Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

My first nation was EA Atlantis. You can't be attacked underwater so it's a very easy way to research all the spells and learn how to get your butt handed to you without being eliminated from the game.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

Be nice to Kamamura. I just read the harsh cursing he was subjected to - not nice reading.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

ME Ulm can be good but need some very particular strategies, and more diplomacy or luck than other nations to survive in early game. As said in the recent other threads on the question, Ulm has already won several big games (and has been a serious competitor in more). And this even before the recent national boost.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

It is okay, I actually enjoy roleplaying a lot. I can understand there are problems with Ulm, if so many players dismiss it. I was successful with in in SP, but so far, I am just in my first MP game. Unfortunately, Ulm was already taken when I was signing :-)

As for that swearing, I don't mind a bit. That guy lost a lot of credit by bursting like this and I think he will have a hard time finding allies.

I like Dominions for the potential to discover new things, it's so massive a game... too bad the AI is not better, but it's probably impossible to achieve this with current HW and procedural languages.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

I didn't find ulm newbie-friendly when I played with them the first time. Their troops are just too dang expensive and I lost quickly too some AI players.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

"Why do people hate on Ulm?"

Jealousy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

B0rsuk -

I take issue with some things you said in your post.

Earth magic has many combat spells for boosting armies, just by the way.

But about items, I agree in some parts, that one of the reasons why people hate Ulm is the lack of a good thug/SC chassis for them.

But you also say that magic items are not as important or versatile as spells. That's just not true. They may not be quite as versatile (although close), but they are certainly just as important, imo.

An SC chassis, but no items, does not an SC make.
Powerful spells, but no boosters with which to cast them is worthless.
etc. etc..

Also, I love your "everything else" category. It's pretty broad. It's hard to dismiss that category, seeing as how many things are in it.

For example:
Dwarven hammers.
Magic penetration items.
Supply granting items.
Gem producing items.
Research items.
Movement-granting items (boots of flying, folding boat, etc.)
Summon-boosting items (e.g. lightning rod).
Seige items (e.g. gate cleaver).
Combat spell-casting items (e.g. Banner of Northern Star).
Combat summoning-items (e.g. bottle of living water).
Master & Slave matrix.
Stone spheres for scrying.
Stone idols for enemy dominion control.

And I'm sure I've missed some categories.

None of these are items you can base a strategy around??

And then there's the range weapon item category. I think you are seriously underestimating this category, especially for Ulm. I use these pretty often, and they are effective. I don't want to overstate my case here. But, they aren't "situational" and they have a definite impact on battles.

Also, army-boosting items. The best one is the Sword of Aurgelmer (autocasts "Will of the Fates"). I know it's an artifact, but it is really sweet. And since I like to rush to artifacts as Ulm, it's one of the ones I shoot for.

Besides that though, you're right, there aren't too many others out there, which is a shame.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

I do agree that a Lantarn magic item to combat darkness should be created.

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

There is an artifact that does just that. (The forbidden light)

Re: Why do people hate on Ulm?
 

CUnknown:

I lumped the remaining items into "everything else" because they have no common theme or pattern. But look at the items you list. Almost all of them are amplifiers, boosters of some sort. To use them properly, you need either SCs or combat magic, or both. You need to put a blade on "everything else" items. They don't kill by themselves. Oh, and there are summons, too.