Your favorite nations / themes -- and why! please participate!

[Norfleet]

Meh. Why the big fuss about Ermor? Plenty of nations spank Ermor easily.

[Stormbinder]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
Meh. Why the big fuss about Ermor? Plenty of nations spank Ermor easily.

Clearly some people are always looking for the dead horse.


As for the favorite race - I've recently fall in love with Vanheim, great nation that plays quite differently from the rest. Before that it was Abyssia (main theme), Jotuns(Niefel theme) and Pythium.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Stormbinder:
Clearly some people are always looking for the dead horse.

Yes, well, let's not forget:

In Soviet Russia, dead horse beats you!

[tinkthank]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Overall Id say it looks great. No real "zeros", and the default themes are generally ahead of the sub-themes. I think thats how the developers wanted it. And its rather an amazing achievment.
I know of alot of games with only 3 or 5 choices that got it so messed up that a poll like this would end up with nearly 100% all agreeing on one.

Yes, I think this is very good.
No votes for CotS, which I find totally acceptable -- it is the 3rd theme, after all. None for BK, which does not surprise me -- I, however, am one of those people who draw "need for tweakage" conclusions from this.
Abysia's popularity surprises me too, although I voted for them myself -- and I would have asked "who voted for BoH??" (which I dislike) had Cohen not elaborated.
Of all the default themes, only Atlantis (which has no theme) seems hurting. Any feelings on this?
S&A got more votes than default -- hm.

I would also like to hear more from Arco players about why -- I have actually never finished or even got into an Arco game. Despite their having a very strong team and some of the best cost-effective mages in the game (mystics), I have found them to be just very unsexy, and never found them cool enough to "enjoy". Powerful, yes, but fun?

In this light, it is worthy to note that a very few number of people like their Favorites because of power -- rather more, because of fun; I would like to know what the Arco players think about this.

Anyhow, thanks much for all your feedback and participation!

I do hope that I can pull one conlcusion from this poll (not that it needed any corroboration...):

GREAT GAME, DEVELOPERS!!! NICE JOB!!!!

[HotNifeThruButr]

Well, I voted default Tien Chi (means air or sky in Chinese, I forgot which.) and default Pangaea, since both are FUN FUN FUN.

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Of all the default themes, only Atlantis (which has no theme) seems hurting. Any feelings on this?

Probably because in a tossmatch between Atlantis and R'lyeh....rarely is there enough ocean space on a map for BOTH, R'lyeh usually wins the toss for what to play, for both thematic niftiness and ability. Once the next player sees R'lyeh is in the game, the oceans are then too crowded for both of them.

There's also the fact that Atlantis, by necessity, is pushed in the direction of clamhoarding, due to the limited number of effective behaviors one can engage in with primarily Water magic, and most of these aren't big gem-consumers, with the exceptions of clam hoarding, or Sea King hoarding, the latter of which necessitates a rather antagonistic behavior pattern which can be potentially counterproductive to long-term survival in MP.

S&A got more votes than default -- hm.

This in spite of being a turmoil theme: The authorities I've spoken to still believe S&A is better than the standard theme. I tend to agree, as their mages are much better. The turmoil still bites, though.

I would also like to hear more from Arco players about why -- I have actually never finished or even got into an Arco game. Despite their having a very strong team and some of the best cost-effective mages in the game (mystics), I have found them to be just very unsexy, and never found them cool enough to "enjoy". Powerful, yes, but fun?

Probably because the lack of consistency in the mages means that any mystic you hire will be a random crapshoot of magic paths, so you can't slap on a one-size-fits-all config. This turns Arco mage-management into a micromanagement hell that tends to push most people beyond their tolerance for pain.

In this light, it is worthy to note that a very few number of people like their Favorites because of power -- rather more, because of fun; I would like to know what the Arco players think about this.

ARCO IS SHINY! How can you resist the potential to be able to play with every single magic toy in the game, through your widely varied magic paths that give you just about anything, if you hire enough of them and summon the right ones? With only a little pretender aid, Arco has access to any magic in the game: IT IS SHINY! OOH! SHINY!

[Boron]

Originally posted by tinkthank:
Of all the default themes, only Atlantis (which has no theme) seems hurting. Any feelings on this?

atlantis is a bit boring yeah. but it is quite powerful though . in early game it has better underwater troops than ryhleh and so it can very likely defeat them .
then just stay underwater a long time and clamhoard and voila you're most likely very dangerous

Originally posted by tinkthank:
GREAT GAME, DEVELOPERS!!! NICE JOB!!!!

i absolutely agree

[Gandalf Parker]

Before anyone comments on clamhoard.. keep in mind that the devs have stated that the problem with some of the "fixes" suggested was that it hurt one of the main tactics available to Atlantis.

As for Arcos, I think it is alot of fun for those who like to play with magic. If you prefer to play slow expansion, heavy defense, research the hell out of every path... then Arcos is the fun choice.

I like Pan or Man or sometimes Vanheim because the strategy of stealth armies is vastly under-used.

I like Jotun default because people who first try it usually get it wrong, then drop it. They think of rampaging armies of giants which it cant support. But as slow defensive, it kicks tail. Its also a fun choice to take water cult and water magic god in games that have Banned the water nations.

Caelum is another that is often tried too soon. Its not a stomp-*** army. Its a strategic army. You have to play to its benefits and work around its defaults or it will seem "too weak". Hmmm I guess thats true of everything in Dominions huh? I LOVE THIS GAME.

[Kel]

In this light, it is worthy to note that a very few number of people like their Favorites because of power -- rather more, because of fun; I would like to know what the Arco players think about this.

Of the nations I like to play, Arcos is unquestionably the most fun but also the most time intensive (in the end game anyway).

Arcos's overall flexibility is sexy.
Hypasists, as one of the few good MI, can really move so they are a little sexy.
Priestesses will take care of you and are uniquely sexy.
Astrologers have a great mind, that's always sexy. Mystics are all flexible and are amazingly sexy. (High level of randoms on any mage is sexy (I wanted to make a new nation whose primary mage was the Loremaster, just to have the randoms).

I do hope that I can pull one conlcusion from this poll (not that it needed any corroboration...):

If it's about balance, I don't think you can draw any conclusions from a poll about what people like to play. A lot of people like to play weaker nations as a challenge. The only real conclusion is the direct one, what people on the Boards like to play.

- Kel

[tinkthank]

[quote]Originally posted by Kel:

quote:

---

[qb]
I do hope that I can pull one conlcusion from this poll (not that it needed any corroboration...):

If it's about balance, I don't think you can draw any conclusions from a poll about what people like to play. A lot of people like to play weaker nations as a challenge. The only real conclusion is the direct one, what people on the Boards like to play.

- Kel

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Firstly, thanks to all for all the Arco tips -- I will have to give them another run-through.
I hope I was clear enough in my poll itself and in my comments as well, too, to indicate that I dont think this is about balance. Need for tweakage, YES, but that is rare and only to spice up those nations that seem just plain bland (Tien BK, for example, in comparison with S&A) and hence less enticing to play.