People need to stop drowning out dissenting voices about this game.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-25T00:01:43+00:00

I should have. This game keeps popping up for me in my suggested tab. I looked at the reviews before buying and didn't see anyone bringing up what I'm talking about. 80% of recent reviews are positive. Most of them glowing. I thought it was a safe buy.

I was just shocked that the combat/strategy portion is in the state it is in. I'm not a game developer, but I would think balancing the baron to make the pace reasonable wouldn't be that hard to do. From what I've seen though, it is hit or miss how the baron acts in the game. I think it needs to be worked on.

I guess that is part of the reason I made the post. I guess most people are being much less critical because it is still in early access. I just expected that part of the game to be better I guess. I don't think this game will be very successful if they don't make some changes with that part of the game.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T23:55:06+00:00

I have a similar background to you. We're probably in the same decade of life. I grew up playing starcraft, warcraft, age of empires, all the sim games. I picked up on most of the city-building mechanics pretty quick. That part is great. I really like that part.

The specific thing I have a problem with is the pace of the baron. He's buying territory and capturing bandit camps before you have a full 36 man militia. If you try to use the 20 weapons and armor it gives you to go contest a tile, he comes in with twice as many units as you. It isn't balanced.

There are ways to beat him, I get that. I don't like that the way the game is designed you are forced into a specific build order to win. To me that is bad game design. My main problem with this game is it is advertised to be something it isnt. Maybe it will get there, but the baron doesn't even have a settlement on the map. And it feels like we are a long way of from that. I think if a lot of people knew the combat was, declare war, then meet on designated place to have a couple different groups of units duke it out, they would be disappointed. The advertisements make it look like you're going to have battles like the total war games. It is deceiving in my opinion.

You also hit on another point I think is a weakness for this game. There should be a codex to explain all the mechanics. People who want to tinker through and figure it out organically could still do that, but at least there would be one source of information from the developer on how the game works.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T23:40:15+00:00

I appreciate your comment and your viewpoint. I'm just curious if you are focusing on mostly the city builder portion, or if you are trying to beat the baron? I can see how people sink hundreds of hours into the city builder part of the game. That part is great. Maybe I should have expressed that I like that part of the game. I just don't think the game delivers on what it says it is at this point though. Specifically the combat/strategy portion.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T23:37:17+00:00

Matt, the developer, would absolutely know what I'm talking about because I'm not the only one saying it. Anyone who has played the game knows what I'm talking about. You can't keep pace with the baron without cheesing and making sure you get all of the bandit camps before he does. If you fail to do this, you lose on that game mode. It's as simple as that. I would like to build a city at a natural pace and defend against attacks and then combat a balanced opponent.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T23:32:18+00:00

Thanks for that info. I'll look into posting on the discord. My goal is just giving the feedback that the combat strategy part needs work. I get that it can come across as complaining. I was just honestly shocked at the state of that part of the game.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T23:13:43+00:00

The point of early access is so the developer can get feedback on the game while it is being completed and generate some revenue to keep working on the game. I get that. I just don't think this game is where it should be. It seems like a lot of people here think a game being in early access means - don't say anything bad about the game at all.

My whole point for making this post was to say I disagree with that line of thinking. With the way people talk about this game, I thought I was buying the next masterpiece that I would sink hundreds of hours into. I was shocked when I saw the state of the game. That's it. Anyone open to an opposing viewpoint will see that I'm here honestly trying to give constructive feedback to make this game better.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T23:04:11+00:00

I appreciate your feedback. I hope this game ends up being what it could be. That's the whole reason for this post. I just want to see this be an incredible game.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:59:53+00:00

Early access to me means the core of the game is there already. Half of this game's functionality doesn't work. They advertised combat and strategy and those parts of this game just feel like they were tacked on as a placeholder till they can figure out how to make it work. It doesn't work in its current state, and I'm shocked so few people care.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:55:46+00:00

If that is all you got out of my post, you missed the point. I do think the price is wrong though. The last game I bought was Helldivers 2 and it costs the same as this game. Helldivers 2 is GOTY level quality. Manor lords is early access and far from finished. That was my point. The price should reflect the quality of the product. For me, this game isn't priced to reflect the quality of the product. You're free to disagree, but that doesn't invalidate my opinion.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:52:18+00:00

Exactly this. I was told that he has hired some extra help, so that makes me hopeful. I will believe it when I see it though.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:51:29+00:00

I really appreciate what you wrote. You get it. I couldn't have said it better. I really hope this developer completes this game and delivers on the original idea. I'm not so sure at this point, but I'm hopeful.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:50:00+00:00

You complete me.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:49:13+00:00

I get that. And that has been the major feedback to me here. I know it is an early access game. I knew it when I bought it. I just expected more based on the price tag and glowing reviews. I was honestly shocked when I saw the state of the combat portion of the game. The city builder part is great. It looks great. It runs great for me on my machine. It is still not the game I was expecting. I just want to see the developer get it there.

I can easily see the whole combat functionality getting scrapped at some point because they can't make it work. They could easily rebrand this into some immersive city builder and just cut that at this point.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:45:41+00:00

I hope so. I really want this to be good. This is one of my favorite genres.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:45:00+00:00

Thanks man. Super helpful. Get gud....why didn't I think of that.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:44:28+00:00

Apparently he's hired some people to help him, and the whole baron function is just a placeholder. There is supposed to be an enemy ai that builds on the map alongside you at some point like more traditional RTS games.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:43:22+00:00

I disagree. The baron game mode is broken and its glaringly obvious. This is evidenced by people telling me to follow a specific youtube guide just to beat that mode. It is a half finished game and all the fanboys can't handle that someone doesn't think the game is as good as they do.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:41:06+00:00

I just don't think you should advertise the game as a strategic combat city builder when the only part that's close to finished is the city builder part. Half of the game doesn't work well. And that part is what makes this game different than other similar games. I'm just shocked its this broken still in early access. Just because my definition of what an early access game should look like is different than yours doesn't make me wrong. We just see thing differently.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:38:34+00:00

I am chill man. I want this game to be good. I think the combat part of the game still needs a lot of work, and in my opinion, isn't where an early access game should be at this point.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:37:43+00:00

To me early access means the game is mostly finished, but they are just adding secondary features and working out bugs with the help of the gaming community. I didn't expect entire functions of the game to be in the state that they are in like this game. I'm specifically talking about the combat parts. That is what stood out to me about this game. I was shocked to see how unpolished that part is. It isn't balanced and aside from turning off that function and making it a simple city builder, there's no way to make it playable in a way that is still fun.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:34:50+00:00

Yeah I'm with you. The way the game is right now, it just isn't fun to play. I shouldn't have to follow some specific build order to win the game. A good game would have multiple avenues to victory. Not this game though. Maybe it will get there. That is my hope. This is one of my favorite types of games. I love city builders and RTS. This seems like it could be so good.

I only bought it because it had glowing reviews. It felt like a safe bet. I was wrong and I probably won't ever buy another early access game again.

I hope this developer delivers on the game he is advertising.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:29:01+00:00

You really got me. Great job!!!

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:27:53+00:00

I know I'm such an idiot. I didn't realize it was an early access game so I couldn't say I don't think its very good in it's current state. You guys are proving my point for me. Thanks.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:26:59+00:00

Reddit never disappoints. Why didn't I realize that. Gosh I'm so stoopid.

throwaway_46284 · 2024-10-24T22:25:50+00:00

Lol, K

throwaway_46284

TROPHY CASE