So I've discovered Travian.

I found an old SDMB topic about it that was made about a year and a half ago, but I figured I’d make a new topic about it.

Apparently there’s a SDMB alliance on server 7, although I’m on the us6 one. Anyone else on that one?
And the more important question: Does anyone mind making an account on that one so I can have some possible SDMB friends to rule the kingdom with and have an alliance group made? : p
Just started playing today and already I’m deeply hooked. I can easily see this game taking up a lot of my time now.

I was briefly into it for a while, but seriously, it’s a major time muncher. You need a group of lots of people (or a few VERY VERY dedicated people), in different time zones so that you can farm around the clock. It’s… not casual friendly.

I personally wouldn’t touch it again. Ergh. Time sink if I ever saw one.

I’ve sworn off browser-based games. Travian and Greepolis, I think it was called. Wait till you get into the inevitable pissing contest with the 12 year-old seven squares over…

Worst case scenario: You get targeted by some asshole with a lot of powerful friends who continually destroy your army with constant raids, steal your resources, and tear down your buildings.

Best case scenario: You get to be the asshole.

It was fun a few years ago (I think the thread you mention is when we got a few dozen of us together. Didn’t win that game, but got to play kingmaker).

However, it is a serious time sink. I remember setting my alarm for halfway through the night just to check on my cities, send out armies, etc. Fun, but never again.

Massive time sink but we made a good run a it.

Tribal Wars is better than Travian, but suffers all the same problems. Basically, the game is not what it appears to be. You need dedication, reliable co-players or sitters, and scripts and tools that the game doesn’t provide or even hint at being required. If you are not aware of your situation 24 hours a day, you can only survive by luck.

The concept sounds fun, but the actual game is not.

Past tense. There was a SDMB alliance on us7. I think most SDMB players (from the SDMB boards) took a break after that one.

We took a solid second place, not just playing kingmaker. Gemini took a very solid first place and there was nothing we could do to change that. I allied with some ex-Gemini in Imperium for a while, and they clearly indicated we took second. There was some questioning about “Where did you guys come from and where did you go?”

I had a blast on us7, but I’m generally not interested in another browser game. I didn’t set my alarm for a midnight checkup of my account, and it showed. My forces were a fraction of Captain C and others’.

I was an early part of the alliance that eventually came in second. It was loads of fun at first, but I quickly discovered that playing at an acceptable level consumed way too much of my time, so I handed my account over to someone else.

You might try Ikariam instead. It’s less rapacious - you cannot lose cities, for example - and less demanding of time. And less demanding of money. A gentler game, if you will. I’ve been playing for over 3 years.

Click here if you feel like trying it out. You’ll start on the same island as my capital.