New to Rise Of Nations?

Hi! I assume you have installed the game for the first time or after a gap of many years and want to start playing it again. Then, this article is for you which will give you a kick-start to Rise of Nations experience.

There are 2 ways of gaming: –

1) Solo Gaming:

• Either you play solo or online with humans. The ‘Solo Game’ has quick battle which is a game vs computers and also consist of ‘Conquer the World Campaigns’.
• ‘Solo Game’ is favorites among the beginners. Around 70-80% of the online steam players prefer playing solo. Because I think most haven’t discovered the fun in multiplayer gaming yet. ‘Conquer the World Campaigns’ are really fun to play. Just the same way as ‘Manager Mode’ is in FIFA and PES or the solo campaigns of Age of Empires.

2) Multiplayer Gaming:

• This allows you to play with/against humans and come across the best players in the world.
• You’ll improve and learn the most only when you play in a ‘Multiplayer Game’. I completed the campaigns (Rise of Nations: Gold Edition) in kinda 2010. Started winning toughest computer back then. But when I came online against humans in 2011, I realized that there is a lot more to learn/improve and I know hardly 20-30% of the game-play and strategies.

So, How do I start?

• I’ll suggest start off from ‘Learn to Play‘ from the menu. Complete all of them. You’ll get acquainted with the whole game. The type of resources, buildings, army units, etc. This will take hardly a day and you’ll know how to play the game.

• Next target should be to defeat the toughest computer (AI) someday. Start playing ‘Quick Battle’ with standard conditions which are the default conditions. Keep the computer level as moderate especially if it’s your first time.
• Make sure you are aware of the Basic Gameplays, Basic Start-ups, Nation Specific Gameplays, Micro-Management and Gameplay Settings.
• Learn to Scout: This is a skill which separates humans from computers. It also distinguishes beginners to advanced players. Check out my articles on Scouting and Outpost Scouting.
• Learn to Boom better: At start the computer will age faster than you. AI will out-boom you and kill you easily. So, your economy should be better. To defeat tougher/toughest AI you have to age up faster before the computer. Some of my earlier articles which might help for booming are Rares, Building Placements – I, Building Placements – II, Booming (Expert Guidelines), Fishing Ships or Farms?, Age 2 Wonders, and Forbidden City (Wonder).
• Learn more about Armies: Check out the articles on Army Basics, Army Stances, Senate, Raiding, Sea Raiding, Age 2 Power Strike and Army Armor (Hidden Secrets).
• Learn how to Attack/Defend: I haven’t written about this yet. But I’ll write about ‘Army Composition’ along with ‘How to Attack/Defend?’ in the near future. Will update it here as well.
• In case you play 1 on 1 against the computer on Sahara map. This article might help you – Mastering 1 on 1’s (Std Sahara).
• It would take around a week or two for you to start killing tougher/toughest computer. At start it looks an impossible task. But trust me! It’s easy! Just needs practice and constant improvement with every game.
• I’ll try to have an article on ‘How to win against computer?’ in future to help you more.
• In case you are an old player who has returned after ages. Refer to this article – Returning Back To RoN.

• ‘Conquer the World Campaigns’ is for fun purpose only. I don’t think you improve a lot when you play them. But they are definitely interesting and very much fun to play. I loved them too. Takes couple of weeks to finish all campaigns depending on the difficulty level.
• If your intend is to play multiplayer in the near future then I won’t recommend you to play ‘Conquer the World Campaigns’. ‘Quick battles i.e against computer’ will help you improve the most.

More on Multiplayer Gaming:

How to play with my friends?

• Click on “Multiplayer Game” followed by “Local Area Network or Direct Internet”. Ask your friend to host a game and you join him/her by using IP address.
• Another way is to host a game on steam lobby and ask your friend(s) to join you. Steps for this are shown below.

How to play with worldwide players?

• Clicking on “Multiplayer Game” followed by “Game Browser”, you will enter steam lobby which is shown as follows:-

• Host your own game or join a hosted game.
• Players also play on gameranger and other VPNs where you keep the software open and join hosted games using ‘LAN or Direct Internet’.

You’ll learn and enjoy the most when you’ll play a Multiplayer Game. Trust me! The fun quotient goes to another level. Even the gaming skill goes to a new level. Before you step into Multiplayer gaming, make sure you can defeat tough computer at least. Else players online will kill you easily and you might not enjoy it at all.

• Install new Taunts Pack “101 to 999” new taunts: These taunts are the essence of the game and you’ll enjoy taunting.
• Make sure you have a flashy nickname for Multiplayer Gaming. Because you will be recognized online with that nick. Eg. Darth_Raider, |IND|_DangerousDave, {-t2sa-}TGCVugi, [EL]_Boo’ , ‘Halen’, Redbul, FC_BoB, etc. My online ID is ‘|IND|_KingAMEYA’. |IND|, {-t2sa-}, [EL] and FC are clan tags.
• At start play with beginners which are often called as noob games by expert players. Don’t mind it! Nobody started as a professional player. Everyone was once a noob.
• Just avoid joining games which has “be good”, “known” and “no noobs” as title. Join them when you start killing all beginner players and toughest AI.
• Good players might not entertain you at start. This is the story in almost all online games. But you can always join and observe their game OR watch them via STEAM broadcast. You will certainly learn a lot there and it’s also very interesting to watch it.
• Learn to play Nomad as it’s the most played format online. But there are a variety of other formats hosted online.

Some of the articles which will help you in the Multiplayer world are Team Games, Nomad, Invading in Nomad, Nomad Scouting, Tower Strategy (Nomad), Infinite, Scenarios, Defending Ancient Raids, Raid Defense.

Also check out the Nation Specific Strategies to improve your game further. I have mentioned only the pre-requisite articles here. There are many more articles which are listed on the ‘Classified Posts‘ page and replays listed on the ‘Downloads‘ page. Also check them out!

As I have given you an brief outline about the game, go ahead and play the game. Improvise with every game you play and most importantly don’t forget to have fun. Playing solo or multiplayer is a personal choice. But I’ll recommend Multiplayer Gaming as you improvise. I haven’t played a single solo game since I entered the multiplayer world. It’s so much interesting. I’ll link up any relevant article(s) which I add in the future.

Thanks to Redbul, FC_Bob and |IND|_The_Only_One for their valuable inputs.

Note: For any feedback/suggestion/recommendation you can always drop a mail to strategicallrounder@gmail.com. Feel free to comment below as well.