The speed server is here...?

Hi guys!

This past week has seen the first outing of the AE Speed Server in it's all but completed state. A crack team of our Volunteers, moderators and translators have been testing the server in a week long round at x3 speed, and I can tell you, it's fast! Second base in 8 hours, 11 bases in 4 days. This time around the winner will be the user wth the highest level. Wizard has offered up a prize to the winning tester and I'll let you know who when we know the winner! 

This time we haven't made many chances to the games mechanics though when the real speed server comes expect regular changes to game mechanics for each round to keep it fresh and your game strategies changing! 

Test Round Factfile:
Speed = x3 (Three times norrmal)
Guild = Limited to 3 players per guild
Galaxies = 1 single galaxy
Sleep = Sleep? What's that? 
Politics = We have a secret P&W on the forums you can't see! ;-)

 
In the coming months the server will be coming out of testing and into the real aeverse! You better be ready for it! I've had words with a few of our testers and here is what a couple of them had to say about the new server,

First I would like to say how honoured I am to be given a chance to play the test round and thank you to Ikari and Wizard

The round so far is very enjoyable, right from the start two powerblocks formed and the race began! I say race because everyone focused on economisation, leading to the testers having 2k economies (crystallines FTW!) and very little fleet and technology, so missiles turrets were all that was needed to protect against a small gathering of corvettes.

So fleet production and researching technology just wasn't keeping up with the development of the bases, whether this is the fault of the tester(s) (yes all testers were facing this dilemma because face it, we're all newbs and all from Alpha ) or those aspects haven't been balanced out through the game mechanics, who knows at the time being. 

I like to make a note here that I have been leading in 1st place throughout most of the round (Xeno = Win). At the first possible opportunity I attacked the opposing guild (after the NAP had ended, yes we are Alpha folk so we do politics...), sorry Wizard it wasn't personal, and they attacked back... Wizard that really hurt my feelings ! This is just midway through the round and hopefully much more combat to come, very interesting pillages from bases with 200 economy and a couple of missiles turrets. New gameplay styles and strategies, when the real round server comes out it will be very interesting!

From Xeno, one of our newest Volunteers
 

So far the speed server has been a refreshing and exciting new experience. As myself and the other testers have already discovered new ways of playing the speed server will be required from the traditional approach to AE. It is certainly different and it is definitely the most fun I have had on Astro Empires recently. I really like how quick things move and the large incomes you can get fast. I think it is a totally different play experience and As said anyone wanting to start on this server really needs to forget everything they've already learned. Personally I can't wait to get to try out my new Ideas for starting off and to see how a server would play out over the full 3 months.

From AJam, one of our forum moderators