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FoE Philosophy by The Stoic Sage

FoE Philosophy.

I have been gaming for 35 years but FoE has taken the experience to a whole new level for me. Nine months into my games in Langendorn and Dinegu, and I’m still constantly learning about FoE, myself and life as I delve deeper into the game and it’s wonders.

Never have I found a game so beautifully balanced and well conceived. Whoever created this game had a vision and realised it so completely and so thoroughly that the result is just about perfection.

I have a strong interest in philosophies of life, and this game connects with so many aspects of life and learning how to live it well. The benefits of mutual cooperation are highlighted for any player in a good guild, as are the rewards of working and bonding with an effective team.

I’m only scratching the surface here, as from EMA/HMA I’ve only scratched the surface of the FoE world. So many parts of this game mirror important parts of life, and gaming hasn’t always had that feature when my previous diet consisted of mostly driving games and FIFA. Goal achievement, historical insight and business acumen are all available here, so I thought I’d give my guild-mates a break and talk to you guys about my thoughts! One thing I’m fascinated by is the avatars we use and what they say about us...
 
FoE Philosophy.

I have been gaming for 35 years but FoE has taken the experience to a whole new level for me. Nine months into my games in Langendorn and Dinegu, and I’m still constantly learning about FoE, myself and life as I delve deeper into the game and it’s wonders.

Never have I found a game so beautifully balanced and well conceived. Whoever created this game had a vision and realised it so completely and so thoroughly that the result is just about perfection.

I have a strong interest in philosophies of life, and this game connects with so many aspects of life and learning how to live it well. The benefits of mutual cooperation are highlighted for any player in a good guild, as are the rewards of working and bonding with an effective team.

I’m only scratching the surface here, as from EMA/HMA I’ve only scratched the surface of the FoE world. So many parts of this game mirror important parts of life, and gaming hasn’t always had that feature when my previous diet consisted of mostly driving games and FIFA. Goal achievement, historical insight and business acumen are all available here, so I thought I’d give my guild-mates a break and talk to you guys about my thoughts! One thing I’m fascinated by is the avatars we use and what they say about us...
Thanks for posting this Stoic. I agree that the community aspect of the game is really enlightening.
 
First Impressions.

I like my avatar. I think he looks kind and gentle, but with steel in his eyes. I like that he looks a little like me in real life.You may see something different when you look at him. I’m curious how much difference our avatars make to our interactions within the game. I wonder how many people choose their avatar to provoke a particular response in other players.

I consciously chose mine when I was a farmer with no interest in fighting (I now fight at every opportunity). Had I started as a fighter would I have chosen a more war-like image? Maybe the hard looking chap with the eye patch, or the one that looks like a Rogue. Maybe that would help deter would-be plunderers.

Maybe you’re playing FoE with a created character who plunders and snipes, but in real life you’re kind and gentle. Or you’re especially kind, outgoing and happy here but in real life you’re kind of shy. Maybe you’re playing as a different gender for any number of reasons connected to real life or to gain benefit from the game. I’ve asked myself if I react differently to players with attractive female avatars for example. I’m not 100% sure the answer is no!

But it doesn’t matter anyway. This is a game and there are a million different ways to play it as well as a million reasons for the choices we make, so we will never know the reasons behind the choices people make unless they decide to tell us. Personally I love that I play behind the mask of an avatar. It seems like a paradox but here I can be myself, without self-awareness and without a feeling of inequality or paranoia of prejudice. We are all just players enjoying the game together, as life should be.
 
Arc Addiction.

I’m currently working hard on my Arc in both my games. In Langendorn I’m at Level 71 and desperate to get to 80 ASAP, and in Dinegu I’m saving up for an Arc party to help the members of my new guild get blueprints. I seem to be a little bit obsessed.

My Langendorn guild (The Council) is currently one big Arc levelling group with people at all stages of growth and new Level 80 Arcs most weeks, and I’ve heard players mention being addicted to their Arcs on a few occasions. I feel the same way. When I finish one level my only focus is the next and now I’m at 70+ I can only do a level every two days - after the rollercoaster of 30-60 it seems so slow, and I’m already planning for life after 80 in massive detail. Am I actually addicted? Should I be concerned?

I am expecting my addiction to be short-term, and once I hit 80 it should evaporate.... but looking at my highest level friends with 100+ Arcs maybe it won’t. Another factor to consider is do I now have an addiction to levelling GBs? My Traz is the next target and a list is forming behind that.

In life the more you learn the bigger your picture grows, and FoE reflects that beautifully. So taking my addiction theory all the way it’s entirely probable that I’m just addicted to FoE. But I knew that anyway!
 
Strange Currencies.

In real life one currency dominates - money. In FoE Forge Points would seem to be the main currency at first glance, but they can’t buy everything. Medals, diamonds, goods, coins, supplies, tavern silver, antique silver and event currency all buy things that Forge Points won’t cover alone. Even army units could be considered currency as they win you the things you need to grow your game.

FPs may be the most important, and they are what we refer to when we talk about our income. FPs can’t buy expansions though - one of the most important aspects of the game. They also can’t buy diamonds which adds real life currency into the mix potentially.

If I was asked to describe FoE in one word I might say “balance”. The various currencies are carefully weighted so that they remain in sync with each other, very cleverly creating a complex but effective economy for us all to master and exploit. I used to wonder why the medal prizes seemed low, and why they didn’t give more FP prizes away, but I can see the balance in the system now.

As always FoE requires a successful player to have a fully-rounded approach, nurturing all aspects of the game because they can see the big picture. And as always if you hold that approach to a real life mirror the reflection shows you valuable life lessons, because money isn’t the only currency in life either.
 

Janet Devlin

Corporal
Really did enjoy and pondered over what you have been writing about. Specially when touching on avatars which might affect game play. They really are a good part of FOE. In the pursuit of riches one could marry a prince-to-be-King. The question is would that require using a trophy-wife sad and upset looking Melania likeness avatar?
 
Goal Machine.

There is no instruction manual for FoE because there is no single correct way to play it. You can choose your style and you can set your own targets. The FoE Gods created a world for us to shape and have left us to it.

Along your path you will receive advice from good players about the best way to grow your game, but whatever your style this game will reward you if you have a plan and stick to it. To progress here requires short, medium and long-term goals, achieved within a “coherent philosophy”.

In life if you’re not working towards a goal you will not progress, your efforts will not be targeted and you will achieve less than you otherwise would. Whether this matters to you (or overall) is another question! In FoE achievable goals are essential, but actually unavoidable due to the nature of the game. Every time you level a GB you achieve a goal, and each sought-after prize feels like a success when you win it. Easily achievable short-term goals are everywhere.

Our job as players is to set medium and long-term goals, before choosing the best short-term goals to achieve the aim. If you want to be a pure fighter your goals will be different than a farmer/negotiator. A hybrid player will need to find a balance they can support with enough goods and units/boost. All ways are viable and if your plan is realistic you will succeed.

Unsurprisingly the path the game teaches is transferable to real life. It’s almost as if this was what the makers had in mind from the start - practical life advice and training in game form so nobody will suspect a thing. They can consider themselves rumbled!
 
Right Place, Right Time.

Finding the right guild is very tough. I have two games, both started at the same time, and have been in six guilds in total (three in each game). It has been third time lucky for me in both games, and I am happy with my current “homes”.

All of the guilds I’ve been in have been different, and I’ve made good choices and bad choices. The bad choices weren’t all bad guilds though - they just weren’t right for me. One which was a bad Guild was my first in Langendorn - only two active players and one GE level was all I had available. I didn’t leave quickly enough, and if your guild is like this get out now. In Dinegu I made the opposite mistake for my second guild - I jumped too high too soon and joined a very high-level guild with top players, who were playing a completely different game to me.

There is a “Goldilocks Zone” when it comes to guilds and just like Goldilocks it took me three times to get it right. The ideal balance depends on your playing style a little but essentially there should be other players in your guild at around the same level as you so you can help each other and grow together. There should be active leadership and advice/support available. And you should be able to grow your game at the speed you’re happy with.

There is no directory of guilds featuring reviews or descriptions. There is no easy way to find a good guild and you may not get it right first time, so it’s worth keeping an open mind until you find what you are looking for. The right guild for you is out there somewhere and when you find it you will have found your family in the game. I found the right guild in Langendorn but in Dinegu myself and a couple of friends gave up and started our own guild in January. So now I’m really focussed on what makes a good guild and also what makes a good guild leader.
 
Leading From The Front.

In Dinegu I started a new guild in January with two friends as co-founders. We now have 6 members. I have taken the lead role in setting up and running the guild, and have given a lot of thought to what makes a good guild leader.

My ideas about leadership are generated from experiences I’ve had of good and bad management, both in real life and the game. I have worked with good and bad guild leaders and have learned a lot from both. I want to be the leader I would have benefited most from when I started playing.

Communication is key. Being able to offer advice and help relies on an open channel between all the members. I believe your guild should be able to provide the answers to all the questions the membership might have, and they should feel comfortable asking. The leaders of a guild should be amongst the most advanced in the guild, mostly so they are able to provide generous support to their membership in terms of rewards and places taken. Regular prizes for effort and participation are a great motivational tool, and relatively small gifts from a higher ranked player can make a big difference to somebody who is just starting out. I remember a guild leader building my old LoA when it was in the mud - only 40 FPs but it was a lot to me then. So my thinking is that to be a good guild leader it is necessary to be willing to slow your own progress a little to accelerate the progress of your members.

Mentoring is important to me, here and in real life, so running a guild for beginners and developing players seems a natural fit for me. I enjoy developing resources and helping players work towards goals, and am fascinated by the tactical aspects of GBG leadership and managing a treasury. Growing a new guild is a fascinating experience for me. I hope that our 3 recruits are happy with the leadership myself and my co-founders provide. But there is one requirement of guild leadership I am missing for now and that is the Level 80 Arc. Being able to take any place that comes up in your guild is a good target for a leader, and being able to pay 2.0 (for example) wouldn’t cost much if you get 1.9 back. Myself and my co-founders have been doing this anyway but a Level 80 Arc would make it viable in a larger guild and we could expand.

I believe a guild can be targeted at a particular style of play, almost like a martial arts school. This has the benefit of all the members working towards shared goals and levelling the same GBs, and that is what I’ve tried to do with my guild. I am a specialist manual fighter and believe I can train others to do this very well. I believe the ability to fight manually gives you an edge on the majority of players who only auto-battle, and this enables good progress through the map as well as extra participation in the GE and GBG and extra success in City Battles.

I also believe the 1.9 method to be the quickest and best way to level GBs so the guild levels all GBs this way. We are building a 1.9 thread with powerful friends involved to help take places. There are no swap threads and never will be. The key with this is to help players through the difficult first 10 levels of a GB and that is where the extra support from leaders is needed, and why a good guild should have a mud thread that finishes a few levels rather than just one.

So my guild is called 1.9 Fight School to highlight this specific style of FoE that I want to teach, and the sooner I get my Arc to 80 the better, because then my style of leadership will be viable on a larger scale. Until then I will continue to lead from the front with my participation and as much generosity as I can afford.
 

DESYPETE

Lieutenant
Leading From The Front.

In Dinegu I started a new guild in January with two friends as co-founders. We now have 6 members. I have taken the lead role in setting up and running the guild, and have given a lot of thought to what makes a good guild leader.

My ideas about leadership are generated from experiences I’ve had of good and bad management, both in real life and the game. I have worked with good and bad guild leaders and have learned a lot from both. I want to be the leader I would have benefited most from when I started playing.

Communication is key. Being able to offer advice and help relies on an open channel between all the members. I believe your guild should be able to provide the answers to all the questions the membership might have, and they should feel comfortable asking. The leaders of a guild should be amongst the most advanced in the guild, mostly so they are able to provide generous support to their membership in terms of rewards and places taken. Regular prizes for effort and participation are a great motivational tool, and relatively small gifts from a higher ranked player can make a big difference to somebody who is just starting out. I remember a guild leader building my old LoA when it was in the mud - only 40 FPs but it was a lot to me then. So my thinking is that to be a good guild leader it is necessary to be willing to slow your own progress a little to accelerate the progress of your members.

Mentoring is important to me, here and in real life, so running a guild for beginners and developing players seems a natural fit for me. I enjoy developing resources and helping players work towards goals, and am fascinated by the tactical aspects of GBG leadership and managing a treasury. Growing a new guild is a fascinating experience for me. I hope that our 3 recruits are happy with the leadership myself and my co-founders provide. But there is one requirement of guild leadership I am missing for now and that is the Level 80 Arc. Being able to take any place that comes up in your guild is a good target for a leader, and being able to pay 2.0 (for example) wouldn’t cost much if you get 1.9 back. Myself and my co-founders have been doing this anyway but a Level 80 Arc would make it viable in a larger guild and we could expand.

I believe a guild can be targeted at a particular style of play, almost like a martial arts school. This has the benefit of all the members working towards shared goals and levelling the same GBs, and that is what I’ve tried to do with my guild. I am a specialist manual fighter and believe I can train others to do this very well. I believe the ability to fight manually gives you an edge on the majority of players who only auto-battle, and this enables good progress through the map as well as extra participation in the GE and GBG and extra success in City Battles.

I also believe the 1.9 method to be the quickest and best way to level GBs so the guild levels all GBs this way. We are building a 1.9 thread with powerful friends involved to help take places. There are no swap threads and never will be. The key with this is to help players through the difficult first 10 levels of a GB and that is where the extra support from leaders is needed, and why a good guild should have a mud thread that finishes a few levels rather than just one.

So my guild is called 1.9 Fight School to highlight this specific style of FoE that I want to teach, and the sooner I get my Arc to 80 the better, because then my style of leadership will be viable on a larger scale. Until then I will continue to lead from the front with my participation and as much generosity as I can afford.
i hate to burst your bubble but most players only care about how good your 1.9 thread is or swap threads and goods supply. they dont give a hoot who is leading,
as a tip a good leader you will find doesnt come online boasting about wanting to be a leader they just get on with the thankless job and do not look for pats on the head
 
i hate to burst your bubble but most players only care about how good your 1.9 thread is or swap threads and goods supply. they dont give a hoot who is leading,
as a tip a good leader you will find doesnt come online boasting about wanting to be a leader they just get on with the thankless job and do not look for pats on the head
I think maybe you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a new player!
 
Event Adventures

I had big plans for this event in both my games, and although I haven’t achieved what I hoped so far there’s still time. As a fighter this event has some interesting buildings available, namely the Pagoda and Cherry Garden Set. I have used diamonds in one of my games but not the other and it’s interesting to see the difference and if my purchase provided value.

I targeted the Spring Selection kits with my diamonds as I wanted to add another two sets and I did get enough sets for around the amount I expected to spend. I have used diamonds before and was expecting the worst but I was pleasantly surprised with my haul. My other goal in that game was to find my missing 3 Pagoda levels - I found 2 but spent over 2000 lanterns. Compared to others in my guild that’s not great but could have been worse. So hopefully I will find the other Pagoda upgrade and then my objectives are achieved.

My non-diamond game has struggled. 2 Spring Selection kits and 2 Pagoda upgrades is all so far, and I’m fairly disappointed but not surprised. I should get the event building but haven’t decided if I will build. The saving grace is that the things I’m trying to win come up frequently at the Antiques Dealer so all is not lost.

I know this event has been criticised and I can see why because it’s hard to win the prizes, but I still am glad it’s here. With the frequency of events I can see why it can’t be too easy, because otherwise the high participation players will grow too quickly and the powerful players will get even further ahead, but I welcome every opportunity for growth and try to take advantage each time. I don’t usually spend money on diamonds (first time since Halloween) but I always do the quests and farm as many prizes as possible.

My only real complaint about this event is that my total FP winnings equal only 50 because the FP prize has such a low chance of the daily specials. That was particularly mean I think, although I have done well out of the goods Raccoon. This event has been all about the attack boost for me, and I have added to my total in both my games so can’t complain too much!
 
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