After playing some hours of this game I have to say it definitely doesn't deserve the bashing it's gotten. However it does suffer some huge drawbacks. The Marius update looks like it's coming along very nicely and tbh the work the Devs have done has given me a huge sense of positivity that this game is well and truly alive. I have some criticisms regarding understanding senate influence and tyranny in republics (more tyranny decay would be nice) but my biggest gripe is most certainly trade and buildings. Nobody wants pop ups regarding trade routes, they should be scrapped as they're so tedious. They should follow the trend every other aspect of the game is following and that is towards a simulation.
I think the best strategy games follow the trend of controlling resources. This can be a civ builder too, players love their pops but I think war and strategy is where I:R can really shine after a trade rework has been achieved. Controlling food, iron, stone and precious metals should be the focus of certain civs. Without these goods units can't be recruited and food dwindles, this Imperator does but in a fashion devoid of strategy. As Rome is the province losing food? Well then magically create a trade route importing grain from Gaul. Low on vegetables? Import from Anatolia, after all the expiry date doesn't matter! Some of these goods should just not be able to exported, especially food ones other than grain.
I:R gets an awful lot right. No iron? Can't build heavy infantry. No food? Pops starve. How it fails is the execution, namely trade routes per province. This mechanic forces pop ups on the player constantly and is the most tedious trade simulation I've ever played, it's just not fun. It negates having to secure a route of trade through diplomacy/ conquest and allows a lovely arrow of trade to fly over mountains, seas and barbarian hordes that vegetables and sheep miraculously float over, somehow. Never mind what's happening underneath them.
IR got right what EU4 got wrong, goods=strategic importance (recruiting units + food for pops etc). But EU4 got right what I:R got so wrong and that's the strategy surrounding the control of trade. Defending key provinces, controlling grain provinces, gold, materials for building armies.
I:R desperately needs a new map mode ie. trade routes with lines of trade between all major cities on a coastline and along famous land routes. Investing in ports/marketplaces is then vital in these cities. Trade routes in their current form needs to be replaced with something along the lines of "goods for export that can be traded along the route". These can then be taxed. All other goods stay in the province, food however can trickle along roads to areas of starving pops.
No more 21st Century trade agreements with nations airdropping delivery boxes. Merchants and traders do their own business and more goods flow where there's peace and money. As the player we should focus on securing important trade hubs, building up the infrastructure and decide between peace with our neighbour or their complete destruction. Our only decisions should be what excess our pops don't need can be traded and what the tax on trade is. I'm traumatised from pop ups due to unused trade routes.
I'm basically championing a blend of EU4 trade routes with I:R trade goods. Plagiarism and basic thinking at it's finest but by god it's so badly needed.
In this time period all wealth came from the earth. Those who sitting on farmlands were the envy of all. Let us focus on satiating that envy through war and diplomacy. Instead of a pop up deciding where I want to import Olives from next, I want instead to start planning a campaign to control the trade of olives.
I think the best strategy games follow the trend of controlling resources. This can be a civ builder too, players love their pops but I think war and strategy is where I:R can really shine after a trade rework has been achieved. Controlling food, iron, stone and precious metals should be the focus of certain civs. Without these goods units can't be recruited and food dwindles, this Imperator does but in a fashion devoid of strategy. As Rome is the province losing food? Well then magically create a trade route importing grain from Gaul. Low on vegetables? Import from Anatolia, after all the expiry date doesn't matter! Some of these goods should just not be able to exported, especially food ones other than grain.
I:R gets an awful lot right. No iron? Can't build heavy infantry. No food? Pops starve. How it fails is the execution, namely trade routes per province. This mechanic forces pop ups on the player constantly and is the most tedious trade simulation I've ever played, it's just not fun. It negates having to secure a route of trade through diplomacy/ conquest and allows a lovely arrow of trade to fly over mountains, seas and barbarian hordes that vegetables and sheep miraculously float over, somehow. Never mind what's happening underneath them.
IR got right what EU4 got wrong, goods=strategic importance (recruiting units + food for pops etc). But EU4 got right what I:R got so wrong and that's the strategy surrounding the control of trade. Defending key provinces, controlling grain provinces, gold, materials for building armies.
I:R desperately needs a new map mode ie. trade routes with lines of trade between all major cities on a coastline and along famous land routes. Investing in ports/marketplaces is then vital in these cities. Trade routes in their current form needs to be replaced with something along the lines of "goods for export that can be traded along the route". These can then be taxed. All other goods stay in the province, food however can trickle along roads to areas of starving pops.
No more 21st Century trade agreements with nations airdropping delivery boxes. Merchants and traders do their own business and more goods flow where there's peace and money. As the player we should focus on securing important trade hubs, building up the infrastructure and decide between peace with our neighbour or their complete destruction. Our only decisions should be what excess our pops don't need can be traded and what the tax on trade is. I'm traumatised from pop ups due to unused trade routes.
I'm basically championing a blend of EU4 trade routes with I:R trade goods. Plagiarism and basic thinking at it's finest but by god it's so badly needed.
In this time period all wealth came from the earth. Those who sitting on farmlands were the envy of all. Let us focus on satiating that envy through war and diplomacy. Instead of a pop up deciding where I want to import Olives from next, I want instead to start planning a campaign to control the trade of olives.
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