OT: Master of Magic 2 - now looking quite likely

Gandalf Parker · #1 July 16th, 2004, 02:41 AM

MoM is very different than Dom2. But I usually feel safe in telling people who still have Stars! and Master of Magic on their machines, that if they love those then they should try Dom2. The similarity is hard to point out.

I think that they all were popular because you didnt feel like you were learning the strategies that the game writer had in mind when he wrote the game. You can create your own personal nation which can play best using the tactics YOU come up with. Its the pre-game design which actually makes a difference and isnt just changing what color of cloak you wear.
Oh yeah, there is also a game on the shrapnel site called Space Empires IV which is pretty good for that.

But of all of them I think Dom2 has done it best (so far)

[ July 16, 2004, 01:43: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Arryn · #2 July 16th, 2004, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Norfleet:
I didn't like it either, although not because of the gameplay: I disliked it because of the intermittent crashing bugs combined with the fact that trying to even download a bloody patch was like trying to perform root canal in the field with a butter knife.

Never had this problem myself. One of the very few ultra-stable games I have. It's more stable than Dom 2. And patching via Stardock Central for me is painless and quick. You're not on ... ack, ugh ... dial-up, are you???

Daynarr · #3 July 16th, 2004, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:

quote:
Originally posted by Norfleet:
I didn't like it either, although not because of the gameplay: I disliked it because of the intermittent crashing bugs combined with the fact that trying to even download a bloody patch was like trying to perform root canal in the field with a butter knife.

Never had this problem myself. One of the very few ultra-stable games I have. It's more stable than Dom 2. And patching via Stardock Central for me is painless and quick. You're not on ... ack, ugh ... dial-up, are you???

I bet he's still using 28800 modem.

Dom 2 never crashes (at least not on my system) so I can hardly call anything "more" stable.

Norfleet · #4 July 16th, 2004, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Arryn:
Never had this problem myself. One of the very few ultra-stable games I have. It's more stable than Dom 2. And patching via Stardock Central for me is painless and quick. You're not on ... ack, ugh ... dial-up, are you???

Oh, hell no. I was referring to the absolutely ridiculous number of hoops and obstacles you had to work around just to get a freaking patch.

Arryn · #5 July 16th, 2004, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Norfleet:
I was referring to the absolutely ridiculous number of hoops and obstacles you had to work around just to get a freaking patch.

What "hoops and obstacles"? How hard is it to have a net-connection, launch the Stardock Central app (SC), and then watch it download and auto-install whatever the latest patch is? Or are you referring to the *registration* process to initially set up SC? Once it's set up it's essentially brainless. And if you don't want to deal with SC, you can always just go to their site via browser and download the patch (or get it from some other site). I simply fail to understand what's so hard and what your problem is? (Of course this Last question is one helluva juicy straight line for your detractors to jump all over ...)

Blitz · #6 July 16th, 2004, 08:03 AM

The saddest thing is that I get 90% of my (purchaced) game patches from a site like gamecopyworld. In fact, much of the crap I've bought requires a CD in the drive or some kind of asinine registration to get patches. Why game companies insist on making owning a legal copy of a piece of software more tedious than simply stealing it is beyond me. I have downloaded "illegal" Versions of several games I already own, simply because the pirated stuff comes without spyware or requiring me to email my life story to some anonymous server. The fact that I actually pay for the game seems more like a paypall donation to your favorite website. Thanks for the hard work, keep it up. You want your unopened box back?

[ July 16, 2004, 07:07: Message edited by: Blitz ]

Arryn · #7 July 16th, 2004, 08:19 AM

I legally own all the games I have, despite having several excellent CD copying tools and knowing how to use them effectively. I also have downloaded no-CD cracks (from gamecopyworld) for every one of them that has such annoying copy protection. IMO, according to the Fair Use laws, once I buy something, it's my right to use that product however I wish so long as I don't abuse "Fair Use" (ie, give copies to other people, etc.). If I want to create 20 backup copies for myself, or install it on 5 machines, that's my right. So long as my legally-owned copy is only played on one machine at a time, the game publisher has no right whatsoever to dictate how I use what I have paid for.

I don't approve of software "piracy", but the software industry, with its utter lack of concern for such things as fitness for intended use, and fascist licensing, just begs for piracy. Software is the only product I can think of that you can buy without any consumer protection as to getting what you ostensibly paid for. Be it a functional game (countless example of games that won't even run out of the box, such as UFO:Aftermath or MOO3) or million-dollar enterprise accounting apps from Oracle (that won't install or even if you get them installed won't actually work).

Sorry about the rant.