Bought Dominions 3

[Dragar]

Yep, a game that is difficult to get to grips with is a great way to keep a good, if small, community

It may not be ideal from a sales point of view, but it suits me just fine as a player.

I've played two other online strategy games in the past where the same applies. What separates this from some other games I've played in the past is that the community seems to grow rather than stagnating. I started a few months ago, a couple of years after release, and have seen many new players arrive in that time. I'm really not sure why that is to be honest, its certainly not a massive marketing push or anything.

Well, in one of those other games, though the concept was great the developer was not what I'd call existing customer oriented, which was the downfall, and he also seemed to lack some fundamental understanding about the priority of good game mechanics and balance over fluffy content. So established players left in droves, and the game was only fun if around good players.

The second was really, really good with an excellent developer. It did lack the scope of Dom though, the vast fantasy setting seems to be a big drawing point here, so that may be it. He has been planning a fantasy version of his game for a while (Roman based at present), maybe that will be what it needs to take off.

Finally the business model is different. The other games were web-based and had subscription fees, while Dom 3 is an upfront cost and that's it. Perhaps that appeals more to people - certainly it works out cheaper after only a few months. That we keep getting new content is a massive bonus - hopefully a Dom 4 does appear in the future, Illwinter are building and supporting a growing customer base, sales are guaranteed if they release a major addition/expansion

[Edratman]

Originally Posted by lch

Ah yes, the idiot screening test: "Prove that you are able to make it past the UI. Then we may talk."

I think I just failed the test. What is the UI?

[Ballbarian]

User Interface.

[Edratman]

Thanks Balbarian. Never would have gotten that one with a thousand guesses.

[lch]

Let me guess, but you would have known what a GUI is, right?

Reminds me of math classes. Write an equation in the parameter t, people can't solve it. Write it with the variable x, suddenly they know how to.

[Edratman]

Right on the money Ich.

And I can solve the equation for "t".

[Kristoffer O]

t = truth
truth is constant
thus t != x

[Ballbarian]

t is an abstraction of time and space. Think R'lyeh.
x marks the spot, so it is the here and now of t.

In other words, what KO said.

[Herode]

Originally Posted by lch

Reminds me of math classes. Write an equation in the parameter t, people can't solve it. Write it with the variable x, suddenly they know how to.

lol

Reminds me some of my pupils, some aeons ago, when I had to teach basic maths and "general culture" to "difficult" people.

The teacher :
- You know that whatever "a" is, a/a = 1.

The classroom :
- Yes Master !

The performant pupil near the front rank :
- That's awful, Master. Then, we can also say that whatever "b" and "a" are, b/a = 2 !

The teacher :
- sob

PS : and believe me, it's not fictionnal

[HoneyBadger]

'C' is for cookie-that's good enough for me!