Strangely, I spent a lot of time looking into this very game last night. I don't remember where I saw the add but it was VERY interesting (and I agree WRabbit, it was enticing). Honestly, after what I had read at first I was thinking it sounded a lot like SAGA but with a LOT of improvements and a bit of third person RPG/RTS to it. Then when I was reading about it on the WIKI for it I went to read some of the guides. That was the end for me. The screen shots were not the greatest, but I have learned not to judge a game by that a long time ago. Yet, this (and several more I went on to look through) spoke about how the best thing for ANY veteran or higher level player to do was to punce on and destroy all the newbies to take their cities/farms. Especially if they have higher level farms. Then it went on to tell the readers of this (and other guides) that they should abandon them after taking them so that the newbies could try to rebuild them. It went on to say that it was the best way to support a higher level player and it would make the newbies complain and carry on about it so that the owners of the game would finally fix some problem they were having were it was impossible to support your needed armies with food.
That was a serious warning sign for me. Any game that lets that kind of talk/guide continue is just asking to be abandoned. I worked for many a years on old MUDs and that was one of the golden rules. Protect the newbies until they can play and protect themselves, but not with an unfair advantage. Though to be honest in that environment it was just an unwritten rule and people gave the newbies a hand or left them be until they were adjusted. Oh well, sorry to rant, but just letting smtaterto13 know that is the kind of thing that will keep players away or have them not coming back.
Examples are from: http://theevonywiki.com/index.php/Defy_the_patch_and_keep_your_army
"Hitting all the newbies in your area twice a day is a lot like having 30 cities instead of just 10. If they hide/move their resources, you know just who to cap and abandon. If they are not helping you support your army, end them."
"Also, the more players you force to quit or complain, the higher the odds Civony will make sustaining your army viable without razing people who haven't yet made the rank of General."
"Do not rant on the forums. It is pointless. Let the carebears complain for you. "
(From my readings 'carebears' is just another word for newbie)
Just doesn't sound inviting to me. But that is my call. Hopefully this is just a few jerks and there is a chance to learn before they burn you.
Best Regards,
ibwebb
