Can I make this forum sort the "normal" way?

[Gandalf Parker]

I think the vote doesnt provide enough answers. Is it taking for granted that we will have to start over with a blank forum or not?

In general I think the wording of the poll and especially the post sending us there is maybe alittle biased, maybe alitle rude, definetly opinionionated. Not a bad thing, being opinionated. As long as it doesnt try to paint a picture of some large agreeing crowd behind it.

[ February 03, 2004, 13:30: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[PDF]

Originally posted by vanedor:
Vote here : http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=67;t=000040

But to me, it seems that the debate is between the old Users who are used to the way it works and the newer Users who are more used to the normal way.

I think if Illwinter and their publisher wish to grow, they have no choice but to adapt to the standards of the market. The current message board and Illwinter website, for example, are perfect for fan sites... but for a company wishing to become a big name, it's unprofessional. My grandma could make a better looking website, seriously. The shrapnel games Dom2 website looks much better but it lacks information. I know they got no people to do it but Dominions 2 should work well enough to let them hire an artist and a webmaster.

This a pretty arbitrary and patronizing way of expressing your opinion .
In the same vein, send your grandma's resume to apply for IW website design.
I particularly HATE sentences like

"they have no choice but to adapt to the standards of the market"

: if IW or Shrapnel wanted to do that they'll publish crappy childish RTS or FPS , never will Dominions ever nave been born !

[vanedor]

Vote here : http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...;f=67;t=000040

The poll has been in effect for some time already. It has nothing to do with me or my opinion. Thank you.

[vanedor]

"If IW or Shrapnel wanted to do that they'll publish crappy childish RTS or FPS , never will Dominions ever nave been born !"

I don't see why. A company doesnt have to look like a low budgetted amateurish company to produce great games. My words may seem a bit hard, but I fear that's actually how it looks right now. They created a great product and there is lot of money to be made with it. In my opinion, I don't think the game needs more races, spells or items. What it needs right now, to appeal to a greater mass and become a real success, is an improved interface, website and better sonor effects and graphics.

[johan osterman]

Originally posted by vanedor:
"If IW or Shrapnel wanted to do that they'll publish crappy childish RTS or FPS , never will Dominions ever nave been born !"

I don't see why. A company doesnt have to look like a low budgetted amateurish company to produce great games. My words may seem a bit hard, but I fear that's actually how it looks right now. They created a great product and there is lot of money to be made with it. In my opinion, I don't think the game needs more races, spells or items. What it needs right now, to appeal to a greater mass and become a real success, is an improved interface, website and better sonor effects and graphics.

If your grandmother is as good at soundeffects and 3d graphics as she is at web design, be sure to tell her to give us a call, especially if she is frugal, virtuous and enjoys working for uncertain compensation.

[vanedor]

I'm very sorry if you were offended by my post. And I admit that for the better graphics and sound effect, it's too late for Dom2 and anyhow, you seem to be on the right track already. Dom2 is a huge improvement over Dom1.

But the interface got some really nagging problems(mostly mentioned by other people in other treads) and the website... you have to admit we have seen better. I don't say it should be as sumptuous as http://www.knights-of-honor.net with their full time webmaster and professional web designers. But something looking reasonably nice and functional, like your fansite http://www.dominionsx.com/.

[Gandalf Parker]

"This is Internet. You can find anything. If you search, and dont find it, then you found a hole. Fill it. This is Internet"

Actually, having been a strong suggstor in areas involving illwinters site from the first days of Dom1 I have to say they have made 200% improvement.

You know the Dominions2 domain names are still available. Im sure that searches for Dominions2 are occurring continually. Instead of "suggesting" that someone else do it maybe you could take a stab at it? Even make alittle money on the side.

[Kristoffer O]

Our website is a temporary solution that enables us to quickly add things ourselves without having to learn how to make nice pages. I prefer to spend the few hours I have after work on Dominions rather than on web pages.

WraCTale (the dominionsx guy) made an example of a nice page for us, but I do not believe we could change it when needed. We're not very skilled in that area. Thus we went with the simplistic look. I consider our page more of a support page while Shrapnel's is a PR page. Their page is quite nice.

I often wonder if the people who come to this forum think that 2 Swedes who work normal jobs and a few family members and other people all with the same name (Go Johans!) are suddenly lumped into the same Category as multi-million dollar companies.

Is it past every internet Users comprehension that not every game is built different? Shrapnel and Illwinter are NOT Blizzard, get used to it. Understand it, accept them for what they are and maybe you can provide helpful suggestions instead of ludicrious ones that while you feel are 'good suggestions' are not feasible.

Give 'em an inch, they take a mile.

[Targa]

Actually, I don't think it's common knowledge, unless you read this forum long enough. It seems that there are quite a few readers who don't fully understand who/what Illwinter is all about. To quote J.O. from another thread:

Originally posted by Johan Osterman:
The answer is the same as it is to all these kinds of questions. Illwinter has very limited resources. These resources are currently largely unpaid, the resources in question are not particularily fond of programming UI interface issues, and since the resources is it's own boss and is, more or less, unpaid it is not suprising that the resources spend most of it's time improving on other stuff than the UI.

Unless/until this becomes common knowledge, people will continue to request "improvements" to things that Illwinter has neither the time nor resources to implement. Perhaps the "about Illwinter" web page should make some note of this?

On another note, as I look at "a typical day at Illwinter" here:
http://www.illwinter.com/illwork.jpg
The first thought that pops into my head is "Where's that map?!!" Kris: That looks awesome!!! Was it ever finished and released? Did I miss it somewhere?