Info: Dominions 4: Thrones of Ascension Announced!

[Edi]

Calmon: Release date is end of August, development has been going on for a good while (since late last year). Yes, they still have regular jobs. Bruce Geryk is doing the manual for Dominions 4 and I'm in charge of the supplementary manuals (modding, mapmaking).

Stryke11: Desura is analogous to Steam as a digital distribution service, but gives you more control. You can install games through the Desura client, which is similar to the Steam client. However, you are not required to use it and can download standalone installers so it's just as if you had installed from CD (only no CD, just the installer file).

I use the standalone installers myself, I don't like extra client programs cluttering up my system. The forums at Desura are technically inferior to most phpbb boards and places like this, but they do the job in a pinch.

I expect that Illwinter will try to get Dominions 4 on Steam, but initially it will be published through Desura and probably Gamersgate.

[JonBrave]

Originally Posted by Stryke11

Anyway, I was just curious about Desura. I've never used it. I get most of my games from Steam but one thing I liked about Dom3 was the fact that it was independent of a digital service. I could install it and play it "offline". I also loved the manual but realize the cost situation. It's too bad though because digital manuals are never easy to read and they truly pale in comparison - which is why most AAA games nowadays just have built in "manuals" where stuff is explained when you hover mouse over specific buttons/commands. Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes is a good example of this. Regardless, I really don't want to clutter my computer up with a bunch of digital download services. I don't mind downloading the game, but then I want it to be mine without having to access a service to play it. Will there be any option for that?

Thanks!

@calmon, if you're still around, or anyone (Edi? ...

I'm in this "quandary", having decided I want to buy "Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes". It's on Steam, and I have avoided any need for Steam so far, but amazon (UK) says it's bringing it out later this month... I'd like to buy from Amazon, which I presume would be a non-Steam non-anything-else version? But a friend suggested I would maybe miss out on any on-line/user-content additions, maybe even patches, if I didn't buy from Steam...?

[Edi]

I have a Steam account, but don't use it. I bought the X-COM series and Space Empires series from there, but didn't end up playing them much because I detest the client. So I cannot advise you on this. It's better to ask elsewhere.

[oldrocker99]

One does not need to start Desura in order to play any installed game; when I want to play DOM3, I cd to the directory thus:

cd desura/common/dominions3-the-awakening
./desura_launch_play.sh

I do use Linux, but it can't be that different from other OSes.

And, when I download DOM4 from Desura, the first thing I will do is take the PDF of the manual to a shop and get it printed and spiral bound.

[Korosuke]

The entire nation rejoices!