[Fate]

I am still playing the demo, can I qualify?

I know how I first saw this game. I am what you could call a game junkie. I love to look at them all, computer games, board games, word games, socking your friend, whatever (what can I say, I'm 15). Anyway, I know what I like in game (sort of). The thing that always tickles me pink is listening to people talk about strategies and interesting facts, like in history books. But they are always long and, of course, they don't really involve you (it has already happened).

So I find games provide the same story telling plus interaction, so you can find out if a different set-up would really make a difference. Board games are one thing I have looked into, but it has nothing to do with Dominions, I will leave that aside.

I have learned the hard way what kind of game I like. I have many different kinds (mostly strategies, though. I knew that from the start). I have a lot of big-shot games, too. And I have played them a good deal, for a while. But there a couple small name games that just bring me back everytime. One is nemesis of the roman empire, great game, rts, look it up. The other wasn't really Dominions until recently.

I have a hobby that I like to do if I got bored, and that is to drift around downloading demos for any game I can find (it doesn't really work anymore, as I have played all the demos I can find that look even remotely interesting). One day I downloaded the Dominions II demo (note: this is how I have gotten every one of my favorite games. All the worst ones were bought before playing the demo.)

So I looked at the interface. I pride myself in how many games I have played and how quickly I can pick up on the controls to a game, so it only took me one or two play-throughs to understand most of what the buttons did (though I had to read the guide to understand the background equations and why everything mattered). I looked at it and I knew it was a good game. I never really lost, as I played easy AIs. I also did not play it night and day. It just ins't my style, I guess. But it was there, in my mind, for a month or so.

Then I went to a friend's house. We didn't know what to do, so I suggested we play Dominions II demo hotseat. We loved it, fell head over heels for it. By the turn limit, we had just been about to fight our first battles (on the second, wrap around map in the demo, rather big for 2 people). He had an incredibly large battle and I had just resummoned my god (who had died to indys around turn 10-15). But we did hit the limit. Neither of us had money, so that was it, game over.

But I can't forget perfection like that, so I found this forum. I saw the N6's and BN's (I am making the shortenings up) and I knew I had to know what you guys were talking about. Had spent ages reading this, and have finally begun to understand some of it. But I knew there had to be another way.

I found the Dominions 1 demo, no turn limit! I sent my friend an email, and we were lost to it again. Again, we don't play it day and night. We are not organized or whatever else you call it to do that. But we agree that it is one of the best games either of us has ever played, and we plan to get Dominions II asap (we considered delaying for Dom III, but who has that much patience?).

I liked reading your stories, btw.