Incentives to patch the game?

[Endoperez]

Jourdeloune, why would you like Dominions 4 to have spesifically great 3d graphics instead of great graphics, leaving the choice of 2d/3d to the developers? The latest Shrapnel Games' FRAG! newsletter (not available online, but I can provide the particular article if you're interested) discussed the necessity of 3d.

In short, there's no reason to use 3d for graphics, as far as the GRAPHICS go. It can be used to allow various gameplay elements in FPS or RTS games, and provides some problems with camera control, but 3d doesn't necessarily look better than 2d. Good 2d graphics look better than bad 3d, and while it's hard to make good-looking humans that are just 32 pixels high, it would be even harder to make good-looking humans when you have just few polygons to work with - not to mention complex forms with small animated parts such as hydra's heads, or a scorpion king (8 legs, 2 hands, a prehensile tail... it adds up). Furthermore, Dominions combat system can't use most of the 3d changes, because the lay of the land doesn't affect battles; only the dominion and scales, and sometimes the terrain of the province, have an effect in the battlefield. With no elevation bonuses and no line of sight, what could 3d be used for?