Bet the CGW review helped.
 

The Computer Gaming World review was what got me to come here and order the game. They made the game sound very/deep and complex which is what I like!

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

If you find a deeper more complex game most of us will buy it (If we don't have it). Welcome home. *grin*

Sammual

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

One of my favorite comments about Dom is that IF you can get past the learning curve I can pretty much gaurantee that it will live on your machine for 10 times as long as any shelf-ware you purchase from this day forward. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

--
In Dominions, if it looks like a killer strategy then look at it again carefully.
In Dominions, if it looks like a total waste then look at it again carefully.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I don't know if this can be answered, but how long does it take to get past the learning curve? (I'm playing the demo with Bruce G's walkthrough right now).

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

Depends on the individual and how set you are in your ways and how open you are to new/old ways http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Hard to say; but once you get past the base information and it's application (like shields = don't get hit from arrows, morale is determined by an average of the units in the squad and size, etc) then you get into the fun aspects of playing as opposed to just sort of trundling along.

The first hump is usually learning the interface and using it easily (via hotkeys).

The second hump is learning what is 'good' vs what is 'bad' and what is effective vs you losing (units, battles, games) without knowing why.

The third hump is finding your playstyle and how to balance the many many ways to play with how you enjoy playing effectively.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

For me Id say the learning curve was mostly licked in the first real game I played. It took me a couple of tries to decide which race sounded like fun for my type of playing. Then a couple to create a god that I felt was playable. Finally I made a game with just a couple of nations turned on as computer opponents. I didnt win but by the time I was beaten I was convinced that I was going to keep trying, alot! The next game I was pretty comfortable.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That about sums it up for me too and this forum can be your most powerful "item" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif .For me there are no "if's", only "when's" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif .

[ January 09, 2004, 03:19: Message edited by: Lord Hammer ]

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Heh, sorry...

But I don't know what I have to do with learing curves... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I guess Illwinter will add a step by step tutorial for Dominions 3: Fall of the Gods that explains its detailed and streamlined userinterface?

If it had not been for this forum, and particularly the works of Saber Cherry, I would simply have given up on the game and saved my money for Warlords Battlecry 3. Now I'm glad I didn't. This game is very addictive, and I eagerly await the patch. Learning the game is pretty fast actually. Mastering it enough to beat the computer on easy is a whole other matter.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I don't know if this can be answered, but how long does it take to get past the learning curve? (I'm playing the demo with Bruce G's walkthrough right now). </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Not sure. I downloaded the demo the day it was available, had the game preordered before that, play for at least one hour almost every day... and still consider myself a babbling newbie. OK, I've won games against Weak AIs at least, but still...

Of course, not everybody needs to be as lame as I am.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

When I say learning curve I dont mean beating the game. I mean just getting to the point of PLAYING the game rather than spending all your time trying to figure out how what keys to push.

I think one of the wonderful things about Dominions is that there is so MUCH distance between those two things. Ive paid just as much money for games where learning HOW to play it was about equal to deleting it for the next pretty box from the software store. Dom1 stayed active on my machines for 3 years. I see nothing that says Dom2 wont also.

[ January 09, 2004, 17:50: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yea, that's pretty much what I meant when I asked about the length of the learning curve. Thanks for everyone's thoughts on this. I know its very much an individual thing.

I, for one, have a 3-year old and a 4-month old, which means playing time is limited to after they're both asleep and my wife and I collapse. Which means, 1 hour a night, tops. That lack of time combined with the $50 price tag makes this a tough decision. I'm not trying to ignite a debate about the price (I read that thread), I'm sure Shrapnel understands the economics of this far better than me. I'm just saying this is a tough call. I only wish I was twenty-something again and single, because then I had lots of free time (though no money http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif )

Anyway, I press on with the demo as I mull the decision.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

[quote]Originally posted by tylertoo:
[QB] <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif Ha Ha...this is the EASY part http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif . When my kids were old enough i gave them a gaming PC, i'm breeding opponents, now that they're 7 & 9 they are gaming all the time and only bother me for hints and strategies http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif . When i was twenty-something i had lots of money and time yet it was all "empty" now that i look back http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif . Kids open your eyes to the "real" world, enjoy! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Same here (CGW and the tutorial site).

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I found the game to be extremely swift to figure out - at least in terms of the basics. I downloaded the demo, and (with particular gratitude to the between-turn tips) figured out most everything you need to play the game in a game or two.

Of course, the game is still springing surprises on me, but that's the sign of a well-made game. It's the same thing that kept Nethack going so long, really - easy to start, but there always seems to be more to discover.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

At surface level, I thought the game was sorta like Risk when I first picked up [Dom1]. Reading Usenet, I saw people screaming about sick units and combinations (and of course, SC's); however, having been raised in an age where strong units in video games actually LOOK like strong units, it took me a while to get used to the understated-yet-still-quite-strong units in Dominions.

More complex than Dominions? Only a few roguelikes come to mind. And of course, they're all free.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Oh, don't get me wrong -- I do enjoy parenthood immensely. I just miss having free time.

Now its 10:15pm, everyone's asleep. Back to the demo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Same here (CGW and the tutorial site). </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It was CGW battle report that cinched it for me. I just got the game and haven't got over the learning curve yet so I spend most of the time crouched in my little provinces, playing with magic and hoping none of the computers notice me.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It's funny you should mention that! I consider Warlords Battlecry II to be an exceptional game... on par with Kohan, if not Total Annihilation. And yet - I've been playing Dominions for a couple years, and am writing (to my knowledge) its only combat sim... and am still completely unfamiliar with most of the spells and 60% of the units http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

I think that's what I like about it. There are just too many variables to ever do anything "perfectly"... not because it is too hard... but because there is no "perfect way".

-Cherry

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I also learned of Dom2 from the CGW review and battle report, but it wasn't the first time I'd been to Shrapnel Games. I've been playing computer strategy games for about 20 years, and Dom2 probably had the biggest learning curve of any of them. I studied the game, the manual (such as it is), the CGW battle report about 10 times, everything on this forum, and kept thinking about the game constantly for almost a week before I felt like I really knew what I was doing. My first five or six games I was VERY slow, and I got slaughtered. I finally won for the first time tonight, as Ulm against average Jotunheim and Michtlan on the Urgaia map. An easy setting, of course, but I wanted to see one all the way through.

This is a really, really good game. Definitely more difficult and interesting than AOW:SM, which is a mighty good game.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

The CGW review is what brought me here too. I never heard of Dominions before. So far its a great game. Maybe one of the best games I've bought this year.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

We like to use Cherry like our number factory! Mwhahahahahaha!

The beauty of Dom2, is right when you think you have something where you think nothing can budge your idea of it. Something comes along and makes you look at it in a new light.

And yes, everyone bow to Cherry's Combat Sim. All hail furry ears.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I heard about the game in Cgw to.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I simply want to chime in about Warlords Battlecry 2. Worth both the word "exceptional" and the bold text it's printed in. Amazing game that was tragically passed over by many.


Mark

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I loved Warlords Battlecry II.

I found out about Dominions II through CGW, reading the battle report lead me to buy it, and whats more, I found out about Warlords Battlecry II through CGW, through the exact SAME type of battle report, that lead me to buy IT!

All hail Tom Chick and Bruce Geryk! All hail Dominions II!

Or something.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I got tipped (first time)by a Kohan(Ahrimans Gift) opponent.

Then I found a review on Gamespot. It's mediocre to good, but what tipped the scale was the flood of disagreeing gamers, all saying that this is one of the best strategy games they ever played in their own reviews.

(edit: clarity)

[ February 17, 2004, 17:16: Message edited by: Tricon ]

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Interesting. Perhaps I should acquire it then. I found Warlords Battlecry I a true disappointment in single player, lacking both grace and longevity, and chose to forego number II in the series based on that experience.

Is Warlords Battlecry II truly a major improvement on I?

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

I never played Battlecry I but I can assure you, that as RTS goes, Battlecry II is as deep as they come. 12 or 13 different races, each totally unique, totally unique hero system, and the campaign for SP is awesome and totally replayable.

AI is good, without cheating(much) too.

Re: Bet the CGW review helped.
 

Warlords Battle cry ? I have to throw my 2 cents in now.

I thought WLB 1 and 2 sucked. I'm a long time Warlords fan, WL2,WL3, and I, and many got screwed with WL4.

If it wasnt for all the stuff that got left out in WL4 and the retarded AI, I would of never searched for another game and found DOMINIONS2.

D2 blows those games away.

>>>SATANS PAWN<<<

[ February 19, 2004, 05:46: Message edited by: SATANS PAWN ]