Utopia is one of the oldest online games in the world: online since 1998 and still running today. It is an early example of a persistent, team-based multiplayer world, where provinces band together in kingdoms to wage war, cast spells and scheme against each other.
Play is quasi-real-time. You can attack, cast spells and run thievery operations whenever you like, but your province itself advances once an hour, on the tick, when income, food, population growth, drafting and training are applied. Kingdoms of up to 25 provinces sit together on islands, and the game is played in Ages of about three months. At the end of an Age scores are recorded and every province resets, so each Age is a fresh start.
The Big Picture
Land is the foundation of your province. Land and the buildings on it set your living space, and your population fills that space. Peasants work jobs to make gold, and banks help generate more gold. However, every soldier, specialist, thief and wizard is drawn from the same population, so a bigger military means fewer peasants working. Military units also cost wages. See Economy for the details.
Gold and soldiers then pay for growth. You gain land by exploring, which costs both gold and soldiers, or by winning attacks. Provinces keep trading off economy against military, magic and thievery, which is why choosing a role early matters.
Kingdoms and provinces pursue different goals. Kingdoms usually chase total land, honor or war wins. Provinces usually aim for high networth, honor titles, or whatever helps their kingdom most. Honor comes from successful attacks and successful thief and mage operations.
Choose a Role
Before you create your province, think about what you will enjoy playing. Do you like attacking other players and taking what they have? Then you may be an attacker. Do you prefer to weaken your enemies over time, by stealing their food or assassinating their wizards? Then you may be a thief. Do you enjoy hurling spells like Fireball, or conjuring gold out of thin air with Tree of Gold? Then you may be a mage. Many players mix two of these.
- Attackers invade other provinces to take land, or to raze buildings and kill population. See Military and Attacking & Defending.
- Thieves gather intelligence and sabotage enemies covertly. See Thievery.
- Mages cast spells that strengthen your province and hurt enemies. See Mystics and Spell Uses.
- Hybrids combine two roles, such as Attacker/Thief or Attacker/Mage.
Most provinces pick one primary role and one supporting role, and keep enough of the third that it is not a weakness. Your race and personality should suit that choice. Small bonuses add up over an Age.
Running Your Province
- Throne is your overview: resources, land, networth and military.
- Explore and Growth: gain acres, then build on them. Exploring is the main way to grow early, and the pool of explorable land is shared out over the Age.
- Economy: peasants and banks make gold, while military wages and other costs take it back out. Watch food and runes as well.
- Science: steady long-term bonuses that grow over the Age.
- Military: balance drafting and wages so you can defend without wrecking your economy. Attacking provinces near your own networth pays best.
Working With Your Kingdom
Kingdoms decide how they play, so talk to yours early. Trade aid, share intel, and coordinate defense and attacks. Kingdom-level tools include relations, rituals and, when a war starts, coordinated hits and chains.
Where to Next
- A Player's Guide is a longer beginner walkthrough.
- Quick Tips has short advice from experienced players.
- Recommended Defense covers staying safe while you grow.
- Current Changes lists what is different this Age.
- FAQ answers common questions.