Through the Ages

[RedArgo]

Anybody know if you can save a multi-player game?

[Geezer]

Here is a high level teaching game by a guy who obviously knows how to play:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ms4t1o1sHo

I might have understood about 25% of what he was saying.   :o

[DennisS]

Managed to win my second game against a lone easy AI opponent.  I scored 185 and beat him by 32.  Not great, but a win is a win.   ;)

How do you get a single opponent? I am playing three others...with a fourth, third, and second place to my credit. Last one was with 244 points...not shabby!

[DennisS]

Here is a high level teaching game by a guy who obviously knows how to play:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ms4t1o1sHo

I might have understood about 25% of what he was saying.   :o

Yes..this is Hito. I saw this entire video, and it helped immensely. I will go back and watch it again.

Also, look for one by Quill18. I like his let's plays a lot, and have watched his videos for several years.

[Geezer]

How do you get a single opponent? I am playing three others...with a fourth, third, and second place to my credit. Last one was with 244 points...not shabby!

Go to the Challenges section.  It's the first one on the list.

[Geezer]

Here is an interesting written guide including ratings for all the cards and a detailed section on the Challenges:  https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/234527-through-the-ages/faqs/75690/in-depth-strategy-guide-for-ais-and-challenges

Edit - Here are some thought from another player about the guide I linked above, as posted in the Steam forum:

I like your guide, wanted to mention some personal comments here from playing the ios version:

"That said you can often safely ignore Military Actions until Age III"

Imho the hard AI will look for an opportunity to target you if you only have two Military Actions, especially if you started with Hammurabi. I usually have a very strong military, but if I'm playing a challenging game and can't guarantee maintaining the strongest then I'm always looking for a third Military Action

- I win with an extreme end-game focus on Science more often than Military wars, I feel the Paths to Victory as written omits that option

- Another benefit of temples over arenas is upgrading a temple to a higher level might be a good option when you're low on civil actions

- Another benefit of Printing Press (if you miss Alchemy) is if you need more urban buildings, but are limited too much by your government. It requires 3 resources (your guide says 4 which is different than what I'm seeing in my card list. Also, Drama is only 1 more resource than Religion). It is a brutal waste of yellow tokens, but usually if you're taking it you have a source of a ton of happiness

- St. Peter's wonder requires only two steps to build (compared to three slots for Hanging Gardens if you don't have Masonry). St. Peter's also works with those useless happiness colonies that no one else wants... only costs two more resources and doesn't require you to commit to a happiness wonder strategy in Age A. And +2 culture isn't bad

- Kremlin is my favourite Age 2 wonder if I'm sticking with Alchemy for too long to afford many government / technologies and am building lots of theatres, which is how my usual games go since I try to get Bach. Bach is my favourite Age 2 leader (there's only one Napoleon / Churchill and they rarely show up at a good time for me), if Bach gets killed or whatever there's a few good replacements, especially Chaplin

- Caesar is good for that third Military Action I mentioned earlier and also because:
in Age A and Age 3, you can safely play a political Event card even if you have the weakest military. In Age A they build everyone's resources, so playing two of them at the start of your turn gives you a slight head start. (The Age 3 political Event cards only affect score, so once the Age 2 Events are gone, if you're the weakest you can play Events on your turn, and your military only has to be worried about fending off raids / wars declared on you on other players' turns).

- There's 10 possible Age A political Event cards, one is build a free warrior with idle worker and one is build a free temple with idle worker. I believe 4, 5, and 6 of the Age A cards are chosen for 2, 3, 4-player games. So for example I think there's over 82% chance that at least one of the two idle worker cards will show up in a 4-player game

[DennisS]

Here is an interesting written guide including ratings for all the cards and a detailed section on the Challenges:  https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/234527-through-the-ages/faqs/75690/in-depth-strategy-guide-for-ais-and-challenges

Edit - Here are some thought from another player about the guide I linked above, as posted in the Steam forum:

I like your guide, wanted to mention some personal comments here from playing the ios version:

"That said you can often safely ignore Military Actions until Age III"

Imho the hard AI will look for an opportunity to target you if you only have two Military Actions, especially if you started with Hammurabi. I usually have a very strong military, but if I'm playing a challenging game and can't guarantee maintaining the strongest then I'm always looking for a third Military Action

- I win with an extreme end-game focus on Science more often than Military wars, I feel the Paths to Victory as written omits that option

- Another benefit of temples over arenas is upgrading a temple to a higher level might be a good option when you're low on civil actions

- Another benefit of Printing Press (if you miss Alchemy) is if you need more urban buildings, but are limited too much by your government. It requires 3 resources (your guide says 4 which is different than what I'm seeing in my card list. Also, Drama is only 1 more resource than Religion). It is a brutal waste of yellow tokens, but usually if you're taking it you have a source of a ton of happiness

- St. Peter's wonder requires only two steps to build (compared to three slots for Hanging Gardens if you don't have Masonry). St. Peter's also works with those useless happiness colonies that no one else wants... only costs two more resources and doesn't require you to commit to a happiness wonder strategy in Age A. And +2 culture isn't bad

- Kremlin is my favourite Age 2 wonder if I'm sticking with Alchemy for too long to afford many government / technologies and am building lots of theatres, which is how my usual games go since I try to get Bach. Bach is my favourite Age 2 leader (there's only one Napoleon / Churchill and they rarely show up at a good time for me), if Bach gets killed or whatever there's a few good replacements, especially Chaplin

- Caesar is good for that third Military Action I mentioned earlier and also because:
in Age A and Age 3, you can safely play a political Event card even if you have the weakest military. In Age A they build everyone's resources, so playing two of them at the start of your turn gives you a slight head start. (The Age 3 political Event cards only affect score, so once the Age 2 Events are gone, if you're the weakest you can play Events on your turn, and your military only has to be worried about fending off raids / wars declared on you on other players' turns).

- There's 10 possible Age A political Event cards, one is build a free warrior with idle worker and one is build a free temple with idle worker. I believe 4, 5, and 6 of the Age A cards are chosen for 2, 3, 4-player games. So for example I think there's over 82% chance that at least one of the two idle worker cards will show up in a 4-player game

Here's a nice little nugget:

Scientific Method ★★
If for some reason you didn't get Alchemy, and you are still generating only 2 Science a turn, then you absolutely need Scientific Method or you lose the game. You cannot enter Age III with 2 Science a turn and expect to be building anything meaningful.

[Geezer]

Just finished a game against two medium AI's.  Ended up in second place.  Back to the drawing board!

Sorry RedArgo but I don't know the answer to your question about saving a multiplayer game.

[RedArgo]

Thanks, I bought it anyway, I was just going to try to convince some friends and save game would help there.

[DennisS]

Thanks, I bought it anyway, I was just going to try to convince some friends and save game would help there.

Geezer and I would welcome your insights here! This is not an easy game, but there is tremendous depth.

[Barthheart]

I heard there is cross platform MP! I've got it on my iPad, maybe we should get a game going?

[Huw the Poo]

It's also available as a Tabletop Simulator mod.

[Geezer]

Is there a way to play multi-player where we don't all have to be online at the same time for the whole game, like play by email or server based where it notifies you when it's your turn?

[-budd-]

Can you play with a mix of human and AI opponents together? Looks interesting or i'm just a game whore ::)

[Geezer]

Someone posted on Steam that he played a multiplayer game with other people and one AI.  He also said it took 4 hours to complete the game even with the fastest setting.    :o