Old / new player

    Hi all,


    I played this game religiously around 15 years ago now, and whilst I have thought on a number of occasions about re-joining I have put it off mainly as I didn't have the constant access to a computer that it required. When I received the notification about the APP, I really thought this might be a game changer and so am really considering re-joining, but wanted to ask a few questions as it's very different to what I remember... any help on the following would be much appreciated:


    1 - After playing this game for quite a few years, I left when content started to be implemented that cost money. Whilst initially it was a free game, when elements were added that would cost money I lost a bit of interest as I believed it stopped being fair, as people with lots of money had a much bigger advantage. Looking at it now, it seems like there are many more options to boost yourself if you're happy to pay for the pleasure. In your opinion, does this effect the game play? - I'm not completely put off by it, as I understand its a way of companies making money and most games now do the same, but I'm not willing to invest large sums, so if this is going to make it a bit pointless I probably wont get started (again I know this is down to peoples opinion, but i'd be interested to hear different thoughts).


    2 - If you do think money needs to be spent on the game, which bits would you suggest to look at first, as there seems to be so many options!


    3 - How often do new games start? I'm thinking of getting involved in an existing game just to see what it's like and get my head around it all again, but there's nothing better than starting at the beginning of a game so you have a level playing field with everyone else.


    4 - I remember the biggest downfall of the game is that you could spend months / years making a fleet and then one lay in later, it's destroyed and you have lost the months / years worth of effort, which makes you disillusioned and is the reason why most people quit and the universe dry's up and gets a bit boring. Whilst I appreciate this is kind of the point of the game, is the game play still along these same lines? and are there issues with keeping people involved in each universe? or has something been invented to avoid that problem now?


    Thanks for any help!

    1 - Yes F2P options have increased and have massive impacts on the game. Not much of a secret there but it is possible to play f2p and get by. Just don't expect to build a billion point account in as little time as can be done with a little bit of DM.


    2 - If you're spending money on DM...planet relocations, officers, halve and complete buttons for astro, res packs when you're big enough...that's it.


    3 - Typically 6 weeks between new universes opening. We should be due for another one in a couple weeks.


    4 - Still that way most players just mine these days and that's cool...you can always build a fleet later. Space dock helps mitigate fleet loss these days but only a partial solution to a complex issue.

    Swedish.. I remember someone that went by that name, was a legend with their antics back in the day :D


    Some of the posts about it actually survived the forum nuking as well.


    The sky is not the limit it is only the genesis of dreams.

    I was probably the first person to get a HOF with a solar sat ninja and also HOF attacks with just cargo ships, ha. Wow can't believe someone is still around from back then, or still remembers it! You must have seen a lot of changes...

    I don't think such a feat has been intentionally done since then, IIRC there was also a colony ship HoF as well?


    Yes, I've seen a lot, some good, some alright but too much bad =/


    You might remember Cassandra Vandales and bibob from those days, who are still around as well.


    The sky is not the limit it is only the genesis of dreams.

    Ha yes, there was one of those. I left before I got to do a Recycler one... funnily enough, it got a bit boring trying to save up enough resources to do a Solar Sat HoF!


    Yes I do remember them. Good to see some familiar faces... In your opinion, is this still a popular game? I guess there aren't as many people as there used to be, but is there still enough people involved to keep it enjoyable?

    Thanks Johocknut, appreciate your input. I've learnt a lot the last few days, giving an existing game a go... so I'm looking forward to trying a new one when it starts.


    If the developers really wanted to make money, they have a massive opportunity to do so with the release of the APP. So many people won't have heard of the game, but with the APP, the right marketing (and I'd suggest removing some of the in game money side of things - not all of them, as I know they need to make money, but some of them which give too much of an advantage to players). They have a great game, so it has the potential to become huge and earn them even more money in the long run, but just carrying on things as they are inevitably ends up with the product disappearing.

    Separately there used to be a guy from one of the early universes (can't remember his name?) that had a fleet which was huge (way way higher than anyone else in the game). He dominated it for ages, without anyone getting anywhere near him. Does anyone know what happened to him and his account in the end? did he just get bored and close it?

    The game's alright, if you aren't bothered by rank and have a decent team around you.

    I think the latter is the main reason a lot of oldies are still about.


    Quote from swedish

    Separately there used to be a guy from one of the early universes (can't remember his name?) that had a fleet which was huge (way way higher than anyone else in the game). He dominated it for ages, without anyone getting anywhere near him. Does anyone know what happened to him and his account in the end? did he just get bored and close it?

    Do you mean Candelmass / Graf?

    He got bored and retired, the account ended up in uni1 in one of the early merges, and eventually in the hands of Zombie (under the name Zombies of Graf.. IIRC), and ended up in VM for many years when Zombie went AWOL. I think it's now in the graveyard (a holding uni for VM accounts (with DM) that have been inactive for over 60 days).


    The sky is not the limit it is only the genesis of dreams.

    True, I think most games enjoyment comes with the players you are along side. Are any of the 'oldies' looking to start in the next universe? It would be good to get involved if you / they are?


    Yes, that's him! good memory... I remember his fleet was insane and no-one came close. I guess the end comes for everyone at some point though.

    if i was a bit faster i would have downloaded the app as thats what i am coming back for as well.


    some new stuff as well is slot 15 gives more of deuterium, slot 1 to 3 gives more crystal and i think its slot 8 and 9 gives you more metal also the best slots for fields as well. astro tech is used for more planet slots level 1 gives you a extra slot then its ever 2 levels after that. if you are in a uni that has an increase to resource production (such as x7 for uni 1) pick the discoverer class as you can get millions from expo. i had one where i got 20 mill plus in metal.


    sometimes their is quest you can do to get free rewards so as res, ships, officers, darkmatter even class change item, speed ups and extra fleet slots lastly expo slots. i more then likely missed something out if i have sorry about that.


    also i remember the solar sat hof as well and i recall something about a col ship hof. been playing since 05 under the name atlantis mostly changed it now since assx2 did not like me under that name for some reason kept getting bashed by them.

    does not matter how many times you quit you always come back to ogame

    Thanks Atlantis, that's all really good to know as I hadn't been aware of those things!


    Where do you choose classes, as you mention choosing 'discoverer class'? this sounds like it could be quite important, but I'm not really aware of it at the moment.


    Good to see another old face here!

    when you first start it will ask you to pick from collator general and discoverer. top right where the officers are is where it will be located. collator is for miners increase mine production gives crawlers that also increase mines and power. general is for fleeters it gives reapers that harvest a percent of the df increase attack ships speed and combat tech. discoverer is for people who like to send expos increase the chance of getting a good expo such as items merchant, ships and res lastly darkmatter, pathfinders is also with discoverer that helps with getting better results.


    their was a time where you would send attack ships to get battles in expos as you could make 100 mill plus a day just doing that.

    does not matter how many times you quit you always come back to ogame

    Thanks version4, that's really good to know


    When a new universe is starting, do they give a lead in time before it starts (i.e. tell everyone on the board it's starting in a weeks time) or do they just start up and go?

    Quote from swedish

    Thanks version4, that's really good to know


    When a new universe is starting, do they give a lead in time before it starts (i.e. tell everyone on the board it's starting in a weeks time) or do they just start up and go?

    usually a couple days notice.

    Old timer reading out of curiosity... Sounds like the game has changed a lot. That isn't surprising, it must be 15 years since I played.


    100 mil a day. Wew! Back then that was a lot. Like, really a lot.