Dominions II

[Japher]

I got the game on Saturday. Spent Saturday and Sunday reading the manual and tutorials while watching football. Finally installed it last night and played. Here's what I think so far (as if anyone cares):

The Manual Sucks. No surpirse here. It is mostly the spells and items in the game, which there are a ton of. They attempt to tell you the workings of the game, but it is a complicated game and really doesn't scratch the surface about what is needed to know in order to play.

Interface Convienently omitted from the manual is every thing you need to know to navigate on the screen. Not only that, but it is not all entirely intuitive. Took me about an hour of hit and miss as well as searching through the tutorial to understand it all. Still, they expect some things to be obvious by a picture, and guess what, it's not.

Graphics Takes me back to the day of MoM. Very DOS like, but the simpel appearance is a nice mislead to the game. The 3D animation during the fight scenes is alright.

Battles What battles? Basically, you set up the fight as best as you can and then hit enter and the computer takes care of the rest. I thought this would totally suck, but it totally doesn't. Why? There is already a lot to do in the game that also requiring the fighting could make one turn take a day. Besides the control you have over what to cast, how to fight, who to attack, etc. seems to be enough to vary the outcome of each battle enough to make it challenging.

Magic Huge and complex, the way it should be.

Item Creation Much like MoM, but with more.

Provinces You can only build a fort, temple, and lab in each of your zones. Yet, whether to build these is really the question. Also, sending priests or mages of varying levels of varying paths may unlock "magic sources" which can give you more gems (their mana), money, production points, units, etc... This makes up for the lack of buildings.

Units Tons of units including scouts, priests, commanders, and mages whom all hold special uses apart from fighting. You can use them to research while your "god" goes out to war, recruit units, cast spells, use to them to spread your dominion to preach the word of your god, use them to build, or search for magic, or even to lead comabt units to war. Each unit is unique and awesome.

Random Events Well, they have them. No better or worse than other games with such events.

Diplomacy There is none. The game is about domination, not making friends.

Gods Your main character is a pretender god, or some one trying to be a god. When you begin the game you can chose from varying body types, each type comes with bonus' and stats of a specific kind. You then chose your magic paths, and then your fort (which will determine production and unit capacity). This is all on a point based system, and while there seems to be less to chose from, compared to MoM, there really isn't. It is almost as limitedless in starting strats as in MoM.

Overall

Ugly looking game with an o-kay soundtrack and a very difficult interface to get accustomed to (maybe about twice as hard to get use to as CIV games). No battle like action, not even a little title moving over to girate next to another one as the computer determines your fate.

Still, the game is addictive, vast, and I am sure I will have many hours of fun with it. Has the air of MoM without the battlefield. So if you liked everything else about MoM and micromanagement you like this game, if not love it.

So, to who ever recommended it to me, thanks. It is one of the best turn based games I have yet to play.

[General Ludd]

It was made with multiplayer in mind, and I'm sure it would make a superb PBEM game. I haven
t gotten around to trying it, though. Maybe someone wants to organize an apolyton game?

[LDiCesare]

I tried the demo, and still can't figure out why I can't build an army as big as those the ai's seem to have...
I found out a vague strat guide on the web, and, of course, can't find the game in France...
I think the UI is really poor though. Going through the commanders is not intuitive. Remembering to carry gems with your mages is probably one of the most important points in the game.

[EternalSpearman]

Originally posted by Japher
Diplomacy There is none. The game is about domination, not making friends.

Well, not quite no diplomacy; you may trade magic gems and such, and send text messages (admittedly not much, but as you said, the game is about domination). So, although you can't be 'allied' with anyone for any long period of time, two players could agree to center their attacks on a particular nation, and then fight each other afterward.

Also, if you haven't already, look at the at the Dominions forum at Shrapnel Games, the publisher of Dominions.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by EternalSpearman


Well, not quite no diplomacy; you may trade magic gems and such, and send text messages (admittedly not much, but as you said, the game is about domination). So, although you can't be 'allied' with anyone for any long period of time, two players could agree to center their attacks on a particular nation, and then fight each other afterward.

Of course, there's always diplomacy in multiplayer. I think he was rfering to the single player game, and there is no diplomacy with the AI.

[quantum_mechani]

Originally posted by Osweld
Maybe someone wants to organize an apolyton game?

I would be willing to host a PBEM. Anyone interested should post here with thier favorite nation and settings.

[Japher]

I am still deciding on my favorite nation... and I still suck, despite playing it all the time... If you want to kick my arse, I'd be up for playing...

See, quantum, your not on my ignore

[Jon Miller]

I played for about two days (straight) last dec

have not returned

I find that every game just gets rediculously huge, and than unfun

Jon Miller

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by LDiCesare

I think the UI is really poor though. Going through the commanders is not intuitive.

The hotkeys make a huge difference.

I find that every game just gets rediculously huge

I've noticed that too.

I tend to play on the smaller maps, with only 5 or 6 nations, now.

[Japher]

I like the hugeness of the game... You do have to tailor it to your own gaming needs. It IS a MoM type of game, and that is why I like it.

5 or 6 Nations? I play with one and get blown away!

Also, if you haven't already, look at the at the Dominions forum at Shrapnel Games, the publisher of Dominions.

I went to that site and really ticked everyone of with my first post... Some one even bother to give me a rating of one star (5 being the best) to show how much they hated me... I still pop in over there and tick them off with my awesome sarcasm!

[General Ludd]

I really, really, really, hate those damned reverse forums. Why do they use them?


WHY?

[General Ludd]

I'm still up for a PBEM game, by the way. I'm not too picky about nations.

[General Ludd]

Wee, third post in a row.



I don't know if any of you have tried any of the mods out there, but they're prety cool. I can't wait untill they implement more modding abilities.


I was inspired by the Hoburg Alliance mod to try making a Pictsies mod, based the Discworld books. Pictsies are basically miniature picts (think scotsmen / braveheart) who're covered in so many tatoos that they appear to have blue skin. They're only a couple inches tall in the books, but I want to be able to see them on the battle field, so hoburg size is fine. It's not like this is a serious conversion effort, anyways.

I was thinking the units would be mostly a variety of warriors and berserkers, either with two weapons or a buckler. Some stone hurlers or slingers would fit in aswell, and I don't see why they shouldn't get boar riders, too.

I haven't put much thought into the leaders. I can't think what would be appropriate for magic users - maybe some sort of sooth seer or druid. For a 'preistly' commander I was thinking along the lines of "Kegmeister".

I've made two prototypes for the units, the first one is a picsty in a very badly done tartan outfit and helmet - it's little more then a recolouring of the Hoburg Horticulturalist. The second is a much better (in my opinion) shirtless pictsy with red hair. Both have spears (mainly because I was just modifying the horticulturalist who happened to be holding a staff) But I intend on the units having mainly swords and axes, possibly hammers.

1. 2.


If anyone wants to offer ideas or discriptions for the units/leaders/heros feel free to.
Also, does anyone know how to access the original unit graphics?

[quantum_mechani]

Well it looks like we have three players for the PBEM, that should be enough for a small map. Since everyone is flexable on nations I was thinking of a death themed game with Ermor vs. Pangea (Carrion Woods) vs. C'tis (Desert Tombs). Of course it might be fun to play around with mods... it could make for an interesting game if everyone played a modded nation.As far as the map settings I was thinking all default, and using the smallest map (Urgaia). If anyone has any other ideas though, please post them.

[Japher]

I really, really, really, hate those damned reverse forums. Why do they use them?

I think they do that so that when you reply you get the last message first, and the aren't as sophisticated as Poly

I haven't messed with any mods... and I haven't downloaded the patch, but a lot of the additions seem to be in my version already, and I have not experienced any of the bugs they said existed.

Ermor/Pangea/C'tis is fine. I have played the first two, and always play against C'tis. Again, I suck, but PBEM will help me I guess... I haven't played the Carrion Woods theme... What theme for Ermor? Does it really matter?

I'll start messing with them so that I can plot a strat.

Lately I have been playing Tien Chi, I really like them. I generally go with a Rainbow Mage, but that has just been to get a feel of each of the magic paths and items.

As for the map, would Urgaia be big enough for 3 players? I know they say it is, but it does seem small.

Anyway...

[General Ludd]

Urgaia is plenty big. Out of those three nations, I'd like to go with C'tis.

But actually, if we're to do a death themed game, I'd like to suggest Dark Woods Ulm with a Vampire Queen.


I'm running the latest patch (2.06) and I don't think we really need to use any mods.

[Japher]

I think any death themed nation should be fine with me. Vampire Queens are awesome, so is the Ghost King... What would I play? Hmmm... I have never played C'tis (Fire/death/blood?), so that might be fun. Yet, I have never played carrion woods either and a blood/nature/death mix would be interesting.

[quantum_mechani]

hmm... Black Forest should be ok, I was just thinking of the nations with access to unholy priests for summoning hordes. However, if we remove that restriction we could also consider Return of the Raptors or even Machaka.

[General Ludd]

Blood, death, close enough.

[Japher]

I've been playing the carrion woods, and I lie it... I'll take them... lets play

[General Ludd]

Another preview of my mod...

Notice the pipers. (bottom row)

[Japher]

I have never read Discworld, but I am told I should.

[General Ludd]

This is their "background" which I nabbed out of the book where they where first introduced.

"The shadow reached a flat rock that offered a magnificent view of the fields and wood below, and there the army came out from among the roots. It was made up of very small blue men, some wearing pointy blue caps, but most of them with their red hair uncovered. They carried swords. None of them was more than six inches high.
They lined up and looked down into the new place and then, weapons waving, raised a battle cry. It would have been more impressive if they'd agreed on one before, but as it was it sounded as though every single small warrior had a battle cry of his very own and would fight anyone tried to take it away from him.

'Nac mac Feegle!'
'Ach, stickit yer trakkans!'
'Gie you sich a kickin'!'
'Bigjobs!'
'Dere c'n onlie be whin t'ousand!'
'Nac mac Feegle wha hae!'
'Wha hae yersel, ya boggin!'"

[Japher]

Attack of the Smurfs!!!

[quantum_mechani]

Just an update: I accidentally had a mod enabled when I created the game, and since the new patch is out we might as well upgrade and start from scratch. I also decided to scrap the death theme idea, so choose whatever nations you like (hopefully not the same one ).

Anyone else interested in joining the PBEM, feel free to post here.

[Grumbold]

It sounds interesting but I'm not playing full-game price for something with 1980's graphics

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Grumbold
It sounds interesting but I'm not playing full-game price for something with 1980's graphics

What games where you playing in the 80's that had graphics like that?


It's mid-90's graphics. And you're missing out on a ton of great games if you make graphics the deciding factor. Your loss.

[Grumbold]

Anything on the ZX Spectrum

oh okay, more like Warlords II deluxe, circa 1989, just in a bigger screen resolution than they used back then.

I don't make graphics the deciding factor but its certainly an influence. I have my copies of galciv, SE IV etc. I just don't pay £40 (60$) for a game that ought to retail for around £20. Based on the demo, thats what I think its worth.

[Sandman]

Well, I ordered the game. Despite it being horrendously overpriced.

Anyone still up for a game?

[Urban Ranger]

USD$60?