Why is this game so easy?

[Falconhurst]

Recently I have played a number of galactic conquest maps both as rebellion and empire on medium difficulty. GC is so easy it is almost a joke, lacking any discernable challenge.

My strategy is always to lump all my ships an units together -- heroes included -- and go from one enemy planet to another, conquering with auto-resolve space and land battles, as fast as I can. I build mines, light & heavy factories, barracks, and land and space units as necessary to replace losses, and space stations when needed to increase pop cap. Most of my frontier planets are undefended and I never build defensive structures. I may lose a planet or two over the course of a game while capturing dozens, but always retake them easily. I typically sweep over numerous planets (using the pause button frequently to build) while the computer AI is just getting its pants on and preparing for one or two small attacks. Careful use of the "pause" button as necessary typically allows me to capture 3 to 5 planets per day.

The game is supposed to be balanced primarily for medium, but this is a disappointment. Almost any medium GC can be completed in 30 minutes with no major defeats or even challenges. It's hard to have any fun at a game that offers little to no strategic challenge.

I don't understand all of the positive reviews of EAW as the best SW RTS ever. Personally I thought SW Galactic Battlegrounds offered more of a challenge -- it wasn't so formulaic or dull.

[Commander Obi-Wan]

Try the "hard" difficulty. It ahould be a bit tougher.

[Falconhurst]

I typically play the medium level of a game to assess balance. The "medium" level is typically one where the human and AI play on a level playing field.

Certainly "hard" difficulty can make the game more challenging, but this has never been too appealing to me, because this is typically done by arbitrary bonuses and penalties -- giving the AI production, economic, tech, military, or other unearned advantages, while penalizing the human player. Such arbitrary advantages and penalties are a poor substitute for a competent AI that can provide a reasonable challenge for the human on a level playing field. The EAW strategic AI doesn't really seem to even show up or grasp what's going on even as it loses dozens of planets.

Yes, I am looking forward to BFME2 next week, collector's edition. It's unlikely that my copy of EAW will see much (any?) more playing time once that comes out.

[{DHU}Screed]

Try playing against someone who knows how to use artillery, then tell me the game is easy.

[Jeff]

If you feel the game is easy on medium then why wouldn't you play on hard? What other way is there to make the game difficult besides giving the AI bonuses or giving the player penalties?

But it's too bad you are favoring BFMEII

[Lantzen]

Play the battles and stop use auto combat. That half of the fun with the game, not the strategi map but the battles, i love the space battles. And if it so easy stop use pause. And play at real enemys and not just computers.

[Cheech Marin]

Pretty obvious why it's so "easy" when you just lump together all your units in the galaxy and just hit auto-resolve. You're missing out on about half of the game there, pal.

[Lord Pickle]

Its a fair question.

If the game is suppose to be played sans auto-resolve or at least without using it exclusively then why is it so easy for this guy on medium? I notice that at least in the campaign the computer didn't really attack my planets and was content to sit there and watch as I amassed 30 ISD's and proceeded to kick its ass at every turn. Its kind of easy when the computer doesn't ligitimately counter attack and try to harass the player.

[Pantagathus]

Originally Posted by Lord Pickle

Its a fair question.
Its kind of easy when the computer doesn't ligitimately counter attack and try to harass the player.

Not to mention a little boring when it only builds level one space stations & only 2 types of ships...

[Valter]

Originally Posted by Falconhurst

Recently I have played a number of galactic conquest maps both as rebellion and empire on medium difficulty. GC is so easy it is almost a joke, lacking any discernable challenge.

My strategy is always to lump all my ships an units together -- heroes included -- and go from one enemy planet to another, conquering with auto-resolve space and land battles, as fast as I can. I build mines, light & heavy factories, barracks, and land and space units as necessary to replace losses, and space stations when needed to increase pop cap. Most of my frontier planets are undefended and I never build defensive structures. I may lose a planet or two over the course of a game while capturing dozens, but always retake them easily. I typically sweep over numerous planets (using the pause button frequently to build) while the computer AI is just getting its pants on and preparing for one or two small attacks. Careful use of the "pause" button as necessary typically allows me to capture 3 to 5 planets per day.

The game is supposed to be balanced primarily for medium, but this is a disappointment. Almost any medium GC can be completed in 30 minutes with no major defeats or even challenges. It's hard to have any fun at a game that offers little to no strategic challenge.

I don't understand all of the positive reviews of EAW as the best SW RTS ever. Personally I thought SW Galactic Battlegrounds offered more of a challenge -- it wasn't so formulaic or dull.

Perhaps you are blind then, because it says easy, medium, [HARD]!

If you want more of a challenge play on hard difficulty.

[RebellYell]

also try not pausing the game.....

[ImpElite]

Yeah, I play all my one-player campains/galactic conquests without a single pause in it! (Unless I really NEED to pause)

[Valter]

Actually any game can be called "easy". There are always ways to cheat in a game or play only to win instead of having fun in the game. Personally, I believe that anyone who says Empire at War has no "strategy" in it has never even tried hard difficulty.

I always play my games on the hard difficulty, it adds challenge to the game.

[RebellYell]

EAW really isnt an easy game at all, especially if u go up against a human player as that adds a whole other dimension of randomness to where your attacked.

[milo]

Play online. Unless you have dial-up, in which case you'll most likely end up playing noobs.