Advice Needed
 

I'd like to say... so far everyone here seems great.

How does someone get their dominion beyond 6 ?? I saw one of the computer opponents have a dominion of 7 ! And this was where I had a level_2 Ear_of_the_Lord secretly preaching 5 turns before. How high can the dominion go for a territory and how is it done??

Double Thanks!

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A second thought.... I bought the game back during late October and its still listed on BackOrder. I'm hoping it will arrive by Nov._20th matching vacation time and all. Does this BackOrder status mean I won't be getting it until maybe middle December? ? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Advice Needed
 

Dominion can get up to 10 if you chose to have 10 when you created your god. Also max dom is increased by temples. Every five temples bulit increases max dom by 1. So if you chose dominion strength 3 when creating your god and have built seventeen temples you can get a dominion of 6 in a province. Priests can preach up dominion (up to their level +1 in temples).

* Edit: dominion spreads from your god, your temples and your home province. *

[ November 07, 2003, 13:21: Message edited by: Kristoffer O ]

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I love to play Ulm with an uber high dominion. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Don't ask why..I just like it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Would you (or somebody else in the know) be so kind to clarify what does conVersion rate mean exactly? The whole struggle between dominions thing is very fuzzy for me (meaning, how do they push each other on the stratmap).
Thanks in advance.

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Because this isn't quite obvious and he probably doesn't have the manual http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif : To raise your god's base dominion strength, left-click it in the "Dominion" screen during god setup. Each additional point of dominion strength costs more points than the previous (based on the difference from base dominion strength for that god form, IIRC; I don't recall the exact formula but it is pretty similar to buying up magic).

Current dominion strength (starting dominion strength plus ((temples/5) rounded down)) influences the spread of dominion from your god, prophet, temples and home province (unless you are Mictlan) and the maximum dominion strength you can get from those things.

IIRC if you have a low dominion strength, a high level priest can still boost dominion strength above the maximum you could have gotten from radiating. If so, Ceremonial Faith probably aids this effect, and it may also apply to blood sacrifices. (It will probably all be in the manual...)

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I've always wondered as well...

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The game is not out yet.
The pre-orders (Like yours) SHOULD be shipping on the 14th or 15th of this month (I can't remember which one).

Sammual

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">and your prophet, even without preaching.
or it changed in dom2?

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I've always wondered as well... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Kristoffer could give a far better response, but as of now here mine http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

conVersion rate is the value of the power your dominion project against the province you are in, and all provinces adjacent to it. The dominion spread mechanic is akin to a metal plate that you would heat at a given point, with a spreading of temperature. Obviously if you render cold another point on the plate, the two influences would struggle against each other.
In AI coding (and elsewhere surely, but I have seen it mostly here), this is called an influence map for those interested.

temple, god, prophet all spread naturally they conVersion rate, without having to do anything. On the other hand, a priest preaching only apply his conVersion rate against the province he is in. As you see, with 20 more in conVersion rate, the simple fact of moving your god somewhere is like hitting the area with a big wave of worship.

The prophet (especially if sneaky) is very valuable too, because he can spread dominions around him in a manner that sneaky priests cant do, whatever their number.

dunno if it helped, perhaps I said only blatant truths that you already knew.

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Thanks for the info. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

A few questions though (isn't that always the case... ).

That would mean that each province has its own respective conVersion rate? Or is conVersion rate an universal value that emmanates from each entity that spreads dominion (god, temples, etc.)? Does it mean that the more temples you have, the more strongly your dominion spreads from each of them, evene if they are not next to each other on the map, and disregarding the 5 temples=+1 max dom rule? Is conVersion rate a nonparametric thing, or is it linked to province population, and how does it interact with hostile dominions? For example, I can see provinces that I have a dominion in as far as the strength goes, but the scale settings are not mine, but rather the ones from a strong hostile dominion close by. Also, does strength of dominion in a given province influence how stroingly it will spread from it, or is it just a value specific to the province that is not linked to the spread?

A lot of fuzzy things about the dominions themselves in my head... Even though that's the name of the game, I'd say that I understand them (even) less than most other aspects. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The game is not out yet.
The pre-orders (Like yours) SHOULD be shipping on the 14th or 15th of this month (I can't remember which one).

Sammual </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ah I cant wait. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

However Im playing many games now, I will always have time for Doms II. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ November 08, 2003, 07:44: Message edited by: Mortifer ]

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">No hard info here, but from what I've seen in Doms 1, it works more or less like this -

The conVersion rates is the sum of the influence spread by your god, your prophet, your capital and your temples.

Your god 'exudes' your dominion with a strength of 20 + current_dominion_strength.

Your prophet, capital and temples exude your dominion with a strength of current_dominion_strength.

current_dominion_strength = original value + number of temples / 5 (rounded down).

[ November 09, 2003, 17:41: Message edited by: Nagot Gick Fel ]

Re: Advice Needed
 

God: one increase each turn + 2 chances of increase (dom strenght * 10%)
Prophet: 1 chance
Home: 1 chance
Temple: 1 chance

Increases occur primarily in the province where they appear, but may travel to neighboring provinces if the dominion in the province is high. The potential increase may move several provinces. If it moves into a province with enemy dominion it will either lower the enemy dominion or disappear depending on enemy dominon strength in that province.

Preaching is separate and has a chance of raising the dominion one step. Enemy dominon reduces this chance. Powerful priests are more likely to increase dominion. Inquisitors are skilled at lowering enemy dominion even if it is high.

Re: Advice Needed
 

interesting details. Are the priests preaching before the increase from temple?

Re: Advice Needed
 

Not sure, but the turn sequence is the same as in Dom I. I believe there was a turn sequence in the manual.

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">My status is still on BackOrder... with Nov._14th arriving soon I am slightly worried about a late arrival.
What has been the previous experiences of gamers when this place has something on 'BackOrder' ??

2_Day Delay or 3_Week Delay or ???


DOUBLE THANKS,

Re: Advice Needed
 

Mine is as well on "Back Order". I've thought about retrying the process now (today) to see if I can't somehow upgrade my status, but I don't want to have to cancel my old order to do so.

Is there not enough on the first printing in order to have them all shipped? I've beat the demo to hell and I'm hoping that I can get to the full fledged game as soon as possible. If it's a question of 'tipping the doorman' I'll do what I need to http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Edit: If it is a delay because of the patch. I can't be frustrated, because I would love for it to be even better right out of the box; however. I have an itchy dominion finger. I need my illithid/slave army of devourers overtaking vast tracts of land!

[ November 11, 2003, 21:50: Message edited by: Zen ]

Re: Advice Needed
 

They might be holding out until patch 1 is done... that's my suspicion.

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I believe the release is still on track for the 14th. I haven't heard anything that indicates anything else at least. The patch is far from being completed, so that one will be released afterwards.

Re: Advice Needed
 

Where is Shrapnel located? If I am living in NY, how long should I expect to get the game on my mailbox?

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The company is located in North Carolina. That doesnt mean that the stuff ships from there but its probably on your coast somewhere. Looks like it will reach you sooner than it will me (Im in California)

-- Im a real good googler

[ November 12, 2003, 17:03: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Re: Advice Needed
 

LOL, thanks, Gandalf. You've been of help with so many different things.

One more question: How do you play MP on this? Gamespy? Given how long a regular game nust taken, does anyone play MP at all?

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">PBEM, Hotseat, TCP/IP(or something like that http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ).

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Mwhahahahahaha, you fool!

I already ordered, your too late, 3 copies!

... Sorry. Evil laugh escaped.

I didn't cancel my preorder; I just bought a few others for my friends hoping that if one of them happens to come before my preordered copy ... it will mysteriously go to me and they will get mine.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ November 12, 2003, 19:20: Message edited by: Zen ]

Re: Advice Needed
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Multiple ways. A person can tell the game to become a server on port xxxx and everyone can connect on that machine to play almost as fast as solo play.

That same arrangment can be used to let people connect every so often (1/day, 3/week, etc) to turn in their turns or pickup their result files. (this is the most common)

Or it can be fully PBEM (play by email) where the turn file you create is emailed to a site (or uploaded) and then you get the result file back later by the same method.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Heehee. Many do. A game that can be played by PBEM is an acquired taste. Either you love it or you dont. The most known type of pbem game is probably those chess games people play by mail where they both keep a board setup. You see them on tv shows alot. The time between mails (says, weeks) is spent studying the board any free moment they get and trying to plan many moves ahead. PBEM is like that. You might only do 1 turn a day, or 2 a week. But for a game this involved that can be a good thing.

Re: Advice Needed
 

Yes, we are on schedule to begin shipping on Nov. 14. "Backorder" is the standard status for pre-orders waiting to ship as soon as the game is released. Please don't reorder, Zen, as the pre-orders go out in the order in which they were received. If you have questions regarding your order you may always contact us through our customer support center at http://www.shrapnelgames.com/service.htm. We're here to help. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Advice Needed
 

Looks like the shipments are on their way !

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/News/pr_01.htm


{{ Even tho it says mine is still listed on BackOrder !!?! }}

[ November 13, 2003, 12:11: Message edited by: NTJedi ]