This game would be 10 times better if it had a decent UI. How hard is it to implement Rally points, repeat queues, queuing movement orders, auto search for magic sites, and some other stuff.
There is actually a special key combination that lets you lock in a repeat action for commanders... Very useful when summoning. Unfortunately, I can't remember what the bloody thing is, and there is of course no in-game documentation (and alt-tabbing out of the game destroys the UI).
What's funny is that I actually preferred a lot of the UI in the first Dominions over the ones in the later titles... Although searching provinces with magic has become MUCH easier now that the province actually records what's searched it.
But yes, the micromanagement does get to be a hell, especially since you need to pay attention to every little doofus hidden away here or there, and it's quite easy to miss that one scout in a random province or that one mage in the castle that isn't doing something. But since this is a turn-based game, things aren't exactly happening at a breakneck pace. You'll generally have the time to go over most of your holdings.
Its a good and fun game, but it needs more gameplay depth. Most of the times superior numbers will win the fights for you, unless you use super tier units combined with neat god powers and blessings.
I suppose that's true later on in the game, I wouldn't really be a good voice on the subject... But it seems to me that the tactics and positioning of units are far more important than sheer numbers. A couple splits in a group, a few paces forward or back on the battlefield, and a change in orders can make the difference between losing half your men or having one man lose an arm.
And finding new ways of using the same units is always great fun too. For instance, I just got it in my head to see how EA Agartha does with a nature bless. Almost all my time spent playing is for the sake of experimenting with the units, powers, and spells of the different nations. It's research and experimentation with a bit of blood and fire thrown in. What could be better?
I really like Dominions because it is different, and because it's got style. Yes, once you get past that the game does kind of falter a bit as far as gameplay depth goes, but I still like looking at the thing. It's also pretty much the only game I know of where I can send thousands of units into battle and just have them take care of themselves, rather than demanding that I baby them every step of the way.
(Note about the above comment: Just because the units are supposed to {and to an extent, do} take care of themselves does
not mean that magic users are complete dorks when left to their own devices)
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Topic: Dominions 3 Opinion's...and more please (Read 2263 times)