Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Howdy,

I have been away a while, Eve Online sucked up my life... Last I recall, the Dev's were working on something new and super secret. Is there more info out there yet? Are they doing something different, doing a Dom 4 or are we without knowledge?

Cheers,

Saxon

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

No Dom4, neither the 'secret project' nor in the horizon.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

That's really weird. I haven't been to the forum page for months and just thought this morning... I wonder if any one knows anything about a "Dom4" or other project. and this post was at the top of the list! Neat...

Well, the reason I thought of it was this: I was imagining a future Dominions were you could form pantheons with other gods, and then you could benefit from the good effects of one another positive dominion. It would require a whole change to the Pantokrator concept (since victory could be achieved by a group of like minded Deities), but I think it would allow for even more interesting permutations to the game.
Cheers

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Cool, thanks for the update. I have been enjoying getting my Earth Mother killed because I forgot about fatigue and generally having fun playing again.

I like the pantheon idea. It could be an alternative victory condition as well.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Yeah, a diplo layer akin to what Civilization has could be interesting (allied victories, letting people pass through your lands unharmed, research/economic pacts...).

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

I just noted that the most recent patch was in January this year. First, the long term support is unheard of outside of online games, that is amazing.

Second, the Dev's must still be interested and playing with the ideas, so we can hope they are brewing something new up!

That said, my imagination fails me. I compare the situation to that of Diablo II. What needs to be changed? In both cases, the graphics engine is old, but the core mechanics are rock solid. A few new nations or classes (depending on the game) would be nice, but what can the developers do that is not just a fancy patch?

On the Dom side, the devs clearly have a lot more imagination than I do, so I am hopeful. On the other hand, I fear that they may have run with their ideas enough and want to try something new. I have recently changed jobs and it sure is nice to do something completely new. I hope they have new ideas for a game they want to try, rather than taking up a hobby like stamp collecting...

Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions on how to make my Earth Mother (now E3, N3, post death number 1) into a credible SC, don't be shy! The trampling seems to tire her out and the rejuvination spell doesn't keep up...

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Needs more girdle of might/reinvigoration ammy/regeneration ring/boots of the messenger. Also needs more Personal Regeneration. Anything you can do to increase her protection also is a good idea, and if you can cast body ethereal or any other buffs on her with other mages that would also be handy. I don't remember exactly what slots the earth mother has, but I feel like she doesn't get a body slot. If she does get one, getting her more protection becomes a lot easier. Or you could use it to give her rainbow armor. She should have a shield or two as well! Preferably vine shield plus eye shield, golden shield, charcoal shield, or lead shield depending on your needs.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Everyone associated with the new project is on NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and very closed-lipped just as it was with all previous projects. But the only fairly official word we have received is that it is NOT a Dom4. There have been posts by the developers where they have talked about other types of games that they like and are interested in doing. But everything is guesswork about what it could be at this point. It must be fun though if they are working on it (they only do it for fun)

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

I think it is going to be an RPG.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

The only thing I could ask for would be a more powerful battle orders system, possibly with the option to do real-time tactical battles if the two opponents are online at the same time. That would be badass beyond belief.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

It tends to be continual altho it has slowed down some since they started the new project. But they definitely havent forgotten us. Every time I look there is something new.
http://ulm.illwinter.com/dom3/dom3progress.html

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Even just for SP it would be awesome.

Too awesome in fact, the world just couldn't accept it and capitalists and communists would unite against the common enemy, economic slowdown caused by too much Dom 3 being played.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Nahh we can survive that. Now if they got Dom3 onto our phones. THAT could destroy the working world.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Honestly real-time tactical battles would suck. With the number of units, squads and commanders you can put on the field, and the number of options many of them have, it would be a nightmare. If it was turn based and you had to give orders to every squad and commander every round it would take for ever. Big battles take forever just to watch...
If it was actually real time, you'd still have to fall back to the AI for almost everything. I don't want a twitch based battle system.

The only way to make it workable would be to drastically simplify the game. Limit the size of battles and cut back on spell options. I don't think that's a direction anyone wants to go.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

No, the one of the biggest appeals of this game for me is its simultaneously resolved turns.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

.... the most hidious and repulsive change possible for Dominions, and would almost certainly see the community collapse in less than 12 months (despite the potential sudden surge it could create from the fly-by-night gamers checking Dom out for a few months while saying "Cool" and "Awesome" a lot at the new RTS battles, and then disappearing 3 months later to play the next "Cool" and "Awesome" RTS game they found.)

There are plenty of games that offer tactical RTS battles or turn based battles, and the appeal of Dominions for many is the very fact you don't control the battles (or at least that's the appeal to me). If any aspect of Dominions (regardless of choice) ever turned into a horrible Total War or Fantasy Wars clone, then I'd stop playing in an instant.

If people want more control over battles, then they can fudge off and play a TW game or Wesnoth game or whatever game that offers the type of direct control they're after. But they need to leave alone any thoughts of changing the only good game that exists (or at least I've found) that doesn't allow direct control.

(not that a change like this will ever happen to Dominions. But it still irks me to see people who post wanting to change aspects of Dominions just so it can play the same way as all the other games do in the so called strategy genre. With the suggested change almost certain to be just so Dom can move closer to becoming a carbon copy of the plethora of identical games of the same genre that exists. All of them just as rubbish and shallow as the next clone that pops out of the womb)

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

I totally agree. Id rather see Dom expanded along the same lines than see it become just another game. Even the design directions that irritate the crap out of me but make the game so unique that it lives forever on my computers.

Not that its likely anyway. I dont think the devs would consider such a thing. They tend to improve forever and hate re-doing things from scratch. I suspect that what we will see will be an entirely new game in an entirely different genre. And I am hoping that we will see the same great things that have been in all of their games, plus some of what has been learned in making those.

As far as an RPG, they have already done that. The Conquest of Ellysium II is available for free download from Shrapnel. They might do some tweaks in Coe2 once in awhile but I dont think they would revisit that territory.

Much can be gleaned from reading thru old interviews. Such as comments like this..

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

I've got it! I've finally realized what form Dominions 4 will take. It will be a tabletop wargame along the lines of warhammer, but with more pretenders and naked people.

Re: Been a while, any word on Dom 4?
 

Actually, the "tabletop" I picture is the big touch-table computers. Id love to be able to move my armies by actually using my hands on a big map, then be able to zoom in, or pick up a unit to examine it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qDOR...eature=related
or one of the big white boards using the same technology.

Or even the Air Table
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynB27...eature=related

Of course those are just until the finish the HoloDeck or Matrix whichever comes first.