Random questions from a newbie

[Fran27]

First I have to say that I love the guide, it's been very helpful, but I am still very confused. I can't imagine being able to figure all this out without the game guide or Internet.

I started a kingdom which I promptly deleted after I realized that it would be 'best' to level up your Heroes while you do quests, and try to get platinium ratings on those quests. So I started over, I've done about 4 quests so far and I have added a physician, knight, merchant and wizard. I try to level each of them a couple levels at least before finishing a quest and I got them all in platinium so far.

I have some questions though...

1) do levels really make a difference overall? I mean, sure my heroes can do more things, but I haven't found any huge difference in gameplay between level 1 and 5.

2) so far it seems I'm just doing pretty pointless quests and the kingdom doesn't seem to advance much at all... How do you discover new territories, is it through quests also? Do you open up more things when you finish your first kingdom? I'm really confused about how it works... it seems very basic for now... do you start over every time you've fulfilled an ambition?

3) what's the best strategy - focusing on one or two Heroes or get a new one for each quest?

4) what's the best order to get heroes in?

5) 50 QPs doesn't seem much... I'm guessing you can't have all the heroes in one kingdom before you run out of quest points?

6) How do you pick quests? For now I've just picked random ones that use my new Heroes...

7) Do you build a new building between each quest or wait?


I think that's it.. thanks in advance. I know some of this stuff is mentioned somewhere but there's so much info that it's just a bit overwhelming... Sims 3 was easier, lol!

[Signal]

1) do levels really make a difference overall? I mean, sure my heroes can do more things, but I haven't found any huge difference in gameplay between level 1 and 5.

Yes, but the increase is gradual. There is a big difference between a level 1 hero and a level 10 hero, but not much between a level 1 and level 2 hero. On top of that, the only thing a level increase affects is exactly what it says it affects (fighting ability, profit margins, coversion chances, etc.) or any task that particular hero can only undertake (such as hunting). But those can be very important things to playing the game.

2) so far it seems I'm just doing pretty pointless quests and the kingdom doesn't seem to advance much at all... How do you discover new territories, is it through quests also?

Yes. At 60 Renown you open up 3 territories to ally and possibly annex. You open up 3 more at 160 Renown. You can open up 2 more by buying a map at the village shop and then sailing with them in your inventory.

Do you open up more things when you finish your first kingdom?

Yes. Stuff like new clothing and items you can buy to furnish the various places around the kingdom. And, of course, more Ambitions.

I'm really confused about how it works... it seems very basic for now... do you start over every time you've fulfilled an ambition?

Yes.

3) what's the best strategy - focusing on one or two Heroes or get a new one for each quest?

That is debatable. But I personally level up a single hero (usually my Monarch) to level 10 so that they may eventually do a quest that allows you to transfer them to your next kingdom. All the other heroes I use only as necessary for the requirements of a quest.

4) what's the best order to get heroes in?

Whatever a quest that you want to do requires. I personally get them in the order it takes to annex a territory I want as early in the game as possible.

5) 50 QPs doesn't seem much... I'm guessing you can't have all the heroes in one kingdom before you run out of quest points?

It's possible, and in my opinon, not difficult at all.

6) How do you pick quests? For now I've just picked random ones that use my new Heroes...

There are A LOT of factors that go into answering this question, so I'll simply say: pick whatever quest fulfills a goal you have in mind. Do you want to raise a kingdom Aspect? Do you want to get the bonuses associated with annexing a territory? Do you want to level up a certain hero?

7) Do you build a new building between each quest or wait?

I build something the moment I have the Resource Points for it.

I think that's it.. thanks in advance. I know some of this stuff is mentioned somewhere but there's so much info that it's just a bit overwhelming... Sims 3 was easier, lol!

That's what I personally love about Sims: Medieval. There are a lot of balls to keep juggling up in the air if you're a goal-oriented player. Gives me something to work towards.

[Katluvr]

I think Signal did a great job of answering a lot of your questions.  I'm going to put in my 2 cents on a few of them.

1) do levels really make a difference overall? I mean, sure my heroes can do more things, but I haven't found any huge difference in gameplay between level 1 and 5.

Aside from what Signal mentioned, higher levels will unlock certain abilities for specific heroes (e.g., knights, monarchs and spies get additional stances to use during duels, wizards get new runes and the ability to memorize more spells, etc.)  Also, certain quests are only available if a specific hero has met a minimum level requirement - level 5 seems to be the one I've seen most often.

3) what's the best strategy - focusing on one or two Heroes or get a new one for each quest?
4) what's the best order to get heroes in?

I'm not sure that there is any single best strategy regarding heroes.  I think how you play is going to depend on which ambition you are working on as well as any watcher achievements you may want to complete.  Some achievements require you to purposely neglect certain aspects of your kingdom or raise your renown using only a few heroes, so if you are working on those, they will affect your choice of heroes.

As signal mentioned, it is nice to get at least 1 hero to level 10 because after you complete an ambition you are given a choice to make any hero from your current kingdom the monarch of your next kingdom, and it is pretty nice to start off with a level 10 monarch from the beginning.  I happen to find the monarch pretty boring to play so, unlike Signal, I tend to focus on other heroes that I enjoy more.

5) 50 QPs doesn't seem much... I'm guessing you can't have all the heroes in one kingdom before you run out of quest points?

Sure you can.  My first kingdom I was able to get all of the heroes in place by finishing all but 1 quest at platinum level which gives you the most RP per quest (more RP=more buildings=more heroes).  What you most likely won't be able to do is level all your heroes - in that first kingdom I never played my bard or merchant even though I had both of them created.  There are also ways to stretch you QP - either by selecting quests with a lower QP cost or by annexing one of the territories that has a benefit of reducing the cost of all quests by 1 QP.  Finally, some ambitions may give you more QP to start with.  I'm working on No Quest for the Weary and that ambition starts with 60 QP.

6) How do you pick quests? For now I've just picked random ones that use my new Heroes...

Again, this is going to depend on what ambition and achievements you are working on.  The things I generally consider when I choose a quest are:

• Is a legendary trait available?
• Will the quest improve an aspect that is low?
• How many RP are awarded for completing the quest at platinum?
• Is there a particular hero I want to have active right now (e.g., I finally got all the pieces to make a Doomsword so I'm gonna look for a quest that allows me to play my blacksmith so I have a chance to craft it)?
• How will this quest affect my ability to complete the ambition or watcher achievements I'm working on?

7) Do you build a new building between each quest or wait?

This also depends on how you like to play and what ambitions/achievements you are working on.  So far I have chosen to add buildings and heroes as soon as I have enough RP to do so.  Sometimes this is after every quest, but as your kingdom develops this make take a couple of quests to earn enough RP to place a building.  There is at least 1 watcher achievement that requires you to save up a lot of RP, so if you're working on that one you may decide to hold off building to save up your RP.

[Fran27]

Thanks... that helps some... but I don't even know the slight thing about ambitions and achievements lol! I guess it will come more obvious as I keep playing...

[Katluvr]

You might want to check out the Core Concepts page of Carl's TSM guide.  This give a really great overview of the game and explains all the basics you need to know.  The game definitely takes a little getting used to so just keep reading and asking questions when you can't find the information you need.  People on the forums here are really great about helping each other out.

[TheChronicR]

Adding to what Katluvr said, be sure to search your problem, or, if you don't find the answer in any of the threads, post a new topic about it on the appropriate board. Good luck. I was lost at first, too. Right now, I am on my second kingdom ambition, and very happy about it. My level 10 Monarch enjoys it, too, I guess.

[samoht04]

I mainly went with the flow of things and ended the first ambition with a Level 10 Blacksmith and Wizard. Level 9 Knight, Level 7 Peteran Priest, Level 5 Monarch and Bard, a Level 4 Physician and Merchant. Level 1 Spy and Jacoban Priest because I added them last and didn't play them. All of that was just mainly following the Quests I chose. I took my Blacksmith through to the Second Ambition and he is now a Level 10 Monarch instead of a Blacksmith. I built a building when I wanted to or could. You can always have on Building left on the First Ambition to be built and still get a Platinum but I placed all of them. I placed some of the other buildings not with heroes when I wasn't in need for them or had extra RP.

[TheChronicR]

There's a cheat that allows you to have more quest points to continue trying out all the quests with one kingdom. Turn on the testing cheats, open up the cheat box, and type in setqp [number]. You can level up all of your heroes and only then continue to the next ambition with one of them.