Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

Alneyan :
About auto-combat :

Actually the main point about auto-combat is that Dominions is designed strongly to be played in parallel turn processing, like the simultaneous mode in SE IV, so direct combat control is impossible. You can argue that SE IV sports also a tac engine in which you can controls directly your units in solo play. I would counter-argue saying that Malfador spent time to devise this dual system, whereas Illwinter spent time to allows precise scripting in auto-combat mode http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

I must says that I was rather frustrated by auto-combat in SE IV. Direct command in solo play is really funny, but in the other hand having your ships behave correctly in pbem is quite a problem (most of the people dont know how not to glass a planet and capture it instead in pbem). Well I'm not very experienced in pbeming with SE IV, but what held me a bit was that (and the fact that the game is darn too slow).

Dominions in pbem is fast paced enough, and this is a boon for the pbem community. Generally speaking a very mature and old empire is an empire which Last 50 turns (and games can hit the 100th turns if opponents are the resources to recovers from the blows).

As Nerfix said also, Dominions games are geared toward the control of several hundreds units. It is not rare to have formations of 200 pikeneers for example. Imagine the mess of having precise control of that bunch in solo play http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

About lack of control when reviewing the battle :
Can it be that you dont use the pause key (space bar). When the game is paused, you can see to your heart's content the current values of your troops. And this is where SE IV lack : in recorded battles, SE IV ships only shows the nominal statistics, not the current ones. In Dominions VCR, you see the actual values of each units, round after round !

I'm dont want to start a silly comparison SE IV versus doms. This is not my point. I just want to point out that Dominions can stand proud in the little pool of turn based pbem with simultaenous turn processing http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif (which is the only mode IMO that enables true multiplayer).

Last one about tac combat : there is 10 speed at dominions. 9 is very very fast, 1 is the default, and 0 is the step by step. You should be able to view correctly the doms battle with these infos. Frankly I never had a problem understanding what happened in a recorded battle. Perhaps you feel lost because the game is incredibly rich when it comes to spell effects and combat parameters. It really beat AOW 2 to the ground with that.

just an example for the ones which never played dominions : you can cast an overland spell against a province which reduce drastically the temperature. If you engage in battle, you will see that your cold blooded foe (lizardmen for examples) fatigue much faster. On the other hand, winter wolves spirits are stronger, and their frost aura is deadlier.
Just one example amongst perhaps 200, about the richness of this game.

Pocus - dominions addict.

[ September 12, 2003, 08:07: Message edited by: Pocus ]

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

Thanks a lot Pocus, I didn't know about the space bar, I guess I will have to try. As if this complain was only due to my silliness, I remove this grief. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif (Don't ask me how I didn't spot this feature, but that seems to be usual as I also overlook the Combat Replay for two months in SE:IV)

You could manage a thousand units with a few tricks, but tactical combat would be 1) Time-consumming to develop 2) Time-consumming to use, especially if you spend a lot of time to give orders to your units. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

PvK, I spoke about the inability to target specific units with spells only. I do know you can order your other units to do almost all you want, and this system is much better than in SE:IV, which in turn is so much better than AOW with regards to auto-battle. As I wrote earlier, the problem with being able to aim the spells at a specific kind of units is linked to balance and fun, as it used (or would have? I am not sure if that feature was in the game at some point) to make most battles into a duel of battery fire of spellcasters.

Finally, for the trouble with archers, don't shields help against arrows? I seem to recall this was working fine with me. Of course, spells are much more dangerous, but maybe that's because Arcana cannot be controlled by mere human beings. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

Shields do help against armor, and so does armor in general.

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

My complaint about arrows wasn't that shields and armor don't help against them. My complaint is that my archers keep shooting my own men in the back - I've seen quite a few fine men and beasts shot down by their own men. I want to be able to order my archers to only fire if they are certain they are not going to hit my own units.

Dominions tactical AI actually does an amazing job considering there are like 400 spells and hundreds upon hundreds more unit types, weapons, magic items, etc. However the friendly fire is a problem. I also see the AI isn't very good about avoiding poison gas clouds or walls of fire even created by its own units. If you have a hydra on your side, be sure to keep your own men away unless they can deal with poison gas...

PvK

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

Damn, I love this forum. I always find people pointing me to interesting things. I just downloaded the demo and I absolutely love this game. Pretender and Dominions and Magic (Oh My!). I probably would never have found this game if it wasn't for you guys. My only problem now is deciding whether to buy the game now or wait for the sequel. Decisions, decisions...

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

Ya. I actually heard about it on this forum, too. If you buy the existing Version, I'll play you in PBEM. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

PvK

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

Wait a few weeks and buy the new Version http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif .

j/k

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

i bought the current Version...waiting on it to arrive....even though I knew that Dominions 2 is on it's way in a few weeks or so....but, this I thought was such an outstanding game, I had to support the devs....I really ended up hating Age of Wonders Shadow Magic....This game has what that game doesn't....an epic feel

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thats the spirit!

Re: OT - Dominions: Preists, Prophets & Pretenders
 

On the issue of friendly fire:
I don't find friendly fire a big issue. Split your archers to Groups of 10-15 and you'll get less spread(tested) and keep them a bit closer to enemies. With spells... welll, maybe i'm just too used to Caelian Super Precise High Seraphs...

-Nerfix