what about the future?

[Gandalf Parker]

That was one of the better ones though.
There are a number of Dom4 threads that had some very creative guesses.

[Gandalf Parker]

The "dungeon master" mods were started partly for that purpose. I think it was all discussion until my Watcher mod http://www.dom3minions.com/mods.htm
Now there are a GameMaster, Debug, Pantokrator and some others I cant remember (apologies).

They all are designed to one person, the Game Master if you wish, access to the game in order to do more than just participate. Discussion included
a) enter the game and check on things from the inside
b) enter to get a map view
c) enter to grab an image of the score graphs
d) enter to send messages to everyone in the game such as to add flavor to the game
e) viewing and recording combats without being one of the participants
f) using messages and spells to duplicate and expand on events

Expansion of (f) is these events could use the same settings as present ones but expand them. Such as random numbers, turn counter, scales, terrain, seasons. They could also make use of anything that can be pulled from a games log if debugging is turned on including the taking or using of certain sites, arenas and their results, entry of certain factors into the game.

[Gandalf Parker]

That would depend on the developers.
Many of the suggestions for Dom3 were killed purely by the way they were discussed. No matter what the logic was, if it was demanded or belittled or sarcasmed then it could die. If Illwinter disclosed the details of their project to this crowd, Id suspect that the fun would go out of the development. Im not sure that it could survive us. Its better to get something than to chance getting nothing.

Everything has its pros and cons.

[das123]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

...If Illwinter disclosed the details of their project to this crowd, Id suspect that the fun would go out of the development. Im not sure that it could survive us...

Very very insightful.

You can sometimes see the Stardock frustrations through their Elemental beta process and they obviously have very thick skins. Ultimately, for them, it has been very positive in terms of weeding out the bad concepts and introducing new ones but the frustrations with community expectations do rise to the surface occasionally.

But the Stardock Developer Updates are now coming out every couple of days with YouTube videos showing 'warts and all' testing. Extremely interesting to watch as they find something they don't like.

I must say I've got very high expectations for Elemental.

[lch]

Originally Posted by das123

You can sometimes see the Stardock frustrations through their Elemental beta process and they obviously have very thick skins. Ultimately, for them, it has been very positive in terms of weeding out the bad concepts and introducing new ones but the frustrations with community expectations do rise to the surface occasionally.

Yes, weeding out the bad concepts before release is one positive thing that I'd see as well, and why feedback even in the form of criticism isn't bad. Other companies pay a lot of money to do market analysis, they have it as a byproduct.

Originally Posted by das123

I must say I've got very high expectations for Elemental.

When I first heard about it a year or so ago I was interested, when I first saw what they had this quickly changed. I did complain very loudly one time about a marketing stunt of theirs which resulted in a statement about those claims, where those were watered down as being misunderstood. Overall I'm interested in whatever they come up with as well, though.

Originally Posted by thejeff

Or perhaps the fun of development is not based on keeping secrets, but based on not having to defend every step and every idea from naysayers.

That certainly wouldn't be fun, but it's not like they'd be tailoring the game exactly to the quite probably even changing demands of their audience. It would be advertisement in the form of "look what we did, hot or not?", getting into touch with the potential future customers, instead of just a finished product and one-sided propaganda. Zero feedback would be the worst.

I believe that it's not really about secrets, anyway, but about the fact that for a programmer, and especially for a single working one, documentation is always a very painful thing to do.

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

Its not as if the devs have to guess. They know what this community is like.
And I have to agree with their choices.

What do the devs think this community is like? I'd like to agree with their choices, too.

Originally Posted by rdonj

I miss the days where JK and KO were around more often. I hope we haven't chased them away by making it too unwelcome for them here.

They never have been unwelcome, they enjoy unquestioned sympathy from the fans. Never mind the front-seat passenger talk - the very first thing I'd bug KO about when I see him here again would be when the map that's never going to be finished is going to be finished.

[rdonj]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

If Illwinter disclosed the details of their project to this crowd, Id suspect that the fun would go out of the development. Im not sure that it could survive us. Its better to get something than to chance getting nothing.

Everything has its pros and cons.

You know, actually I completely agree with this. I've never seen a game community that wasn't at least *somewhat* hostile to the developers, and this one is no exception. We always think we know better than they do, and are quite willing to say so, loudly I don't mind however JK and KO work on their new project. I'll be content waiting for it to be released, and with any luck, it will give me the years of entertainment playing dom3 has. If they are keeping things on the down low because they don't want us dampening their enthusiasm, well, I don't blame them at all. Instead I will just wish them luck, and hope the new project turns out well.

[LDiCesare]

Stardock's a big company witth full time developpers working on their projects. Illwinter doesn't have these resources, and couldn't interact with the community the way Stardock does.

[NTJedi]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

That would depend on the developers.
Many of the suggestions for Dom3 were killed purely by the way they were discussed. No matter what the logic was, if it was demanded or belittled or sarcasmed then it could die.

If a king ignored a way to solve hunger for his kingdom simply because a village bully presented the idea... then the king made an unwise decision due to personal feelings. This reveals a weakness in the kings character.

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

If Illwinter disclosed the details of their project to this crowd, Id suspect that the fun would go out of the development. Im not sure that it could survive us. Its better to get something than to chance getting nothing.

Everything has its pros and cons.

If the fun of development is surviving primarily on keeping secrets then the project is really on unstable ground. The project should be able to survive based on creative ideas and a vision. I figured the secrets were because the developers had some contract with Shrapnel games involving keeping the game secret or the developers were following a trend from the 1990s and unaware how to protect their intellectual property during game development.
Overall I guess the success of the game doesn't really matter since Illwinter has never been interested in money.

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

That would depend on the developers.
Many of the suggestions for Dom3 were killed purely by the way they were discussed. No matter what the logic was, if it was demanded or belittled or sarcasmed then it could die. If Illwinter disclosed the details of their project to this crowd, Id suspect that the fun would go out of the development. Im not sure that it could survive us. Its better to get something than to chance getting nothing.

Everything has its pros and cons.

You seem to posses some degree of knowledge about this new project. Without revealing any project-related info or encroaching into NDA territory, what are you personal guts feeling - is it something that you think Dom1/2/3 players crowd might enjoy? Or is it so far away from the Dom style of gaming, that you don't think so, or perhaps it is simply too hard to predict?

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally Posted by Corwin

You seem to posses some degree of knowledge about this new project. Without revealing any project-related info or encroaching into NDA territory, what are you personal guts feeling - is it something that you think Dom1/2/3 players crowd might enjoy? Or is it so far away from the Dom style of gaming, that you don't think so, or perhaps it is simply too hard to predict?

Sorry. I have nothing to give that can tighten peoples impressions of it. If anything, all I have only increases it.

I would buy it today if it was pre-sold. But then I doubt that information tells anyone anything new (see title under login)