First inkling that you’ve won/lost an MP Game?

[Dedas]

I've found that the way towards the goal is often more rewarding than the goal in itself. But if you somehow achieve the goal and also took the time to enjoy the way towards it, it will be an even more rewarding experience. So all in all you have very little to lose, taking your time with the turns, relaxing and letting your imagination have its way.

[Xietor]

I have never set myself to ai in a mp game. While I like to win, if I know i cannot do that, then i am content to be kingmaker or make sure someone else does not win.

In the Big Game I knew from very early on it was unlikely anyone other than LA Ermor, LA Ryleh, or LA Atlantis Allaince would actually win among the 62 nations. But I developed a good hate for an alliance that attacked me in the game and i was just as content with seeing that alliance destroyed as i was with winning.

Also, i enjoy playing. So I am not really tempted to go ai if I can still have an effect on the outcome of the game-whether i win or not.

[Gregstrom]

I play to have a good time, mostly. Winning is an unlikely bonus. Surviving to the endgame is fun.

[Kristoffer O]

> I play to have a good time, mostly. Winning is an unlikely bonus. Surviving to the endgame is fun.

I agree with Gregstrom, except I prefer to die before endgame.

I like local politics and petty wars. In a game I (or my pretender alter ego) would be surprised and annoyed if another nation expected me to attack some kind of mighty far away nation. My war is my fun. A good dominions game are several games in one. Some of these might culminate to a greater epic, but I don't mind a mosaic of politics and lesser goals.

But I believe I'm more of a roleplayer than a cometitive player. Not that I don't like competition, but I prefer it on a regional level, in a global setting so to speak.

[Ylvali]

Kristoffer O said:
> I play to have a good time, mostly. Winning is an unlikely bonus. Surviving to the endgame is fun.

I agree with Gregstrom, except I prefer to die before endgame.

I like local politics and petty wars. In a game I (or my pretender alter ego) would be surprised and annoyed if another nation expected me to attack some kind of mighty far away nation. My war is my fun. A good dominions game are several games in one. Some of these might culminate to a greater epic, but I don't mind a mosaic of politics and lesser goals.

But I believe I'm more of a roleplayer than a cometitive player. Not that I don't like competition, but I prefer it on a regional level, in a global setting so to speak.

That is my perspective too. The fun of MP is in the roleplaying. Building relations. Making sneaky little plans. posting funny stories at the forum. Etc. Etc.

I find that I am much more loyal to a game where I took my time to build a personality and roleplay my pretender, especially if other player are feeling the same way. Primea is a good example.

[Agema]

According to the game, whoever doesn't win, loses.

But some people may prefer to go away with the thought "I was second" because they were they were the last player to be defeated, or may even think "I allied with X for him to win therefore I was part of a team victory".

Not stopping large and dangerous opponents is also actually realistic: the rise of Nazi Germany; the Celts not uniting to resist Caesar until he'd already pacified most of Gaul; the crusaders sacking Constantinople with the Turks approaching the gates of Europe.

I think it's true that there's a sense people want to take down a bitter opponent. There's a sense of victory in overcoming a local opponent, even if you can't overwhelm the big guy who comes after.

[Gregstrom]

Or, in a nutshell, players are free to set their own limited victory conditions :-)