Travian

09:37 / 01.12.07

Travian.co.uk has me hooked. You play the chief of a village in a free online multiplayer game where you develop your resources, make troops, raid other players etc.
Because it takes time and resources to do anything and the resources regenerate slowly, it takes about two minutes at a time to play and checking it a couple of times a day is sufficient to make a thriving village, it's not too time intensive but it's fun in a civ sort of way.

They just started a new server (travian 4 on the uk site) so it's an excellent time to jump in while everyone is at the same starting level.

Any Travian players here? Anyone want to try it out? If I invite you by email I get virtual gold to spend so PM me, otherwise just have a go at being Asterix fighting Romans.

18:19 / 01.12.07

I'm on there - Monkeypipe village - in south west somewhere - coming along nicely! It's a slow process, building up resources, at first, but is slow and pleasant...

09:24 / 02.12.07

I should add, I'm on server one - so won't be part of any barb alliences...

09:24 / 02.12.07

My friends and I are aiming for SouthWest dominance, join us! What's your player name?

The three day beginner's protection wears off everyone soon and the raiding will commence- make sure you have a big enough cranny!

09:25 / 02.12.07

x-post. I'm on server one ah well. What do you think of the game?

ORA ORA ORA ORAAAA!!

09:57 / 02.12.07

I've started a village at 63, -17 (server 4). I'll tell you how it goes when it's going.

11:08 / 02.12.07

It's okay - there isn't much to do, and to be honest the alliences and bad-talking that can happen seems redundent in the game play - it's more like an ant farm with the potential of attacking or raiding other ant farms than a game...

I like it though.

So far village one has 10's across the resources board, and is doing very well inside, all buldings are up, and levels getting there slowly - army is okay, not massive, but okay - and village two is on about 6's for resources - though less balanced than village one. I need a third village near by to really get the army going though.

Like I said though, the allience aspect isn't great, all the bigger players are in huge alliences and the smaller players are either staying out of the way, or are just not playing their villages and so just sit there to be picked off by armies for supplies.

11:25 / 02.12.07

Just started a new village on server 4 - -33,-55 in the sw'est.

So, do we start an allience going?

11:48 / 02.12.07

Damn..

I started up on server 4, but in the NW.

I guess I'll have to start a mighty empire and come join you guys...

Feverfew

15:52 / 02.12.07

This looks cool - and I'm a sucker for online gameage; My village is on server 4 at -55 by 40 - look me up!

16:07 / 02.12.07

as per message sent to some on the game;

"I'm actually -33, -53 I think, got it wrong on the board - I think an alliance is in order for the folk from there for here - not sure how to get it going, but have an embassy in production and think that's stage one.

The advice I have is to;

a) build resources - try to get these to around 8 on each.

b) build embassy and warehouse/grannary to keep things high.

then look at settlers for village two.

have village two in place and use that as a farm and then build soilders in village one.

An alliance will keep folk from sieging and raiding you too much early on.

Good luck!

Benny the Ball"

16:22 / 02.12.07

I'm in (-20|60) and my username is metro.tramp if you wanna say hi.

I've only just noticed the 'gold' part of Quantum's post (has been a foggy Sunday). Is it too late for me to delete my account and help you out, Q? If not, I'd be happy to restart and give you some freebies - I'm only a few hours in.

madfigs #32, now with wasabi

16:42 / 02.12.07

So who's going to think up an Asterixific Alliance name?

Barbecum just sounds a bit rude...

Barbelix?

Barbelix is good. But one L or two?

02:06 / 03.12.07

One L for sure, Obelix-style.

I've got a Gaul village on server 4 at -26 -58. Unfortunately I got excited and forgot about the referral bonus - sorry Quantum! I will try to make up for it by crushing any fools who dare stand up to the mighty Barbelix Alliance. STRONG TRUTH!

Looking at the FAQ, it may be a couple weeks before it can start - the founder has to have a level 3 embassy, which is going to cost you 705 wood, 510 clay, 585 iron, and 310 wheat all told. That won't be a big deal in the long run, but now it seems like a lot. I think I've got a grasp on the building strategy at least, hopefully it will be a while before people have enough military power for raiding.

07:14 / 03.12.07

I'm building a lvl 3 Embassy, to found an alliance which I shall invite you all to.

09:43 / 03.12.07

Splendid.
I've got a level 1 at the mo, so will wait for your call...

17:23 / 03.12.07

Hullo. RRR village is your friend.

17:23 / 03.12.07

Or will be, or something.

Feverfew

18:49 / 03.12.07

I have a level 1 embassy 2, and await the call, but am confused, Quantum. Are you on Server 1 or 4? Or Both? (Or neither?)

14:17 / 04.12.07

I've got a granary and a wall.

15:10 / 05.12.07

I've got a rally point.

18:31 / 05.12.07

Right, got the resources coming, got an embassy, where's this alliance?

18:42 / 05.12.07

We're waiting on someone (Quantum...) to get a third level embassy, which will enable them to start, and invite us to, an alliance.

THEN TEH WINXOR WILL HAPPENS!

foot long subbacultcha

09:13 / 06.12.07

I'm at 4,17

Think i've got another day under protection, trying to keep bigger than my neightbours! Anyone been attacked yet?

Princess

10:38 / 06.12.07

I have made swashbuckling village. Once I understand what is what I will join with your mighty alliance.

14:17 / 06.12.07

Quantum, how's yr embassy? What details do you need to ally with us? Do we need embassies? Sorry for the questions, I'm overseeing some barrack-constructing.

Feverfew

16:37 / 06.12.07

General answer (not speaking for the Q) - You only need a level 1 embassy to be part of an alliance, but the alliance-maker needs a level 3 embassy plus 1 level per three players joining. So, if you have 6 players, you'll need level 4, 9 = level 5 etc.

I'm enjoying trading at the moment. Granted, my village growth has ground to quite an impressive halt, but I am trading as fast as I can to make up the slight shortfall.

jentacular dreams

17:25 / 06.12.07

alliance-maker needs a level 3 embassy plus 1 level per three players joining. So, if you have 6 players, you'll need level 4, 9 = level 5 etc

Can't you just all start building level 3 embassies and just start a network of smaller alliances?

madfigs #32, now with wasabi

17:28 / 06.12.07

Can't you just all start building level 3 embassies and just start a network of smaller alliances?

Oooh! Rhizomatic!

17:33 / 06.12.07

Luckily with the alliances it's flat out 3 members per level, so by the time you can start one you already have space for 9 members.

I haven't been attacked yet, but one of my neighbors looks to be using the "growth through raiding" strategy. So far my cranny capacity has generally been enough to protect whatever I have on hand, so I should be safe in any case.

21:22 / 06.12.07

I've been attacked twice by the same person - have sent a message - also am upgrading to level three for the embassy so will start an alliance tomorrow morning...

00:04 / 07.12.07

I have my alliance temporarily called Brighton Alliance BTN founded, PM me your player names and I'll invite you all. I'm on server 4 travian4.co.uk and am still pondering names- I like BTN but the B should be for Barbelith, what should the other letters stand for?

The problem with lots of little alliances is they get butchered. The mechanics of the game reward a big alliance just like they do one big army- if several small armies attack a big one they lose.