Online game "Travian Legends"

Travian Legends is a browser-based strategy game, where you can build an entire empire, starting with a run-down ancient village. Despite the considerable age of the game, released in 2004, it still has a large number of fans. All thanks to the simplicity of learning, clever mechanics and laconic style, which resembles a cartoon. Let's find out what else the project attracts the public these days.

The action is set at the turn of the old and new eras, when the Roman Empire was conquering the central lands of Europe, making alliances and wars with the local tribes. At the start you are offered a choice between three sides of the conflict - the Gauls, the Romans, and the Germans. Novice recommended to join the first, because their development and defense are arranged easily, while the effective leadership of the ancestors of the Germans can only experienced gamers. In this case, however, the Germans are good in the raids on their neighbors, so they - an interesting option for fans of rapid expansion. Although the game has a "light" browser format, it immediately demonstrates a serious approach - it offers unique and balanced factions with special buildings, troops and management styles.

After selecting a nation you get a village under your control. It is poorly developed - at first there are only a few buildings and sources of resources, and there are no protective fortifications and armed units at all. But with patience and time you can make a center of trade, industry and a strong military base from this backwater village. At the head of the settlement is a hero, whose appearance is even allowed to adjust. And not just at the beginning of the party: at any time you are free to change the tribal leader sex, features, hair color, eyebrow shape and other attributes. However, with uncomplicated game graphics, the character editor is more a pleasant addition to the other mechanics than a full-fledged part of the strategy.

What really matters is the position of your village on the global map. We are talking about a large field, ruled by squares, which opens in a separate window. Here you can see not only your own possessions, but also those of others, including vacant oases, other players' villages and places for the hero's adventures - you can go there for a reward. Each object on the map can be interacted with in one way or another: arrange a robbery raid, join your empire, send a trade caravan, explore the area in search of resources. Strategic position also plays a role. For example, if you have a strong neighbor belonging to a certain alliance, it makes sense to join the same organization with the support of your closest allies. Otherwise, you risk becoming a victim of raids.

To make sure none of the newcomers get hit, Travian Legends gives every newcomer a head start on the server - a period of safe development, when no one can attack you. This calm before the storm is enough to learn the basics and complete the first tasks. And because the training in the game is made very understandable, by the time you enter the "big world" you will know everything you need - any additional wisdom, except as taught in the prologue, you do not need. The main thing here, as in any other strategy, is to correctly develop your base, think through your actions and attack your opponent only when you have a significant advantage.

No matter how many villages you have added to your empire, you must manage each one in parallel in two windows. In the first window you have to construct and improve various buildings, conduct trade, build fortifications, explore new types of troops and replenish your army with recruits. And the second shows the area around the walls: here the farms grow grain, the quarries produce clay, the mines produce iron, and the forests produce wood. These are four basic resources that, along with virtual coins, allow you to create and develop anything. However, the speed of progress depends not only on the number of bricks and logs, but also on time. Even simple shacks take 10-20 minutes to build and upgrade, not to mention especially valuable upgrades.

In addition, the growth of the feudal economy now and then stumbles over the requirements. For example, to build a flour mill, you must have at least one farm of level 5, and to hire druid riders you must have a stable and academy upgraded to level 5. That is, in Travian Legends there are the usual laws of the genre: you have to fulfill a number of conditions to get the coolest opportunities. Otherwise you will stand still increasing the quantity, but not the quality of your possessions. On the other hand, the protracted development in the game is not commonplace. Suffice it to say that it takes at least a week to prepare a more or less respectable army, with which you can travel all over the place. Use of special currency - gold - helps to accelerate progress. In exchange for the yellow pellets you can instantly erect buildings, assign a construction queue, and unlock various enhancements - such as a 25% bonus to resource gathering speed.

A small amount of gold is given to you at the beginning of the game, but then you'll need to invest real money or exchange it for silver using the local auction. Silver is not hard to get, if you complete tasks, trade and be active on the warpath.

A separate development point is the hero's progression. The leader has several characteristics, such as strength, attack, and defense, which can be improved with experience points given for each new level. These are most easily obtained in battles and adventures - in other words, during the forays out of the village. However, wandering around the map leader can be easily injured or even killed. The first problem is easily solved with the help of ointment, obtained as a reward for running errands or bought at an auction. As for the death of the main character, it is enough to wait for his revival - he will appear again in the village in a few hours. There is no way at all without the hero in the game: he strengthens the army with his presence and gives a run for his money when the village is attacked by a superior force.

Unlike most online strategy games where matches last indefinitely, Travian Legends has a final goal. Sooner or later, the battle of alliances leads to one of the factions building a wonder of the world - and then the party is considered over, and the progress of all participants is reset, so they can change servers or start again in the same place. The road to this event is long - it usually happens once a year, so everyone has time to swing. Given the win conditions, players' success depends not so much on how fast they accumulate resources and upgrade their troops, but rather on social interaction.

As part of an alliance, you have many opportunities, from trade and diplomacy to spying and raiding enemy alliances. In such cases, neutrals are particularly hard hit, who have not joined anyone, but have managed to make good during the period of inviolability. However, if you join one of the leading factions on time, you will be faced with no lesser threat - the opponents, intending to achieve victory at any cost.

That's why coordination between allies is important. With this constant presence on the server you are not required, because during long breaks you can set vacation mode - and then your possessions will be protected even without the master, and the enemy will not weaken your alliance with another robbery. Another interesting option is to appoint a deputy. This option is suitable for those who play an important military or economic role in the faction. Deputy only receives the competences that the account owner has specifically designated. For example, you can forbid him to sell any valuable items or transactions with gold. Or, on the contrary, to give carte blanche for any ventures, up to participation in major battles and capture of new lands.

Travian Legends is as unhurried as it is fascinating. It immediately "grabs" with its style, simplicity of the rules and thoughtfulness down to the last detail - there is even a mode for colorblind people. Individual advantages are working from the browser (no need to install a client), low system requirements and unobtrusiveness. Enough to go into the game once a day to order construction, participate in adventures and keep abreast of developments in the alliance. If you want more action, you can stock up on gold and fight the night away. So Travian Legends will be fun for fans of different styles of strategy passing.

January 2021