angry

This game started a few years ago and is still in alpha mode. When players started was not noted that this would continue for years. When will this end, and I would like a complete refund for all donations. If anything this has turned into a (scam). The only way to play is to pay to protect yourself, and then your still at the mercy of the game, and the players who have dominated the game, by bulling the little players off the board or completely destroying them. You said you made it where you could play without having to be at war, but that is not the case the only way is to pay to play, and protect yourself. YES you can put up truces, but the big players are vultures and wait for the truce to drop then they swoop in with the largest armies they can send. These armies completely annihilate a player, which then puts you at completely starting over. So no this game is not a good game for new players, or players who just want to play for the adventures. I will make sure this game is talked about and how poorly the developer is handling the issues at hand, there is always changes, and only the big players are listened to. So Yes they like it the way it is headed. I do not know how the new players can know that they are being put next to someone who does not want them there, it takes time to even see the world that is around you. I really get tired to reading the complaining that they just plop down when there is no choice or they do not know there is.

I want all the monies I have donated refunded to me. Very unhappy player.

Only with experience, will you learn to play without being hammered, much. 

Each hero you play, teaches you more stuff, about defense, about when to quit and start a new hero.   Nobody could have foreseen the alphas' running for years, game is still better than a lot of finished games out there. 

If you are not willing to serve out your apprenticeship, goodbye, for now.

Pay to play, or play smarter, I prefer the second, although I donated a lot, at first.

Quitting, I have quit many times, still can't find anything I like better.

It does sadden me when I see posts like this one. I've frequently been flattened, and yes, there are occasions when one or more of the very big, much more advanced players seems to decide out of the blue to bring a fleet of 40 ships and god knows how many platoons of fighters to completely flatten a very small, insignificant country for no particular reason.

However, what many people like Anonymous here seem to forget is that we are here to test the game as it develops. The fact that it is constantly changing is *because* it is still in Alpha. The fact that we kind of enjoy it is a bonus while it is tweaked and added to etc. Bers can be abrupt at times when people complain - but we get used to that , and NOBODY has to pay if they don't want to. If the only way you can survive where you are is by spending lots of money... DON'T - just move, frustrating though that is, and remind yourself that you are a TESTER. Keep trying new things. Contribute to the discussions about balance, bugs, quests, updates and new ideas etc. That's what we're here for.

Talk to your attackers and they will often either leave you alone (at least for a reasonable length of time while you focus on really building up your defences) or may even become your helpers. On more than one occasion I have been compensated by an attacker simply because I didn't complain about being attacked (it's part of the game, after all) and/or I talked to them. Sometimes they're just after a particular resource that you can't even see yet, but you happen to be sitting on it. Sometimes you can resolve a way to co exist, while sometimes you realise that yes you'd be better re-locating.

But if you keep relocating, although it's frustrating, you *will* end up with a better location for one of your heroes, that you can defend well before anyone comes for you, and which can serve as a secure base for further adventures. But do try different strategies and styles, both to test various aspects of the game, and to discover how to enjoy the game and gain with some success.

But I can't stress enough - we are TESTERS of an unfinished game. If we don't want to donate, we don't have to hand over a single penny. Other players (and the forums) give hints and tips on how to build up your defence solidly. You don't have to be in some kind of "in crowd" to get this help. I am a loner-type of player, and have never joined an alliance, but I've found that if I ask, there are plenty of players (including some that have wiped me out in the past for no particular reason) who are more than happy to help out and give some really useful advice.

Yes, this may end up being a "pay to win" game when it goes live, and I know quite a lot of the players do have concerns about that. But until it is finished and we really know how all the balances are going to work out, I don't think we can really judge it. It has already improved beyond measure in the short time I have been alpha testing it, and I'm sure that will continue. So who knows what the final product will look like.

I don't know your personal situation, Anonymous, and I'm sorry if you have had a really hard time of it. But please, I would urge everyone not to donate money simply in order to defend a hopeless case. or for any reason other than that they can afford it and want to. If you resent donating - DON'T do it. And if you don't enjoy testing the game and exploring success and failure in it, then perhaps play-testing isn't really for you.

Aluna Well said !

Aluna agreed 100% we are here to test and help the game get where it needs to go. Great post : )