Are the Estimated Game Lengths in the Ballpark?

[p55carroll]

I notice the game gives an estimated game length for each map size, but so far it seems way too short to me. Maybe it's my playing style, or maybe I still haven't caught on to how the game works.

I just finished a small-map game with a subterranean level, and I won on turn 193.

IIRC, a small-map game is estimated to take 25 turns. I don't think I've ever finished a game in less than 50 turns.

 

[Hiliadan]

Where did you see these estimates?

Small maps should indeed be won within 30-50 turns, medium within 50-70 turns, large within 60-90 turns, and extra-large I never played. But most players are like you and take 100+ or even 200+ turns.

 

[p55carroll]

Where did you see these estimates?

Somewhere on one of the setup or start screens, during map-size selection, I guess.

Small maps should indeed be won within 30-50 turns, medium within 50-70 turns, large within 60-90 turns, and extra-large I never played. But most players are like you and take 100+ or even 200+ turns.

I keep thinking that if I scouted aggressively and made a beeline for the enemy, I could finish the game sooner. (And if I were playing on Emperor instead of Lord, the AI might do that to me.) But once I get into building and exploring and fulfilling quests and clearing sites, I'm having so much fun that I don't want it to stop. In fact, my heart sinks when somebody declares war

I don't remember builders and settlers being much a part of the game in the original AoW, but it seems they've become more and more so.

 

[Gutzzu]

I notice the game gives an estimated game length for each map size, but so far it seems way too short to me. Maybe it's my playing style, or maybe I still haven't caught on to how the game works.

I just finished a small-map game with a subterranean level, and I won on turn 193.

IIRC, a small-map game is estimated to take 25 turns. I don't think I've ever finished a game in less than 50 turns.

I think i already tried to help you out this.I think this is where you will find the game difficult. Like @Hiliadan says you need to have a sense of the speed of the opponent.If you have nto attack them in certain time they will always be ahead of you.So you need to make sure you level up army (and this is most important in the game,not losing units) and attack on time before they explode with their armies and expansions.Also fighting vs they powerful ultimates is lot harder than without them and you wanna focus more on leveling armies and having 2-3 elite armies than 5-6 low level ones..this for me is the most interesting aspect of the game.It always keeps you on your toes

 

[Fluksen]

[...]and attack on time before they explode with their armies and expansions

Unless you just explode with your armies and expansions also...
I have the feeling that you give him (good) advise about "how to successfully win in Multiplayer" or "how to beat the game vs 7 emperor AIs", but to me it seems p55carroll is mostly enjoying to explore the world, level up his troops, build up an empire and obviously not playing on Emperor difficulty ->

And if I were playing on Emperor instead of Lord

And it is certainly possible to outgrow the AI on Lord.
So @p55carroll if you want the AI to attack you later increase the defender strength and maybe also the amount of spawners in the advanced settings when setting up the game. That leads to the AI (and you) being much more occupied with clearing sites and fighting independents for a longer time. You might also want to consider the "Strong defenders, normal reward" mod to slow the game down even more by reducing the rewards you (and the AI) get, because they are automatically upgraded whith the defender strength.
Have fun and good luck

 

[Gutzzu]

Unless you just explode with your armies and expansions also...
I have the feeling that you give him (good) advise about "how to successfully win in Multiplayer" or "how to beat the game vs 7 emperor AIs", but to me it seems p55carroll is mostly enjoying to explore the world, level up his troops, build up an empire and obviously not playing on Emperor difficulty ->

I was specifically talking about the campaign and vs harder difficulty AI.

 

[AnarchCassius]

I feel like that's pretty true in general. In random maps it can be the independents that wind up being the threat if the AI is low but AoW3 forces you to play well more than the previous games.

I do feel like you can loose units though, as long as you can replace them fast enough and your heroes survive. Loosing units is obviously not advisable but if they haven't leveled yet a few looses can be worth to keep the heroes improving I think

But once I get into building and exploring and fulfilling quests and clearing sites, I'm having so much fun that I don't want it to stop. In fact, my heart sinks when somebody declares war

I can relate. Most of the people I play with are pretty casual so the new environment has been a shift. You do now have victory conditions for Unification in the DLC which can appeal to empire style play.

I don't remember builders and settlers being much a part of the game in the original AoW, but it seems they've become more and more so.

It's definitely a bigger deal. Builders are much more useful and settling is needed to keep pace.

My favorite change is the sites providing resources which makes the placement so much more important and interesting than previous games. I felt like cities could basically go anywhere in Shadow Magic and it hardly mattered. The new Domain system took some getting used to but is a huge improvement.


A sidenote, the AI Limit Break mod makes the AI less cheaty and more aggressive which I find mirrors players better.