I was invited to BA ally chat for a couple of hours to talk with their players. A report was showed and it was an attack on a Lord player. I asked about the circumstances because to be a Lord player in BA territory didn’t see to be a clever strategy. They told me that there had been a schism about an oasis and the player left and joined first IDTS and then Lords.
That led to a talk about farming and they admitted that there isn’t many down there in Africa except some late starts that was juicy farms. BA also said it doesn’t matter, they have the whole map to farm thanks to a better TS in this version and the Unique boots. I asked for examples, myself I have 45h down there without a TS. I got their travel times to my cluster and yes they was right all that water between us really don’t matter. I also have to promised to not write about it to get them =)
We talked about the pushing restrictions and that it is hard to find any information about it in FAQ.
There are occasions when it haven’t work well. For example when you have deffed a friend and you can’t send enough to feed them. It happened me on Kingdoms, I guess the rules are the same.
After that we begin to talk about servers and cheatings. BA have been accused to have multis on the forum. No one except Arabs has ever confessed to use multis not much to say about that, but they told me they have noticed an overaverage amount of spawns in Murx region that probably is the cause Murx got so many on Raiders list.
I was also told that this pattern have been seen on Beta and other servers too. One player told me about another server he is playing where one quad has 3 times more players then the rest. I asked about nationality – Russians. Well, they have very long had the habit that every player need 3-4 support accounts and they don’t deny it if you talk with them in private. The difference between Arabs and Russians, I think, is that Russians have players that are willing to hold support accounts which makes them harder to discover, the Arabs use bots. Last com qualification was worst by far.. A player told me he don’t want to play Final because of all cheating. It’s not fun.
I agree, it’s because of all cheatings I lost a big part of the motivation to play for real. It destroys the game. I have stopped interview Top players because I can be sure they have cheated in one way or another. Killing own or multis scouts to get off points or farm them to be top raider or use shameless amounts of gold to buy arts to be top pop player.
The fair players have small chances to get a Top rank in Tournament. But it still happens and I’m glad skills still can mean more when it comes to the real thing.
And yes, Ameno! Do you read this? They wish an ancient server next winter at 2x speed 🙂
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Before I was invited to their all chat I talked with Kras.
1 BA and BAF: from which country are your players?
Kras: We are multinational, 15-16 people from BA are Bulgarians (ex-Bali-Go!) and others are from US, Australia, Latvia, Belgium, Holland and many other countries.
2. Why did you chose to settle in North Africa? It’s a lot of water between you and the rest of the world, you have long time to run if you wants to attack Europe from there. On the other side others also have a long way to you.
Kras: We choose that strategy, because Africa have some really good arty’s and distances here are not big deal, TS gives twice the original bonus, and with boots arty…
3. You have a colony in France and I guess the war with TM is about those regions. What is your opinion about TM?
Kras: My personal opinion about TM is they are an outstanding Ally, very good enemy, and I like most of them.
4. Your opinion about Murx and Lords?
Kras: Murx are very good ally too, small but elite till the last member. About Lords, i don’t have opinion.
5. Which servers do you usually play on? What do you think about this version? Your favorite server?
Kras: We as the team which is here play for the first time here. Usually we play Birthday special servers. This version is not the best one, too many multis, and too many farms.
5a.Can you explain that?
Kras: Yep, they accused us last server for everything and now again 🙂 We actually have friends who help us with gold digging, and we stop TM region couple of times, but some of them don’t stop complain.
And my favorite, I don’t know TG always make some very bad things in every server, maybe Ancient Europe was one of the best.
6. Tell us something more about yourself: Age, sex, what do you do for your living, how long have you played Travian?
Kras: About me, I am 30 years old, male, I am engineer. And played for maybe 8-10 years.
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I talked with Poet about the server, he likes the Europe map and played Scattered Empire before this. He is 37 years old, Male, and Medically Retired from the U.S. Army. He has played off and on for about 8 years.
Poet: My favorite server is always the current one I play. However, My last server that I played had been the absolute best ever. Incredible battles against TM were had, and in the midst of it all I made friends with many of the enemy players that I was battling with. The team I played with, HRE, was incredible and the friends I made have grown very dear to me.
He also explained how the artifacts works and the victory points. I think that on the first ancient server you had to choose if to use them or collect victory points, I wasn’t aware about that change.
We talked about the Unique boots importance for North Africa, making players willing to go far down and that there are still many artefacts, many Great, left in this area.
Safiren : but I guess that is why the unique boots are in Carthago or else no one would settle there.
Poet: Perhaps yes, Though I do believe there are 1 or 2 more regions with the same effect. But without Carthago having them, Africa would be a fools errand.
Safiren : Will all the regions be claimed?
Poet: I think that will depend on how aggressively each alliance chooses to fight.
We do have some very skilled players in multiple alliances, with varying styles of game play.
Safiren : Murx is an interesting small ally, they have 3 uniques.
Poet: I agree that they are interesting. Albeit too formulaic.
Safiren : why?
Poet: Murx displays a lot of talent. They also seem to be using an old strategy. Very effective, but limiting on this map. I do see them as possibly in contention for the Victory in this server. However, they have strong and talented enemies. TM for example, and BA.
Safiren : What about Lords that have build the largest meta?
Poet: They have a lot of potential as well. But zerging tends to recruit sanctuary seekers. If they can find a way to mobilize their players and have effective participation rates, they could also take the server.
I know a few people in TM. There are quite a few really cool people in there. And I think it is cool that they have offered to help you out. In some ways, your account is that of an embedded war reporter. Pretty cool I think.
Safiren: (chuckle) I must be the only one granted immunity in a war game. Of course it is a war game and I can’t deny players the right to attack me, but then I also have the right to ask for help.
On my first server as reporter there was a guy that claimed his right, why give me any favors? So he zeroed my little village and said he would do it again if I raised a single pop. I built all that gave no pop, asked my friends about push help and started to build on every spot inside and outside the village a Monday. He came with his catas, he was embarrassing bad on planning and never zeroed me again. Too few catas in every wave or not enough of waves. 4 days later he gave up and I was Gold Climber that week. Of course my friends used their right to attack him next week and he ended up deleting.
Safiren : How about your chances?
Poet: Well, I have faith in my alliance. It is interesting to note how right from the start we were attacked from all sides, and even laughed at and made fun of while we took our time and focused on our plan. Now, We lead the server in VP per day.
For myself though, I do not play because I just want to win. I play because I want to play. I have a lot of fun every server and I get to meet some really cool people. For me, that is rewarding enough.
So will we win? Will we keep leading in VP per day? Who knows. But I’m going to have fun without regard to the outcome.
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When I asked in BA ally chat who to interview they told me to talk with Tyrant, so I did, it was a nice acquittance.
Alexei/Tyrant
Safiren: But now it is about this RoA 🙂 What do you think about this version with the fast start?
Do you think that is something that shall be introduced on other servers?
Is it better to play without a WW, victory points instead and have a stated end date?
What about the artifacts and regions. How do that affect the game?
What do you think about your opponents? Lords, TM, Murx, Ang&Dem?
And some personal information: Age, sex, profession. How long have you played travian? Which is your favorite server?
Alexei : I really liked the fast start. BUT, it should not be implicated. It leads to too many people cheating via registering accounts in a region and farming them later on. Like Murx. Also speed 1 is too slow.
I love artifacts/regions. It is VERY fun, lots of strategies and so on. Wish it was 2x – 3x. It (artifacts) make the game much more interesting. It makes the game more realistic in terms of power and zone control.
I think our opponents are good. Some are better than others. However, on diplomacy wise the stage is once again left very empty. I think a lot of things can still change this server.
I am 26 years old, Male and I am a business owner/teacher. This server has been tough for me to play. I just expanded my client base and I work 7 days a week 60-70 hours a week.
So, I am very small this server. However, I am very fortunate to have played with this team before and build them, the team and their trust. For people to take over and run the show while I was away. Now I am back in full swing.
This is my 12th year of Travian, starting in January. I have been around since 2005. WW were fun, for the first 3 years. I burned out from them.
This was another interview which was done with me:
://traviantale.blogspot.ru/2010/07/spotlight-alexei-aka-darknight-aka-call.html, a little bit different time, and I was a different player.
My favorite server could have been the last Scattered. (Besides the one back in 2008).
I met a great group of people, made people angry and upset and made TM rage quit and delete.
I have NEVER witnessed a worse exit than TM last Scattered 🙂 They simple all deleted. They smashed all of their remaining hammers into me (lost 2M troops) and quit.
Safiren : They did? :O I have to ask them about it 😀
Alexei: Yes. Was very memorable. They realized they were going to lose, and decided to call it quits. They left people… to die and get slaughtered. People they promised protection, spies and other alliances that supported them.
Anyways, I have full respect for our opponents, who are doing very good this server. Better than us. And for majority it is my faulty. Due to my work and health, I was unable to deliver the same leadership, organization and diplomacy as I had from the last server. But people held on, and we are playing catch up.
Safiren : You are in war with TM, I thought is was about the regions in France?
Alexei: Yes. And they are winning it 100%. We got hit by Murx and TM at the same time. We are spread too thin.
TM has good players, good support and lots of gold. And MURX are just playing on another level due to their early game strategy. So, things do happen 🙂
Safiren : yes, I thought that when I checked the map, not easy to defend regions that is far away from your stronghold, even with Unique boots.
Alexei : Not yet.
Safiren : What can change it?
Alexei: Time and organization, practice.
Safiren: Thanks for the interview, it was nice to meet you 🙂