Showing our appreciation for the Devs.

[HoneyBadger]

If I had the means, I would fly to Sweden, toast the Devs as eloquently as I'm capable of, with the most expensive liquor, and buy them the best meal in the finest restaurant. This game has added a lot to my life, and I am very grateful. It makes me think more deeply, write better, learn more about the world, and meet more good people than I otherwise would have. I hope Kristoffer and Johan will read this, because you both should know that your efforts are worth a lot more to me than money. You've managed to add a piece that was missing to my world. You've merged myth and history and fantasy and literature into a whole, and made them fun to become involved with. I'm a poor white boy from backwoods Pennsylvania, and because of Dom3 I know more about African history than I do about the game of Soccer (sorry Soccer fans-as an aside, I can't stand American football.).

I don't know or understand in what ways the Devs feel unappreciated on this forum, but it's certainly not a universal sentiment. I hope I personally haven't done anything to offend, but if I have I was mistaken, and I deeply appologise. I've had some experience with gaming forums though, and to my eyes, this one's far and away the most considerate, earnest, and all around exceptional.

Johan, Kristoffer, you guys are the best. You're responsive, you update your game regularly, and you're pleasant to talk to in all cases. Your game itself is great, but you're a real pleasure to have as the creators of it.

I think it's hard for a lot of people to express themselves well, or even to avoid being an ***, but people care about your game. Do I think people should say it more often? Yes I do, but they say it in other ways too. I see it in the number of mods, Edi's databases, Gandalf's servers and the quick donations that were made, our three new moderators who came out of this forum, and all of the guides to various nations, and the way people have fun-and put a real effort into-posting about mooses and kittens and everything else imaginable. Even the suggestions for improvement-because that's still time and effort someone's taking to become involved in your project. It may at times seem demanding, or even envious-and perhaps it is-but it's also people gathering together and wanting to build on the magnificent foundation you've so generously supplied.

You've created a good game, and a good place to be, and it makes people happy-it makes me happy, and I'm very thankful. Johan, Kristoffer, I don't have the money to fly to Sweden and do it properly-forgive me, I have a wife and a mortgage-but I'll drink to you today, my friends, my teachers, my good fortune to have met you.

[Endoperez]

What can others say after that?

I've played various iterations of Dominions for years. I haven't played them that much, but I really love all the lore and stories in it, descriptions of the nations and spells and all kinds of fun stuff that appears in events or in magic sites. Despite doing its best to give different nations different feel and different power spectrum, the game is also surprisingly balanced. It's fun to play and fun to speak about. It's not perfect, but it's very, very good.

I've played Dominions more than Master of Magic, Master of Orion, King of Dragon Pass, Planescape: Torment, Fallout 1, Mount & Blade, Dwarf Fortress and many, many other good games. The non-controlled battles are one of the greatest things I've ever seen in games, right after the diplomacy-friendly we-go-together turn system.

[HoneyBadger]

Well, I will say one thing: Dominions reminds me of my childhood, of games I wanted to play, and still want to play as an adult. It's the little soldiers of my imagination that I wanted to see in action, and all the fantasy and dreams I desperated wanted-and still want-to be real. And it's special that it's set in a world where all those conflicting myths, all those desires and fears of humanity, can come together and live a bit.

[MaxWilson]

Hunh. I'm not the gushy type, but I appreciate how KO is a good guy, and when I saw this topic in the forum my first thought was, "Okay, I could probably show appreciation for the devs in kind by reviving my work on a T'lan Imass mod nation. KO would probably enjoy playing that if I'm clever enough with the descriptions and national spells." So yeah, thanks for the reminder and I'll see if I can motivate myself to do it.

-Max

(And then, of course, we need to do the human empire on Assail who've managed to hammer the Imass (!!!) almost into oblivion. I'd do Thelomen Toblakai except that Ashdod already fills that niche pretty well.)

[Omnirizon]

this thread's so saccharine.

sweeter than froo froo cocktails at a dance bar playing the most cliche dance music and top 40 hits they can find.

I'd send KO a boatload of Bulgarian pole dancers. And since he seems like I nice guy, I'd have em tested for herpes first; don't want to give him any STDs.

[HoneyBadger]

Sometimes it's hard to get any appreciation, even for showing appreciation.

[Reverend Zombie]

The devs got our appreciation when we shelled out the [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/icon41.gif[/img] for the game, no?

Money talks, b.s. walks.

[MaxWilson]

Reverend Zombie,

Our devs are not quite so crass as you believe. Everybody likes to succeed at what they do; many people mistake a metric (money) for the thing (success). JK and KO seem more motivated by cool ideas and appreciation.

-Max

[sector24]

"BUILD ME AN APPRECIATION THREAD WORTHY OF MORDOR!"

This game is truly inspiring, thanks reading all of our minds and making the game we've been dreaming of since we were kids.

[Saxon]

I am not sure the guys who came up with blood sacrifices and doom horrors are into the mushy, feel good stuff. Can we just send them beer? I think they would appreciate that appreciation.