Asking for a friend.
Ok not really.
After 10 hours trying out Anno 1800, I really began to fall in love with it. Mostly for the industrial revolution setting and the sheer amount of things to do.
But the mechanics and financials of it can be byzantine and I ultimately failed the campaign, which is really just a large tutorial.
I have decided to be resolute and try again but I'm wondering...for those of you who will admit to getting your ass kicked by a game you love - do you stick with it and attempt to learn its ways, and if not, how long do you give it before rage-smashing your monitor and storming away?
Quote from: Gusington on January 12, 2020, 05:42:38 PM
Asking for a friend.
Ok not really.
After 10 hours trying out Anno 1800, I really began to fall in love with it. Mostly for the industrial revolution setting and the sheer amount of things to do.
But the mechanics and financials of it can be byzantine and I ultimately failed the campaign, which is really just a large tutorial.
I have decided to be resolute and try again but I'm wondering...for those of you who will admit to getting your ass kicked by a game you love - do you stick with it and attempt to learn its ways, and if not, how long do you give it before rage-smashing your monitor and storming away?
Here's what I do:
1) Buy all the DLCs. Just to confirm I suck at the game and all its permutations ;)
2) Sign up for every tournament and PBM opponent I can find, just to further confirm that I suck against both the AI and humans :D
Seriously, if I like the game, I try to study it and see why I am doing badly. If you have done the obvious, like read the manual, done the tutorials and watched some good videos on the game, then try to get a friendly match with an expert (or watch two experts play in a match) and see what they do that you aren't doing. I'm doing this right now in ACWII. Union got its butt kicked in some of the Summer battles and I'm trying to figure out why.
^I bought some discounted DLC for it yesterday :)
Also have done everything else you mentioned, except for watching other people play...
Quote from: Gusington on January 12, 2020, 06:15:53 PM
^I bought some discounted DLC for it yesterday :)
Also have done everything else you mentioned, except for watching other people play...
I'm moderately bad at most games so if I love a game, I tend to get a little better at it gradually over time. I was pretty bad at Unity of Command2 -- but maybe I just didn't like it all that much. Hard to tell sometimes whether dislike or playing badly comes first.
It is particularly important to buy all of the dlc so that the game understands and believes in your commitment.
^HA
Wish I could help you buddy, but I'm struggling to think of a game I don't suck at.
When in doubt, more DLC's is always a safe and wise course of action.
You know how I love FoG2 but I really suck in multiplayer. But I still play and mod it anyway.
I thought that was the purpose of difficulty settings? I remember Paradox being surprised at how large a percentage of people play HOI4 on the easy difficulty setting.
Anno is one those games with no orders while paused, right? I stay away from them. My standard approach is the bore the AI into a stupor by pausing frequently.
I read strategy guides - or try it on an easier setting when that is possible.
Usually by reading the strategy guides I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.
When there is no strategy guide or useful online content and I really, really like it - I end up learning the darn thing and writing a strategy guide. Aggressors: Ancient Rome comes to mind. They set you up in the hardest situation imaginable - and everyone got lost even though the game mechanics were good. I sort of did that for Enchantress: Legendary Heroes also.
Or, I find out from reading online that the game is impossibly hard and you have to decide that "the game is just not into you," and quit. I've done that a couple of times: Space 1889 is the one that comes to mind first.
I suck at many games!
1) Learning curve can sometimes take longer than expected. I usually try to play about 10-20 hours to learn a game.
2) Difficulty settings. I am still Learning Endless Space 2 (about 20 hours) and am playing my current game on one of the easy settings. I am still behind in terms of points but the pace is ok now and manage to have an Empire i am satisfied with.
3) Set my own goals. If I don't manage to achieve the goals of the game, then I set my own goals: have a nice empire, a beautiful city or else I
4) I became lazy to read manuals, but sometimes you don't have a choice. Nowadays, i usually go back to the manuals to read specific chapters.
5) Check Tips on YouTube or else (or Walkthroughs). Walkthroughs, especially for city-builders, can help to understand some things i've missed.
6) be patient. There are games i didn't get into when i first played them, Endless Space 2 being one of them. Sometimes i put them on the side and come back later. But usually, if i really really like a game, i will stuck with it until i manage it or at least understand it.
Don't forget that the experts on YouTube etc, most of them have spend a lot of time with the games, read the manuals etc. 10 hours is not much.
I forge ahead and have fun losing. You all know my favorite game and I get my ass handed to me every time. One of the DLC's I asked if anyone was able to beat it. Not less than a few did quite handily. I still can't.
Anguille has sound advise. And after you do all of that and still suck, revert back to my opening statement.
Enjoy, loser.
Just enjoy the game :bd:
Let's plays on you tube - as Anguille said, those guys have poured hours in to save their online embarrassment - I really sucked at banished until I watched a let's play and there was such an obvious thing I'd missed that helped immensely
You're looking at the guy who beat but struggled every game with the command and conquer series until I read/saw someone say 'build 2 production factories instead of one' mind blown!!!
One of the things that was so genius about Kerbal Space Program is that it found a way to make failure just as rewarding and enjoyable as success. Personally, I have fun whether the rocket I designed and built makes it into orbit as intended, or whether it spins out of control and explodes brilliantly. Trial and failure is a crucial part of the game and sucking is just part of the overall experience.
Otherwise, the only time I am really frustrated by me sucking is if in order to progress or unlock certain features I am required to produce certain results. However, it's much more satisfying for me to place the blame on poor game design, rather than my own lack of ability.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 13, 2020, 07:34:00 AM
One of the things that was so genius about Kerbal Space Program is that it found a way to make failure just as rewarding and enjoyable as success. Personally, I have fun whether the rocket I designed and built makes it into orbit as intended, or whether it spins out of control and explodes brilliantly. Trial and failure is a crucial part of the game and sucking is just part of the overall experience.
Otherwise, the only time I am really frustrated by me sucking is if in order to progress or unlock certain features I am required to produce certain results. However, it's much more satisfying for me to place the blame on poor game design, rather than my own lack of ability.
Kerbal is brilliant in that regard. I personally didn't understand their design decision of using cute, dumb, green people in a space game until after playing it when you realize it is to take the sting out of catastrophic failure and make it fun. They've been so successful at it that Kerbal's promotion videos now have more explosion/disaster sequences than they do success sequences.
Ok well I have to admit that for the 10 hours it took me to lose my first campaign of Anno 1800, I enjoyed about 90% of that time and did learn a lot - mostly about production chains. Where I failed was trying to make my citizens happy. It took a lot of tweaking to build exactly the right balance of needed infrastructure. And my profits were fluctuating constantly. I need to learn how to keep my citizens happy while still collecting enough taxes from them and support a healthy amount of growth.
My campaign was set on 'easy' but I think that is deceiving - it just gives the player more money to start with, it doesn't alter the behavior of the game AI or the economic fluctuations or the occurance of riots, fires, etc.
The pace of Anno is much more relaxed than most wargames. You can chill and build, as long as you do it in an economically sound way. It's deceiving that way if you don't fully understand the economics going on under the hood.
I admit a game won't let me win, even on, 'Easy' level, then I cheat like Muther. Anyway I can, until the game learns it's proper place in our relationship. If I just suck at the game as you say, then at some point I'll just move on. I loved IL-2 but couldn't complete a single mission without crashing or being shot-down. I couldn't even win the Pearl Harbor mission, and if you can't win there.... it's time to along. Which I did. I still enjoy watching other's videos of Flight Sims but I know it's not for me. Sub Sims however I'm pretty good at so I just stay there in my Safe Space.
This is me with CM2. I REALLY love the look and feel of the game but I can't even "win" with the demo. Haven't spent a dime on it. Maybe that's my problem :tickedoff:
Quote from: LoganismyHERO on January 13, 2020, 11:43:39 AM
This is me with CM2. I REALLY love the look and feel of the game but I can't even "win" with the demo. Haven't spent a dime on it. Maybe that's my problem :tickedoff:
I suck at CM, but this blog gives good tips and discussion. Keep at CM-It is an excellent game and well worth the time/money investment: https://battledrill.blogspot.com/
Quote from: Gusington on January 13, 2020, 09:10:34 AM
Ok well I have to admit that for the 10 hours it took me to lose my first campaign of Anno 1800, I enjoyed about 90% of that time and did learn a lot - mostly about production chains. Where I failed was trying to make my citizens happy. It took a lot of tweaking to build exactly the right balance of needed infrastructure. And my profits were fluctuating constantly. I need to learn how to keep my citizens happy while still collecting enough taxes from them and support a healthy amount of growth.
My campaign was set on 'easy' but I think that is deceiving - it just gives the player more money to start with, it doesn't alter the behavior of the game AI or the economic fluctuations or the occurance of riots, fires, etc.
The pace of Anno is much more relaxed than most wargames. You can chill and build, as long as you do it in an economically sound way. It's deceiving that way if you don't fully understand the economics going on under the hood.
Do they still do an open non campaign game - where it's completely open without the build 500 of these before the year XXX
Yes in the 'sandbox.' But I want to try the scripted campaign, which opens into a sandbox campaign once you win it, at least once more. I feel I know a little bit more about what I'm doing after 10 hours of practice.
This thread reminds me of playing Buzz Aldrin's Race Into Space. And I even had the strategy guide - bought it off of Amazon just to figure the game out.
After repeatedly getting beat by the computer I set it up as hot seat and just skipped all the Russian's turns.
I eventually did get to the moon....in like 1985. ::)
^ L:-)
Started the scripted tutorial campaign again...moving through it much faster this time.
Fingers crossed.
Dont know if it's an age thing... but I seem to suck more and more at anything other than puzzle games :( may be down to the fact that I just dont put the time in to games as I used too or that I still miss paper manual reading sessions on the loo :)
^I have noticed the same exact thing :/
Graviteam tactics, loved the game but struggled with the map and camera controls....so frustrating.
But if the controls were better and the map easier to work with - would you still suck at it?
Quote from: fran on January 14, 2020, 12:34:53 PM
Graviteam tactics, loved the game but struggled with the map and camera controls....so frustrating.
Same with me....a big +1
Quote from: Rayfer on January 14, 2020, 12:47:39 PM
Quote from: fran on January 14, 2020, 12:34:53 PM
Graviteam tactics, loved the game but struggled with the map and camera controls....so frustrating.
Same with me....a big +1
+2
I'm pretty sure I don't suck at any of my games. The games are all just flawed.
Haha
Quote from: nelmsm on January 14, 2020, 10:04:02 PM
I'm pretty I don't suck at any of my games. The games are all just flawed.
Now there's the answer I was looking for... :notworthy:
If I had a problem with that I'd be in deep trouble.
I suck at almost all games except thankfully TacOps, maybe the original Rainbox6 and in some cases in head-to-head FPS as a sharpshooter.
I am so bad at FPS's that I have killed enemies in the game by having them laugh themselves to death at me. :buck2:
Quote from: Sir Slash on January 15, 2020, 10:31:19 AM
I am so bad at FPS's that I have killed enemies in the game by having them laugh themselves to death at me. :buck2:
Shotgun for you then :)
I love aircraft and aircraft stats. DCS is the game for me. Buy most modules because aircraft are cool man. Then go through a tutorial. Press Lshift + D for full flaps. Got it. Only 325 more cryptic hot key combos to get into muscle memory.
:2funny:
Hahaha :notworthy:
Quote from: mbar on January 15, 2020, 12:50:17 PM
I love aircraft and aircraft stats. DCS is the game for me. Buy most modules because aircraft are cool man. Then go through a tutorial. Press Lshift + D for full flaps. Got it. Only 325 more cryptic hot key combos to get into muscle memory.
That's why you should buy a Stream Deck. 32 lit mini-lcd screens that function as a pushbutton and can be configured (and labelled) any way you'd like.
I have whole copies of aircraft panels displayed on it so I don't have to remember what each hotkey is, but I can just push a button that has a visual representation of the switch in the cockpit I need. All old men NEED this device, I tell you! :coolsmiley:
^ That's sounds great might have to grab one off amazon. Also been eyeing the capto gloves that can be used with or with out VR in Dcs for working the clickable cockpit functions with hand gestures instead of a mouse.
Yskonyn I demand to know how old you are immediately.
Quote from: Yskonyn on January 15, 2020, 02:57:10 PM
Quote from: mbar on January 15, 2020, 12:50:17 PM
I love aircraft and aircraft stats. DCS is the game for me. Buy most modules because aircraft are cool man. Then go through a tutorial. Press Lshift + D for full flaps. Got it. Only 325 more cryptic hot key combos to get into muscle memory.
That's why you should buy a Stream Deck. 32 lit mini-lcd screens that function as a pushbutton and can be configured (and labelled) any way you'd like.
I have whole copies of aircraft panels displayed on it so I don't have to remember what each hotkey is, but I can just push a button that has a visual representation of the switch in the cockpit I need. All old men NEED this device, I tell you! :coolsmiley:
I took a look. I'm intrigued!
Quote from: Gusington on January 15, 2020, 06:30:22 PM
Yskonyn I demand to know how old you are immediately.
I am closer to 100 than I was 10 years ago. L:-)
That's the best answer I've heard in the last 10 years. O0
:/
If I'm banging my head against the proverbial brick wall in a game I'm otherwise enjoying, and have already tried the obvious stuff -- read the manual, watched some tutorial/LP videos, etc. -- and it's simply no producing results, I often step away from it for a bit. Sometimes simply taking a breather (whether that's for a few days, a few weeks, or even months on occasion) is ultimately what's most helpful for me.
Of course, if I still can't seem to find my "breakthrough" moment in a game after returning from said break, I can generally recognize and accept (however reluctantly) that the game just isn't for me. It sucks, obviously, but we all know it happens sometimes.
What game?
Think i'll blame my attention span for sucking at games. I don't really stick with a game long enough to git gud....as they say. These days the more i suck at a game the quicker i switch to a new one......see i have a strategy to deal with my suckitude. I also train for failure and sucking by playing Darkest Dungeon, it helps remind me when i forget i suck at games.
I still get by with an FPS game, the reflexes aren't as quick but i can slay some muther fockers :knuppel2:
One good thing about sucking at games is you'll never have to waste your time complaining about the AI
^Valid points.
I just try again and again and again, and if still doesn't work, I go online and search for tutorials.
Great topic Gus. Much of my problem was that I used to like the idea of monster games more than I enjoyed playing them. I wouldn't invest the time to fully know the rules so I'd never get good. War in the East is a perfect example of it. I so love the idea, but my attention span never last long enough to dig deeper. Same with War in the Pacific. Not knowing the subject matter at all concerning that part of the war was the real hurdle I never got over.
I hear you, believe me. Energy is also a factor...some evenings I just don't have any.
I tend to go out to the Internet and find cheats/exploits/winning strategies. It feels like a cop-out to me when I do that to figure out strategic combos that were within my power to solve, but not so much when there's some aspect of a game's interface I'm just not grocking... (you mean this game only plays in Iron Man mode? Ohhhh...)
Hmmm, playing the new Long War mod for the War of The Chosen (XCOM2). I get so far OK, then the game shifts gears and my beloved soldiers start dying hideous deaths faster than the stupid gophers at a gun range.
I don't rage quit, I quietly fume quit.
Same thing! Only the level of RAGE changes.