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[BigD145]

A security question or two would serve the same purpose. "What's your pet's name?" Doesn't tell anyone anything unless they already know you.

That still doesn't change wall spam creep.

[Sheb]

I got a creeper world vide from the wall spam.

[Misty]

It has been confirmed, that extensive signup information is not asked for on the client in development.  Please underatand the client currently in use is little changed since its release 14 years ago.  It was originally developed as a Middle Earth game by contract with Sierra Games.  When the game served its purpose in exhibition, Sierra abandoned the deal. Samu Games then adapted it to be version 2 of Artifact. In the late 90's, everything and anything had extensive signup forms, including forums like this.  Security Questions were still a relatively new concept.  The game itself is 8-bit. The majority of players used dial-up internet access. It was a different era.

[Sheb]

So, what exactly makes this game good?

[Misty]

That still doesn't change wall spam creep.

The fighting style has its fans because it us very chalkenging, very methodical, and has a steep learning curve. You can win even when severely outnumbered if you are skilled enough.  It is not easy, at all.  We dovhave games where catapults are not used in this way though. The majority of games do use it because the players like it.

[Misty]

So, what exactly makes this game good?

In my opinion, what drew me was the level of teamwork involved. Clans and alliances are the backbone if the game, and the community is like a family to me. It used to be near impossible to do well without a clan. You can control your allies resources the same as your own in a game.  Winning battles and games as a team was a very rewarding experience for me because you truly went through #%* together.

Underdogs truly can win, against all odds.

[Misty]

I know that last may not have seemed like much of an answer because so many games have clans now.  I do think being able to physically control your allies troops, facilities, and cities is pretty big though.  Lots of trust involved, and so the players follow an honor system..  Players who betray allies get shunned. Also, the stacking of troops is pretty unique, and for such a seemingly simple game, the mechanics allow for the development of a wide range of tactics.  I have discovered a few tactics myself which have become part of mainstream playing. For instance..  If you don't train your tropps they are weaker.. If your troops lose morale they get weaker... If a troop attacks a facility, is 10x larger than the number of workers in that facility, is adjacent to the facility when attacking it, it will capture that facility (along with any remaning workers in that facility) as long as it does not destroy that facility and causes a certain amount of damage.  So what is a smart player to do once that knowledge is discovered?  Weaken troops so that larger troops can be sent to attack facilities.. Ensuring the facilities wont be destroyed, so the facility and its workers can be captured.  Also, the game goes by a grid with each troop able tomove in a specific way as defined by the grid.  You can stack troops of various types into a cell for certain advantages.  I like the mechanics.

[BigD145]

We dovhave games where catapults are not used in this way though. The majority of games do use it because the players like it.

Do they like it or do they not know any other way to play?

[Misty]

Very few of us play the games that are spam free.  We have tested many game confogyrations that do away with spam and increase reliance on other troops and they were not well received. Intense spam is very unpopular, but doing away with it altogether is also unpopular.  In the original Artifact, version 1, there was no wall spamming.  Spamming arrived when the ability to build multiple facilities at once was introduced, and then this style of fighting was born. We have been modifying how spam works ever since.  Ultimately, spam allows for a strong defense, as well as a mwans to leveling the playing field when troop numbers are vastly unequal.  The players have a love/hate relationship with spam.

[Sergarr]

well i've a hate/hate relationship with spam

RTS = real time strategy = you need to think how to counter your opponent, you need to plan your moves

not 300 APM and clicking your opponent to death

[Misty]

Oh, but you do have to plan your moves.  See how quickly you lose when you don't.  There are a lot of elements to the game.  Fast games are popukar, and they feature spam. Slow games are unpopular, and they dont feature spam.  Slow and fast games require very different strategies, even though the only thing that changes between them are some number settings.  Slow games are the way to go if you like everything meticulously thought out.  Usually, on a team, the most inexperienced players do the spamming while the more experienced players do the strategy in battle.  Such strategy includes who to attack, where to hit, what troops to bring, stealth, planning for the "defense" response, protecting against counterattacks and "backdoors", taking out the enemy troops, etc.  if it was all about the spam, any newbie could win just as long as they spam.  Thats not the case.  I could take 1/10 of your troops and attack you and win, even if you have 4 people helping you and you all know how to spam well.  Thats because I would know more about what to do than you.  I would still likely have to spam though.  Your spam would hold me off, for a bit.  It would buy you time.  Thats it.

[Misty]

I would like to add that a category such as RTS does not mean all games in the RTS category must be the same.  Real Time Strategy is a rather open ended term.  I played command and conquer and age of empires prior to setting foot on artifact, and this game sits firmly in the RTS category.  The game contains real-time action, and not only that, you have to handle your troops quite a lot.  That means you arent just sending them off to do a task for you.  The game requires some of the same skills an RPG or FPS player is likely to posess, and typically draws those players into the RTS genre, when normally they wouldn't touch it.  That doesn't make the game an RPG or FPS though. A lot of strategy games are turn based rather than RTS, like chess, and are not considered RTS games.  The game can be intense, requires hand-eye coordination, requires military formations that are completely unique to the game, and yes.. it is a non-traditional RTS.. But still RTS.  It is, however, borderline RTT.

[Misty]

I don't because I assume you already read the previous post and likely won't be looking back for an edit to add something new.

I will stop doing it though.  It also annoys me when people post replies saying they aren't interested.  Why reply if you aren't interested and have never tried it?  I don't understand...

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Mmmmm, I think everyone is getting the wrong impression about the game here. There really isnt any "spam" it's costly to produce troops and it consumes vast amounts of resources to "wall spam", there are both tactics and strategy involved planning any kind of attack or defense. Those terms really just denote the particular strategy, and neither of them involve just clicking and watching your forces overwhelm an enemy force or city. You guys should try playing the game. You might even enjoy it!

[Misty]

it's costly to produce troops and it consumes vast amounts of resources to "wall spam", there are both tactics and strategy involved planning any kind of attack or defense. Those terms really just denote the particular strategy, and neither of them involve just clicking and watching your forces overwhelm an enemy force or city. You guys should try playing the game. You might even enjoy it!

That hits the nail on the head there.  If you wall "spam" a lot or with poor settings you end up draining your city of bricks and population....  To anyone who says the game is not an RTS game though, I challenge you to come play it and tell me what type of game it is...  I challenge anyone to just try it at all... It costs nothing, and we have Trainers ready and willing to welcome and assist.  Also, this being a true indie game, regular players are heard by the owners and suggestions are often tried.