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Author Topic: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes  (Read 37842 times)

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Taco Lobster

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Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« on: January 22, 2012, 04:38:16 pm »
0

At least I think it's the official dominion app.  I just noticed it last night.  It's free and has all the cards from the base set.  You can play online (which I haven't done yet) or with up to 3 AI's, none of which are particularly good (and I can't find any settings to increase difficulty).

There are still a number of elements isotropic handles better (particularly differentiating money in your hand from money produced by actions), but I would assume we'll see upgrades as sets/cards are released.
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2012, 05:05:18 pm »
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Nope not official. If you look at the ratings there's a ton of backlash and it's stirred up a bit of a shitstorm over on the BGG forums.

However, it did draw out a new official comment on the official app: "Real soon now" or something to that effect.
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PerdHapley

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2012, 05:20:47 pm »
0


However, it did draw out a new official comment on the official app: "Real soon now" or something to that effect.

Here's that quote, from Jay at RGG: "In any case, as long as it is free, it is allowed, at least for a few weeks until the licensed app becomes available."

Looks like this is happening real soon.

EDIT: Here's a more in depth statement from jay on the BGG forum:

"To update you all, we are now (including me) testing the Dominion app and I have been very pleased with the product the licensee has produced. I have played it using Safari, Firefox, iPad, and iPhone and it works well on all these platforms. I am told it works on others, but that is all I have at my immediate disposal. The IA is simple, but will certainly serve to help a new player learn the game and get started. We expect it to be available in the VERY near future and will announce a date as soon as we have one. Thanks!!

Jay"

« Last Edit: January 22, 2012, 05:23:56 pm by PerdHapley »
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Donald X.

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2012, 06:02:45 pm »
+3

At least I think it's the official dominion app.  I just noticed it last night.  It's free and has all the cards from the base set.  You can play online (which I haven't done yet) or with up to 3 AI's, none of which are particularly good (and I can't find any settings to increase difficulty).
It is not our program. Jay gave them permission months ago to have a free game up as long as we don't have an official one, I assume as usual forgetting to mention that they couldn't use the art.

These guys haven't just put up a program that fools people into thinking its ours; they also registered some domain names with "dominion" in them, such as dominionandroid dot com. So, despite Jay's public friendliness on this matter, I utterly anti-endorse them, do not support these guys in any way.
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Beyond Awesome

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2012, 06:13:57 pm »
0

At least I think it's the official dominion app.  I just noticed it last night.  It's free and has all the cards from the base set.  You can play online (which I haven't done yet) or with up to 3 AI's, none of which are particularly good (and I can't find any settings to increase difficulty).
It is not our program. Jay gave them permission months ago to have a free game up as long as we don't have an official one, I assume as usual forgetting to mention that they couldn't use the art.

These guys haven't just put up a program that fools people into thinking its ours; they also registered some domain names with "dominion" in them, such as dominionandroid dot com. So, despite Jay's public friendliness on this matter, I utterly anti-endorse them, do not support these guys in any way.

Kind of sucks that they bought those domain names. Anyway, I won't support their app. No worries, Donald.
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Ferrouswheel

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2012, 06:49:03 pm »
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So everyone should download the app, and then give it poor reviews. :P
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2012, 06:58:18 pm »
+1

At least I think it's the official dominion app.  I just noticed it last night.  It's free and has all the cards from the base set.  You can play online (which I haven't done yet) or with up to 3 AI's, none of which are particularly good (and I can't find any settings to increase difficulty).
It is not our program. Jay gave them permission months ago to have a free game up as long as we don't have an official one, I assume as usual forgetting to mention that they couldn't use the art.

These guys haven't just put up a program that fools people into thinking its ours; they also registered some domain names with "dominion" in them, such as dominionandroid dot com. So, despite Jay's public friendliness on this matter, I utterly anti-endorse them, do not support these guys in any way.

Donald I gotta say that I think your attitude sucks.
Yeah he used your name in the app store description, but I think that was meant as an attribution rather than an attempt to steal legitimacy.

I was a beta tester for this app, although I didn't do much as the user interface was too annoying for me to enjoy playing it.

It has been under development for nearly a year, and the author clearly loves dominion. I don't think he's trying to fool anyone, and if your business partner are communicating things to him that you don't like then you should take that up with them, not trash him without even knowing the facts.

And you don't have a monopoly on using dominion in a domain name - if you wanted those names you should have paid for them yourself.
 Besides I think it's quite likely that if you asked Cory would transfer them to you. Have you even tried communicating with him?
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Donald X.

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2012, 08:55:50 pm »
+8

Donald I gotta say that I think your attitude sucks.
So, you think we have been anything other than record-setting insanely generous to our fans? You don't see me calling the Androminion guy names. Really dude, wtf.

Yeah he used your name in the app store description, but I think that was meant as an attribution rather than an attempt to steal legitimacy.
I haven't said anything about that. I said that it fooled people into thinking it was the official program, because it has, repeatedly. No-one thinks Androminion is official, what's up with that? Whatever Androminion did to avoid confusion, was that so hard that we shouldn't expect that of anyone else?

and if your business partner are communicating things to him that you don't like then you should take that up with them
Since anything I said privately to RGG, you would necessarily not see, you have no idea what I've said to RGG. People like to imagine incredible fights between us when this stuff comes up, but we have like no conflicts whatsoever.

, not trash him without even knowing the facts.

And you don't have a monopoly on using dominion in a domain name - if you wanted those names you should have paid for them yourself.
I am 100% sure he has those domain names, I looked at whois and everything. He has them. You are not so correct on the matter of who gets to have what domain names, at least in the USA (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark#Domain_names). But I am not saying I wanted those domain names or what have you. I am saying, who would do that, why would they do that, what exactly are the motivations of someone who registers those domain names. Incredible non-profit fan joy? Is that your theory?

I am unlikely to lose money due to this program. If I lose money it's unlikely to be enough that I care. The point to having a digital Dominion, from my perspective, isn't about making money anyway - it's to have the program exist, for ungrateful fans such as yourself (not that I'm turning down my cut). But whatever happens, I have lost time, and continue to, and for that I just want to say no to every fan asking permission for anything. Dealing with this stuff just sucks so hard.
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2012, 09:40:33 pm »
0

Donald I gotta say that I think your attitude sucks.
So, you think we have been anything other than record-setting insanely generous to our fans? You don't see me calling the Androminion guy names. Really dude, wtf.
Yes, I think you're being a bit of an asshole considering you don't have a legal leg to stand on if someone decides to create an isotropic clone and doesn't agree to take it down at your pleasure.

Yeah he used your name in the app store description, but I think that was meant as an attribution rather than an attempt to steal legitimacy.
I haven't said anything about that. I said that it fooled people into thinking it was the official program, because it has, repeatedly. No-one thinks Androminion is official, what's up with that? Whatever Androminion did to avoid confusion, was that so hard that we shouldn't expect that of anyone else?
Sure, I agree he could have done a better job making it clear it's not official. I also don't think that he's not trying to scam anyone, so maybe better communication could have prevented all this drama.

and if your business partner are communicating things to him that you don't like then you should take that up with them
Since anything I said privately to RGG, you would necessarily not see, you have no idea what I've said to RGG. People like to imagine incredible fights between us when this stuff comes up, but we have like no conflicts whatsoever.

I really couldn't care less about any communication between you and RGG. However, I think you make an extremely poor spokesperson.

, not trash him without even knowing the facts.

And you don't have a monopoly on using dominion in a domain name - if you wanted those names you should have paid for them yourself.
I am 100% sure he has those domain names, I looked at whois and everything. He has them. You are not so correct on the matter of who gets to have what domain names, at least in the USA (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark#Domain_names). But I am not saying I wanted those domain names or what have you. I am saying, who would do that, why would they do that, what exactly are the motivations of someone who registers those domain names. Incredible non-profit fan joy? Is that your theory?
I realize he owns those domain names. So you think he's trying to people or hold you for ransom with a free app? Is that your theory?

I am unlikely to lose money due to this program. If I lose money it's unlikely to be enough that I care. The point to having a digital Dominion, from my perspective, isn't about making money anyway - it's to have the program exist, for ungrateful fans such as yourself (not that I'm turning down my cut). But whatever happens, I have lost time, and continue to, and for that I just want to say no to every fan asking permission for anything. Dealing with this stuff just sucks so hard.
Don't call me a fan, ungrateful or otherwise. I lost whatever respect I had for you I when I first saw your bitching on BGG and this certainly clinches it.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2012, 09:47:51 pm by barsooma »
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rspeer

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2012, 09:51:32 pm »
+1

barsooma: you, uh, might want to keep studying for that armchair lawyer degree.
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Donald X.

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2012, 10:07:24 pm »
+7

Don't call me a fan, ungrateful or otherwise. I lost whatever respect I had for you I when I first saw your bitching on BGG and this certainly clinches it.
'k, you aren't a fan, man, I am cool with that. Why are you hanging around a dominion strategy site then? There's nothing for you here.

Your posts here are the perfect example of why things like this itunes program suck so hard. Like a while back, jatill made his version, and he got to have it, man, we didn't mind that and it's still there today, being played, and a bunch of people got to say what a jerk I was for not being even more generous to him. I was so evil for being polite to him in a pm and saying he had to ask for permission to use the art, and then saying it was no good when he got bored waiting for an answer and just used it. How dare I! There is a BGG thread full of people who thought I was the devil over that.

I owe you nothing dude. People sometimes say "thanks for making Dominion," and originally I was like, "it's okay, I made it for my friends," but now I am all, "you're welcome," because while making the games is fun, dealing with everything else sure isn't. It's a bummer putting up with the barsoomas who think I am being impolite to people who make a program that people think is official and register domain names for it, but what can you do, it's the internet.
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2012, 09:58:48 am »
+1

Donald: I think that you've made a pretty nice game and I'm glad you did - thanks for that.
I also gave money to your publisher for my copies of it, so as far as I'm concerned we're square there.
However, Doug Z. has contributed far more to my enjoyment of Dominion than you ever did - if it wasn't for him it would just be another game I play once or twice a month, rather than something I've racked up hundreds of matches of.

You say you don't owe me anything, and that is true in some sense - but if you want me as a potential future customer then you certainly owe me a degree of respect.

Let's be honest: it's nice that you have given your blessing to free unofficial implementations, but they don't really need it.
No copyright exists on the rules of dominion, I doubt a copyright on the card text would hold up, and while you could make a trademark claim that is easily sidestepped (viz. Battle of Gundabad).

The only thing stopping such an operation is peoples respect for you as the designer - and I would have a lot more for you if you would stop being so secretive.
Why not share some details about the official version, have a beta test or something? (That would make a great prize for the IsoDom tournaments!)
Instead we are only told repeatedly that isotropic will be shut down "in the near future" with no assurances about the replacement.

And I'll ask you again - did you try to communicate with Cory Hammer at all before you started trashing his reputation on message boards?
« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 10:00:54 am by barsooma »
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DStu

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2012, 10:11:56 am »
+1

The only thing stopping such an operation is peoples respect for you as the designer - and I would have a lot more for you if you would stop being so secretive.
lolwut? http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?board=14.0

Concerning the app, I think anybody who has followed this topic a little bit on this board should have recognized that the development of this app is in the hand of someone else. This includes marketing and announcements (by contract or courtesy or whatever). So Donald told us what he thinks he can tell us without angering the developers, and every complain concerning this app belongs to them. This of course is difficult, as you don't know who they are, but maybe just make a list and send it to them once you know it?
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Taco Lobster

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2012, 12:08:42 pm »
+1

Huh.  Good to know it wasn't the official app - it's not terrible, but there's definitely room for improvement. 

It's definitely not obvious that this app isn't the official one, even for those who've followed the status of the app here.  Given the tenor of recent comments about Isotropic closing down, I figured the official app would be coming soon.  Seeing an app with art from the game, the name Donald X. stamped all over, and Rio Grande games seemed a pretty strong indication that this was the official app.  I didn't anticipate that a third party would infringe on copyrights and trademarks to such an extent.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 12:12:17 pm by Taco Lobster »
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2012, 01:21:46 pm »
0

There's been a lot of talk here about trademark infrigement -
I want to point out the trademark for Dominion in the goods of computer game software, video game software and online entertainment services is held by Riot Games (publishers of League of Legends: Dominion). Sony previously held a similar mark, but it was abandoned in 2009.

Furthermore I haven't seen any evidence that Rio Grande holds a trademark on the word Dominion in any good.

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jsh357

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2012, 01:26:50 pm »
+3

Finally, an even stupider thread than the decline of civility on Isotropic
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2012, 01:29:17 pm »
0

The only thing stopping such an operation is peoples respect for you as the designer - and I would have a lot more for you if you would stop being so secretive.
lolwut? http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?board=14.0

Concerning the app, I think anybody who has followed this topic a little bit on this board should have recognized that the development of this app is in the hand of someone else. This includes marketing and announcements (by contract or courtesy or whatever). So Donald told us what he thinks he can tell us without angering the developers, and every complain concerning this app belongs to them. This of course is difficult, as you don't know who they are, but maybe just make a list and send it to them once you know it?

Good job quoting out of context DStu.
Speaking of secretive, how about this: http://gamesandgrub.blogspot.com/
According to that page, development on the official version didn't even start until this fall - despite the previous expected release date of end of 2011.
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DrHades

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2012, 01:35:51 pm »
0

The only thing stopping such an operation is peoples respect for you as the designer - and I would have a lot more for you if you would stop being so secretive.
lolwut? http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?board=14.0

Concerning the app, I think anybody who has followed this topic a little bit on this board should have recognized that the development of this app is in the hand of someone else. This includes marketing and announcements (by contract or courtesy or whatever). So Donald told us what he thinks he can tell us without angering the developers, and every complain concerning this app belongs to them. This of course is difficult, as you don't know who they are, but maybe just make a list and send it to them once you know it?

Good job quoting out of context DStu.
Speaking of secretive, how about this: http://gamesandgrub.blogspot.com/
According to that page, development on the official version didn't even start until this fall - despite the previous expected release date of end of 2011.

Oh my god! He did warn as in advance that Isotropic will be closing! Can you believe it?! He's a villain indeed...
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DStu

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2012, 01:36:03 pm »
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I actually had the impression that most characters of the post where devoted to the app, and my theory why we don't get many informations about it, and why Donald has exactly nothing to do with what we get and what we don't get. Spiced with a link that usually the flow of information is a little bit stronger...
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Geronimoo

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2012, 01:50:39 pm »
0

I just played a two player game against a real person with the App and it's pretty awesome (only thing I don't like is not being able to chat via text). I say awesome because I've played with Androminion... (which is still a great program, but the GUI is really annoying)

I'm betting the official app is going to be even awesome...r.
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barsooma

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2012, 02:07:38 pm »
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I just played a two player game against a real person with the App and it's pretty awesome (only thing I don't like is not being able to chat via text). I say awesome because I've played with Androminion... (which is still a great program, but the GUI is really annoying)

I'm betting the official app is going to be even awesome...r.

Really? The whole dragging and card animation thing drives me up the wall. I sure hope the official app doesn't screw around with that.
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Taco Lobster

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2012, 02:11:40 pm »
+2

There's been a lot of talk here about trademark infrigement -
I want to point out the trademark for Dominion in the goods of computer game software, video game software and online entertainment services is held by Riot Games (publishers of League of Legends: Dominion). Sony previously held a similar mark, but it was abandoned in 2009.

Furthermore I haven't seen any evidence that Rio Grande holds a trademark on the word Dominion in any good.

It's been ages since the one IP class I took in law school, but, IIRC, you are talking about a registered trademark, not a common law or state law trademark.  A registered trademark provides certain additional protections/remedies in the event of infringement.  One can still have a trademark without it being a registered trademark.

But, setting that aside, the heart of trademark claim/law is the prohibition on selling goods under a mark used by someone else in commerce.  The hair splitting as to the industry comes into play later, and usually involves two independently created marks.  Further, even if the name "Dominion" is not protected as a trademark, the logo itself and the combination of the same font type/design elements/etc. as are used by RGG in selling their Dominion product likely are.  The RGG logo itself is almost certainly a registered trademark, and that is used in this app as well, and further reinforces the idea that this is the actual RGG Dominion app, not a third party fan effort.  When, as is the case here, one company is selling (or, in this case, making revenue off ads through offering for free) the same product as is sold by another company, under the same name, and using the same fonts/art/design/etc., that's the heart of a trademark infringement claim - and not one that I'd want to defend. 

I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth - I like the program (insofar as it addresses my need for a Dominion fix against an AI player), and appreciate that it's a fan effort.  But it's so clearly in violation of IP rights that the person who released it should not have done so.  I doubt Donald would be any happier with a re-skinned version that still used the same mechanics (particularly given that such a program does exist and such unhappiness has been expressed), but this product incorporates so much of the art and visual style of Dominon that it invites confusion.   

Further, I'm forgiving of the program's bugs and flaws because I'm a dominion addict and want to play casually against AI opponents (even really bad ones).  I wouldn't be surprised if someone downloaded this program, thought it was rubbish, and incorrectly assumed it was the official version.  When the official version is released, that person might not realize that they played an unofficial, unpolished, amateur product (albeit, a good amateur product) and assume that they've already played the game and disliked it.

Again, I appreciate the hard work that went into this app, I'm happy that it exists (at least till the official app is relased - assuming it is better), but I think the person who put it up is being willfully blind of how egregiously their app plays on the official Dominion IP and art. 

« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 02:15:58 pm by Taco Lobster »
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ackack

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2012, 02:26:46 pm »
0

Donald: I think that you've made a pretty nice game and I'm glad you did - thanks for that.
I also gave money to your publisher for my copies of it, so as far as I'm concerned we're square there.
However, Doug Z. has contributed far more to my enjoyment of Dominion than you ever did - if it wasn't for him it would just be another game I play once or twice a month, rather than something I've racked up hundreds of matches of.

I find myself agreeing with this (along with a fair bit of the rest of barsooma's stance.) Dominion is a fantastic game, but in terms of pure game mechanics (leaving out the social side of things) it just screams to be played on computers. I suspect most of us here have an obsession with Dominion that is primarily due to Isotropic. It is indeed generous to allow fan versions of Dominion to pop up on the internet. It also seems like a pretty good idea from a business standpoint - the amount of money I've spent and will spend on Dominion is way higher than it would have been had Isotropic not existed. I think that and the relative inscrutability to me of things like
Quote from: Donald X.
The point to having a digital Dominion, from my perspective, isn't about making money anyway - it's to have the program exist, for ungrateful fans such as yourself (not that I'm turning down my cut).
is why I am more sympathetic than most to barsooma. (Digital Dominion does exist! It's being widely played! How many people are confused about who the creator of the game is? Wanting to monetize it makes a ton of sense to me, and while obviously I like free is totally fair. But the other justifications, here and in the way earlier thread on this subject, just seem nonsensical to me.)

added:

Again, I appreciate the hard work that went into this app, I'm happy that it exists (at least till the official app is relased - assuming it is better), but I think the person who put it up is being willfully blind of how egregiously their app plays on the official Dominion IP and art. 

I doubt they're blind. It sounds like they asked permission and got it from Jay! The art thing sounds like a legitimate beef/bad action. But even the domain name doesn't seem that crazy to me - it's a Dominion app that got permission from RGG. I'd agree with barsooma that asking about switching over the domains seems easy enough to do. If the dude is trying to make money squatting on those domains, yeah, that's pretty lame, but do we even have evidence for that?
« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 02:29:02 pm by ackack »
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Piemaster

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Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #23 on: January 23, 2012, 04:24:58 pm »
+2

I think this thread is a neat illustration of why game developers usually try to keep customers at arms length and not get too chummy.  The fact is I can see both sides of the argument.

Donald X (and I assume RGG) probably thinks he has been more than generous with the amount of unlicensed content he has allowed to exist (and even tacitly encouraged) surrounding Dominion, and that this good will is being exploited, and he would be correct.  He takes a lot of time to interact with the commmunity, far beyond that which is commercially advantageous to him I would imagine.  However, as a result, he seems to have a slightly unrealistic expectation on the behaviour of randoms on the internet who will look to exploit the game for their own ends, whether those ends be financial, or otherwise. 

I mean while the Dominion community is fairly close-knit and friendly, the game is popular and played by thousands all around the world.  And when something is popular it is going to be have a lot of 'content' created around it, can be anything from a fan site to a full-blown ripoff.  We can discuss the finer points of American intellectual property law until we're blue in the face, but companies much larger than RGG have spectacularly failed to enforce it on the internet and often make only a token attempt to try.  Donald and Doug have a great relationship, but it is unrealistic to expect every relationship with fans out there to be as cosy and symbiotic.  And if he is spending ages obsessing over who has registered what domain name with 'Dominion' in it, and trading insults with randoms posting on the forums, then he probably not spending his time as well as he could.

If Donald had behaved more like a 'typical faceless corporation' from the start, feeding us a controlled diet of 'official statements' and having a strong official stance against anything even vaguely resembling Dominion then we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion.  We have benefitted from him not acting like this (through the likes of isotropic and comparitively good information flow), but so, of course, has he (through the development of a loyal fanbase of both this and future games).  While the relationship between Donald and the community is strong, we mustn't lose sight of the fact that it is primarily a producer/customer relationship.  He needs us as much as we need him and vica-versa.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 04:28:38 pm by Piemaster »
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barsooma

  • Guest
Re: Official(?) Dominion App Available on iTunes
« Reply #24 on: January 23, 2012, 04:38:23 pm »
0

eing exploited, and he would be correct.  He takes a lot of time to interact with the commmunity, far beyond that which is commercially advantageous to him I would imagine.  However, as a result, he seems to have a slightly unrealistic expectation on the behaviour of randoms on the internet who will look to exploit the game for their own ends, whether those ends be financial, or otherwise. 

Ok I'm gonna say this again... what exploitation is taking place here?

The app is free, there are no ads in-app or on the website, contrary to what someone else implied.
He is perfectly within his rights to register the domain he did, and it's a pretty obvious description of his program (dominion for the iphone)
Everything I know points to the author being a fan who wants to create a good portable digital implementation, and believing he made a good-faith effort to get permission from RGG.

Until I see an official response from them (i.e. more than Donald's un-endorsement) I see no reason to believe he's done anything illegal.
Jay had plenty of opportunity to condemn this program when he posted several times in the thread about this on BGG, and he did not do so.
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