Poll #2. [Try out the demo, and vote after that!]

[st.patrik]

Breaking away from this rather pointless discussion about SP/MP...

I was surprised by the AI; I thought it would have been improved significantly since Dom I. However it seems somewhat similar (albeit with not particularly extensive testing) - maybe just avoiding the obvious mistakes of the AI in Dom I? I expected it to be much better, from some beta-testers comments etc. OTOH, I think it's serviceable enough. I did get an interesting message from Abysia in the test game I was playing: "we will burn you to the ground" - and this before actually having any conflict with them. Perhaps a declaration of war?

...now back to the MP/SP discussion: I can't quite figure out what's being argued about here. The best I can figure is that some of you are saying that the game ought to be oriented more toward SP players, and that others are saying that it ought to be more oriented to MP players. Silly statement, either way: there is no "ought" here. There is what each individual wants, there is even what the majority of individuals want, there is what the developers want. You all seem to think that if the majority of indviduals want it one way, it ought to be that way. That is illogical. Maybe you could legitimately say that doing what the majority want will sell more games , and so be more lucrative for the devs, but perhaps making the game the way they like it is more important to them than lucrative sales. That would be ok I think.

So stop this foolishness about counting who has the most supporters on his side - it is completely irrelevant where the majority of public opinion lies. It's clear that there are a lot of supporters of both, anyway.

[MStavros]

IW has already lost a customer. Me. I am playing mostly SP in all games. Psitticine posted something in the past, that the Doms II. AI will be lot better than the Doms I. AI.

I have no idea, that why did he posted that, but he lied I guess?? I am not sure, but I am sure in one thing.

The Dominions 2. AI SUCKS with big letters. It is one of the worst AIs, what I ever seen in any strategy games.
I won't order this game, until some major AI tweaks will be done. I can live without Dominions II. so no hard feelings.


A little addition for this singleplayer - multiplayer "war": cpbeller you should know, that a forum is a good mirror of a gaming community.
Example: If 3000-4000 Users are posting on a board, that means that the game sold a few hundred thousand copies. If 30-40 people are posting, that means that the community is very small, propably a few thousand people are playing with that game. This is true about the SP,MP part as well. If the majority here are SPers, more than likely the whole community prefers the SP.
This is working like this, in any games.
Just becase some finnish fans made an IRC channel for MP games...that means nothing.
Your post is full with ignorant content, cpbeller. No offense.
I know lot more about these things, trust me.

I think the SP fans are annoyed, because the AI sucks. If the devs wanted to sell a SP,MP game. they should make a decent AI.
As someone said, the best would be to forget about the SP part, and make an MP game only, if they can't code AIs.
Right now we have a game with decent MP, and crap SP. No wonder that lot of fans are pissed, including me.
Think about this, before you will start flaming 'that this supposed to be a MP game'.
If this supposed to be a MP game, than why the hell is there an SP part at all? I must admit that the SP sucks right now, because of this dumb AI.

Hopefully these Posts won't scare away the SP fans from ordering the game, but this is the sad truth.

[ October 28, 2003, 13:06: Message edited by: MStavros ]

[MythicalMino]

you are wrong...but...ok....since you are leaving....bye

[Shir Khan]

Hi, I just tried out this demo. This is a weird game, but I beat the AI on the hardest level in my second game.
I think this is not normal. In any other games, it is impossible to beat an AI so easily. I guess the AI must be very weak.

[MStavros]

Originally posted by cpbeller:
you are wrong...but...ok....since you are leaving....bye

LMAO, Illwinter must hire Mr. Cpbeller...with his help they can sell lot more copies, I am sure. [Feel the sarcasm?]

Anyways I won't argue with you man, you are very wrong in lot of things.
I advice, take a look at the poll, just in case.

[Gandalf Parker]

As a "mostly solo player" I am hoping for a decent AI. Well actually, a decent AI spread. Easy should be easy but hard should be hard.

But I wouldnt say its the worst. There are alot of games where the AI was little more than a way to get thru a tutorial period. Particualrly where the programming concentrated on MP play. It wasnt meant as a real opponent. I get the impression that the AI in Dom2 is meant as an opponent though.

Im still testing things so Im not saying alot about what I like and dont like about Dom2. But as far as the AI thing goes Im just wondering how people tested it. I found in Dom 1 that the AI was extremely fair about how it treated AI/Human players. Pros and Cons. Thats something we all complained about in other games when human players were picked on by AI or when AI cheated.

Anyway, I found in the past that if you played with all the races turned on then a player could easily use the AI vs AI combats to his advantage. Especially on small maps. The AI in Dom2 MIGHT (I havent tested this) might put on a better show if there are fewer races or if someone would make a larger playing map.

[ October 28, 2003, 13:44: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[-Storm-]

Do you play single or multi?
I only play SP 61% (20)
I prefer SP, but rarely I play MP 15% (5)


What do you think about the Dominions II. AI?
Average 27% (9)
Below average 27% (9)
Poor 18% (6)


What are we talkin' about? cpbeller is browsing another message board? Huh?

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by -Storm-:
Do you play single or multi?
I only play SP 61% (20)
I prefer SP, but rarely I play MP 15% (5)
What do you think about the Dominions II. AI?
Average 27% (9)
Below average 27% (9)
Poor 18% (6)

I think someone pointed out already the fact that there is always a wide difference in the people using web forums over other discussion areas. Webbies tend to be soloists. People more into social interaction tend to painfully find their way into forums such as newsGroups and IRC chats. Ive worked for ISPs since they were invented and Ive seen this difference.

[Nerfix]

When do people freaking get it? Dom II is made for MP. You may not like the game but that doesn't give you any freaking rigths to post crap spam here. If you don't like the game, don't buy it!


You can play SP, ignore MP and whine but that won't change the fact:
Dom II is made for MP.

[Dekent]

I was under the impression Dom 2 was made for both sp AND mp, if that is not true I will wish to cancel my preorder...and btw THAT gives me the right to complain as I have already paid for the game.