as an experienced RTS "noob" I would like to insert my perspective; I didn't see any of the tutorial videos because I never figured out how to open them. I tried once, I clicked it when it popped up, it didnt do anything, I never bothered to investigate further. I've played for roughly 5 hours in one sitting and I feel like the interface is intuitive and worked a lot like existing RTS games, in some cases better - some worse.
keybindings:
I always go into the options and set video options and review keybindings (usually use defaults unless I see a poorly placed key that sounds important). Controlling your troops while in dragon form is/was the most confusing aspect and needs some work accurately selecting units (control groups can't be selected? What about Alt+1 to select them in dragon form or Alt+1 to activate a dragon ability and leave control groups on the same keys), but dragon form turned out to be useful for controlling attacks/defense once the controls were down for it. I see this specific mechanic as the more confusing part in the interface as its not very "obvious" about how to control troops in dragon form. Why cant you access your buildings and build with hotkeys in dragon form? It should be more streamlined. Its also difficult to add new units to an existing control group. It would actually be nice if you could designate/hotkey buildings to automatically add to specific control groups.
Example: basic infantry buildings on the north of the map are designated to Control 1. All units built from these buildings are automatically assigned to group 1.
Then it would be easier to control different sections of troops (on different sections of map) and keep them together and limit strays.
It took about 5 smashings from a normal AI before it became routine to defeat it. It seems easy to expansion rush (start with hunters every time) and dig in on over half the map by the time the AI decides its a good idea to build a naval base and some transports (its never a good idea early game, not for the AI anyway... AI shouldn't do this as the way it does it is a waste of time and resources and allows the player WAY too much time to control the map)
I played campaign against 3 or 4 AI (no alliances) campaign mode. I do not know what popularity does, I do not know what entrenchment does (something about defense?), and I do not understand what support does. The interface does not explain these things or their importance or how to manipulate them... but I managed to beat the other AIs oblivious to their effects (they don't seem very important or are normalized?)
and FINALLY... the cards. I hate this card crap in video games (I really find it gimmicky and boring), BUT! Its here... I digress.
The interface for the cards is bad; I ended up with so many cards I stopped caring about them because I didn't even know what I had and the few times I tried to get the interface to organize them it didn't seem to do anything useful - eventually I found the best use for the cards is to merely impact auto-calc odds save for the select few cards that were grossly overpowered.
as a side note: it would be great (although I understand unlikely) if cards could be turned off and if the buildings that produce cards converted into a more standard resource or provide other bonuses.
Like a metal mine for advanced units or upgrade buildings that improve a type of unit by 10% (stackable?)
I found the number of buildings I wanted to place on a territory to be limited to gold mines and factories.
ANYWHO - thats my 5 hour impression.
