Is anyone having fun with this game?

[HoneyBadger]

mmmmm...happyjuice

Actually, I was just coming off a 12 hour workday, including 6 hours answering phones. It was either take it out on you guys or strangle a co-worker. I couldn't find a co-worker within strangling range.

[BigJMoney]

I love the game. I don't think there is too much negative hype here on the forums, but I'd say that the people who have been around for a long time probably assume we all know they still like (and find value in) the series despite their critiques. People in general are quicker to critique than to praise because they think ciritique will get them what they want, but they don't see the value in praise. So, let it be a reminder that there are many new people here and we should not forget to praise what's worth praising.

That being said, I think we should also understand that the very nature of the genre means that a large portion of the playerbase is going to be analytical and critical. Shutting down threads won't change the way people think and communicate. The best thing is to just to suggest people remember to pair criticism with praise, even if it seems like the praise would be redundant. That's what I'll try to do. Honestly, I think the most practical help to this whole thing would be multiple forums. If suggestions could be kept to a suggestion forum, then the main Doms 3 forum wouldn't be cluttered with things that might be negatively interpreted by newbies. Newbies must be properly cared for in a newbie nursery....

Aha! So that's the solution. We need a forum called the "Newbie Nursery". Okay, I'm just joking, but truly I think suggestions should be taken out of the main forums. Also, make a thread called, "Why you like Dominions." and sticky it when it gets full. I think people will be more inclined to post their positive thoughts in one like that, since it is less inviting of criticism than "Is anyone having fun".

My $0.02

=$=

[Gandalf Parker]

Hmmm good points.

[Archonsod]

I'm having too much fun losing.

It's the new effects. I know concentrating solely on fire magic is a bad idea, especially when everyone knows you do it so invest heavily in fire resistance, but I can't help it. Those fire spells are so pretty....

[HoneyBadger]

You know, speaking of praise where praise is due: I like the graphics. A lot of people don't seem to because they say they're dated. I've heard comments like: "graphics from 10 years ago" Yes, you can say they're dated, but they're pleasant to look at, and they serve their purpose, and it's an absolutely beautiful, amazing job for two programmers. And really, the battle effects are incredible. I'll slip a little criticism in here though: the turn screen, while you're waiting for the computer to calculate the battles. I really think it would be worthwile, and not too demanding, if-bare minimum-each nation got a separate skin here. I do like to think of the two "stone heads" on either side as busts of Kristoffer and Johan, but this really is one area of the game where you spend a lot of time looking at the screen and not doing anything, and it's the one area where the graphics disappoint me. If I ever get my scanner back from my dad, I'm planning to send Illwinter a whole bunch of illustrations to replace what's currently there, providing I can find the time. I'm also thinking a screen-saver type effect could be used there, where you'd see images from the "real world" of the game: living pillars standing guard before the underground and underwater gates of Atlantis, a sacrifice performed atop a ziggurat-temple of Mictlan, a mummified oracle bursting from it's crypt, the ghostly image of an ancient kracken in the depths, Call of Cthulhu style, etc. It shouldn't be too demanding, performance-wise, on a modern computer, and it should add something, imagination-wise, to the fun factor, especially if the images are from *your* nation that you're currently playing, which should cause a lot of people to want to play nations they normally wouldn't, just so they can see the pretty pictures. Maybe Illwinter could even hold a contest and host a gallery of fan art for the game, and the best images would go into upcoming patches? That way, you'd have something new that WE as a community add to the game, over time.

[Endoperez]

HoneyBadger said:
I'll slip a little criticism in here though: the turn screen, while you're waiting for the computer to calculate the battles. I really think it would be worthwile, and not too demanding, if-bare minimum-each nation got a separate skin here. I do like to think of the two "stone heads" on either side as busts of Kristoffer and Johan, but this really is one area of the game where you spend a lot of time looking at the screen and not doing anything, and it's the one area where the graphics disappoint me. If I ever get my scanner back from my dad, I'm planning to send Illwinter a whole bunch of illustrations to replace what's currently there, providing I can find the time.

I don't know about the screen-saver, but this can be modded already, and in fact, HAS been modded. Check out some of the older threads in mod forum. I'm THINK the GUI can be defined as a per-nation setting, but I'm not sure.

[Gandalf Parker]

Another thing about the graphics is that it does make the game memory efficient and fast. Some of my favorite grames have been ruined by shifting toward 3D and eye-candy.

I agree about the screen saver. Maybe its because the developers live in cold climate but I wish there were scenes other than a desert with cities scrolling behind the menu screens. If there was something abit more green, particularly more temperate zone, then I might make use of the "hit spacebar to hide menu" thing and just let the screen scroll when I have to step away for abit.

[Archonsod]

I can't see it taking up much more resources than the old Doms 2 glowing lights, especially if it's just a still image. Besides, even if it does slow down at least you have something to look at