Info about The Guild Gold Edition:

Official game description:
It’s the year 1400- the late Middle Ages. Europe sees the dawn of the golden age of the new departures and the free spirit. Under the rule of the bourgeoisie and businessmen, more and more towns are emerging from the clutches of the aristocracy and are achieving independence, power and wealth. New businesses are flourishing, bringing financial strength and political influence to a growing economy.  
However, life in the narrow, overpopulated alleyways and streets of the towns also has its downsides: epidemics and diseases are spreading, and thieves and highwaymen lie in wait to get their piece of the wealth. Now you can try your hand in these exciting times of change. Will you head down the path of an honest craftsman or a dubious priest? It’s your choice.
The Story:
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At the age of 13, you leave your parents, go to the city to learn a job and aiming to build your own trade empire at the time of real commercial and though exchanges expansion. You choose the city, each one has its difficulty level, you choose your parents, whose respective jobs predispose you to have specific qualities, and you choose your business among the old fashionned Middle Age jobs. Run your own business, manage your workers properly as to be the more productive you can, and hire guards to protect your goods... Because even if you get better than the competitors, they can destroy your work and your goods... That's the difficult world of business affairs!
Key features:
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*   Includes the original game plus its expansion pack  
*   Blackmail, kidnap, sabotage or buy your way into a higher position in the government  
*   Choose your job according to your qualities, your city and the local religion, hire workers and protect them, and protect your goods from bandits and competitors  
*   One of the best Middle Age commercial simulation  
*   Don't be stopped by your avatar's death : manage your commercial empire through generations!  
*   A great history revision of this wonderful period : trade expansion, land discoveries, the different religions finally work together

Release date: Sep 9, 2014

Categories: Management Simulation, City Builder, Strategy, Economic Simulation, Political Simulation, Historical Simulation, Dynasty Management


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $1.99 - $5.99
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the current base price of $9.99 to be too high for this game, especially given its age. Multiple reviews mention waiting for a sale, indicating that the fair price is considered to be lower than the current base price. One review specifically mentions $1.99 as a fair price during a sale, while another suggests that even 10€ ($11.82) is too much for the game. The general sentiment is that the game is overpriced at its current base price and that a fair price would be significantly lower, likely in the range of sale prices mentioned.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 50.0h
  - Story completion: 6.0h
  - Session length: 4.0h
  - Endgame: 100.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several data points about playtime. One user mentions playing for a lot of hours in one run, indicating long session lengths. Another user explicitly states that 4 hours passed quickly during a single session, supporting a typical session length of around 4 hours. A user reports that their first game took 6 hours to finish, which can be interpreted as the time to complete the main story. Additionally, multiple users mention investing a lot of hours into the game, suggesting significant total playtime for game completion and endgame content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a steep learning curve and initial boredom, but becomes fun and engaging after players invest a few hours and overcome the early challenges.
  - Stance: Fun after initial grind
  - Anchor: Accumulating wealth and getting into politics
  - Time to anchor: 2h 0m
  - Friction: Steep learning curve; Initial boredom; Managing shops
  - Unlock drivers: Investing time into learning the game; Accumulating wealth; Getting into politics
  - Conditions: Patience; Willingness to learn from mistakes; Investing initial hours into the game
- Player Archetypes:
  - Old-School Purist (sale)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and appreciation for classic gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Problem-solving and critical of modern adaptations.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: old-school player; veteran
    - Reference games: The Guild; The Guild 2
  - Casual Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of a relaxing and strategic gameplay experience.
    - Playstyle: Relaxed and strategic, focusing on business-building and politics.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: casual player; strategy fan
    - Reference games: Lemonade stand; economy sims
  - Nostalgic Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and long-term enjoyment of the series.
    - Playstyle: Emotionally invested and long-term player.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: franchise fan; childhood gamer
    - Reference games: The Guild series
  - Newcomer Strategist (sale)
    - Motivation: Learning and mastering a new type of gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Strategic and detail-oriented, focusing on learning and mastering the game.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: beginner; newcomer
    - Reference games: old school management games


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Highly praised game (weight 0.51): Many players consider it a brilliant and great game, often ranking it among the best games they have ever played.
- Fun and addictive gameplay (weight 0.43): The gameplay is widely described as fun, addictive, and enjoyable with high replayability. Players appreciate the varied and rich gameplay elements.
- Diverse gameplay possibilities (weight 0.31): The game offers a variety of professions, careers, and gameplay mechanics, providing many ways to play and enjoy the game.
- Unique and addictive blend (weight 0.27): The game is noted for its unique blend of personal role-playing, business management, and political intrigue, making it incredibly addictive.
- Ambitious medieval simulation (weight 0.25): The game is praised for its ambitious and detailed medieval life simulation, combining economic, business, and town management elements.
- Great soundtrack and visuals (weight 0.2): Players appreciate the great soundtrack and visuals, which contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere.
- Complex and deep simulation (weight 0.2): The game is praised for its complexity and depth in simulation, offering a very complete and engaging experience.
- Good economic simulation (weight 0.2): Players appreciate the game's economic and business simulation aspects, finding them engaging and well-developed.
- Nostalgic and charming (weight 0.19): Players find the game nostalgic and charming, enjoying its simplicity and replayability despite some bugs.
- Historical and political elements (weight 0.19): The game includes historical accuracy and political elements, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Immersive and engaging experience (weight 0.19): The game provides an immersive experience with engaging atmosphere and strategy elements.
- Works well on modern systems (weight 0.11): The game is reported to work fine on modern PCs, including Windows 10 64-bit systems.

Common complaints:
- Game plagued by bugs (weight 0.64): The game is reported to have numerous bugs that affect gameplay and overall user experience. These bugs range from minor issues to significant problems that hinder gameplay.
- Outdated and problematic graphics (weight 0.31): The game's graphics are considered outdated, and there are numerous graphical errors reported by players. This affects the visual experience and immersion.
- Control and UI issues (weight 0.26): Players report issues with the game's controls, describing them as weird and unresponsive. The user interface is also criticized for being unfriendly and frustrating.
- Save file corruption (weight 0.25): A specific bug corrupts save files, causing players to lose progress. This issue is particularly frustrating as it affects the ability to continue playing the game.
- Slow and repetitive gameplay (weight 0.16): The gameplay pace is slow, and the mechanics can be repetitive, leading to a less engaging experience for players.
- Steep learning curve (weight 0.11): The game has a steep learning curve, particularly for first-time players, which can be a barrier to entry for new users.
- Lack of localization and auto-features (weight 0.1): The game lacks localization options and certain auto-features, which can limit its accessibility and convenience for a broader audience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Diverse profession system (weight 0.32): The game offers a wide range of professions and secondary professions, allowing players to engage in various professions and businesses. This variety enhances the gameplay experience by providing multiple paths for character development and economic progression.
- Complex political system (weight 0.31): The game features a detailed political system with different tiers and offices. Players can engage in political activities and intrigue, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Dynasty and mercantile simulation (weight 0.27): Players can build and manage dynasties, engaging in mercantile activities and trade. This long-term progression adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to create lasting legacies.
- Social status and political career (weight 0.24): Players can climb the social ladder and progress in their political careers. Social status is often defined by wealth, adding a layer of strategy to the game as players must manage their resources to improve their standing.
- Medieval setting and life simulation (weight 0.21): The game is set in a medieval environment, specifically Renaissance Europe (1400-1600), and focuses on simulating medieval life and economic systems. This setting provides a rich backdrop for the game's various activities and interactions.
- Management and simulation gameplay (weight 0.2): The game is a management and simulation game, focusing on various aspects such as business, town building, and political strategy. This comprehensive approach provides a rich and engaging experience.
- Trade routes and crafting (weight 0.19): Players can manage trade routes and engage in crafting artisanal products. These activities are essential for economic growth and provide various strategic opportunities.
- Building and town development (weight 0.19): Players can engage in building strategies and town development, including town government. This aspect of the game allows for creative and strategic planning to grow and manage settlements.
- Business and production management (weight 0.16): Players can manage businesses and production networks, which is crucial for economic success in the game. This aspect involves strategic planning and resource management.
- Progression and combat mechanics (weight 0.16): The game includes progression mechanics and a combat system, allowing players to develop their characters and engage in battles. These mechanics are essential for advancing in the game and achieving various goals.
- Turn-based strategy with real-time elements (weight 0.16): The game combines turn-based strategy with real-time elements, offering a unique gameplay experience. This hybrid approach allows for both careful planning and dynamic action.
- Economic and social management (weight 0.12): The game focuses on economic management, social interaction, and political intrigue. Players must balance these aspects to succeed, making it a comprehensive simulation experience.
- Co-op and multiplayer gameplay (weight 0.11): The game supports cooperative and multiplayer gameplay, allowing players to team up and strategize together. This feature enhances the social aspect of the game and provides a collaborative experience.
- Marriage and inheritance system (weight 0.11): The game features a marriage and inheritance system, adding depth to family and dynasty progression. This mechanic allows players to manage long-term family legacies and strategic marriages.
- Historical context and education (weight 0.11): The game provides a rich historical context, offering educational insights into the medieval period. This aspect enhances the immersion and depth of the gameplay experience.
- Use of items for advantages (weight 0.1): The game allows players to use items to gain advantages in various situations. This mechanic adds a layer of strategy and resource management to the gameplay.
- Career progression with bribes (weight 0.1): Players can progress in their careers through flattery and bribes. This mechanic adds a layer of political strategy and resource management to the gameplay.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.72): The game experiences frequent crashes, including crashes to desktop and issues with saving progress. This is a significant problem affecting many players.
- Graphical and performance issues (weight 0.59): Players report various graphical bugs and performance issues, including broken graphics, lag, and slow performance. These issues can significantly affect gameplay.
- Technical problems (weight 0.31): There are numerous technical problems reported, including stability issues on newer systems, network connection errors, and potential technical issues with running the game.
- Resolution and display issues (weight 0.23): The game has limited resolution options and various display issues, including cropping problems with newer graphics cards and initial problems with display settings.
- Menu stuttering (weight 0.06): Some players experience stuttering in the game's menu, which can be an annoyance but is less critical than other issues.

Recommendations:
- Complex and rewarding strategy experience (weight 0.39): The game offers a deep and rewarding experience for players who enjoy long-term strategy and economic simulation games.
- Good value for the price (weight 0.23): Many players feel that the game offers good value for its price, making it a worthwhile purchase.
- Enjoyable and flexible gameplay (weight 0.12): The game is praised for its enjoyable and flexible gameplay, making it appealing to fans of relaxing and engaging strategy games.
- Desire for a high-quality remaster (weight 0.11): Players express a desire for a high-quality remaster of the game, suggesting that an updated version would be well-received.
- Suggestions for modern versions (weight 0.06): Some players suggest trying more modern versions of the game for an improved experience.
- Recommended despite issues (weight 0.06): Despite some issues, players still recommend the game, suggesting that its positive aspects outweigh the negatives.
- Single-player worth trying (weight 0.06): The single-player mode is highlighted as being worth trying, indicating that it offers a satisfying experience.
- Update graphics and community ideas (weight 0.06): There is a desire for updated graphics and the inclusion of community ideas to enhance the game.
- Recommended for medieval/Renaissance fans (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for fans of medieval and Renaissance settings, indicating a strong thematic appeal.
- Use of cheat engine tools (weight 0.05): There are mentions of using cheat engine tools like CE to modify AP and PLITCH to modify money, which can enhance gameplay for some players.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.05): Players suggest waiting for a sale to purchase the game, indicating that it might be more appealing at a discounted price.
- Save regularly (weight 0.05): Players advise saving regularly to avoid losing progress, indicating potential issues with game stability.
- Recommended for humor enthusiasts (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for those who enjoy humor in games, suggesting that it has a light-hearted or comedic element.
- Play on old XP machine (weight 0.04): Some players recommend playing the game on an old XP machine, possibly for compatibility or nostalgia reasons.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Nostalgia (weight 0.27): Players experience nostalgia due to fond memories of playing the game during their childhood or youth. The game's unique historical setting and long-term popularity at LAN parties contribute to these warm, retro feelings.
- Frustration (weight 0.19): Frustration stems from technical issues such as game crashes, inability to save progress, and compatibility problems with newer systems. Players also find the UI clunky and the combat frustrating, leading to a disrupted gaming experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Disappointment arises from the game's technical issues, including crashes, bugs, and compatibility problems with modern hardware. Players also express dissatisfaction with the lack of support and updates, as well as the game's outdated mechanics.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Enjoyment comes from the game's flexible and varied gameplay, including political systems and the ability to play as different characters like a priest or the head of a dynasty. The game's atmosphere and progression are also highlighted as enjoyable aspects.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Satisfaction is derived from smooth performance on certain platforms, fixed bugs, and enjoyable gameplay mechanics. Players also feel a sense of accomplishment and find the family dynamics and business development aspects satisfying.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Joy is experienced through the game's brilliant and fun gameplay, as well as the medieval city setting and dynasty-building aspects. Players also enjoy sharing the game with their children, creating a joyful family experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.03): Amusement is found in the game's historical inaccuracies and engaging gameplay. The humor present in the game also contributes to the overall amusement.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is caused by persistent bugs that prevent players from continuing their game despite having paid for it. The frustration is compounded by the lack of fixes for these issues in the current version.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Excitement comes from the game's diverse gameplay mechanics and its unique genre mix. The historical accuracy and engaging gameplay mechanics also contribute to the excitement.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is expressed through the desire for a remake or remastered version of the game to fix existing issues. Players are hopeful that these updates will improve the overall gaming experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is felt for the game's complexity and depth. Players value the intricate details and the depth of the gameplay.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is directed towards the game's soundtrack and atmosphere. Players adore these aspects, finding them particularly noteworthy and enjoyable.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is generated by the diverse possibilities and entertaining gameplay. Players are enthusiastic about the variety of actions and interactions available in the game.}