TMC absolutely right!

U can play without payment. Now there are many ways to find free gold.

Agree. Now much more better, than year ago!

Advice   get out before you get hooked and empty your bank account.

As good as this game might be, its inherent fault is the same with all such games,  it has a dead end.

You can play this game without  spending real money, but you wont make progress as quickly as you might, nor as fast as those who spend a lot and circumvent the tedious process of  building and finish everything there is  to do, and then what?

The  players that stick around get to the same top level  or nearly there and then all there is left to do is fight, but hold on everyone is under a peace treaty bubble , and you cant attack them.

ADDENDUM,

The fact that you are here asking questions, probably mean that you already missed some shortcuts

I know people who waste money without result. It depends on your game skill.

There is mostly no point in spending real money. Search a clan, do the clan quests and get free gold. Then "buy" the 30 days VIP with it. Other than that keep it for later, or on emergencies.

tmc said:

Join the biggest, best clan you can and then lean on them for rss, game knowledge and event bonuses.  If possible try to find a clan that is at peace with your kingdom, it makes it easier for a small player to yield rss and raid if they don't have to worry about attacks on the 2 days when there aren't global events.  Try to score at least one point in every clan event, you get the same clan bonus as the person who scores a million points.

The advice  to join an established clan and lean on them is not as straight forward as it seems.

An established clan, may not want novice players. 

A lot will depend on the age of the kingdom, and the players there.

If the kingdom  is newly opened it may contain  many novices who all want to learn and be given free resources and clan leaders who are also  in the same position.

There will be no bonuses from kingdom battles until the kingdom is 30 days old.                                                                                                              

If you join a clan they will  probably expect you to conform to their style of play, opening your own clan, at least initially, will give you more control of your own  destiny and the choice to do what you want with the rewards earned from clan tasks that become available in the clan store .