[curtadams]

Dominions is a fantasy game. Citybuilding isn't a major part of the fantasy genre. Frodo doesn't go to Rivendell to help install a sewer system. As all the earlier posters have pointed out, Dominions' depth comes from the magic system and the interaction of numerous strategic choices vis-a-vis pretender design, research, expansion, gem use, etc. with all kinds of complex tradeoffs. It has lots of depth, and the depth is focused on the kinds of choices that drive good fantasy stories.

Dominions *is* a 4x game. eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate. It's all there. Citybuilding isn't part of the 4X definition. The genre is not 3XCBX, even if Civ and its relatives use citybuilding for the expoitation. Dominions just uses different stuff for that phase - site searching and research, as well as building construction. As Chazar points out, Dom exploitation is far less tedious (although site searching could use some automation).