veteran of an RPG group of over 30 years and have clarity on this.

I'm frankly surprised at the lack of task force organization in this game. I was just listening to Robert Gates about his system of objective: he delegates. This is a cultural problem. IMHO, the kingdom that learns to delegate and practice teamwork will go far. And I mean without bots and com systems. Heck, I'm competitive now and i have challenge idioms to stunt my performance. The bots and com systems simply give warlords a reason to bark more than actually accomplish something. Of course they have strategic value, but I see it squandered on dividing the kingdom more than getting the benefit of waking peons to arms.

I'm not making a kingdom if I have to run it. If anything I'll live and die by how well the team works together. I've made a template that is ready to activate, but till then I'll continue my journey. I'm sure a lot of guys are homers and love their kingdom. That's good.

We still should invest more in making new players feel comfortable or old players welcome. I'll take vlahul with open arms even if we ended up warring age after age. I'm comfortable with angry guys as much as well mannered nobles.

[Slayerviper]

love of numbers is why I still play and you also get to meet cool people throughout the world; basically most of the comments here have summed up most things. Kd's have a plan and strats, how micromanaged they are varies and really that the only difference. I've ran into a fair share of ghettos that yes lose wars but still maybe hit 2/7 to 4/7 war wins and people can run whatever they want. As stated before you just need to find a KD that suits you. I get sticking with a code and staying for an age since you've committed, but if your having this many issues this soon your better off leaving. Unless your in the top kd's "drama central" loyalties don't matter as much these days. FYI I still calculate things ;)

[DonJuan]

No, I committed to this round, even if it's pure torture for me.

Maybe I should try an Orc again if I am not totally turned off after this round.)

This is why we say leave now and look for a better kingdom while the age is young....and you can still have a decent province size by the end of age.

You are trying to be loyal to a kingdom you don't even respect just to fulfill some duty you obviously aren't pleased in doing and you will end up setting yourself to fail even before have a chance to enjoy the game again long term.

At this point, you can just randomly join kingdoms with your own personal race and style and hope to land in a kingdom that can accept you...and if they don't just defect until you do. Since the game is smaller you may need to work harder in finding the kingdom that will let you play your way as long as you emphasize that you will be helping the kingdom and how you plan to do that,

That is how you fix your current dilema

[Panthira]

I realize that is what it looks like, and I do respect my KD. I don't feel respected or appreciated in return, though. Is it the fault of the Monarchy or KD? I am not so sure. I think it might be what they know and the culture of Utopia. The monarch is a long time friend, even though he can be such an a-hole toward me sometimes. My husband plays there. I am not one to abandon ship. If the KD has it wrong and they are unusual for Utopia, pls let me know. Mostly what I am hearing is ghetto it, go independent, or find a kd that plays to my style. I don't know my style. I thought I was conforming to the KD wishes while also still maintaining a healthy prov NOT more than a little above everyone else. Is it my fault the attackers keep getting hit and getting small? NO.

And here is the thing. My stealth was at 60% at midnight and 73% at 10am. This is how it's been all round. I cannot effectively do a darn thing when my stealth increases this slowly. I am starting a log to see if maybe I am imagining it? Because my husband increases stealth faster than I do. I thought maybe that was a new game feature.