Do you play SP?
 

This is a poll to find out how many in the community play SP.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I find the AI to be sufficiently challenging. I'd like to see it implement some nation specific strategies, and maybe it could be more responsible handling supplies, but I otherwise enjoy playing against it on normal.

I also enjoy controlling the type of game I'm playing. I'm a thematic/rp guy.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

Nope. I usually play hotseat games, which sometimes include AI factions. I don't particularly like including the AI, but it works well enough.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I've played MP, but I'd don't usually have time available in the right quantities for it, so it's mostly SP for me.

I may want to play 4-5 hours one day, then not have another real chance for a week or more. MP, past a certain point, becomes a chore. OK, I have to be sure to get that turn done before I go to bed tonight, rather than, Oooh, new turn!

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I used to play a lot SP. But since i started to play MP i ve totally lost interest in SP ;)

Re: Do you play SP?
 

It also might be worth mentioning that some people will say that the AI is boring so they only play MP.
But in fairness, few of those people play vanilla MP on the standard settings with no mods or special maps to boost the play. If they only played against the AI in vanilla mode then its an unfair comparison

The first and simplest comparison is that many people who played SP to get ready for MP tended to turn the Independent setting up. That makes the AI easier to beat so it leaves a bad memory of hte AI as an opponent. To initially test yourself against the AI, even unmodded, you would need to try it with low independents and possibly a higher setting on gold/resources/supplies

There are many levels of boost for the AI beyond the vanilla mode that came with the game if someone likes SP play

Re: Do you play SP?
 

It's the opposite for me. I used to play MP a lot and never single player. Then I became a dad and my time went down to nothing. Now I barely play Dominions. But when I do play, it's single player with huge handicaps. I hardly ever finish the games either.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I found that vs humans I'd be ok for the early turns but when works been crap and I'm tired and stressed, there is just no joy for having to get that turn in. Sad but true.

SP is good enough for me that I can have a casual game, play some strategies that are thematic and have some fun.

If I could boost the SP ai I would make it better at using thugs and SC's.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

Well, dominions 3 is a great game, but occasianally I realized that both SP and MP have such drawbacks that now I do not play SP and do not play MP )
I like to look at new mods and further development so.
MP is unplayable due to that I should spent too many time for micromanagement to be able to fight good at late game; also it's not comfortable to spend regulary huge time playing one nation for a long time period - i.e. I get fun (for not so many hours) at early game and work (for many or very many hours) on late game (if I survive so long).
SP suffers from lots of micromanagement, too; I don't get bored because I can switch on another SP at any time or make more or less long pause at all, but if I enter late game as a strong nation in SP it's too boring to finish game because the more possibilities due to high magic the more AI weak.
So, I need turn auto-maker (so that I could edit AI commands for my nation), possibly with high-level commands (try to auto- make that and that thugs and SKs each turn, try to form that and that communions in that or that army, try to transfer blood slaves with spies to nearest labs and so on), and, secondary, I need a better AI for SP.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I think lots of people (especially those with little time or limited tolerance for micromanagement, among which I count myself) have concluded that the game works best with smallish maps and smallish numbers of players. Sombre reckons the game shouldn't be played with more than 8, and 6 is ideal. I wouldn't go quite that far - but if you have found MP too much, I would definitely recommend a 4 or 6-player game. They're a lot of fun and not a lot of work.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

also if you get into one of the chats on your day off you can get into a blitz.
3-6 people playing a fast game all day with immediate turnarounds.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I'm vaguely aware that real challenges involve my fellow human beings. But... I kinda suck. My first MP game was a lot of fun, but I did terribly. Turns out I was all bark, no bite. So I'll be practicing on AIs until I can thrash them without breaking a sweat on at least Difficult.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

If you can manage a hotseat game with local friends, go for it. I'm not nearly good enough to do anything other than get my *** kicked in normal multiplayer, but hotseat tends to lead to everyone having similar skill levels. I'm actually significantly ahead in that, and get to play all sorts of terrible nations as a result, some of which are actually really fun.

Re: Do you play SP?
 

The only thing i'm good at in multiplayer, not only in dominions but any kind of multiplayer strategy game, is playing last stands... i never manage to win, but i can really hurt other players before being eliminated... and i think it is extremely fun...

Re: Do you play SP?
 

f you find yourself getting eliminated early in mp try a bless build or an economy build with good scales. You should be able to expand quickly and other players will be hesitant to attack you. If they do, you should be able to gobble them up if they are playing a rainbow or an SC pretender no matter their skill level because early in the game the only choices you are making is what troops to buy and what provinces to take.y

Also, remember that people who frequently make it to mid game are depending diplomacy and reputation more often than solid early game builds. If I am placed near a formidable opponent and I have a decent early game build there is no negotiation. It is me or him because if I let him expand it is going to be him anyway and if I let him get to the mass micro phases of the game he is liable to steamroll us all.

It's very tempting to NAP with a good player but you're not really insuring your survival; you're giving him exactly what he wants... time to research, overcome his bad scales and a assured victory over you.

I apologize for the typos...posting from phone

Re: Do you play SP?
 

I tried playing some MP games but when I didn't had the time due to work, wife and kids and unfortunatly stalled I decided to not play MP anymore because I would probably ruin it for others. I do play SP though and if you implement some heavy house rules it can actually be fun! :)