I'm so on the edge here...

[Jarhead0331]

I really want to buy this game, but only if its really worth it...I know most guys here will be in favor of it, but give it to me straight...

Is the learning curve really that steep, or is it only that way for morons? And, is the digital download a realistic way to go, or is the print manual critical?

Thanks for your input guys...

[rich12545]

First, there is no print manual. Period.

Second, the learning curve is steep. I'm still working on it.

Third, Once I learn it, I believe it will be worth it. Maybe I'm not the brightest bulb in the box but it's taking me a while to grasp concepts.

[jchastain]

Rish is pretty much right straight down the line. DD is the way to get it since there is no printed manual. The learning curve is steep, but the detailed battles are fun even as you learn the rest of the game. All-in-all, the game costs roughly what a couple of trips to the movies would and you'll get many many more hours of enjoyment from this. Unless you are saving up for a liver transplant and every penny counts, I'd say go for it. You won't regret it.

[Hanal]

My advice, as I always preach, is to start off playing Sweden using an easy difficulty setting and boost Sweden's power a bit....it is a great way to learn the game because you operate in a smaller theater with a fewer provinces and goals...save the other countries for later once you are comfortable with the game and want to ramp up the difficulty.....

[Jarhead0331]

Great advice, but I'm still trying to figure out if I should buy it in the first place...

[TheRockSal]

The learning curve isnt too bad....I haven't read all the manual and I get by in my games just letting the economy take care of itself (adjust a few things)....I never use the advisors either. I was somewhat lost when I started but it didnt take long just playing slowly and trying different things to see how they worked. PBEM is fun even though haven't finished a game yet...I never play the detailed battles, no desire, and it doesn't take away, for me, from the game. I can play as I do and slowly get more into the details to tweek things later when I feel like it...or not, and still enjoy it. I like it, great support, fun PBEM, interesting period. If you like grand strategic, go for it.

[Balthazar Gerards]

n. 1. Ability to make decisions promptly and to announce them in clear, forceful manner

Hey, isn't that taken from a Napoleon maxim?[:D]
Buy it! For me it had the same "wow!" effect as Panzer General had (back in '94, time flys . .)

[Gem35]

I was in the same situation, should I buy this game or not. I would come here to the forums and read a little and each time I did, the more I liked the game. Now that I own it, I am glad I bought it. It's a very fun game and adds a different flavor when I am taking a break from my all time favorite strategy game.

Besides being fun and challenging, if you have any questions or problems you can come to the forums here and the great folks will be more than happy to help out. The devs will be working to improve the game with patches and such over time as well. Great game, great forum, great support... what more can you ask for? As far as no manual, simply print it out wither yourself, or burn it to a disc and have Kinko's do it for you.

[ian77]

At first I thought it was rather light weight, but the more I have played it the more I have enjoyed it, and I still keep finding little touches which make me really appreciate all that the developers have put into this game. Best of all is the Matrix track record for patches, which do not just fix bugs, but also add new features ... usually player suggested/requested.

IMHO well worth the money!!

Ian

[mdesarno]

ORIGINAL: Jarhead0331

I really want to buy this game, but only if its really worth it...I know most guys here will be in favor of it, but give it to me straight...

Is the learning curve really that steep, or is it only that way for morons? And, is the digital download a realistic way to go, or is the print manual critical?

Thanks for your input guys...

Take the plunge like I did last week! I was lost at first, but I found this forum post to be so helpful, that I was able to learn the game well enough to play and have a good time without reading the manual much. I still should print out the manual and read it through. I glanced through it and there is a lot of useful information.

There is a patch out to help with reliability issues, and they are working hard on patching game play issues.

This game has kept me up late at night 3 nights in a row, if that's any indication.

Edit: Drat my link didn't work right. It's the Ralegh's tips on starting a new game post near the top.

[jhdeerslayer]

I can be very judgmental and selective about the games I buy as it sounds like you are. I'd recommend this one. It will get nothing but better as feature patches come out as well.

I don't think you will regret it.

[plasticpanzers]

despite my reservations on its historical weakness i
most strongly recommend you get this game. its alot
of fun. if you want to run it close to historical as
France then play France as much stronger with Sweden
much weaker; Austria, Prussia, and Russia weaker, and
Spain and Turkey very much weaker. This will make the
main enemies of France (Austria, Russia, and Prussia)
on the continent very dangerous still and make Britain
much weaker. This will reduce its physical presence on
the continent with large armies (more realistic) but
not effect its overwhelming fleet presence. Spain,
Turkey, and Sweden become permeter powers that are
important but not powerful enough to be an overwheming
threat.
Tim

[Joram]

ORIGINAL: Jarhead0331

I really want to buy this game, but only if its really worth it...I know most guys here will be in favor of it, but give it to me straight...

Is the learning curve really that steep, or is it only that way for morons? And, is the digital download a realistic way to go, or is the print manual critical?

Thanks for your input guys...

I disagree about the learning curve being steep. I think that's true only if you like to micro-manage. You have advisors that do an adequate job doing most things for you (I never let them touch my military build nor battles). Naturally they don't do things they would you would most of the time but if you just want to dive in and play, they work fine.

Now, if you are into managing every trade route, creating every treaty (advisors are admittedly a little poor on this), and tweaking every province to reach optimal production, then yeah, it might take you awhile to get it right. However, even that process isn't hard to learn, just hard to do it right.

Anyways, the AI on the detailed battle is a little basic but other than that, this game is quite enjoyable. There's a lot of depth to the game even if you turn all the advisors on.

[Ralegh]

The advisers give you an easy way to manage the learning curve - you can have a fun game without looking at the manual (well, if you can figure out how to turn them on, and turn detailed battle on).

The game has incredible depth, but it is manageable since (a) there are the advisers (b) you really don't need to know all the minutae and (c) for those who want to, the manual provides some detail and I have provided a lot of other detail. Boiard games just couldn't have this level of richness - humans couldn't possibly do the calculations. COG leverages the things computers are good at to give us an incredible playing experience.

There are 3 weaknesses:
(a) there are still some bugs and play-balance issues [but that gives you a chance to contribute]
(b) the economy is not currently documented enough, which makes it very frustrating for people whose micro-management fix takes them that far, AND several of the ecconomy reports don't easily line up (a usability bug, btw, not a functionality bug - some are before waste and some after, some previous turn actuals and others current turn estimates)
(c) the AI gets harder at harder levels via bonuses, not via improved logic (like Civ and most other games), which nonetheless counts as a weakness to me. AI should get better strategically and tactically. However, it is good enough to give me a decent game, and in a multi-player game its great to have an AI to take care of the non-player countries. COG is an awesome platform for playing against humans!

Crown of Glory makes use of the computer's power to provide a level of realism in economy, politics and battle that is outstanding for a modern computer game. One incredible strength is the way the AI players can almost feel real to you during the game, as you negotiate treaties with them to gang up on your neighbours - or protect each other, negotiate trade routes, manoevre forces, apply diplomatic pressure and so on. I love solitaire play, and COG is the best game I have played, which is why I have been willing to throw so much time into playing and documenting it.

Buy it or miss out.

[Jarhead0331]

ORIGINAL: Ralegh

The advisers give you an easy way to manage the learning curve - you can have a fun game without looking at the manual (well, if you can figure out how to turn them on, and turn detailed battle on).

The game has incredible depth, but it is manageable since (a) there are the advisers (b) you really don't need to know all the minutae and (c) for those who want to, the manual provides some detail and I have provided a lot of other detail. Boiard games just couldn't have this level of richness - humans couldn't possibly do the calculations. COG leverages the things computers are good at to give us an incredible playing experience.

There are 3 weaknesses:
(a) there are still some bugs and play-balance issues [but that gives you a chance to contribute]
(b) the economy is not currently documented enough, which makes it very frustrating for people whose micro-management fix takes them that far, AND several of the ecconomy reports don't easily line up (a usability bug, btw, not a functionality bug - some are before waste and some after, some previous turn actuals and others current turn estimates)
(c) the AI gets harder at harder levels via bonuses, not via improved logic (like Civ and most other games), which nonetheless counts as a weakness to me. AI should get better strategically and tactically. However, it is good enough to give me a decent game, and in a multi-player game its great to have an AI to take care of the non-player countries. COG is an awesome platform for playing against humans!

Crown of Glory makes use of the computer's power to provide a level of realism in economy, politics and battle that is outstanding for a modern computer game. One incredible strength is the way the AI players can almost feel real to you during the game, as you negotiate treaties with them to gang up on your neighbours - or protect each other, negotiate trade routes, manoevre forces, apply diplomatic pressure and so on. I love solitaire play, and COG is the best game I have played, which is why I have been willing to throw so much time into playing and documenting it.

Buy it or miss out.

sniff...sniff...that was beautiful man...as I type this, I'm listening to the March of the British Grenadiers and downloading the game...

Semper Fi

[Hard Sarge]

for the AI I will have to say, I was a little impressed

I got upset with a battle during the middle of it, and turned on end battle quickly option

the AI did a very good job of it with my troops

in fact, since my troops were not really able to form line yet, it may of even done better then I would of

it won the battle, where I felt I was losing it

HARD_Sarge

and, I don't lose many

[mdesarno]

ORIGINAL: Jarhead0331

sniff...sniff...that was beautiful man...as I type this, I'm listening to the March of the British Grenadiers and downloading the game...

Semper Fi

YES!!! We have assimilated another Marine!!! [I'm not one but some of you guys are].

[Jarhead0331]

Nah...I've been 'assimilated' for awhile...Flashpoint Germany, Starshatter, Spartan, Titans of Steel, Uncommon Valor, etc. etc....

But, now that you mention it, do you think there's room around these parts for more than one Jarhead?

[Hard Sarge]

Depends, what kind of Jarhead are you ?

0311, Plt Sgt, in a time, far, far away, and long ago too !!!!

HARD_Sarge

[carnifex]

Depends, what kind of Jarhead are you ?

Obviously the correct answer is "A rifleman first, Sir!"