Something about apocalypse and desire to take a break

I would like to note that even though I didn't play in TT2 right from the start (or TT gold) nevertheless i have been playing for a long time, this game perfectly takes time, but is not required to play continuously. There were good moments and bad. But this stuff, I actually wanted to talk about the relatively recent change, about the apocalypse.

As you know the game gives you 5 months or more precisely 150 days to reach one of the victories (we know it from Patch Notes, but new players will learn that their city was destroyed only 30 days like) Well then, the country is POOF (as were the wipes before but now for one player) or u end game by one of the victories. OK? Yes, this is a good idea of motivation, not everyone liked it, but it is necessary to change something in the game sometimes. Plus motivation for donation was added, POI, and other stuff BUT I do not know what guided this decision, but the result was not very good. I will not go into a long introduction. Let's just say, since the game Free to Play it should be based on a free game with the ability to play without attachments. Of course, anyone can accelerate an action due to these donations, but u must have a chance playing in game without it. TT2 have it? I doubt it.

The point is, I started the game with the idea of playing as a casual player without a donation. I wanted to check whether I reach last age and the opportunity to finish the game with a victory. annnnd answer no. I'm playing in great alliance, with lots of friends and many goodes from their (when they are donation) but i could not even reach the beginning of the information age. Yes, you can say that there are players who have done it, play without donation and everything is fine. But how many of them? 5? 10? Is there any point in focusing on them or maybe think about many and many other players who do not donate much and play even less than me?

Thank you for attention.

i dont know why my text looks so uneven, sorry

I have to say that I have asked the same question.  How long does it take to complete the research if you do not donate and use as many speed ups as possible.  I realize that we are still in the beta testing but this should have been explored before limiting the time to complete before the apocalypse.

I am not a big fan of the apocalypse, it is like a slow painful death and once I got to around 18 days it just made me give up on that hero and just use her to generate resources to the rest of my alliance (since we cannot transfer resources to our other hero's)  I really want to play the game at my own pace and not worry about victories or the apocalypse.

I quit doing research when I realized I would never finish it, seems pointless to do it anymore. Trying to get a victory now, but this is just more of a time fuller than anything else. I move resources and start a build..ho-hum now what should I do?

Start another hero? Then try to speed through again, and hope I get farther in research, knowing I only 150 days to get everything done. Not sure if it is the short time period or just the knowing that I will be wiped that is starting to make this tedious.

I really have no answers or ideas to help, just stating how I feel right now about what is happening.

having more research points again in dens and dungeons and from mobs in towns would help. 

doing the science victory, when it is ready, will be impossible in 150  days, unless we get more research boosts. I already use the fishermen perk and gear for research, but that would not be enough!

I think another frustrating aspect of the 5 month play time is that the 30 day rule lasts 100 days which is more than 50% of the time you are playing.   For some this means never moving a neighbor that is in your way because by the time someone can help you (because it's impossible to do it alone let's be honest especially when you add in the novice protection popping up for 11 hours at a time the task becomes almost impossible without help from other older heroes.) you have at best a 25 day window.  NP kicking in lasts 30 days or until the person hits medieval whichever is first.  So for effectively 30 days the person is barely touchable, even from neighbors in the age range.  All things considered, we did the math and the attack window ends up being about 2 weeks.   

I would suggest that the time of protection be lengthened on the front end of the hero life, maybe extending novice protection and drastically shortening the 30 day rule or eliminating it somehow.  I think with a 150 day life at worst the 30 day rule should be in effect no more than 60 days and at best 30-45 days.  By that time a person should be in medieval and on their way to renaissance and will be if research points are easier to find in the dens and other places as Tsunami suggests. 

I admit it, I donate.  I donate a lot.  I also am unhappy at the way the game has changed.  I have about 10 more days and am sticking it out to see if the "end" is anything more than just a blip and I'm gone.  I'm half way through industrial and see no reason to speed up the tech.  I lost total interest when the fires started appearing and the only thing to do was put out fires and talk to people in distress.   I think the apocalypse is a wrong decision and totally demotivating.  People should be allowed to play until the end of the tech tree, and after to actually use the tech.

I am unhappy that the drops after fighting monsters dropped to a laughable level.  I can lose 20 units fighting and get a single chicken leg and maybe 1,000 exp.  I fought through an entire cave and never got a single piece of food.  My troops returned mid-fight because of starvation and my hero got killed.  Devs said it was "bad luck".

Devs do so much to tighten up the game and restrict points to try to increase donations, when they should be completing the game.  They need to further the story line to keep it exciting and complete the other victories to be had.  All the little side games are simply OK for the first time, but not to continue to visit every 5 month period.   Perhaps introduce some half-victories to keep people motivated.

You have always asked us to be honest about our assessment of the game.

I'd like to add that the 30 day prohibition should not apply when you want to attack up the food chain.  In other words hitting someone older than you.  That makes no sense especially if you want stripes.  I mean, if someone wants to risk it all hitting someone older why prevent that?  :-D

I agree we most everything said previously . I mean 150 days will get you Wealth victory, but what of the players not interested in that type of victory. I play every day, more than 3 hrs. I donate a lot , still I gave up mid Industrial, what is the point? My 2nd hero Luminary got her first fire today , this was very frustrating as I know her time is limited. IMO if am paying to play (or donating, pick what ever word you want) why should my time be limited? Specially to 150 days, not much can be accomplish in 150 days!. Also the extreme numbers of fires on every domain is very disheartening, at least for me it is. Once you see them you feel like giving up, what else is there?I understand the game probably needs and end part ( not sure, haven't really played many other games, but the ones I did play did NOT have a time limit), but I agree 150 days is too short.I recently talk to some new people that are playing the game for the first time. They did not know about the 150 days and I'm afraid it will turn new players and potential donators away. Why invest time and money to only be able to play in a limited time. This is a game with so many great extras, I mean the mines (which I love) dungeons, caves, anomalies not to mention the story line. So, why rush us? The devs have done an awesome job with this game and all the locations that can be explored which add a whole new and exiting component to this game. Please let us enjoy the game to the fullest.

I had many complaints with the way things were done, redoing the tech tree was 1 of them but the fires in the domain became totally demoralizing for me and came to a point where I couldn't even see my towns   I have given up trying to go for any kind of a victory  knowing I had only 150 days.   The only reason I didn't quit is I really love my alliance and am willing to stick it out to the end for them.  Surely all of us can't be wrong so please listen to your players.

I can get the Wealth Victory and Culture Victory done within the time frame. I only research till the end of Ren, then do one item for Industrial just to get the extra storage and clothing I can wear. I do not buy any of the science perks, way too expensive. I only use what I find. I do donate, but I just make sure the shrine and resource plots are to the highest level and can research each item with a day or 2 time frame, normally a day.  I am sure that a lot of the issue is players do not get their houses to the 50% build rate, that saves a ton on build time. I play mostly during the day for 6 hrs or so, then come back over the evening for an hour here or there. The players that only are on for a couple of hours a day will have issues with the time frame of 150 days. I have chatted to players that are doing the end of nigh, and they indicate it is really depressing that does not make for a fun time plus it is boring, I guess for putting out the fires and the crystals that appear in town you get nothing for doing that action. You might want to reconsider that and give us a good reason for removing them, like special items to use when we start over. Give us some reason to continue to play the hero till the very end. 

well after this hero is gone in 3 days I'm considering  not  coming back until  the  timeframe you have with each hero  has either disappeared completely (apart from longterm inactivity) or changed to at least 6 months. I have played many games and this game is a first like this that I know of. I do donate but only every now and then (this will make me donate even LESS) but I do feel sorry for those who donate a lot and then all their hard work goes up in smoke .(I know I know you get some rewards etc) I  go online most days for a good 4-6 hours on average so  I'm not a casual player. I have felt rushed and pressured into being directed into how I should play my game. I don't want a victory with this hero just want to reach info age level 50 hero and complete all the dens caves and story to where its upto (not far that is certain). I also want to go at a steady pace but I carn't do all that though sadly. On a positive note Yes the devs have done a marvellous job with this game (its changed my life lol)  and they have stuck with it for years not abandoning it like some devs do their games. 

There are 2 recurring themes here.  My thoughts on both.  The 150 day time limit will really only work with players that have time to play.  The first post made a valid point.  I work from home and can play all day (and I do most days) but you will be getting students / workers / others on here soon.  The amount of time to play and get somewhere is quite daunting.  I can see why there is a need for a time limit or you will have your continents full with players only casually doing something when it suits them to.  I do think however, that the time limit needs a bit of rethinking.  Not sure how you can do it, but it does need another look.

The 30 day rule.  My, this one has come up many times, but there is ONE aspect of it that is a bit wonky, I would say.  I can understand the rule about 30 days YOUNGER, but not the older ones.  If I want to try and attack someone older than me, then I should be able to.  War IS a big part of this game.  Let me give you an example.  My latest hero had to literally wait until I was 100 days old before I could attack anyone!  Well, to be honest, the ones I wanted to attack.  New players should have a chance to play and get familiar, but older ones have had plenty of time to learn.  It really should be a true 30 days between heroes.

The mention of the fires? Yes, looking at all those on the map is VERY depressing, even if they are not in my domain.  I know I am coming close to that happening to me, but to see that?  Does not entice me to play to be honest.

Closing the map to control new baby locations? well, not sure if that worked as you intended.  I was thinking more along the lines, that first hero goes to first continent, second to second continent and so forth?  That may make things a bit more interesting for alliances AND gives everyone a chance to play properly.  I mean that they have other new people popping up and actually learning the game.  The way it is now, new babies in the snow have no competition or anyone to attack.  You closed it.

Not everyone will agree with my assessment or even like it, but those are my thoughts.

I agree with the other posts in this thread.  I do think 150 days is too short.  I remember when it was planned to make this a 180 day session based game and though I think that's too soon for my fun to end, lol, it seems more doable especially if one wants to do all the research.  

Research takes longer now, principally because the points to research the building in classical doubled and it seems increased in later stages.  Making progress slower while shortening the lifespan of heroes seems counterintuitive and I think deters non-paying casual players.  

I love this game and my team or I would not be here.  I just want to express some thoughts I've had regarding some of the developments.   

I can get the Wealth Victory and Culture Victory done within the time frame. I only research till the end of Ren, then do one item for Industrial just to get the extra storage and clothing I can wear. I do not buy any of the science perks, way too expensive. I only use what I find. I do donate, but I just make sure the shrine and resource plots are to the highest level and can research each item with a day or 2 time frame, normally a day.  I am sure that a lot of the issue is players do not get their houses to the 50% build rate, that saves a ton on build time. I play mostly during the day for 6 hrs or so, then come back over the evening for an hour here or there. The players that only are on for a couple of hours a day will have issues with the time frame of 150 days. I have chatted to players that are doing the end of nigh, and they indicate it is really depressing that does not make for a fun time plus it is boring, I guess for putting out the fires and the crystals that appear in town you get nothing for doing that action. You might want to reconsider that and give us a good reason for removing them, like special items to use when we start over. Give us some reason to continue to play the hero till the very end. 

Sandy, you are one of the TOP donators , we all know that! I'm glad you can play 6+ hours a day on top of the money you spend, but lets be honest, not everyone can do that. And to say that we must not be building correctly can seem a bit condescending.  Like I said before I donate, during the week I would play approx. 3 + hrs, I do have to go to work so that I can afford to donate :) . On weekends I play more . I do have all my houses at 50%, I do keep all my resource plots and shrine maxed, and guess what? I still can't reach the end of tech tree in 150 days!! I'm glad that you are able, but, Is my personal opinion that more of the people playing this game and doing what they should can't reach the end of the tech tree or any victory other than wealth in 150 days with or without donating. If its in the game I want to see, do it , experience it...I cant  if I'm limited in time.

For me, I think 150 days is only slightly too short. The problem is I am in the minority of players that live in the game. The majority of the players can play from 2-6 hours a day and this time frame is much too short for them. And this game grows by having repeat players. For the slower players, they will do it once and move on to other games. That is not a recipe for success.

A bigger issue for me is the apocalypse story line. I do think there should be an end time story line.  But, it is too much too fast.  A single fire or 2 at 120 days starts the message. But, for me the game became basically unplayable at 120 days, further shortening the time line. I can honestly say, I just waited till some people got to the 100 day age and have been  just out attacking.  I have not been building or concerned about research.  Whats the point?

My suggestions for change are:  the end should be a combination of age, maybe hero level and time.  There must be some algorithm that calculates the rate of advancement and calculates when that hero should reach end times. With the end being different for different hero's.   Mine might be faster than another persons.  It cant be forever, there does have to be a limit, otherwise you will have people who never level up or advance. I just think a hard stop at 150 days for every type of player doesn't work in the long run.

As for the end is nigh quest, I stopped talking to people after the first dozen or so when there didn't seem to be a point, I didn't get anything for the trouble of moving my hero around to different towns. So if you want people to talk to them, give them an incentive. A drop of some kind or bonus.. something.  

As to the fires, they are a stain on the landscape. AND you made them smaller... Hard to think what it would look like if you hadn't done that. If they have to be in every square on the map then it should be that last 2-3 days. NOT the last 30 days. As a player, it is too long a time frame. All the parts are good just should be included in a shorter time frame before the end. 

I enjoy all the other parts of this game so much and nearly all of your additions are fantastic. For me, if things stay the same, I think I would just start a hero, play all the parts, dens, dungeons, caves, mines, etc and when I finish them, quit the hero and make another one and do it again. I can easily do those things in 120 days which is really how long the game lasts. When that gets boring, then I quit the game. 

A lot of people have expressed their opinions here, I hope you give them some consideration.

I am player who do not donate yet.  But on last Alpha I did complete all research at Information age, also incidentally I completed one of space age research.  With limitation of 150 days, now I am still at the end of industrial age with potential completed of wealth victory.  I play this game average only 1-4 hours per day. 

Base on that few personal experience, My honest opinion are, 150 days is not enough for player who do not donate to completed all research.  Lets try add another 30 days play :)

I started to play this game like 2 weeks ago. I'm a daily player (several hours a day) and love this kind of games, and this one specially have an amazing level of complexity with all the quests and puzzles we have to solve. Had the luck of joing and amazing alliance with really nice people in it. Haven't donate yet, cause i'm still in a trial period to see if i will stay playing, but after reading this thread and realizing that will be impossible to finish research because of the 150 days ,,, i need to think again if i want to keep playing it.
Imho a "free" game should be possible to finish. Of course that people that play/donate will have advantages, it's fair. But i don't think that's a good thing to be only possible to end the game if you pay ... not right imho

Be well everyone

I agree with everything I have read. I too feel like 5 months is not long enough to play, when doing a victory people have to spend  much time and resources trying to finish victory, build towns, and armies etc. that there is little time for much else. 

I for one have not been able to enjoy all the other interesting things added to the game like quests, puzzles, dens and other new adventures. 

I chose not to do a victory and still have a time crunch trying to get resources up to build and help supply our armies which aren't even able to fight as much as they have in the past which also makes the game painfully boring. 

I as a collect love the fun of making sure I can support the armies, I can't even do that because of them not being able to fight as much.

 what good is it having a military if you can't really use it? That adds to the boredom factor.

 I do appreciate the hard work the devs have put in to widen the scope of the game but we really need time to be able to enjoy the game to its fullest.

I have to say I totally agree with the vast majority of these remarks.

The fires could be a good idea but please keep them to the final week, and give us something for them, if not goodies, then achievements.  As for the visitors, spoke to a good number of them, then go very bored with them and I would look at them and think .... have I spoken to that one yet? - well I don't recall and frankly I could not care less.

I have kept my old hero purely for resources for friends and alliance mates, and for the alliance buildings, but stopped seriously playing there.  The fires are demoralising, and I can happily live without all the doom and gloom.

In my opinion six months play would be better than 5 months also.