I clocked a couple of additional games last weekend.
I am either learning to work around some the control glitches... or am getting more used to the pace (trusting the UI more)... or the glitches are starting to make more sense (not actually glitches), or the last patch actually fixed some of the glitches...
I'm frankly not sure which...
But I am really enjoying myself more and more with AOTS.
It has a fairly slow buildup and a very chessy feel...
And I am finding that I am running into some cool strategies as I confront other players...
.. Like yesterday, I lost to someone who opened more slowly.... I claimed the turinium node first, but he took it back, parked a dread on it, and promptly constructed several repair/shield and orbital nullifier facilities to help defend it.
Even though I held more nodes and resources by far, the opponent powered up with a lot of quanta, and I couldn't break his hold on the node.
I lost, but loved it.
That game taught me a cool new trick with Drones and Repair facilities that I used in my next game (and won).
The above strategy is sort of characteristic of the game.
It isn't like SC2, where you are massing a single troop type to blitz the opponent.
A winning strategy in AOTS rather usually involves some type of balance between buildings and units.
That's cool.
It has a much more subtle and nuanced feeling to it.
... but that distinctive feeling doesn't march up and bang you over the head right away..
... It just takes more time to get the feel for the play...
... and I'm still learning a lot...
I'm even starting to get a better taste for the relatively fixed, but subtly different opening options.
It's sort of cool that everyone has to open essentially the same way.
It's sort of comfortable.
It makes you appreciate the player who somehow wins more frequently.
They know how to win, even though everyone begins from the same essential opening.
It's cool.
I've also noted that the player base has ticked up a bit... 30-35 online as a base, vs. 25 a few weeks ago.
I dunno... I just want everyone to give this game the time investment that it deserves.
I can't explain it.
It just sort of grows on you, as you play more, and watch people do cool things.
There is a lot to consider.
There are a lot of options.
Fun, fun, fun game.
