1602 A.d.

The Mad Monk · July 11, 2001, 23:01

I bought this game while on vacation in Kansas...I find the lack of a pause that allows actions annoying, the prescient AI that can go straight to an Island and settle it without even looking irritating, the lack of solid numbers on the structures frustrating, and the bugs small and large (from sheep farms that abruptly stop producing sheep to the one where the entire game shuts down without warning) enraging.

I can't stop playing it.

For the sake of my sanity, can somebody--anybody--point me to some resources on this game? Structure info and bug fixes especially. I don't have trouble surviving; I can have the highest score and highest income in the game with nothing but settlers, do the same with aristocrats, and have a nice mix with several statues to my credit.

I just don't understand why.

How do you get statues? When does the game decide to award them to you? I got four the first game I played...and none in every game after that, in spite of improving my score every time. the same goes for the settler's advances--I know what you need to have, but i don't have a clue why the copmputer decides to advance some to merchants, while there are still (totally satisfied) pioneers around.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated...

Kassiopeia · July 12, 2001, 18:12

After two years, I don't know about that too. You must have bad luck. I'm probably the only other 1602 addict on Apyton and I'm as out as you are. It was the first retail game I ever bought on PC. It has lots of emotional value to me, and sometimes I play it all night long *sigh*...

DarkCloud · July 12, 2001, 21:04

Sorry that I can't help you... but could either of you give me a hint so that someone from another island doesnt go over and conquer me within 15 minutes of my starting the game?

The Mad Monk · July 13, 2001, 03:16

Sorry, I haven't tried any of the 'conquest' scenarios yet; if this is happening in a non-conquest game, please let me know--I've yet to tick off an AI to the point of them opening fire, and would like to know what does...

BTW, in games like Total Anhilation, I've spent a lot of time just studying the AIs to see what they do. You might want to try doing that, and emulating what they do (not that optimally placing warehouse, marketplace, chapel, sheep farms, and weaver while perfectly planting streets in a 6x6 grid in less than 5 seconds after arriving at an island is easy).

Kassiopeia · July 13, 2001, 18:06

Well, the 6 times 6 square city planning just sucks. There's an isolated house in the middle, and it can't be reached by different services.
And I am ashamed to say that I haven't spent the most of my time with conquest.

SandMonkey · July 16, 2001, 02:19

To start:

http://1602.2y.net/home.php
http://www.sunflowers.de/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi

Those should cover just about everything you need to know about the game.

Everyone -

For a statue your people have to be perfectly happy for half an hour in game time. If anyone becomes unhappy at all, your clock is reset. Just make sure to readjust your tax level to keep them happy. The first one is worth the most... for each successive statue they're worth less points.

DarkCloud -

The general way to start is to build your warehouse, two wood cutters, a sheepfarm, and then begin building your city. This will get you to the settler level with no problems. I suggest you set your tools buying to about 10 or 11, much higher will bankrupt you right away. ALWAYS try and keep a positive balance. Trade as early as possible. If you end up with some extra wood (by perhaps building 3 or even 4 wood cutters early) make sure to sell it right off.

Bricks are also a great commodity to sell. Since you can build two stone cutters per quarry, you can build up a large amount of stones early. Sell em off if you aren't using them right away. Keeping money in your coffers is by far one of the most important things to do.

Also I've found it to be a good idea to build your industries (wine/tobacco/spices) BEFORE you build your school/tavern. It's just a waste of money to have the schools sitting around without your people advancing. If you build up a nice stock of supplies, a lot of your houses will turn over at once. Once you're up to Citizens you're home free money-wise....

I hope I helped!!

edit: dumb mistake...

The Mad Monk · July 21, 2001, 01:09

Thanks, Sandmonkey, that did help!

I just remembered that the one thing I did in my first game, but not the others, was lower taxes.

I figured out the whole 'bricks' angle in my third game--built two stonecutters, and since I wasn't in any particular rush, sold every brick I made. The free traders bought every brick I made. For a while, my balance sheet was well into the green, and it was all bricks. Until the brick market bottomed. Fortunately, by that time, taxes and other commodities made up for it.

Selling bricks is now a, *ahem*, cornerstone of my early strategy...

I'm off to check those links!

DarkCloud · July 22, 2001, 15:28

Thanks! I'll try that out.