Thanks for the advice! The offer still stands to other newer players, though!

Incorporeal I'm going to be real honest with you...playing on ICO is very hard if you are new....

For one, most nearly all ICO games are on faster game speed...it is not a simple matter of getting used to the game on normal speed and then working your way up to faster game speeds...the actual strategy of the game (what works, what doesn't, and what is most effective) is highly dependent on game speed...

To give an example, you would never rush trade on slow, but it is not uncommon for very good TEC players to have trade up before they colonize their 2nd planet on faster...this is due to the fact that different elements of the game are modified by different ratios when the game speed is changed...

Strategy on faster is completely different than strategy on normal speed...if you want to enjoy games on ICO, you need to be used to the faster game speed...it is not enough to simply be well experienced with the game at normal speed...

Additionally, ICO games generally involve intensive rushing...furthermore, players often have to adopt roles (economy player or frontliner) in order to best assist their team...these are simply things you will not have to deal with when playing against the AI no matter what difficulty level you play...

In general, if you cannot contest with all unfair AI's in a free for all match (pirates off), then you are going to be at the very bottom of skill level on ICO...

Nevertheless, don't give up hope...I encourage you to try ICO games a couple of times, you may learn very quickly and come to enjoy them a lot...but, I would equally encourage you to only play ICO once you are well prepared...

I would argue that a more fun alternative to ICO is to play LAN games with friends you know...some advantages of this is that you don't have to use faster game speed and you can use mods if you so wish...

The action is on the Diplomacy expansion, which is where the 4v4 and 5v5 games are.  The Vanilla/Entrenchment server is mostly groups of friends playing comp stomps and there are fewer people online.  During the North American evening player counts can range anywhere from 25 up to 65.  It's not a lot, but there are still several 5v5 games every night.  An average game lasts about 1 hour, 30 minutes.  (The winning team doesn't have to bomb out every planet; once it's clear which way it's going the losing players normally quit so the next game can get going.)

I just bought this game (boy did i miss out on a few years of great gaming).  This is a great balance between Homeworld style controls and graphics and the mechanics of tradewars, my old BBS favorite.  

I have played 1 multi game with a friend of mine and quilify as a total no0b, but if anyone wants to bang around in a server and learn together, let me know.

 Username: nightshadeNOLA

Cheers!

You're probably right...at the very least, they could get 3v3s going...though, I don't know exactly how many new players interested in ICO there are out there right now...

You really need to get the Diplomacy expansion and to play from 2 pm - 10 pm U.S. Eastern Time.  There isn't much going on at all on the Vanilla/Entrenchment server other than small insular groups of friends playing comp stomps.  If you're friendly and polite you might be able to find some groups to let you into their comp stomps.  Otherwise you'll need public PvP games which you can find on the separate Diplomacy expansion server.

What is " comp stomps " stand for anyway?

Sorry new to the forum, experiance only with the 1st gen. game only since it came out.

I used to play C&C online alot and can vouch for those that want to play online better know their stuff or you will  lose everytime or jus anger some of the so called pros.

The Kraken!

Thanks

i am probable an intermediate player (comp is easy but never did PvP).  Would enjoy playing with others on ICO

I will do that.  Hopefully I will get lucky.  BTW, what game is usually played?  Diplomacy? Entrenchment?  any mods?

Pretty much I gave up on Sins online.... its great but too demanding for just ONE game. I can pick and drop just about any other game out there but Sins time requirement for ONE full game is just too much and then to get stomped because don't the current meta makes it even worse. There is thing to be said for sins and is uniqueness but if you want to have any fun online your going to need some big blocks of time set aside. I play a lot of games online but none of them require this much insane work to have so little fun....

Its still about an Hour of set aside time. An uninterrupted hour. All games I play your not hurt as badly if you have leave for a min or two. Sins...... its over sometimes in that amount. For me the investment vs reward on sins online is just not worth my time. Maybe rebellion........ not right now.