25-05-2003 01:15									#1
	This Game Reminds Me Of... (plus mini-AAR) Increase Your PM Length

The experience of playing RoN so far reminds me more than anything of my early experiences of Sid Meier's Gettysburg! game. As with RoN I wasn't that impressed with the pre-release talk about the game but when I tried the demo I found a game that offered something that is often in short supply in games, FUN! Fun in huge doses! Fun that kept me playing Gettysburg! for over a year!

I played AoK for quite awhile but finally burned out on it. I didn't get AoC when it came out, I just couldn't see more of the same formula that I was already burned out on. When AoM came out I tried the demo, as I did with WC3 and Impossible Creatures. My lasting impression of all of these games? Just more of the same.

When I first tried the RoN demo I have to admit, shock was a good description of how this game impressed me. Shock that "just another RTS" could be so DIFFERENT from the rest, so deep and enthralling, so...FUN! I was drawn in before I could even evaluate why I liked the game.

Before I go on I want to say, "Kudos to Brian Reynolds and the BHG team! This game has all that it takes to be a classic! You guys are just AWESOME! And thanks a million times for your efforts!".

Well, I have the retail game now and I just completed my first quick battle (us TBSers play all games slowly, I guess). I played as Chinese on easy, small great lakes map against 2 random (Spanish and French) opponents. The game was fairly tough all the way through, the AI surprised me several times and left me scrambling. I conquered the French just about the time I hit the info age and I was able to do that because the Spanish had left me alone.

I had seen the message that the Spanish had nukes so I decided to start my own nuclear program just shortly before putting the French out of their misery. Once that was done I started creating a spy network as well as rebuilding my conventional forces and beginning a nuclear stockpile. I decided to take the nearest Spanish city and use a nuke or two to level his troop production facilities.

We were both info age by this time, but immediately after Spain hit info he started researching a future tech. WOW! He must have had a huge knowledge reserve. I was not able to keep up and launch my own future tech so I decided I'd better pursue conquest pretty aggressively.

I followed my plan, I attacked his nearby city and destroyed his ability to produce troops, well, partially. His first city fell, and I still had an adequate force to go after a second city before regrouping. When I got there and began my attack he hit me HARD, and with everything he had including strategic bombers and helicopters. My troops were falling apart quickly because I was not prepared for an attack of this intensity or diversity. (FANTASTIC AI!!! ) Then, he hit me with his most devastating weapon, he launched 5 wonders at once! I had just been forced to withdraw from my attack and I knew that rebuilding was going to take awhile. I suppose I could have nuked some of the wonders, but I only had 2 at the time he started his 5 projects, so I knew the game was pretty much over. Five minutes later Spain had a wonder victory.

I have never before had so much fun losing a game! I can't wait to see what happens when I win!

John