Is anyone having fun with this game?

[Gandalf Parker]

So many threads of how nations and tactics suck. (Id be bothered by that more if there wasnt so much disagreement about these "facts"). I thought Id start another upbeat thread.

Is anyone having fun with this game? Forgetting winning and losing and balances for the moment. What nations are you enjoying? What maps? What playing style? (barbarian horde, defensive, researcher, armored armies, stealth, summoned armies)

Personally Im having fun with super large randomly generated maps. Playing early or middle Pangaea, and any other race that has stealth units. Also Caelum (making good use of large maps) and Jotunheim (on smaller maps playing defensively)

[Theonlystd]

How couldnt yea have fun... Just wish meh friends copy would show up for some mp goodness..

Sauromatia is pretty fun..

And how couldnt someone like the La R'lyeh????

[dirtywick]

I've been playing Abysia MA lately, it's been fun. I'm learning the ins and outs of blood magic, I didn't really play much blood in Dom 2, and I really like those Demon Knights.

[Ballbarian]

I am in DomHeaven. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
Have been playing EA Ermor on a large random map with all EA nations. Currently in a fight for life in the western oceans against Oceania, and trying to squelch Atlantis's dominion in a small grouping of seas in the east. At a standoff with several nations in the northern lands. Trying to let them fight it out until I can finish off those annoying fish & frogs. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[JTesla]

I’m having a blast, but I’ve only had the full game three days. Since I have always leaned toward necromancers in my RPG's I went with LA Ermor. Next I’m going to try something completely different – and something that wasn’t in the demo.

[KissBlade]

This stupid game is cause of many hours of sleep deprivation and failed exams. I wonder if I can weasel a lawsuit out of it ...

[efelle]

I'm playing more SP game with Dom 3 than with Dom 2 or any other PC games since Civilization (the first).
I like the difference between nations and I'm fond of testing some weird concept like transforming a sleeping Lord of War in SC.

YES ! Dom 3 is fun. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[AMF]

GP, you're kidding, right? This game rocks.

[Amos]

It is the best game in its genre. No question. After patch it will be even better. Everything I liked about Dom2 I like about this one as well.

[Cainehill]

Allow me to be the first to say that I'm not sure if I'm having fun with it. Too many things we had gotten used to in Dom2 (even if only through the CB & hero mods) were taken away (themes, filtering researchers, ability to view spell list during pretender creation, and I know I'm forgetting others at 1 in the morning), and too many irritations were added : maps shipped that didn't have the fixes that had been available for over a year, nations without heroes, the @#$#* aging system, pretenders that once again are unbalanced, and again, I'm forgetting things.

Then, we _still_ don't have even half baked battle reports for castle sieges, don't have proper battle reports that would tell which commanders died, how many of each troop type, still no way to keep people from uploading pretenders w/o passwords, no way to change passwords after creation....

I hope there'll be more fun after patches, and after equivalents of the CB and Heroes mods come out, but.... Right now, I tend to think Dom2 was a more enjoyable experience.

[Belcarl]

I'm having fun.

However I don't like the mudslinging by some poster(s) here lately.

Secondly, the new aging system needs to be patched a bit.
I don't have as much problem with Blitz bless strategies as I play MP mostly with real life friends, and we tend to start duking it out after turn 30 or so.

Anyone know if/when a new patch will be out? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[WraithLord]

I'm having fun with it and I'm confident that through patches and fan content it will be a game of no equivalence in the strategy genre. The best of its breed!

[Jarkko]

I am having a blast, especially in MP http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif I like atm most Pangae (nothing new from Dom2 there) and Sauromatia (playing first time with them in a MP and like them a lot). Dom3 is eating away practically all my free time, and the curse of "Just one more turn" is ever so horrible at 2 AM when you have to get up to work at 6 AM :p

[Beorne]

I don't know if I'll have fun, for me the only fun is MP games, and only now I'm starting the first. This said ...


Cainehill said:
...
maps shipped that didn't have the fixes that had been available for over a year, nations without heroes, the @#$#* aging system, pretenders that once again are unbalanced, and again, I'm forgetting things.

Then, we _still_ don't have even half baked battle reports for castle sieges, don't have proper battle reports that would tell which commanders died, how many of each troop type, still no way to keep people from uploading pretenders w/o passwords, no way to change passwords after creation....
...




In contrast to the lot of features that are often requested all the fixes Cainehill points are things that are very easy to code and of great benefit. I'm hoping the great devs of this game are reading this.

[Meglobob]

I have had Dom3, 3 weeks now and am loving it, I have played it exclusively in that time.

Currently in 4 MP games which is fun, taking me back to my old play by mail days.

Completed 1 SP game to conclusion and started/abandoned too many to account for (just getting a feel of the nations), the AI I find a challenge on difficult, Ermor recently fought me to a standstill, difficult AI, I was MA man, then the other AI's attacked and it was game over...

Sure I have a wishlist, who does'nt.

Sure there r a few parts of the game I dislike but overall I would rate Dom3 about 9/10 or 90%.

[Nerfix]

Cainehill said:Too many things we had gotten used to in Dom2 (even if only through the CB & hero mods) were taken away (themes, filtering researchers, ability to view spell list during pretender creation, and I know I'm forgetting others at 1 in the morning), and too many irritations were added : maps shipped that didn't have the fixes that had been available for over a year, nations without heroes, the @#$#* aging system, pretenders that once again are unbalanced, and again, I'm forgetting things.

Then, we _still_ don't have even half baked battle reports for castle sieges, don't have proper battle reports that would tell which commanders died, how many of each troop type, still no way to keep people from uploading pretenders w/o passwords, no way to change passwords after creation....

I hope there'll be more fun after patches, and after equivalents of the CB and Heroes mods come out, but.... Right now, I tend to think Dom2 was a more enjoyable experience.

Apart from the aging system which I think is a wonderful counterforce to Arch Theurg spam and other mage phenomena but needs some tweaking (Abysia's mages...tis' maddness) I tend to agree.

I mean, they took Awe which was pretty much the only reason the use them and not much of a reason either from Sons of Sun pretender. We still have a 50 point Lord of the Gates who gets whopping D1 magic. That water Titan pretender who is not only inferior to Dagon, he is more expensive. And then we get humongously powerful Helheim for early era, making F9/W9 bless even more no-brainer. WTHex guys. WTHex?

Nevertheless I'm having fun with the game but I have a feeling that it would have needed two more months under development or a larger dev team would have done the game good. Some of the stuff that's haunting the game is OLD, like the vague battle reports.

After Dominions 2 I'm not buying the "this will get fixed in a patch". Dominions 2 did get a lot of patches and they mostly fixed bugs, which is good. But we never got those more detailed battle reports etc etc. Instead we got Conquerors of the Seas Marignon, Raptors etc. which were off-balance and had to be tweaked in patches.

I just wish IW would have sat down and fixed the old stuff like battle reports before adding more stuff to the game. Worse, Dominions 3 introduced a number of bugs ranging from the map oopsies to Astral Travel not working. And they removed useful functions like the hosting dialogue even in singleplayer and removing the researcher highlighting. WTHex guys, WTHex?

To sum it up, I really like the game but it has it's glaring problems that are old and never got fixed in past, thus I am sceptic of ever seeing them getting fixed. And that dulls down my enjoyment.

[DominionsFan]

Needless to say that I love the game. Sure there are bugs, imbalances etc. but these problems will be solved sooner or later. Just be patient! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

[Nerfix]

I'm just a quite sceptic person by nature. If these things don't get fixed in the past I'm kinda doubtful that they will get fixed in the future.

[B0rsuk]

Pick me ! Pick me !

I'm not having fun with this game. It's because I ordered it from Tuxgames on 17th October, and their website still says 'sold out. stock expected to arrive on 10th october'.

As for demo, I have a promising Arcoscephale (I can spell it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif) game. I just launched a coordinated attack on 3 Mictlan forts (but not capitol), while holding ground against R'lyeh(Wyrm seeks vengeance), Jotunheim, Sauromantia and Oceania to lesser extent.
And guess what, 40 turn limit hit.

----------------
About DOminions3 shortcomings:
What the hell were betatesters doing ?!

[Amos]

I remember someone asking for detailed battle reports (or any battle report for sieges) two years ago,so I'm not holding my breath.

[DominionsFan]

Nerfix said:
I'm just a quite sceptic person by nature. If these things don't get fixed in the past I'm kinda doubtful that they will get fixed in the future.




Well maybe the imbalances won't be fixed by IW, but this is why we have powerful modding "tools". The community can fix the imbalance problems.

[Nerfix]

But the community cannot fix the battle messages etc etc.

[CharonJr]

I am having fun, but I have to agree about the battles messages/summaries.

Way too early for me to say anything about imbalances (just testing Helheims "überness" in a semi-AAR on a medium map (125 prov IIRC) vs. 10 highest level AIs), but due to the ability to mod I am not worried about this one.

If I were to make a priority list for patches it would be like this:

1. fix bugs
2. remove the most glaring imbalances (not everybody wants to use a mod)
3. better reports
4. add more content

CharonJr

[Arameyan]

yeah I'm having fun http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I play nation with nature and death magic combined (Pangaea with carrion Dragon, Sauromatia, Ctis).

I'm also glad I convinced 5 more friends to play the game (those didn't play to Dom2) so our MP games become really fun!

I cant wait to see the first patch!

[Boron]

I am having fun with Dom3, it is a nice improvement compared to Dom2 Vanilla http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

But i think too that another some months development would have been excellent for Dom3. But i am confident that patches and community mods will fix most issues http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

If i would have to give ratings i would give Dom2 Vanilla 85%, Dom2 CB 92%, Dom3 Vanilla 88%, Dom3 Vanilla with some patches most likely >92%, and Dom3 with community mods probably ~95%.

[AMF]

Yeah, the messages/reports are quite uninformative.

[Leif_-]

Nerfix said:
I just wish IW would have sat down and fixed the old stuff like battle reports before adding more stuff to the game.



I both agree and disagree. While ideally it would be nice to see them sand down all the old roughnesses, Illwinter have always had a tendency to work on the stuff they were interested in and entusiastic about. While this does mean that we get to keep the old annoyances that aren't fun to fix, I rather suspect that a game like Dominions plain can't be made in any other way.

If it's a question (as I believe it might be) about having entusiastic developers or having them work on "boring stuff," I'd rather have them enthusiastic (and I really want better battlereports and GUI) because it's that enthusiasm that's made Dominions Dominions.

[Nerfix]

I agree with that. I understand the devs want to do things they like to do with the game, and that's propably the way I would work on games. It's just that running into stuff like the vague battle reports & all dampens my enjoyment of the game.

[Recruit]

I'm a long time lurker here but I've been playing the game since release like an addict.

It's a great game imo.

Will be interesting to see if it can get even better through patches and player added content.

Looks to me like there is alot of potential for new custom nations, etc..

[Boron]

Leif_- said:

Nerfix said:
I just wish IW would have sat down and fixed the old stuff like battle reports before adding more stuff to the game.



I both agree and disagree. While ideally it would be nice to see them sand down all the old roughnesses, Illwinter have always had a tendency to work on the stuff they were interested in and entusiastic about. While this does mean that we get to keep the old annoyances that aren't fun to fix, I rather suspect that a game like Dominions plain can't be made in any other way.

If it's a question (as I believe it might be) about having entusiastic developers or having them work on "boring stuff," I'd rather have them enthusiastic (and I really want better battlereports and GUI) because it's that enthusiasm that's made Dominions Dominions.


Maybe Illwinter earned enough money with Dom3 that they could try to employ a third guy who has to do the unpleasant stuff like bugfixing, coding features etc..
Then for their next game we could have the best of both worlds, illwinters awesome creativity together with up to date micromanagement reduction features and UI "copied" from other strategy games which excel in these categories http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

[solops]

Never played any DOMs before and I am having a blast with this one. My biggest complaints are (1. having to manually save every few turns, (2. continually losing to Normal-Standard AIs (lol). More detailed reports would indeed increase the involvement and enjoyment of the game! Have not played enough to have a clue about balancing.

[Lasu]

B0rsuk said:
I'm not having fun with this game. It's because I ordered it from Tuxgames on 17th October, and their website still says 'sold out. stock expected to arrive on 10th october'.

As for demo, I have a promising Arcoscephale (I can spell it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif) game. I just launched a coordinated attack on 3 Mictlan forts (but not capitol), while holding ground against R'lyeh(Wyrm seeks vengeance), Jotunheim, Sauromantia and Oceania to lesser extent.
And guess what, 40 turn limit hit.



In-bloody-deed. Around turn 30 I usually start to think like there's no point in doing anything anymore, since the game will end soon anyway, and I pretty much either just press e repeatedly or start to mount a attack with all the troops I have, and, just like with B0rsuk, the game ends the same turn I get the army to attack.

I will repost in this thread when I get the game from Tuxgames and have played it for a couple of days, and describe my boundless enjoyment. Expect to hear from me again around Christmas.

[Gandalf Parker]

Im tempted to close this thread (I started it, I should be able to end it for hijacking). As I said there are ENOUGH gripe threads and its giving the WRONG impression IMHO. At least offer some upbeats with the down stuff.

As to lost life, thats what long hostings are for. In the large games thats the only thing that reminds me to consider eating, crapping, and sleeping.

As for not good enough reports, its a linux-written game. Have you turned on logging and looked at it? There are like 10 levels of logging and I can get a game to generate a gig of data in a couple of turns. Eventually more of it might sneak into the game as a menu option for the windows people to find (sorry, just had to slam it abit there) http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Gandalf Parker
--
Did you know that 9 out of 10 Windows users cant find their ascii with both hands? (now available as a shirt)
http://www.cafepress.com/oddthotz/589239?pid=2837642

[GrobRIM]

I tell you, if there is one thing missing from that game, it's a feature that would have it refuse to run after 12 consecutive hours of play in row so that, this week-end, maybe I can do something else than play just one more turn on and on and on and....

Bottomline: you bet I do find it fun... but girlfriend and dog don't!

[KissBlade]

Gandalf Parker said:
Im tempted to close this thread (I started it, I should be able to end it for hijacking). As I said there are ENOUGH gripe threads and its giving the WRONG impression IMHO. At least offer some upbeats with the down stuff.




To play the devil's advocate, negative feedback is better than positive in the long run for the game since it gives patches and cb mods a good idea of what to fix. There are people who are very spoiled by dom II's cb mod as well as the patch. Obviously compared to those and certain other dom II features (tab researchers), dom III still falls a little short. That's good though, there was a lot of expectancy for dom III because the dom line is a very good strategy series. As a whole, I love playing the game but I don't see the need to be excessively fanboy about it since it'll be very fake.

[Nerfix]

KissBlade said:To play the devil's advocate, negative feedback is better than positive in the long run for the game since it gives patches and cb mods a good idea of what to fix. There are people who are very spoiled by dom II's cb mod as well as the patch. Obviously compared to those and certain other dom II features (tab researchers), dom III still falls a little short. That's good though, there was a lot of expectancy for dom III because the dom line is a very good strategy series. As a whole, I love playing the game but I don't see the need to be excessively fanboy about it since it'll be very fake.

100% Agreed.

[Leif_-]

KissBlade said:
To play the devil's advocate, negative feedback is better than positive in the long run



However, both is needed, and this thread was explicitly started for the latter.

Yes, I'm having a lot of fun with Dominions 3, for the moment as much with fiddling with stuff outside the game as actually playing it.

[Caduceus]

I am enjoying the game thoroughly.

[st.patrik]

I'm having fun - trying to figure out strategies that might work, and then when you test them and (sometimes) they work - this is fun.

also I'm enjoying finding little things that I didn't know about - even though I've been playing for quite awhile I still find things I didn't know about that are kinda fun.

and of course I love MP games, so I'm enjoying the 4 or so I'm in a lot.

[tibbs]

I'm having lots of fun. I love Dom3 multiplayer. One thing I like is that it isn't a time consuming game. I can take my turns and be done with it for the day.

[PhilD]

Hey, I hate this game. Can't stand it. I'm only playing it several hours a day because I'm a masochist...

(:))

[Morkilus]

I can't imagine what some of you gripers think about things you actually don't like. If you're playing as much as it seems you are, it seems pretty obvioius what you think about the game.

I just wish I had as much time to play as I do reading this board http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif Maybe when I quit my job http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[B0rsuk]

I occasionally get accused of being a malconent just because I rarely praise stuff that works fine (and doesn't need fixing). In general, Dominions3 is very fine game, and I decided to buy it because it gets me more bang per buck than Dominions2.

That being said, in mainstream gaming communities Dominions3 would be named 'Dominions 2 deluxe' or 'Dominions 2 expansion pack'. I don't need fancy graphics (I play roguelikes regularly), but for me Dominions3 offers a bit too little as far as gameplay innovations go.
One thing that could've been easily improved without much effort would be getting some high quality sound effects. I really appreciate good sound effects in games, sometimes even more than music (I listen to music A LOT). I don't know how much does it cost to license/buy _good_ sound effects, but good sounds really improve atmosphere. It would be mostly battle effects in Dom3, but still. I mean, you don't have to rewrite a lot of code to get better sound effects. But I'm pleased with more music, and can't wait to check extra music from full versions. What's interesting is that Dom3 music seems to get less praise than Dom2 music did. I understand that Illwinter had to name the game like this (Dominions3 instead of Dominions2.5) because it sells better this way, I presume. I can't blame them.
I still think the game is worth the money.

[PashaDawg]

Having tons of fun here! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[upstreamedge]

I am having fun, I am writing a D&D adventure based in the middle era and am playing some mp games.

However, I am a little irritated about some of the balance things in the game. But it is no biggie as I am sure patches will fix the problems

[Gandalf Parker]

As I said there are plenty of gripe threads. I wont say they shouldnt exist. Im just trying to fix the impression that the game sucks. Particularly with so many players working their way thru the way that the game works (and eventually discovering that many of the "broke"s arent really broke). Suggestions are great but too many ***** threads arent going to get anything fixed if they kill the game instead.

[UninspiredName]

I'm definitely having fun. Soon as next payday, I plan on buying.

[Agrajag]

I'm having fun.
Not as much as I hoped as I'm having trouble finding time to play Dom3 (mainly because to get a game set up I need a really long time, to plan strategies before the game starts among other things).
If I would've answered that question during the weekend then I would have probably left out the last part http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Tyrant]

I agree with all of Cainehill's gripes, but i am having a blast with it anyway. Rough edges on niche game made by two guys who have day jobs? Of course! Since they made not one, but two games that are on my all time favorite list, i forgive them.

Perhaps this is an age thing. I remember the days when it was foolish to buy a 'puter game before you played someone else's copy because many of them did not work *at all*! I played a terrific game called VGA Planets for years despite the fact that the hostile paraniod hermit who made it never bothered to make functioning interface- you had to use a third party add on! The hobby has come a long way since then, and standards are much higher, but it's easy for me to overlook little flaws if there's a great game underneath, and with Dom there definatly is http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif Three cheers for IW and Shrapnel!

ps (i think that they will fix some of these things in the patchs too)

[J Henry Waugh]

Love Dom3, the random map feature is awesome, and like how the game tools has moved out to a separate menu option, along with random map and other tinkering features...

There a few disappointments -- IMV, the battle reports I wish were more detailed, at least at commander level - i.e., which commanders dies, which routed, how many fallen/wounded for each commander... ...and the F1 screen, which I was hoping for improved UI enhancements - namely, ability to sort (and/or filter) by troop totals, magic, income, resources, etc....

Overall, very pleased and stuff like game balance doesn't bother me as given Dom2 history, patches will no doubt address the blatant and obvious balance issues. Like stated, the biggest problem is finding enough Dom3 time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Forrest]

I DESPISE this game.

I started Arcoscephale for a Astral war. Astrologers with masses of communion slaves walking over the petty mortals. Then I found "The Citidel of Pyriphlegeton" with +4 fire gems and lvl 3 Fire adepts. My dream became corrupted by their siren call of Fire Arrows. I was weak.

I am so ashamed.

But, they also have a 60 buck lvl 1 fire mage. Give them a communion slave gem and .........

The ones that don't burn are in trouble.

[Cainehill]

Tyrant said:
I agree with all of Cainehill's gripes, but i am having a blast with it anyway. Rough edges on niche game made by two guys who have day jobs? Of course! Since they made not one, but two games that are on my all time favorite list, i forgive them.

Perhaps this is an age thing. I remember the days when it was foolish to buy a 'puter game before you played someone else's copy because many of them did not work *at all*!



An age thing? Heh, don't think so. _I_ remember the days where you _had_ to buy a game without playing anyone else's copy, because there'd be at most two copies of the game, packaged in ziploc bags, in the computer stores in your city. So you'd drop 60-70 bucks on a game, and sometimes get lucky (the original Wizardry, Loderunner, etc). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

And I'm not saying I don't like the game - I do, and I appreciate the improvements IW has made. And I'll stop short before saying anything more, 'cause Gandalf already thinks I hijacked his thread. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

(Gandalf - I missed the bit about wanting a more upbeat thread, and only keyed in on the question, "is anyone having fun?", which is a question with more than one answer. Sorry. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif )

[Forrest]

This game is awe inspiring. It sells a fantasy world that is rich and complex. Yet easy to enter. It is a sign of how jaded some players are that they don't just sit back and go "wow" sometimes.

Could it use patching? Of course and I look forward to it. That does not make it a monumental achivement.

I like the dom 1 combat graphics better. Which goes to show you can't please everybody. It will never be perfect for everyone. Welcome to the real world.

[PDF]

Forrest said:
This game is awe inspiring. ...



Yes, even Awe+6 ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[JaydedOne]

I think it's pretty clear, given my near-Pollyanna love for Dominions, that I'm having a fun time. Playing in three MP games, getting ready to host a fourth, tinkering when work allows in SP.

Yes, as in every game I've ever played, going back to Chivalry and Aztec, my first two loves on the Apple II+, there are improvements I'm looking forward to, both from the devs and from the community. But I think for the gold release, it's a great start. I think we sometimes get so blinded by the potential of Dominions and how much we want it to achieve that we forget how much we like where it began. And I'd say we like that a lot.

That said, bring on the first patch! Or some patch notes! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Twan]

I'm having fun but don't think the game is perfect. I think many things may be improved, and it's logical to see people who like the game asking for these improvements. I see no post on this forum giving the impression that the author has as a definitive opinion "dom3 sucks" (except perhaps one or two Cainehill messages http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif ), just players asking with passion for one or another thing that would make the game better for them.

PS : globally I also think that many of the qualities of this game may become defaults due to bad luck in the early game and give a bad opinion of it. In example the aging system is good but IMO having entire categories of mages starting more than old instead of 1-3 years before the old age limit is not, the event system is good but having a plague in turn 3 without a big misfortune scale is not, etc... After 2-3 tests by an unlucky player this game may appear far worse than it is.

[Teraswaerto]

I'm having fun even though I don't have the game yet, just think of what it'll be like when I do get it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Tichy]

The thing I've noticed is that the complaints about Dom3 sound much less like customers griping about problems with a product they bought, and more like friends critiquing (usually constructively) the work of their friends.

And astral travel not working is a good handicap for playing LE R'lyeh SP. Otherwise it'd just be moidah! Make them all crazy and THEN drop an army on their heads.

[curtadams]

PDF said:

Forrest said:
This game is awe inspiring. ...


Yes, even Awe+6 ! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif


Obviously there's some high MRs around here because a lot of people manage to attack it anyway. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

I'm most impressed with the random map feature. I play SP, and mostly Aran-sized maps. Now every game is different! All in all, it's a big step up from Dom2. The "griping" is inevitable, and I take it as a good thing. When people don't say anything, or just say it's bad, you have a problem. When people discuss what to improve, it means they like it.

[Nerfix]

I'm a Three Star veteran from the sheer amount of time I've been recruited. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[bleach168]

I hate this game.












For eating all my free time.

[Taqwus]

Heh. It's fine entertainment for oddballs like myself. :p

[Horst F. JENS]

have much fun with the game (still playing Pangea, Early Age, but i'm learning!).
I also love to work llike mad at the strategywiki http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Dominions_3:_The_Awakening/Table_of_Contents
but well, i'm strange :-)

[Gandalf Parker]

Heehee. My wife asked what I was doing. I have Dom3 running on 3 different machines from my desktop (it could be 5 but that would just be insane). She is surprised that I havent loaded it on her machine and LAN'd it into the mix.
I guess maybe Im addicted. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

My Old Desktop Machine:
Playing a solo testing the variables on my EA Pangaea before I post it here

My New Dual-Processing Desktop:
running random tests on the map generation trying to figure out how the map color commands work

My Newer Linux Server:
running a script over and over to try and create a huge maximum settings map that I like. When I get one I want I will start serving some huge games on it while I work on fixing any bad neighbor commands. Then I will start modifying the provinces to get a map that is downloadable since I dont think too many people can generate one this big. On my server (which is also doing internet for a couple of hundred people) it takes 2-3 hours to generate one map.
11000x11000 pixels
1500 provinces
20% water
50% mountains (creates a maze/labyrinth style map)
anti-alias smoothing on and special colors

the Older Linux Server:
is also running Dom3. Many blitz and demo games

[Lord Hammer]

I should have mine today or Monday from NWS Online. I WILL be having fun...my kids were in diapers when Dom2 came out and now??? Where did the time go...Dom3 and they'll be married before my first campaign is over http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif
Edit: Okay maybe not diapers, pull-ups.

[HoneyBadger]

Gandalf, to aid you who seem an optimist, in your own personal persuit of true happiness on earth, I offer you this observation: There are two kinds of people who frequent forums dedicated to niche turn-based fantasy strategy games. The first is the one who hasn't got enough of a personality/philosophy/life/social network/hugs from mommie and daddy, and doesn't really enjoy anything except by despising it, eating and drinking spite, hate, and bitterness, and then vomiting it out onto anything flawed that anyone else may find pleasure in. That sort of person should in my opinion be dropped into the heart of Sol as soon as convenient to the rest of us, in order to provide additional fuel so that we may continue enjoying the beautiful Earth past the looming 5 billion year mark.

The second sort are the ones who see that a thing is flawed, but love it anyway, not by ignoring the flaw or by being blind to it, but reveling in what the thing they love is, flaws and all. I feel that a thing's worth, atleast as it is discussed on a forum such as this one, is in the type of people that thing attracts. Here in this forum, I find myself surrounded by those I want to continue living on my planet, sharing my Earth. So in conclusion: Yes, I'm having fun. Yes I *****, yes I complain, yes I want more and better into the very heights and depths of infinity, but I want those things for Dom 3 because I'm in love with this game, joyfully, gleefully, past all point of reason. And I think that fact, not that I spend all my free time playing the game-and I do, believe me-but the fact that I spend all the *rest* of my time here on these boards, surrounded by the people I want to be surrounded by, discussing the thing I want to discuss, proves that I'm having fun. We all are.

[Recruit]

Looks like HoneyBadger has been into the "happyjuice" again..

[Agrajag]

HoneyBadger said:
That sort of person should in my opinion be dropped into the heart of Sol as soon as convenient to the rest of us, in order to provide additional fuel so that we may continue enjoying the beautiful Earth past the looming 5 billion year mark.


Let me just point out that the sun is fueled by Hydrogen fusion, and thus supplying it with the body of a human can only do it harm by absorbing some of the heat energy into incinerating that person.
It would probably be more useful to bury them for nutrients for plantlife to supply us with a less CO2 rich air.

[LeSquide]

Astral Travel not working makes me sad; the spell sits there, taunting me with its promises of army movement.

It lies!

I see it a lot, as every free moment not involving my loved ones gets eaten by the game.

I love the game, don't regret the money I spent on it, and recommend it to my TBS-liking friends.

[Johan K]

It works fine for me, give it a try.

[HoneyBadger]

mmmmm...happyjuice http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Actually, I was just coming off a 12 hour workday, including 6 hours answering phones. It was either take it out on you guys or strangle a co-worker. I couldn't find a co-worker within strangling range.

[BigJMoney]

I love the game. I don't think there is too much negative hype here on the forums, but I'd say that the people who have been around for a long time probably assume we all know they still like (and find value in) the series despite their critiques. People in general are quicker to critique than to praise because they think ciritique will get them what they want, but they don't see the value in praise. So, let it be a reminder that there are many new people here and we should not forget to praise what's worth praising.

That being said, I think we should also understand that the very nature of the genre means that a large portion of the playerbase is going to be analytical and critical. Shutting down threads won't change the way people think and communicate. The best thing is to just to suggest people remember to pair criticism with praise, even if it seems like the praise would be redundant. That's what I'll try to do. Honestly, I think the most practical help to this whole thing would be multiple forums. If suggestions could be kept to a suggestion forum, then the main Doms 3 forum wouldn't be cluttered with things that might be negatively interpreted by newbies. Newbies must be properly cared for in a newbie nursery....

Aha! So that's the solution. We need a forum called the "Newbie Nursery". Okay, I'm just joking, but truly I think suggestions should be taken out of the main forums. Also, make a thread called, "Why you like Dominions." and sticky it when it gets full. I think people will be more inclined to post their positive thoughts in one like that, since it is less inviting of criticism than "Is anyone having fun".

My $0.02

=$=

[Gandalf Parker]

Hmmm good points.

[Archonsod]

I'm having too much fun losing.

It's the new effects. I know concentrating solely on fire magic is a bad idea, especially when everyone knows you do it so invest heavily in fire resistance, but I can't help it. Those fire spells are so pretty....

[HoneyBadger]

You know, speaking of praise where praise is due: I like the graphics. A lot of people don't seem to because they say they're dated. I've heard comments like: "graphics from 10 years ago" Yes, you can say they're dated, but they're pleasant to look at, and they serve their purpose, and it's an absolutely beautiful, amazing job for two programmers. And really, the battle effects are incredible. I'll slip a little criticism in here though: the turn screen, while you're waiting for the computer to calculate the battles. I really think it would be worthwile, and not too demanding, if-bare minimum-each nation got a separate skin here. I do like to think of the two "stone heads" on either side as busts of Kristoffer and Johan, but this really is one area of the game where you spend a lot of time looking at the screen and not doing anything, and it's the one area where the graphics disappoint me. If I ever get my scanner back from my dad, I'm planning to send Illwinter a whole bunch of illustrations to replace what's currently there, providing I can find the time. I'm also thinking a screen-saver type effect could be used there, where you'd see images from the "real world" of the game: living pillars standing guard before the underground and underwater gates of Atlantis, a sacrifice performed atop a ziggurat-temple of Mictlan, a mummified oracle bursting from it's crypt, the ghostly image of an ancient kracken in the depths, Call of Cthulhu style, etc. It shouldn't be too demanding, performance-wise, on a modern computer, and it should add something, imagination-wise, to the fun factor, especially if the images are from *your* nation that you're currently playing, which should cause a lot of people to want to play nations they normally wouldn't, just so they can see the pretty pictures. Maybe Illwinter could even hold a contest and host a gallery of fan art for the game, and the best images would go into upcoming patches? That way, you'd have something new that WE as a community add to the game, over time.

[Endoperez]

HoneyBadger said:
I'll slip a little criticism in here though: the turn screen, while you're waiting for the computer to calculate the battles. I really think it would be worthwile, and not too demanding, if-bare minimum-each nation got a separate skin here. I do like to think of the two "stone heads" on either side as busts of Kristoffer and Johan, but this really is one area of the game where you spend a lot of time looking at the screen and not doing anything, and it's the one area where the graphics disappoint me. If I ever get my scanner back from my dad, I'm planning to send Illwinter a whole bunch of illustrations to replace what's currently there, providing I can find the time.



I don't know about the screen-saver, but this can be modded already, and in fact, HAS been modded. Check out some of the older threads in mod forum. I'm THINK the GUI can be defined as a per-nation setting, but I'm not sure.

[Gandalf Parker]

Another thing about the graphics is that it does make the game memory efficient and fast. Some of my favorite grames have been ruined by shifting toward 3D and eye-candy.

I agree about the screen saver. Maybe its because the developers live in cold climate but I wish there were scenes other than a desert with cities scrolling behind the menu screens. If there was something abit more green, particularly more temperate zone, then I might make use of the "hit spacebar to hide menu" thing and just let the screen scroll when I have to step away for abit.

[Archonsod]

I can't see it taking up much more resources than the old Doms 2 glowing lights, especially if it's just a still image. Besides, even if it does slow down at least you have something to look at http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif