Beginner Guide

It's very exciting when you start a new game. However, one may find it extremely annoying in the process. So, I will help you out a little. 

Basics:

This game is for all ages (kids, teenagers, adults and even grandparents.)

First of all, this is a slow-paced/real-time MM web game so if you want to play something fast, play something else.

• You will start at level 0, but the tutorial will take you to  level 5.
• You will have basic building with very fast speed ( about 10 sec per buiding).
• However, when you reach lv7, they will back to the normal speed ( lowest is 16 min for this lv).

Second, this game has two currencies: Coins and Rubies

1. Coins are the regular in-game currency. They are mainly used to train troops which means if you don't have coins, you can't become strong. There are several way to get coins (collect taxes, defeat robber baron castles, quests etc.)
2. Rubies are the game's premium currency. It can be obtained by doing quests, defeating robber barron castles, or by buying them using real money. While the game is entirely free and all core buildings and aspects of the game can be reached without buying rubies, players that do purchase them will be at a great advantage by using them to build specialty buildings or using them to increase productivity of all buildings.

Thirdly, don't get frustrated. A lot of people start playing this game for fun but later find it frustrating because you may be attacked without the capabilities to defend themself. 

If you are being bullied by a player that is at a higher level than you here are some tips:

1. Stop attacking other players. Most bullies will only be attacking you for your honor, if you stop attacking other players your honor will decrease and you will stop getting attacked. (I know, this option would be a last resort for most players but it is the most effective way to stop getting attacked).
2. Try to join an alliance to back you up. There are hundreds of alliances in the game and most of them will be willing to take on new members as long as you contribute to their cash box.
3. Check your bully's alliance description. Most higher level players are part of alliances, and most alliances condone bullying. If you see your bully's alliance is anti-bullying try sending a message to the alliance leader. This may prove useful in pursuading your bully to stop attacking you. This method has worked for me on two occations.
4. Ask other high level players for help. Tell them your problem, and there is bound to be some goodhearted people who will help.

Finally, if you run into any bugs just remember that support is your best friend :)

Beginning Stage:

If you think that you understand those basic steps then here we go !!!

You need to choose which server you want to play in.

1. Choose the flag to decided which country you want to play on (at the bottom middle).Then choose which server you want to play on that country (right next to it).

• International 1 and International 2 appear in all worlds, since its International (Duh!)
• The most popular servers are USA 1, United Kingdom 1, International 1, and International 2. If you want competitive PvP choose any of the above.

2.  Type your username, password and email in the middle screen.

3.  After you finish all those, you will be taken to the game.

4. Tutorial mode will automatically start which will give you all the essential building to help you with the game.

5. After 5 min tutorial, you will be taken to the world map where you will be taught how to attack. This is also the place where you can find your castle, robber baron castle and the castle of other player. REMEMBER, don't be overwhelmed to see them all at higher levels than you  :)

6. You will have 7 day protection which is recommended to let it end naturally. Use even a second in those 7 days to level up as much as possible. A good active player can level up to Lvl 12 in those 7 days, so make that your goal.

7. After 7 days ended, you can attack freely. You are recommended to attack about 10 rbc around you to lv9.

Newbie Stage:

This is the most boring yet attracting period (assuming you are starting from lv6 to lv 25).

At this stage, focus solemnly on leveling up, building, and events. Ask higher leveled players for resources, but don't annoy them.

Wood Cutters and Stone Quarries both are advised to have max 6 of both. Farmhouses are advised to have about 8-9 of them. Dwelling is 10 as that the number all the future quest required. (Beware, don't build all 10 dwelling at the same time, wait for the quest as you need Public Order [PO] to increase resources).

• Tip: Try to expand your castle as soon as possible and upgrade your towers and gate as fast as possible. It doesn't matter if you want to upgrade/build wood cutters, stone quarries, or new buildings. Just upgrade the defense workshops, barracks, towers, and gates first. This will help your defense, which is crucial to the games survival.

Map: Continue to attack rbc arround you. However, only leveling 10-12 of them. DON'T ATTACK ALL OF THEM as you only have 150 rbc to level up. You will need those as you may relocate your castle later on in the game.

Start attacking players around you by using combination of espisonage, tools, and troops. Don't ever believe entirely in an espisonage as a player can make more soldiers/tools or change the defense settings.

Defense: You can change your defense settings by clicking the gate, towers, and then clicking to the shield to change defense setting. There are  2 things you can do here and something to see to :

On the right screen, you will see the number of troops x/x (ex: 136/136). This show the troops that currently position on the wall.

Hover you mouse to the flanks and front to see the basic defense of the wall.

Now if we done that , here we go with meddling with the setting :3.

Wall defense setting : see the beautiful bars in the middle of the screen ( drag them to change the defense set-up. The defense in each wall is indicate with the percent in the three boxes below. Default is 25-50-25. Suck :p. So change them .

If you are a ruby players (ruby buyers) or can afford some considerable rubies, buy wall tools and gates tools rubies , then use 0-100-0. put them when online and put wood tools when offline. (Notes : This is essential as you are most likely to be attack by rbc which is weak as hell so don't freak out. When rbc attack is coming, change your tools to woods one and change the wall setting according to the attack)

If you are not a ruby players, well wood tools all the time =)).

Remember, always have from 5 of them in one slot.Then ,try to put things like this in all slot. (Like put stone throwing in all wall slot available. This will give you extra defense).

Troops distribution setting :
Sometimes, you wish that some of your wall have more range than melee or vice versa. Try this setting. Click on the ugly and unanimated humanlike with sword next to the percent number right below the bar. There, change the percent of range/melee .

Alliance : No one can survive alone so don't be a lone wolf :3. Try to find an alliance that near you. (however, if they need you contribute too much and you thing they ripped you off. Leave the alliance to find a better one mind you ).

There are two ways to do this. First one is to click on the picture of two hands one red one green to come to a window. There, you can either choose an alliance from that list or check the box "wish to find alliance". and wait. This will almost ensure you that they are close.

Second way is manual way. try to click on one castle that has an alliance ( you will find them easily as they usually have a picture in the small circle right below their castle.). Then click the  ! button to see the info, There, click on the alliance button ( green hand crossed with red hand) to see the alliance. IF they told you in there description that you need to right a message to them then find there leader (one with the crown) and write a letter to say your wish to join them. IF not, well good luck .Try to message them anyway :p.

Outpost : This is the most essential in interesting one. You will have a building called estate soon enough. This building enable you to have an outpost (a sub-castle) to your own ideal. There are three types : wood type , stones type and food type.

As the name has stated, wood types consist of two kind, first one is very easy to find is 6 wood 2 food. It means that you can have max 6 wood with 100% production and 2 food with 100% production. When fully build, you will have 1200+ wood per hour. Other one is the shiny kind, you will see it with some sparkling star. They are 8 wood 2 food, you can have more than 1800 wood per hour when fully build. It's the same for stone types ( replace all above with wood ->stones :p). Last but the most important one is food types. you can have 6 food 2 wood , 6 food 2 stones or 8 food 2 wood , 8 food 2 stones. Recommended 8 food . I don't fucking care where you can find it but definitely 8 food 2 x >.<. This will give you max 2000 troops with no food lost or more with food lost.

If you are a ruby player, go straight for food one. Recommended 2 food outpost with wood and 1 food outpost with stones. ( And yes, you can get 3 outpost when you are high lv). Seek for a developed one by other player, if they are kinda inactive or non-alliance, TAKE IT .NO MERCY PLZ. it saves you considerable time and resource to get there. :).

For normal player, go for wood one first as you need them very much at earlier points. Then at higher lv, try to abandon them (how to abandon, see the goodgame empire forum :))  ) to take over a weak ruby player or a developed food outpost from a ruins castle or heavily burnt castle :3.

Why food some asked, because later one, you will focus more on war than economics so you need troops. In your main castle, you can only keep a paltry troops of 1000 max :(. So you need some boost. I myself have about 6000 troops in mainland in my disposal for any person try to mess with me :3.

World : Right now , you have 4 world, mainland, everwinter, burning sand and fire land :). You will have the first access to everwinter at lv 25, 40 for burning sand and 50 for fire. There, you will have to developed from beginning and much harder than main because the resource is really scare there. However, the solution is resource village.

When you come to other wall, you will see rbc replaced by towers, fortress and resource village. Resource villages give you an automatic boost of all kinds of resource. You can captured max 15 with 5 boost for wood, 5 boost for stones and 5 boost for food. When you get there, try to send as much resource as possible to there and build up in one day.Then try to find food resource first for everwinter as they are much slower as being captured. You will find very agitated as this stated as they will most likely be captured by the time you get there. sniff...sniff :(.

Recommended build-up process, first build some wood and stone like the requirement. Then storage. After that, send resource there right away.remember to send food too.Then barrack, stable (as soon as possible). After that while you are produce some troops or send some, build up some foodhouse and upgrade them as soon as possible. For extra resource, start attacking surrounding tower to get equipment and resource as well as rubies.

Right when you spot new resource village, don't hesitate to get there as quickly as possible and plz pray that they are not taken by the time you get there. Always send them with hourse.For ruby player, it's advised to have stable lv 3 as this process is very hard.

(Important : This is an unspoken rules but never take other person resource villlage. It's very rude and the quickest way to get you to hell . If you are a ruby player, warlike, and in a strong ,approved and supportive alliance. This won't be applied for you .Only one rules applied, never take a resource village from a person with more than 15 resource one. They are the old and wise one that started game long time ago when the fight is the most fierced. You will surely get burnt daily which is not very charming. No sorry or apology will get through them.==' as they can never take it back.And surely, you teammate won't be of any help for you. )

Fortress : Try to attack them as soon as you have about 5 food resource as other one will be much harder to find. Fortress ALWAYS  gives you rubies which are very much need in this game =='.

This is basically cover every thing that happen till lv 25. After this lv, building will takes half a day to three days to finish,And yes, no mistake here, DAYS :P. At lv 25, you will have lv2 wall already and more or less have more protection against other player. It's advised to you to save up all your rubies from the beginning, never use them even in war as you will soon have a 50% discount in everything rubies. Now get the bakeries in one swoops. It's more favorable to put them in food outpost as it's essential part to get it to 2000 troops .

I intentially exempt 3 things, rubies building, adventure map and equipment as I sure someone has written a more profound faq for these. If not, pm me in this one and I will write them :))