Perhaps it's changed in the last few patches but my experience is that, any strike force capable of clearing out an alternate world is more than capable of taking out the enemy capitol
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
I tend to enter ASAP. Generally, if the portal is fairly close, I'll enter by turn 24-28 if I have a ranged hero.
If I don't have a ranged hero, I'll enter around that time as well, assming I have a summon spell.
It's only when I have a melee hero and no summoning spell that I'll avoid the portal.
In SP that is true. I can consistently kill my first AI by turn 34-40, depending on how far away it is.
In MP, where your enemy would use fireballs and stunning on your heroes, they're better off sent to explore alternate worlds, to get you more resources and settling space.
I recently purchased the game, so please note that i'm a complete noob (playing my first 'real' game).
I went in as soon as i thought my borders can hold out and i have to say i feel like i got a huge boost, both economically (dragon farm + the food boosting buildings of the monster cities = awesome
) and in terms of military strenght (ability to recruit golden dragons and all units which entered are now so buffed that they seem unstoppable)
EDIT: the only thing i fear that the game might now become to easy...
I went in as soon as i thought my borders can hold out and i have to say i feel like i got a huge boost, both economically (dragon farm + the food boosting buildings of the monster cities = awesome
) and in terms of military strenght (ability to recruit golden dragons and all units which entered are now so buffed that they seem unstoppable)EDIT: the only thing i fear that the game might now become to easy...
I haven't played any MP games yet (although I would love to), but there is no reason to go after the other worlds instead of just steam-rolling the AIs with the very same powerful units that you'd otherwise take with you to clear out the other worlds.
Perhaps the game needs some better defences, maybe better, upgradable towers and city defenses, then you'd have more incentive to go in after the other worlds.
Or better AIs.
Perhaps the game needs some better defences, maybe better, upgradable towers and city defenses, then you'd have more incentive to go in after the other worlds.
Or better AIs.
If your goal is to win as fast as possible, correct there isn't much incentive to exploring the other worlds.
I really enjoy the eXplore and eXpand aspects of 4x so the portal worlds are just added places to explore and expand that are a bit more challenging that the surface world.
I really enjoy the eXplore and eXpand aspects of 4x so the portal worlds are just added places to explore and expand that are a bit more challenging that the surface world.
Well, I really think the portal worlds should give you some incentive to invade them, besides exploring. (Although I love how the game can still surprise me, after 200+ hours of playing. Just today, I found a, eh, super cockroach unit in there that I've never seen before. And a couple of days ago, I found some "angry farmers". Also never seen before. And who would have thought simple farmers would be such a powerful unit? I guess it must be their anger...)
It would be cool if they were structured better, and not just a simple square with stuff scattered around.
Maybe the other world maps could be oblong (or other less symmetrical shapes), and you'd have to progress along the map, becoming more and more challenging, before finally reaching a "boss fight"-type situation, with a huge reward. Maybe a strong city, that already had access to a dragon's nest, or something else powerful.
Ah well, just some ideas.
I think there should be monster cities in them. Not neutral, monster. Just one per, nearish the edges.
They are pretty lucrative however. You get a LOT of gold from dragon dens and gigantic amounts of mana. And of course, the Ancient spell possibility and witch chance really helps them feel 'worth it'. But as for anything like that, you always need to balance them against your current threats. If you have another player breathing down your neck, probably not worth it.
In a long game, access to portals will win it for by having greater economic potential.
Yes, a monster city near the edge (as far away from the portal as possible, if the map can't be made oblong.
) would be good.Well, in a long game, assuming it's on a big map, the advantage with portals will just be drowned by city spamming.
But yeah, if you made sure that the best spells in the game are hidden in there, that would be good incentive.
I just think that maybe the defensive capabilities in the game should be increased, so that one would be more motivated to go in after those spells - or something like that.
Ah well, maybe it's just the fact that the Impossible difficulty level isn't hard enough, so that as things are now, you don't need the portal worlds, since you can just steamroll the AI. Maybe given a bigger challenge, we would be forced to think and move in new directions.