Early Game, Mid Game, and End Game... What's the goal of each?

[Psitticine]

I think you've got the right basic idea, at least IMO. Personally, I'd define the nature of the 3 stages as follows:

EARLY GAME - Securing resources for future use

MIDDLE GAME - Developing resources, research, etc. and pressing against weak enemies

END GAME - Bringing developed power to bear against the tougher opponents

Each game varies a lot, however. Last "big" game I played denied me anything that I'd consider an early game. I started between two powerful opponents and had to strike out at one before becoming pinned in. It was full-out, open war from Turn 1, and I was always too busy scrambling to keep others off my back to really spare anything more than a few crumbs for development or plotting for the future.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Psitticine:
EARLY GAME - Securing resources for future use

MIDDLE GAME - Developing resources, research, etc. and pressing against weak enemies

END GAME - Bringing developed power to bear against the tougher opponents

This tends to resemble how it works in SP, and MP, if you're doing well.

Otherwise, it works slightly differently:
EARLY GAME - Your attempt to secure provinces and resources. This will undoubtedly be stymied by a shortage of resources, a number of early battle snafus and pyrrhic victories, and possibly your lab burning down on turn 2 and temple on turn 3.

MIDDLE GAME - Your desperate struggle for survival as somebody ELSE performs the "pressing against weak enemies part"...on YOU.

END GAME - The part of the game where, finally, in despair, you turn your empire over to the AI. Alternatively, if you're like me, you finally go down in a blaze of glory. Or at least in flames.

This is probably the early, middle, and late you're more likely to become familiar with, in MP.

[ March 14, 2004, 23:41: Message edited by: Norfleet ]

[Psitticine]

Originally posted by Norfleet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Psitticine:
EARLY GAME - Securing resources for future use

MIDDLE GAME - Developing resources, research, etc. and pressing against weak enemies

END GAME - Bringing developed power to bear against the tougher opponents

This tends to resemble how it works in SP, and MP, if you're doing well.

Otherwise, it works slightly differently:
EARLY GAME - Your attempt to secure provinces and resources. This will undoubtedly be stymied by a shortage of resources, a number of early battle snafus and pyrrhic victories, and possibly your lab burning down on turn 2 and temple on turn 3.

MIDDLE GAME - Your desperate struggle for survival as somebody ELSE performs the "pressing against weak enemies part"...on YOU.

END GAME - The part of the game where, finally, in despair, you turn your empire over to the AI. Alternatively, if you're like me, you finally go down in a blaze of glory. Or at least in flames.

This is probably the early, middle, and late you're more likely to become familiar with, in MP.

---

LOL! That revised sequence does seem a bit familiar-seeming, now that you mention it!

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Psitticine:
LOL! That revised sequence does seem a bit familiar-seeming, now that you mention it!

Just keeping it real.

After all, if you HAVE to ask this question, you're probably going to become more familiar with MY sequence of events before you become familiar with yours.

And isn't "seem a bit familiar-seeming" kind of redundant?

[Spacepain]

After all, if you HAVE to ask this question, you're probably going to become more familiar with MY sequence of events before you become familiar with yours.

Just making sure I was trying to do things right... mind you TRYING.

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Spacepain:
Just making sure I was trying to do things right... mind you TRYING.

Lesson No. 536: There's no "right way" to play Dom. But there are many wrong ways. If you're getting your heiny kicked, you've obviously discovered yet another wrong one.

Your methods, tactics, and strategies must adapt to each and every circumstance -- constantly. What worked in one game may and often does fail spectacularly in the next. It's one of the great things about this game. Dom 2 is hardly boring ...

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Spacepain:
Just making sure I was trying to do things right... mind you TRYING.

Like in life, the objective of Dominions II is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.

As Arryn points out, there is no one "right" way to do it, although there are lots of WRONG ways, which end with you on the receiving end, as in my sequence of events. And while it's nice to hear all these wonderful strategies that are sometimes dubious and often worked because of exacting circumstances, execution, and a touch of complete and utter madness, none of it is a substitute for improvement through getting your *** handed to you repeatedly.

In short, play more Dominions II. Get used to dying. Make sure you go down fighting. Remember: You enter the world screaming and covered in blood. The fun doesn't have to end there.

[ March 15, 2004, 02:56: Message edited by: Norfleet ]