AOE 3 Introduction Guide — for new players

[Veni_Vidi_Vici_W]

With the ESOC people we have been discussing the need for some information and guidance specifically for those new to the game and not familiar with online multiplayer and everything around it.

So, here it is:
A basic guide for people new to Age Of Empires 3 - The Asian Dynasties and online multiplayer (ESO). A guide with information about where to find what, how it all works with the game (such as HomeCities (HC), rankings), some general tips as well as how to improve, a few links to resources, and troubleshooting for some known issues (such as Failed to Join).

Code: Select all

GUIDE INDEX

1. Finding your way in Multiplayer   
            1.1 ?? Getting into ESO   
            1.2 ?? ESO and how it works   
                        1.2.1 - Quick Search (QS)   
                        1.2.2 - Game Browser   
                        1.2.3 - Home Cities (HCs)   
                        1.2.4 - Remaining options   
2. Rankings, improving &' recorded games   
            2.1 ?? Ranking System   
                        2.1.1 - Power Rating (PR)   
                        2.1.2 - ELO Ladders   
            2.2 ?? Improving your gameplay   
                        2.2.1 - Videos   
                        2.2.2 - GoodSpeed??s Guide   
                        2.2.3 - The ESOC forums   
                        2.2.4 - Some extra tips   
            2.3 ?? Recorded Games   
3. Troubleshooting   
            3.1 ?? Failed to Join (FTJ)   
                        3.1.1 - Just a bug   
                        3.1.2 - Windows firewall &' virusscanner   
                        3.1.3 - Incorrect Router Configuration   
    3.2 ?? Lagg (bad ping)

The guide should get you started with AOE 3 - Good luck and have fun !

[_DB_]

Great post!

[WickedCossack]

Needs to be added to the sidebar and homepage !

[mnogud]

awesome veni

[iNcog]

This is, of course, pretty aesome.

[Mr_Bramboy]

Very nice! I have a few friends (basically my entire clan) who want to learn the game more and I will definitely link this

[Garja]

Very good stuff

[MCJim]

Nice!

[edeholland]

Hey Veni! Very nice guide, I read it just because I love reading about AoE3 :p I do still have a few suggestions. Do with it whatever you like.

1) I don''t think Goodspeed guide is usefull when you are not above level 20 or 25 or something. It''s quite in-depth and doesn''t provide many basic knowledge or skills. Just playing the tutorial first and maybe the campaign, and after that playing against conscripts and privates, is more usefull if you ask me. The other two suggestions, videos and ESOC, are good.

2) For the recording games section, you can make a reference to this, the guide to replays

3) Maybe you can make a small topic about the ESOC forums? It''s the best place players can get started for getting in the community. And there is awesome gameplay in tourneys and such. It''s not called the ESOC AoE3 guide for nothing. Some players may find this guide outside of ESOC

[Mr_Bramboy]

Also, the guide mentions that ELO starts at 1500 but it actually starts at 1600

[MCJim]

I discovered one mistake:

"You start with 1500, and similar to the PR system you gain ELO by winning and lose ELO if you lose a game."

-->' You start with 1600 ELO points.

[Mr_Bramboy]

I discovered one mistake:

"You start with 1500, and similar to the PR system you gain ELO by winning and lose ELO if you lose a game."

-->' You start with 1600 ELO points.

get ninja''d

[MCJim]

I discovered one mistake:

"You start with 1500, and similar to the PR system you gain ELO by winning and lose ELO if you lose a game."

-->' You start with 1600 ELO points.

get ninjad

Cause I told it to you and then you were earlier haha ^^

[momuuu]

Really nice, I notice so many players who don't understand ESO or the ranking system and also a bunch of players that leave because of ftj.

It's hard for them to find this guide though. But if I ever find confused new players, I'll send them here for sure.

[EAGLEMUT]

You can also save your filter settings via the left Menu >' Home Cities >' Options >'
Game Options >' enable ??Save game list Filter settings?

Playing since release, did not know this exists..

Nice guide, good tips about FTJ too.

[Veni_Vidi_Vici_W]

Thanks all and glad to hear its useful!

@Ede

notification

, im surprised you didnt come with these before when i asked to have a look at it for feedback ^^ But ok, quick reply to your points:
1) I think GS guide is a good starting point, because there is a lot of info about the strategies and options, with explanations (including easy to follow things such as 4v 700w etc). Ofc this is not all applicable to the people who just joined, but they do now know where they can fall back to after they get familiar with the game and want more. Its in the "improvement" section, not "first thing to read"
2) The guide was already longer than i planned, so i just wrote about the recorded games part only what was really needed. Uploading is something that comes later, etc. They just need to know how to get around with recs from the site.
3) Maybe you missed something? I did put in several references to ESOC and a paragraph? The screenshot and highlight wasnt coincidence ofc, i also did link to the site several times including the forums and mentioning the tourney recs.

@Bram/Jim

notification

Ninjas, thanks, that elo has been so long ago i forgot, its fixed now

[niedhalf]

NIce Job ')

[Jaeger]

You said that for ppl to fix FTJ they just have to relog, don't you ave to restart tho?



Also you said at level 40 HC you have all age up options enabled, but a lot of civs don't get an important one until lvl 60. Like germany doesn'tget fast age until lvl 60, portugese doesn't get 400w until level 60

[Mitoe]

You can also save your filter settings via the left Menu >' Home Cities >' Options >'
Game Options >' enable ??Save game list Filter settings?

Playing since release, did not know this exists..

Nice guide, good tips about FTJ too.

Oh my God. This will save me 10000+ clicks in the future.

[hellotissue]

Thx for this great work! I am new to the game and was googling for ranking system info yesterday and this guide should help me in many ways! :happytomato:

[Veni_Vidi_Vici_W]

@Ovi, i was pretty sure that if that is the issue, relogging is enough (because of re-connecting to the servers). THe HC 60, hm ok thanks

@Mitoe, ye haha i found that out quite late myself as well, after also wasting a mouse in terms of useless clicks

@Hellotissue

[bart331]

Very good stuff,

Could think of adding sOme basic info new players need:

Ui options --> put all on
Counter system, unit classes and why one unit beats another
Stress importance of idle vill button
Introduction to very basic strategies (heavengames used to have tons of basic writeups for noobstrats)

[Veni_Vidi_Vici_W]

@Bart.
UI and options part was there already at 1.2.4, but ill change it a bit.
Counters etc, is too much a thing for an aoe guide or learning the game, not the idea of this guide and would require much more text. It already got bigger and dont want to scare ppl off with too many pages.
Idle vill thing ill add
basic strats, see above

[Mimsy for President]

Great guide ! It will help many players for sure.