Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

Unless I install it on one of the boxes at work, in which case I start earning money http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

Mltdw,
Do you live in Tien Chi or such ? Dom3 delivery to Europe cost me less than 10 bucks, total should be < 65$ isn't it ??

First Thoughts
 

Playing a first game in the demo, I agree that the interface has seen a number of upgrades, and it definately looks like the new nations will once again provide lots of variety and play styles.

But - disappointments as well. You still can't see what afflictions a unit has without right-clicking it - many of us were hoping for mouseover information so we could quickly figure out which troops were crippled and which merely scratched, but instead it's the same micromanagement for wounded troops. You can't seem to hide researchers from the commanders as you could in Dom2 (hopefully this will be fixed via an early patch).

SP AI is still disappointing. Nations _still_ declare war on human players before they can possibly have seen them, and the AI is still very lacking in judgement. Watching a battle in which Abysia sends their prophet (simple Warlord) and 5 infantry against 60-70 barbarians led to very predictable results, as the barbarians killed all troops and quickly dispatched the heroic Prophet as he continued to Smite after all troops were gone.

So, once again it looks like a game only seriously played in MP mode. And it looks like it needs another Conceptual Balance right out of the gate, as many Pretender chassis's are once again unbalanced - for example, the Witch King still has 20 point magic paths, just like stock unmodded Dom2 where it was one of the handful of no-brainer pretenders.

Then there's the minor things, like it still defaulting to "Renaming Turned Off", when 99% of the MP games I've been in have wanted renaming on, and people posted time and again asking for this simple change, mostly after getting to turn 3-10 in an MP game and realizing with horror that renaming accidently didn't get turned on.

Suspect I'm still glad I ordered last night before the demo came out - but I'm not as delighted as I thought I would be.

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

No in the US it is $15 for priority delivery (i.e. so you don't have to wait 1-2 weeks to get the game).

Re: First Thoughts
 

True, there could be some more features, but why don't you suggest them?

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

In the US you do have the option to pay for USPS Express Mail. That service carries a money back guarantee to *most* locations. Be sure to check www.usps.com for guarantees to your specific zip code. And please remember the guarantee is for the time the shipment is in transit. Choosing express shipping does not impact when we ship the game.

Clearly, we recommend the FREE shipping option we offer. This service is USPS Priority Mail. While it does not carry a money-back guarantee, the vast majority are delivered in two days. A package we sent from North Carolina to California on Friday had been delivered on Monday. In fact, we have received word that packages we sent Friday to destinations in France and the UK were delivered yesterday. Those were sent USPS Global Priority Mail, not express.

These quotes from another thread in the forum from customers who chose our free shipping option: This one was posted yesterday, Wednesday) Hear the passion in my voice? Take advantage of the FREE shipping option in the US. In the past we've used all types of shippers. USPS by far has the most reliable service. Unless something extremely unusual happens, your order will reach you in two or three days from the time we ship (and remember the post office delivers on Saturday). And this service does not cost anything above the purchase price of the game. We don't send ANY of our shipments via the slower services offered by USPS.

(Perhaps I've been spending too much time in the fulfillment center this week...)

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

Actually I've only played 1 game in the demo against the AI [the rest was MP], but the AI did very good. I've never seen such a huge AI army in a strategical position in Doms 2. Like I've said earlier, it moved ~700 troops to my border province, and it was the only land province in that area. I was fighting on south, so it was a ehm... a big surprise. That army easily took 2 of my provinces in the north. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif
The game just ended after that.

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

I dont find that the AI automatically declares war. I have played many games on really large maps with 78 AI's. I do not get war challenged on me by all of them early in the game so I dont think thats a true statement.

However.. I do find that the AI challenges based on your dominion touching his, his scouts seeing you (and some scouts fly), or seeing you by spells.

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

Gandalf, since you are mainly playing SP games, let me ask you. Have you seen such huge AI armies in your games so far, what I've seen in my game today? Basically it worked like this:

First I've seen like 120 enemy troops. 1 turn later their number was 420 if I remember correctly. 1 more turn, and the number was 700. Then all of the 700 troops began to invade me from north, and my 2 main armies were on the south. The game ended 2 turns after the AI took 2 of my provinces at north. Maybe I was just lucky that I've seen such an action from the AI, but seriously, it was like a human player. First he gathered tons of troops in 3 turns, while my armies were far away, then it began to steamroll me from there. I only had 2 minor armies up there, since I was attacked from 2 directions at south, I had to focus my power there.

Re: Are we paying more for less?
 

Ive seen armies in the thousands. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

But definetly the new gold-rich Dom3 game is going to take some getting used to. And some of the AI settings definetly require that you put some thinking to breaking up his large armies as they are building up.