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[Cruxador]

How did you guys get in to dom4? Did you play previous iterations of the game?

I played a bit of Dom3, after hearing good things about it, but I didn't get really into it and start playing multiplayer until Dom4. That I got into because it was kind of a big thing when it came out, in communities that I frequent. You have to start out being okay with not understanding everything. People that have been playing for a decade don't understand everything. And there are a lot of details that, while potentially useful for some tricky strategy some time, aren't really needed for playing the game.

I've done a couple ai games and am pretty overwhelmed by the mechanics.

There's a tutorial in the manual which covers the very basics, if you haven't seen it, and Maerland has tutorials. But as long as you know a little bit, you're good to play. You'll likely lose, but that's true no matter how good you are – there's like 8-12 players per game and only one winner. If you can find a game intended for new players, great, because you'll thrive better that way, but you can do something or other even in a game with all skill levels. Blitz games might be the fastest way to learn but PBEM will allow you to learn new things at the pace that you encounter them. Either way, play with a community where you can ask questions and talk about things, and pick up knowledge by seeing the conversations.

Links:
Manual: http://jaffa.illwinter.com/dom4/manual_dom4.pdf
Wiki: http://dom4.wikia.com/wiki/Dominions_4_Wiki
Play by email Guide: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=202096551
Gameplay Guides: http://www.desura.com/games/dominions-4-thrones-of-ascensions/forum/board/the-council-of-sages-strategy-guides

The pinned guides for nation evaluation and pretender design are probably decent places to start. There's also some guides on the wiki and on http://z7.invisionfree.com/Dom3mods/index.php?showforum=23

Maps are made of two files, an image file (the map itself) and a text file (which details province connections, terrain types, and any special features). The map used in Stalewarriors, the game that just finished on my blog, is Oeridia, the world of Greyhawk. It's rather special in a lot of ways (extensive caverns, portal connections, provinces with super-powerful independents). The one for the older game is a Dominions original.

[symonthewise]

Great stuff thanks! You going to blog your next game by any chance?

[chaoticag]

How did you guys get in to dom4? Did you play previous iterations of the game?

I had played 3, the main reason I had gotten into it was because of the let's plays on the lparchive. They seemed interesting, but I never got into multiplayer before 4, where I had gotten asked to sub for one game here on bay12 and I had played a disciples game on the Desura forums. Other than that I'd mostly been messing with single player stuff.

I've done a couple ai games and am pretty overwhelmed by the mechanics.

I think in general, being overwhelmed is normal when you're learning the game. For the most part, what should be happening right now is you ought to be noticing some of the options you have you liekly won't depend on much. At least right off the bat, you'll have some 80 or 90 percent of all spells as spells you won't have access to without some work.

I'd say prolly pick a nation and stick with it a bit. Play on a map meant for 2 nations and fight an AI nation. Research at normal might be too slow for that, but it also gives you more time before spells are unlocked and you need to worry about it. I personally felt I got situated when playing Middle Age Ulm with 3 production scales. Ulm is good in the middle and early ages when it comes to having a good strong army you can depend on, while the mages you have limit your options a bit, it could work in your favor. The less options you have (to start anyway) the easier it would be to evaluate them.

[tnc]

I wanted to join the round 20 game but I've got a lot to do right now. Since a new game is sparse here in Bay12, what other place would you advice me to look for a newbie game later?

[EnigmaticHat]

The advice I got starting out was to pick a sacred giant nation.  While this is fine advice if you want to have fairly easy wins, its not great for actually learning the magic system as many of these nations have odd, limited or just bad mages.

I'd start out with a generic human MA nation like Marignon and learn some basic magic like buffing, blowing things up, or spamming undead.

Edit: that being said there aren't any truly generic nations in dominions so its you might want to look up a nation guide or something for whoever you pick.  Also I'd focus on learning each spell school in vacuum, its simpler and while crosspaths are great most mages that know multiple paths aren't terribly cost efficient anyway.  Just knowing what you can do with, for example, 2 earth and nothing else, can get you pretty far into the midgame.

[chaoticag]

I wanted to join the round 20 game but I've got a lot to do right now. Since a new game is sparse here in Bay12, what other place would you advice me to look for a newbie game later?

Well, the round 20 game filled up pretty quick. Other than here there's the Desura forums, not sure how good they are now. Besides Desura, there's also the official forums (at least pretty sure they're the official forums) right over here. Some few posts back someone mentioned the other places as well where you can find some games being run.

Theoretically, a mixed skill group is possible assuming disciple games, but eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh flashbacks to other two team members turning in stale turns 1/3rd the time sometimes with no warning. Theoretically sounds fun, but if I'd be in one again, I'd rather it be with people I know. The folks that won that game won since they were the most active players and always had their turns in, despite lower skill level.

[Delta Foxtrot]

Pretty sure dom3mods is more of a fan site.

But that and Desura are the two places where I've played most after Bay12. All PBEM. Those were about a year ago, but Desura was better for newbie games. Not a whole lot of newbie games at dom3mods because of higher average player experience. But all that could've changed since then, no idea.

[Kagus]

How on earth do disciple games even work? Never quite understood the mechanics involved there, and haven't gotten a chance to try one out myself.

[Frumple]

One primary god, that determines the scales (and any dominion effects) and blessings. X number of 'disciples' who can choose magic paths, which are basically prophets (with a pretender chassis) without the holy levels that can be called back like a normal god and claim thrones. You all push the same dominion. You can relinquish provinces to allies and sitesearch allied provinces, though you can't build on them (you can, however, have them relinquish the province to you, you build the building, and then hand the province back). Most (beneficial/dominion effect) global enchantments effect all allies instead of just the nation casting it. That's... really about it insofar as mechanical differences go, so far as I can recall.

Beyond the mechanical differences, it's like having an enforced permanent alliance that can actually share a victory. Adds a lot to the playing experience, in my experience, having people that actually are guaranteed to have your back, that you can bounce ideas off of and coordinate with without trouble, etc., etc.

Personally, I'd say it's a fairly substantial improvement over the base mode of play. Adds a lot to the game in terms of interactions and whatnot, and generally makes it more fun/interesting/engaging/etc. It's good stuff, and I'd totally recommend it.

[EuchreJack]

I wanted to join the round 20 game but I've got a lot to do right now. Since a new game is sparse here in Bay12, what other place would you advice me to look for a newbie game later?

Well, the round 20 game filled up pretty quick. Other than here there's the Desura forums, not sure how good they are now. Besides Desura, there's also the official forums (at least pretty sure they're the official forums) right over here. Some few posts back someone mentioned the other places as well where you can find some games being run.

Theoretically, a mixed skill group is possible assuming disciple games, but eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh flashbacks to other two team members turning in stale turns 1/3rd the time sometimes with no warning. Theoretically sounds fun, but if I'd be in one again, I'd rather it be with people I know. The folks that won that game won since they were the most active players and always had their turns in, despite lower skill level.

We've got an opening on Round 19.  While there are certainly sharks in those waters, the hoburg theme makes it more of a "lite" game.
I know I stall far more than I might otherwise, lol.

[Kagus]

Also means you can get bless effects on some chassis that would have a hard time getting access to that kind of bless, or just have an economy dominion while everyone else starts off awake and full of magical power...  Plenty of room to finagle some interesting strategies.

There are also some perfectly viable thug chassis that are classed as "disciple"-type leaders, I'm thinking stuff like the Caelum/Ragha semidivines.

[tnc]

I wanted to join the round 20 game but I've got a lot to do right now. Since a new game is sparse here in Bay12, what other place would you advice me to look for a newbie game later?

Well, the round 20 game filled up pretty quick. Other than here there's the Desura forums, not sure how good they are now. Besides Desura, there's also the official forums (at least pretty sure they're the official forums) right over here. Some few posts back someone mentioned the other places as well where you can find some games being run.

Theoretically, a mixed skill group is possible assuming disciple games, but eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh flashbacks to other two team members turning in stale turns 1/3rd the time sometimes with no warning. Theoretically sounds fun, but if I'd be in one again, I'd rather it be with people I know. The folks that won that game won since they were the most active players and always had their turns in, despite lower skill level.

We've got an opening on Round 19.  While there are certainly sharks in those waters, the hoburg theme makes it more of a "lite" game.
I know I stall far more than I might otherwise, lol.

I wish I could. I probably should join a game when I have some free time so I can check guides, lps etc.

[Shadowlord]

Also that's a nationgen game, and there are no guides for nationgen nations.

[tnc]

Also that's a nationgen game, and there are no guides for nationgen nations.

Yeah, I know. 

[EuchreJack]

Also that's a nationgen game, and there are no guides for nationgen nations.

Yeah, I know. 

No guides yet.  Give me a half hour.