What is Dominions II?

[Endoperez]

I know what Dominions II is. Probably everyone on this board knows. But if you were asked this question, what would you answer?

I browsed the forums of Home of the Underdogs and someone was asking for the name of this game which had 'realms like lizards and afrikaans and rome' and in which you had 'idol' and magic and things... He got his answer, but I would have wanted to send there a short reply telling what Dominions II was. I wasn't able to register in the site, however. HotU have heavy traffic, and I were too impatient to wait.

Know that I have though of it I have realised that I couldn't have given a good answer. Dominions II *does* look like a mix of Risk and Chess and Master of Magic, but it is more. Master of Magic played made for Risk instead of Civilization comes closer, but is still far as only the look of maps comes from Risk. This is the best I can manage:

Chess with 17 sides as different as those in MoM and played on a Risk board is about as good as I can manage.

What is your try?

[The Panther]

Definitely Risk with simultaneous move capability. While Dom 2 is far, far more complex than Risk, the basic underlying TBS game structure is identical.

[Arryn]

Try one of the following:

• Dom 2 is what AoW would like to be when (if ever) it grows up?
• Dom 2 is the next best thing to having a MoM 2?
• It's the best fantasy-based computer strategy game.
• It's something you should be addicted to also ...

[Alneyan]

There has been a thread about Dominions I some time ago at these Boards, and possibly others since then. But yes, there are easier things than describing Dominions.

Hmm... A game where the focus is the ascension to Godhood. Leading one of the seventeen nations offered by the game, your Pretender will attempt to further her religious dominion and to destroy any opponent, both physically and psychically (is that a word?). Wield tremendous spells able to wreak havoc, marshall a host of warriors dedicated to your cause, attempt to outmanoeuver the enemy or summon champions and equip them with state-of-the-art magic items; the possibilities to reach your goals are virtually endless. Oops, that was an ad rather than an actual description.

[reverend]

I think Arryn has some good replies.

- MoM taken to the next level
- best fantasy TBS currently available
- large-scale AoW (AoW = fighting for a province, Dom2 = fighting for a world)

You might also try comparisons to Fantasy General, but the two games are very different. (Like comparing Panzer General to Hearts of Iron). Actualy, I think Victoria or Europa Universalis could be compared to Dom2. They are RTS, but you can pause and slow down the game enough to basically make them turn-based.

[Gandalf Parker]

A fantasy/magic Empire strategy game with enough variables that everyone can actually develop tactics/strategies/playing-styles that are completely their own. Anyone who is tired of getting a new game every month should DEFINETLY a least download and try the free demo. IF (notice the emphasis on IF) you can get hooked by the demo, then the price of the full game is absolutely worth it because it WILL live on your computer far longer than any game of euqal amount.

WARNING: this game is NOT suitable for students, interns, apprentices, or anyone else who is expected to pass tests on a regular basis. Do not think about Dominions strategies while operating heavy machinery. The demo has built-in protections such as turn limits which should not be bypassed. They are for your health as much as for monetary reasons. Do not begin on the full Version without first making arrangments for someone to check on you daily. If you find that your game has continued for more than 36 hours straight then you should consult a physician immeadiately (Do NOT show him the game!)

[Arryn]

I'd hate to compare Dom to Hoi (or any of Paradox's EU-engined games). IW has coded a by far better AI than the lame excuse for AI that EU/HoI/Vicky have.

The provincial aspects / world conquest do vaguely resemble Risk, but that's about as far as that analogy can go, and it's pushing it as is. You have a broader and deeper variety of units than the Warlords or AoW series, but lack the depth of hero development of those games. OTOH, Dom allows you to go into more detail in equipping your "heroes" (commanders), so it's a different sort of "development", and more or less balances out not having a real system for user-selected hero skills and their improvement. Pretenders are somewhat similar to your mage in MoM, but the feel is different. Dominion push (vaguely) resembles something from Populous.

[Chazar]

I think the most distinguishing* feature of Dom2 for me is the combination of turn-based and simultaneous movement, so I would say something like:

A complex turn-based fantasy strategy game, which allows fast gameplay due to simultaneous movement.

It's more like a Real Time Strategy game where you have plenty of time to think through your moves and where you do not need quick reaction capabilities...

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(* I think that WarlordsIII became popular because it allowed simultaneous movement in multiplayer, thus allowing quick Online games. However, this also required fast reaction and so was rather RTS than turn-based, wheras PBEM games were never ending at all...)

[Chazar]

Oh, btw, this leads me to a feature request - not for myself, but i guess this could increase the popularity of the game:

The screen should show a timer somewhere and hit end turn automatically if the time is up. (For network games only.)

In this way, one could settle for blitz-matches...

[PrinzMegaherz]

The battle system with its not controlable fighting sequences remind me of some console strategy games like ogre battle or the older warsong.

Indeed I would like to see closeups of the commanders faces and some statements before battle, to give your units more personality (like an Abysian Salamander with fiery eyes "I'll burn you to cinders", or an charging ulmish knight commander "For [enter god name here]".