Dominions 4

[Grif]

So. I picked this game like six months ago, and only started playing recently. I'll say this: it definitely has a learning cliff almost on par with the legendary Dwarf Fortress.

Does anyone else in the Playground play as well?

[Narkis]

I used to play it a few years ago. (at least I think so. It might've been #3) Its magic system was BY FAR the best I've ever encountered in a strategy game, and its factions were full of awesome.

Unfortunately the other game mechanics left much to be desired. Empire management was tedious at best, and the AI controlled battles always descended into chaotic brawls after everyone just charged forward with no regard for proper tactics or even basic self-preservation.

[Grif]

I used to play it a few years ago. (at least I think so. It might've been #3) Its magic system was BY FAR the best I've ever encountered in a strategy game, and its factions were full of awesome.

Unfortunately the other game mechanics left much to be desired. Empire management was tedious at best, and the AI controlled battles always descended into chaotic brawls after everyone just charged forward with no regard for proper tactics or even basic self-preservation.

I agree on the micromanagement part. Seems like late-game devolves to the logistics of moving your army and commanders around, rather than actual fun. That's in addition of the busywork of managing your mages.

Though battles are alright. You can script actions for your troops to follow, and they more or less do so barring extraordinary circumstances.

[Otomodachi]

Love the series, the only real gripe I have about 4 is that the CBM mod wasn't properly updated for it and there are a lot of little tweaks that would still be relevant for Dom4. ESPECIALLY for EA Rlyeh.

[Narkis]

Though battles are alright. You can script actions for your troops to follow, and they more or less do so barring extraordinary circumstances.

I could never get the scripts to work as I wanted them to. My units seemed to possess an uncounterable berserker rage. It's entirely possible I was doing something wrong though, it's been quite a while.

[Otomodachi]

I could never get the scripts to work as I wanted them to. My units seemed to possess an uncounterable berserker rage. It's entirely possible I was doing something wrong though, it's been quite a while.

Hmmmm, weird. The only script I've found finicky is attack archer/attack rear... you can usually get that to work better with big blocks of troops if you split them into two smaller groups, in line with each other; usually, one of your two blocks'll end up fighting in the middle of the field, but screen so the farther block can swing around and attack rear/archers/etc.

I have a hunch that what's REALLY messing you up (berserker rage, heheh) is that units pretty much will not disengage unless they rout. Once they're in the melee, they're stuck there.

Grif- you have a favourite civ/age?

[Grif]

Grif- you have a favourite civ/age?

I preferred MA, as I do like the blend of fantastic and mundane there. Currently loving MA Ulm and MA Pythium, and MA M'ictlan has hilarious eagle warriors.

[MrConsideration]

I bought it and found the mechanics - even basic things like moving units - to be completely opaque. I never booted it up again after feebly prodding at the Excel-document-inspired interface with no clue what I was doing.

[Sean Mirrsen]

I bought it and found the mechanics - even basic things like moving units - to be completely opaque. I never booted it up again after feebly prodding at the Excel-document-inspired interface with no clue what I was doing.

Reading the manual and playing the provided tutorial is pretty much mandatory to even start to get traction against the learning cliff in this game, unfortunately. It really suffers from having a convention-ignoring interface, but most of it is internally consistent, so at least it follows its own conventions, making it relatively easy to adapt once you know the basics.

[lord_khaine]

I agree on the micromanagement part. Seems like late-game devolves to the logistics of moving your army and commanders around, rather than actual fun. That's in addition of the busywork of managing your mages.

it could be... that managing the logistics of an empire is the sort of fun your suposed to have :P

Else.. personally i play a lot of early ages. More magic sites means more gems for playing around, and there are more fantastic monsters here.

[Qwertystop]

I like it quite a lot. We tried doing a game on here a while ago where all of us would do an AAR every few turns, but it died. I'm in several games already at the moment but would be interested in setting one up here if others would be interested, after one of the ones I'm in ends.

Regarding the CBM: Arguable. Dom 4 is still getting official balance and content patches, after all, which both makes it difficult to maintain a separate balance mod and reduces the need for it. Specifically in regards to R'lyey, I think that's slated for the next patch.

Regarding the interface: you get used to it.

Regarding scripting: Units will absolutely do what you order if capable. Spellcasters will almost always do what you order unless it's a really bad idea situationally (you order a spell that costs gems against a tiny raiding force that can be defeated without it). Exceptions: Units ordered to attack something other than the closest must make a morale check to go past enemies, which is why the two-squads plan works. Spellcasters in melee have a chance of attacking instead of casting each round. Oh, and Guard Commander orders don't last forever, to prevent battles where both sides stand around forever.

[Grif]

I like it quite a lot. We tried doing a game on here a while ago where all of us would do an AAR every few turns, but it died. I'm in several games already at the moment but would be interested in setting one up here if others would be interested, after one of the ones I'm in ends.
So long we get enough peeps to actually setup a game, I suppose. Would pass on the AAR. Got too many things on my plate. (Including an ongoing CK2 game.)



Oh, and Guard Commander orders don't last forever, to prevent battles where both sides stand around forever.
I believe armies just auto-rout at turn 100.

[Qwertystop]

I believe armies just auto-rout at turn 100.

Well, yes. And things that can't rout (too-high morale, or incapacitated) die shortly thereafter. A battle where everything stands still for a long time, then most of both armies flee and a few mindless or immobile things evaporate wouldn't be much good.