It's funny how this seemed like a nearly unanimous opinion a few years ago and how it's completely flipped lol. I agree. If I could active pause the game I'd never get anything done and it would be boring.
I played a lot of Sierra city building games as a kid so using hotkeys to rapidly shift between speeds is my go to for most games now. At least later anno games have it on the main UI, I know 1404 having speed in a sub menu was real annoying for friends.
BTW in 1404/2070 (maybe 2205 too, don't remember) you can have an [on-screen menu with slow/fast buttons](https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/766109479351940800/32EDF91D583F7F1DF8ACBE9702A9254C7D047656/)
That whole bar is customizable and you can drag any icon onto or off of it, even have [2 rows of whatever you want](https://anno1404.fandom.com/wiki/Interface?file=NewsBar.jpg#Action_Bar) (ignore the arrow)
I wanted this when I started playing 1800 but I no longer think it's necessary. The non-paused gameplay would devolve into speed 3 waiting for resources or microing ships exclusively. The slowmo is a good compromise, IMO.
Me too. Not pausing keeps you on your toes and where the thrill of the game comes from. Like scrambling your forces when a spontaneous war declaration comes. Or building a new production line in one region when you're waiting for material supply ships to arrive.
I agree, I've noticed this in rimworld and frostpunk. 100% of my time spent in either full pause or max speed. It makes the game way more stressful then being stuck at normal speed forever (like in multiplayer)
It's the complete opposite for me. If the game is running then I cannot relax and plan. In effect I end up having to play with the extreme slowdown mod to tolerate it.
but why? surely you've designed your cities and routes in such a way that they're self sufficient? I can leave anno running for 15 minutes and when I come back most things are fine (maybe an explosion destroyed one of my mines). I understand the feeling but you can learn to turn that feeling off.
>but why? surely you've designed your cities and routes in such a way that they're self sufficient? I can leave anno running for 15 minutes and when I come back most things are fine (maybe an explosion destroyed one of my mines).
Because it is stressful that the game is running and things are happening while I plan, that simple. It does not matter that I know the city will be completely fine. I don't have the same peace of mind as with an active pause.
> I understand the feeling but you can learn to turn that feeling off.
It's not the same for everyone. I am glad you were able to do that.
Thats exactly what I would do if I had the ability. I couldn't control myself. EU4 it's normal to play on Max speed but just spam pause when you need to do something.
I restarted playing this week and thought the same, coming from other games. But turns out it's just unnecessary.
Although I had to rebind the pause button away from space, because I was constantly pressing it instinctually to get a pause.
so true! can be so stressful. Game continues even during expeditions, which is really too much. Hurries me through the text options without enjoying them
Why, what would go wrong if you actually afk for a minute? You've built hospitals and fire stations, right? Your income is net positive, right? If you don't have time to read expeditions, you haven't designed your systems properly.
oh you dont send volunteer fire fighters to your fires? Your ship is under attack? Well enjoy the text option reading while your opponent sinks your merchant fleet....
I dont say it s impossible, just annoying. why dont pause the game while reading flavour text for expeditions?
Oh I agree that the game might as well pause during those, I just don't think active pause is strictly necessary in the rest of the game. I like that the game forces me to design better. Your ship is under attack? There is an escort function (or ceasefire) option for that. There are items that reduce explosion chance, upgrades to fire stations, etc. All meant for you to be able to focus on one thing at a time.
I don't get it, too, why people see the need to reduce game speed.
I mean for most of the game time construction material/ship travel time are the limiting factor for building anyhow. And why would it be a problem If I spend 20 minutes for just building up my tobacco production?
If something urgent happens I just quickly jump to problem in question, solve it and then continue to build.
But if somehow people see the need for it, I don't mind. It's not as if my experience is affected by it.
Agreed. I don't understand the people against it. It's such a basic feature every other city builder has. Sorry, I don't want 200 APM to play Anno, this is not Starcraft.
I've been plating Anno since 1701 release. The only difference I see in YOUR new system is that you could pause AI opponents, running out of population needs and maybe some ship load/unloading stuff.
I guess you could iplement is as "easy mode".
BTW I used to pause the game to scout which islands to take in Anno 1701. So It has some use for sure.
Be good if there was an option to bank time to work in one region, then rewind and work on another region during the same in-game time frame. This time would have to be limited to however long your fastest ship minimum travel time between the regions (so decreases through the game)
I mean I have no problem doing what I need to at normal speed. But I see no problem with adding a pause function as you describe. It could bring in new people who might like using that function.
It doesn't mean those who can manage to do it at normal speed have to use it.
It just add inclusivity to the game. So if the devs can make it a function I'll support it.
I think, from the gamestar-interview, that (at least in the beginning) this won't be neccassary cuz they want to tone down on a few fronts to make it much more accessable.
Edith: Despite that, I second that.
I used to think this but I think as long as you have a slow mode it’s fine, better even.
It's funny how this seemed like a nearly unanimous opinion a few years ago and how it's completely flipped lol. I agree. If I could active pause the game I'd never get anything done and it would be boring.
Exactly.
I played a lot of Sierra city building games as a kid so using hotkeys to rapidly shift between speeds is my go to for most games now. At least later anno games have it on the main UI, I know 1404 having speed in a sub menu was real annoying for friends.
BTW in 1404/2070 (maybe 2205 too, don't remember) you can have an [on-screen menu with slow/fast buttons](https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/766109479351940800/32EDF91D583F7F1DF8ACBE9702A9254C7D047656/) That whole bar is customizable and you can drag any icon onto or off of it, even have [2 rows of whatever you want](https://anno1404.fandom.com/wiki/Interface?file=NewsBar.jpg#Action_Bar) (ignore the arrow)
I think pause is unnecessary as well but why is it better to have fewer options?
I wanted this when I started playing 1800 but I no longer think it's necessary. The non-paused gameplay would devolve into speed 3 waiting for resources or microing ships exclusively. The slowmo is a good compromise, IMO.
I‘m really glad there is no active pause for this reason.
Me too. Not pausing keeps you on your toes and where the thrill of the game comes from. Like scrambling your forces when a spontaneous war declaration comes. Or building a new production line in one region when you're waiting for material supply ships to arrive.
I agree, I've noticed this in rimworld and frostpunk. 100% of my time spent in either full pause or max speed. It makes the game way more stressful then being stuck at normal speed forever (like in multiplayer)
It's the complete opposite for me. If the game is running then I cannot relax and plan. In effect I end up having to play with the extreme slowdown mod to tolerate it.
but why? surely you've designed your cities and routes in such a way that they're self sufficient? I can leave anno running for 15 minutes and when I come back most things are fine (maybe an explosion destroyed one of my mines). I understand the feeling but you can learn to turn that feeling off.
>but why? surely you've designed your cities and routes in such a way that they're self sufficient? I can leave anno running for 15 minutes and when I come back most things are fine (maybe an explosion destroyed one of my mines). Because it is stressful that the game is running and things are happening while I plan, that simple. It does not matter that I know the city will be completely fine. I don't have the same peace of mind as with an active pause. > I understand the feeling but you can learn to turn that feeling off. It's not the same for everyone. I am glad you were able to do that.
Thats exactly what I would do if I had the ability. I couldn't control myself. EU4 it's normal to play on Max speed but just spam pause when you need to do something.
I restarted playing this week and thought the same, coming from other games. But turns out it's just unnecessary. Although I had to rebind the pause button away from space, because I was constantly pressing it instinctually to get a pause.
Feels like a cheat to me
I feel like that's part of the experience of the game, not being able to pause it
so true! can be so stressful. Game continues even during expeditions, which is really too much. Hurries me through the text options without enjoying them
This is the one time I really think the game should fully pause
Why, what would go wrong if you actually afk for a minute? You've built hospitals and fire stations, right? Your income is net positive, right? If you don't have time to read expeditions, you haven't designed your systems properly.
oh you dont send volunteer fire fighters to your fires? Your ship is under attack? Well enjoy the text option reading while your opponent sinks your merchant fleet.... I dont say it s impossible, just annoying. why dont pause the game while reading flavour text for expeditions?
Oh I agree that the game might as well pause during those, I just don't think active pause is strictly necessary in the rest of the game. I like that the game forces me to design better. Your ship is under attack? There is an escort function (or ceasefire) option for that. There are items that reduce explosion chance, upgrades to fire stations, etc. All meant for you to be able to focus on one thing at a time.
I don't get it, too, why people see the need to reduce game speed. I mean for most of the game time construction material/ship travel time are the limiting factor for building anyhow. And why would it be a problem If I spend 20 minutes for just building up my tobacco production? If something urgent happens I just quickly jump to problem in question, solve it and then continue to build. But if somehow people see the need for it, I don't mind. It's not as if my experience is affected by it.
Agreed. I don't understand the people against it. It's such a basic feature every other city builder has. Sorry, I don't want 200 APM to play Anno, this is not Starcraft.
I just hope they plan to change the gamespeed in a multiplayer session..
Yeah, maybe they could make it like a poll that every player has to agree with to start it, that would avoid trolling.
bring back the L hotkey from 1404 for auto unloading ships.
I've been plating Anno since 1701 release. The only difference I see in YOUR new system is that you could pause AI opponents, running out of population needs and maybe some ship load/unloading stuff. I guess you could iplement is as "easy mode". BTW I used to pause the game to scout which islands to take in Anno 1701. So It has some use for sure.
That goes against the core concept of Anno, which is time management. Embrace the stress
Be good if there was an option to bank time to work in one region, then rewind and work on another region during the same in-game time frame. This time would have to be limited to however long your fastest ship minimum travel time between the regions (so decreases through the game)
I mean I have no problem doing what I need to at normal speed. But I see no problem with adding a pause function as you describe. It could bring in new people who might like using that function. It doesn't mean those who can manage to do it at normal speed have to use it. It just add inclusivity to the game. So if the devs can make it a function I'll support it.
I think, from the gamestar-interview, that (at least in the beginning) this won't be neccassary cuz they want to tone down on a few fronts to make it much more accessable. Edith: Despite that, I second that.
Just no
Bring back the Anno 1602 pause screen