How turn Dominions from a niche game to an MMO

[Tollund]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

But it might have become the one-stop shopper for Dom3 games.

You say this as thought that would have been a problem.

As you say, an official server should be better and have more juice. That point is not necessarily a "pro" in the consideration.

If Shrapnel can't manage to scrape together a couple of hundred dollars to pay for a single computer to run a couple of hundred PBEM Dominions games, then they aren't worth much as a publisher.

Stop making excuses for them Gandalf. They supposedly aren't paying you to shill for them anymore.

[Foodstamp]

Stop making excuses for them Gandalf. They supposedly aren't paying you to shill for them anymore.

Are you even going to try to do a good job at hiding the fact that you are an alt account?

[Sombre]

Yeah a few people have said that about Tollund. Who knows though. Who cares.

[Foodstamp]

Normally I wouldn't. But it is fairly obvious it is being used to attack another forum user with anonymity.

[Sombre]

Well the last time that happened it was Gandalf attacking himself, so I don't know how sympathetic I'd be anyway :]

[Foodstamp]

No matter who it is, it is pretty lame.

[Gandalf Parker]

Of course as an alt-troll he would simply be feeding me straight line points for me to follow up on.
Such as....

One stop taking over for half a dozen servers would have its drawbacks.

A couple hundred dollars might replace MY server but I definitely would never say something like that about the others.

And as I said, an official Shrapnel server would not be just for a couple hundred dominions games.

And the cost involves more than just buying a good computer. There is also hosting, bandwidth, and paying for the programming.

Then there is the admining. If nothing else, the various fan-run game servers and the mp forums show the amount of administration it would take. Ask anyone who has done it and quit.

Much less the amount of time for being the official "referee" for such games which would also occur.

A few hundred dollars for a server? And that to run various games that are almost a decade old. With a couple of new ones in the works Im guessing they would have to be considered now also. I dont KNOW that they support internet and/or pbem but that is fairly standard for games here.

--
Just what I always wanted. My very own bunny rabbit. I will hug him,
and pet him, and squeeze him, and name him George.

[Tollund]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

One stop taking over for half a dozen servers would have its drawbacks.

Why are you assuming that all of the other servers would no longer exist?

And as I said, an official Shrapnel server would not be just for a couple hundred dominions games.

Why not? What other games do they have with a large PBEM multiplayer contingent?

And the cost involves more than just buying a good computer. There is also hosting, bandwidth, and paying for the programming.

Bandwidth? What is this, 1993 and the era of Compuserve? Consumer bandwidth via the cell phone network is around a cent per megabyte. I'm sure that any company that can manage a webforum can afford to send a few thousand emails a day.

Then there is the admining. If nothing else, the various fan-run game servers and the mp forums show the amount of administration it would take. Ask anyone who has done it and quit.

Gandalf, just because you haven't figured out how to automate things doesn't mean that it's impossible for others to do so. Have you ever even looked at the Llamaserver webpage? Almost every admin option needed is right there for the people who are actually playing the game.

Much less the amount of time for being the official "referee" for such games which would also occur.

Referee for what? Automatic servers don't care about game disputes between players.

A few hundred dollars for a server? And that to run various games that are almost a decade old. With a couple of new ones in the works Im guessing they would have to be considered now also. I dont KNOW that they support internet and/or pbem but that is fairly standard for games here.

Well, they are supposed to be supporting their games. That is, after all, the only reason that a developer would bother with a publisher in this day and age.

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by Tollund

Why are you assuming that all of the other servers would no longer exist?

They might. But not nearly at the same level. Based on the experiences of other games that have gone to official servers.

And as I said, an official Shrapnel server would not be just for a couple hundred dominions games.

Why not? What other games do they have with a large PBEM multiplayer contingent?[/quote]
At the time of the original one, SEIV had much more of a pbem contingent. And thats if you want to consider them limiting the game to pbem. I thought the bigger/better thing was in play here.

Bandwidth? What is this, 1993 and the era of Compuserve? Consumer bandwidth via the cell phone network is around a cent per megabyte. I'm sure that any company that can manage a webforum can afford to send a few thousand emails a day.

Actually you are talking about the developers managing the cost. And a hefty investment/payback is more along the line of what Shrapnel exists to avoid.

Gandalf, just because you haven't figured out how to automate things doesn't mean that it's impossible for others to do so. Have you ever even looked at the Llamaserver webpage? Almost every admin option needed is right there for the people who are actually playing the game.

Huh? Almost everything on my server is massively automated. Arguably more than LLama's. Try looking thru the "problem with" posts and the responses.

Referee for what? Automatic servers don't care about game disputes between players.

Ahhh yes. That is so obvious from the mp threads. And the many "please fix" which are often tried to shift to the server. Even more so if it was an official server.

A few hundred dollars for a server? And that to run various games that are almost a decade old. With a couple of new ones in the works Im guessing they would have to be considered now also. I dont KNOW that they support internet and/or pbem but that is fairly standard for games here.

Well, they are supposed to be supporting their games. That is, after all, the only reason that a developer would bother with a publisher in this day and age.[/quote]
Why? Seriously. Because you want it that way? Pick a forum for ANY game. Not just here. Especially ones with official free servers. The love is just rampant.

[Gandalf Parker]

But WAIT.
Now that you are here can I throw out one more?
How about a phone app? Or let me play it on my iPod?
THAT is the NEW future.