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Author Topic: Interview with Donald X.  (Read 2126769 times)

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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2700 on: February 02, 2016, 05:49:36 pm »
+3

I will spare you with "OMG Then you must change this at once"-nonsense, but personally, i have seen practically everything with Picard, and enjoyed most of it a lot. Then again, my dad used to watch these, and to me watching Next Gen Star Trek has been part of bonding with him, so that might influence my opinion.
It's something we're keeping in mind for when the kids seem old enough. We tried Galaxy Quest a month or so ago, and each of them watched about half of it. So I don't think we're quite there but maybe in a year or so.
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GendoIkari

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2701 on: February 02, 2016, 08:50:12 pm »
0


Having enough reasonably simple stuff to do is an issue. Cards are more hemmed in than ever by what's already been done. It might just be a few more expansions before it seems too hard to make stuff that isn't too obviously better/worse than something else at the same cost, too hard to make stuff that doesn't require extra components, too hard to make new things that fit on the cards. But I won't really know this until I'm there, struggling with that expansion.

Wizards has no problem creating cards that are strictly better or worse than older cards. Of course they can do this because of the way they have different formats for tournaments. But would you ever consider allowing Dominion to have such things; where an old card is simply considered obsolete because of a new card?
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2702 on: February 02, 2016, 08:58:59 pm »
+3

Wizards has no problem creating cards that are strictly better or worse than older cards. Of course they can do this because of the way they have different formats for tournaments. But would you ever consider allowing Dominion to have such things; where an old card is simply considered obsolete because of a new card?
Wizards sells environments rather than cards. The way for Dominion to do that is to have spin-offs, and sure a spin-off would be able to make that strictly-better Scout or whatever (though probably not exactly comparable due to whatever differences the spin-off had). Within Dominion, well I know some people would hate hate hate it. It continues to sound like a bad move.
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GendoIkari

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2703 on: February 02, 2016, 09:02:49 pm »
0

Wizards has no problem creating cards that are strictly better or worse than older cards. Of course they can do this because of the way they have different formats for tournaments. But would you ever consider allowing Dominion to have such things; where an old card is simply considered obsolete because of a new card?
Wizards sells environments rather than cards. The way for Dominion to do that is to have spin-offs, and sure a spin-off would be able to make that strictly-better Scout or whatever (though probably not exactly comparable due to whatever differences the spin-off had). Within Dominion, well I know some people would hate hate hate it. It continues to sound like a bad move.

I get that people would hate it. But I wouldn't. It would be so extremely rare that such cards would end up being played at the same time. When they are, you have one card that's autoignored; which happens in most kingdoms anyway. And when they don't, well, it's just "hey, this kingdom has Smithy+ which draws 4 cards instead of Smithy that Draws 3 cards; I guess this game will have stronger draw available".
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2704 on: February 02, 2016, 09:11:09 pm »
+4

I get that people would hate it. But I wouldn't.
It turns out that you not hating it is not sufficient for me to do it.

I have to do things that some people hate (in order to have anything anyone loves), but I only do hated things when they are in fact otherwise loved. The hate for strictly better cards is a basic thing I should just avoid, "being strictly better" has no upside. If I am at the point where I can't make cards without doing strictly better cards, again, why haven't I switched to spin-offs already.
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2705 on: February 02, 2016, 09:13:53 pm »
+5

I get that people would hate it. But I wouldn't. It would be so extremely rare that such cards would end up being played at the same time. When they are, you have one card that's autoignored; which happens in most kingdoms anyway. And when they don't, well, it's just "hey, this kingdom has Smithy+ which draws 4 cards instead of Smithy that Draws 3 cards; I guess this game will have stronger draw available".

I think the bad feeling of "Smithy is dead this game because Smithy+ is available" is significantly worse than the bad feeling of "Mountebank is dead this game because there's Watchtower and Counting House and Gardens*".

* I 100% do not want to hear about whether or not Mountebank is still worth going for under these circumstances. You understand the gist of what I'm saying.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2016, 09:15:14 pm by LastFootnote »
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2706 on: February 03, 2016, 01:31:02 am »
0

I get that people would hate it. But I wouldn't.
It turns out that you not hating it is not sufficient for me to do it.

I have to do things that some people hate (in order to have anything anyone loves), but I only do hated things when they are in fact otherwise loved. The hate for strictly better cards is a basic thing I should just avoid, "being strictly better" has no upside. If I am at the point where I can't make cards without doing strictly better cards, again, why haven't I switched to spin-offs already.

You did a pretty good job of improving cards without rendering them obsolete in Hinterlands.  Noble Brigand and Cartographer are both better incarnations of Thief and Scout, but neither of them are strictly better cards.  There are situations where you'd want Thief over Noble Brigand, and Scout and Cartographer don't even share a price point.
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2707 on: February 03, 2016, 01:56:10 am »
+3

Is the idea still to keep continuing to create new expansions at Rio/Jay's request or are you eventually done introducing new ideas/mechanics?

You are assuming that RGG/Jay is requesting expansions.
Well yes, this is based on an answer by DXV I once read (can't find it unfortunately) that he had a number of expansions set from the get-go and would only do others if Rio/Jay convinced him to do so.

I really wish I could find that answer.
I have said something like, "Publishers will want more at some point and I like to be friendly." I have had that experience with both Kingdom Builder (the 3rd and 4th expansions) and Dominion (Alchemy jumping ahead and being small) (and promos for both, those never start with me), but Adventures and Empires came about in similar ways, due to me feeling like I wasn't getting anything done on other projects. For Adventures that was it; I'd puttered around some on spin-offs, and then, okay, a Dominion expansion. For Empires, there was a point where I considered what the good future space for Dominion was, and came up with some stuff, and then it was like, okay, nothing else is going on, why not try some of that. But in both cases it was me, wanting to be getting work done on something.

The idea as always is to work on new games, to not fall into this trap again. Given my past experiences it seems likely I will though. I will try to put it off, but at some point, it will be what I can get done and I will do it.

Demand goes down with each expansion. People think, three expansions is enough, or five, or however many. It may still stay profitable for RGG to make more for years and years. For me, that part isn't even an issue; I think at some point it could be that another expansion wasn't going to ever come out, and I might make one anyway. They're fun, what can I say.

Having enough reasonably simple stuff to do is an issue. Cards are more hemmed in than ever by what's already been done. It might just be a few more expansions before it seems too hard to make stuff that isn't too obviously better/worse than something else at the same cost, too hard to make stuff that doesn't require extra components, too hard to make new things that fit on the cards. But I won't really know this until I'm there, struggling with that expansion.
I don't mind you working on Dominion instead of new games. :)

You once said this about online only expansions:
Have you ever considered making online only promos / expansions?
Without physical limitations, it seems there's much more you can do.
I have not considered an online-only expansion; it's a lot of work that could instead go towards a physical expansion that could also appear online. It would just never seem preferable to rule out a physical expansion.

I have considered an online-only promo, to the extent that Peasant/Page came from that considering. http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=13082.0

MF has not been interested in an online-only promo so far, but if and when I will consider it again.
And let me paraphrase this bit from the initial quoted reply: I think at some point it could be that another expansion wasn't going to ever come out, and I might make one anyway. They're fun, what can I say.

So if you have such an expansion ready and RGG isn't interested anymore, it could still be published only I think?

Just know that there's an appreciative community here who really enjoys the commitment you have with this game. You don't need to stay in touch with us or make more expansions, yet you choose to do so. I am/we are very thankful for that.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2016, 01:57:12 am by Davio »
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2708 on: February 03, 2016, 02:26:42 am »
+5

So if you have such an expansion ready and RGG isn't interested anymore, it could still be published only I think?

Just know that there's an appreciative community here who really enjoys the commitment you have with this game. You don't need to stay in touch with us or make more expansions, yet you choose to do so. I am/we are very thankful for that.
I'm there for you!

Yes if somehow I was making an expansion despite a lack of demand for physical product, it could be an online-only set (whether dedicated to that premise, or not but just not available physically). It's really unlikely though. I wasn't saying that that scenario was at all likely; I was trying to show an extreme for me being interested in getting stuff done. That extreme tells you something about me but does not tell you so much about the odds of online-only expansions. In reality the odds are that RGG will publish any Dominion expansions I ever make. Like, if sales were just break-even, it would still have promotional value.
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2709 on: February 03, 2016, 02:45:21 am »
+3

You did a pretty good job of improving cards without rendering them obsolete in Hinterlands.  Noble Brigand and Cartographer are both better incarnations of Thief and Scout, but neither of them are strictly better cards.  There are situations where you'd want Thief over Noble Brigand, and Scout and Cartographer don't even share a price point.
I am willing to go as far as Noble Brigand, but note that there were in fact people who screamed about that.
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Davio

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2710 on: February 03, 2016, 03:28:24 am »
0

So if you have such an expansion ready and RGG isn't interested anymore, it could still be published only I think?

Just know that there's an appreciative community here who really enjoys the commitment you have with this game. You don't need to stay in touch with us or make more expansions, yet you choose to do so. I am/we are very thankful for that.
I'm there for you!

Yes if somehow I was making an expansion despite a lack of demand for physical product, it could be an online-only set (whether dedicated to that premise, or not but just not available physically). It's really unlikely though. I wasn't saying that that scenario was at all likely; I was trying to show an extreme for me being interested in getting stuff done. That extreme tells you something about me but does not tell you so much about the odds of online-only expansions. In reality the odds are that RGG will publish any Dominion expansions I ever make. Like, if sales were just break-even, it would still have promotional value.
I don't mind RGG publishing any Dominion expansion you make, that's only better for the offline players.
More expansions is always more fun in my opinion and I do love me some offline Dominion.

I'm only worried about the Dutch publisher 999 Games translating and publishing them. :-\
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Marcory

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2711 on: February 09, 2016, 12:24:18 am »
0

When you come up with a new card idea, do you first test it on a simulator? Or do you just bring it out to the next game night? Do you do IRL or online testing first?

Also, do you test cards first in 2-player games; in larger groups; or does it depend mostly on who shows up to the next playing session?
« Last Edit: February 09, 2016, 12:46:42 am by Marcory »
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2712 on: February 09, 2016, 01:56:49 am »
0

When you come up with a new card idea, do you first test it on a simulator? Or do you just bring it out to the next game night? Do you do IRL or online testing first?

Also, do you test cards first in 2-player games; in larger groups; or does it depend mostly on who shows up to the next playing session?
I test cards first irl, and usually never test them in a simulator. It has to look specifically like something I want to simulate, to simulate it (typically, a card you can just buy with money). When we used a program of mine to do online testing, pre-isotropic, I would sometimes try cards first there, just because that was the next chance to play. Once it was isotropic, I didn't want to ask Doug to program something that might instantly fail.

I test cards with however many players show up. Usually that's 3-4 players though. I do way less 2-player testing (but some). Online leaned towards 2-player but that stopped midway through Empires.
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Hockey Mask

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2713 on: February 09, 2016, 06:42:02 pm »
+1

Do you already know the theme of the expansion after Empires?
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2714 on: February 09, 2016, 07:11:24 pm »
0

Why are Reserve cards colored? I understand the type is necessary to make them capable of calling themselves into play, but the other colored types are for ease of separation and I see no reason that Reserve cards need to be easy to identify from other cards.
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GendoIkari

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2715 on: February 09, 2016, 07:55:33 pm »
+2

Why are Reserve cards colored? I understand the type is necessary to make them capable of calling themselves into play, but the other colored types are for ease of separation and I see no reason that Reserve cards need to be easy to identify from other cards.

I think this is the same question as why is Reserve a type in the first place, which has been discussed a couple times. The type definitely isn't necessary to call itself into play. Plus not all Reserves do that (Wine Merchant, Distant Lands).

Donald answered it here: http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=13168.msg488809#msg488809
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Limetime

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2716 on: February 09, 2016, 09:29:26 pm »
0

Why don't you play Dominion online?
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2717 on: February 10, 2016, 12:10:30 am »
0

Do you already know the theme of the expansion after Empires?
And when was the last time I played Dominion?

It turns out that leaving announcements up to RGG precludes answering some questions.
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2718 on: February 10, 2016, 12:20:45 am »
+1

Why are Reserve cards colored? I understand the type is necessary to make them capable of calling themselves into play, but the other colored types are for ease of separation and I see no reason that Reserve cards need to be easy to identify from other cards.
The color reminds you to put the card on the mat when you play it. It's a thing players are not used to doing and can forget.

"Ease of separation" is not really the deal. Victory cards are green to remind you that they are not exciting when in your hand; look elsewhere for answers. Treasures are yellow to remind you that they can be played in the Buy phase. Reactions are blue to remind you that they may have value at an unexpected moment that they aren't directly involved in (and Tunnel crept in there on the strength of the unexpectedness of the moment, despite being involved there). Duration cards are orange to remind you that they stay out.

Attacks meanwhile have a functional identity but don't need to call attention to themselves. At one point they had a different color, and possibly some players would prefer that. You can argue that you want to note that other players can interact with you with them, although then, why not non-Attack interaction too?

Shelters are a special case; they needed a color. They have a variety of other types and couldn't be pure the other color, because Actions do that for Reactions. You can also argue some ease of separation there, and for Ruins. It does maybe help a little in your hand to have Shelters and Ruins distinguished from (other) Actions.
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2719 on: February 10, 2016, 12:29:59 am »
+1

Why don't you play Dominion online?
I have played Dominion online a lot. I have even played the MF version a lot, though most of the time that was testing campaign levels. I played a tiny amount in public; usually there was something to test instead, and playing against a human means a certain commitment to not suddenly getting up from your computer for some reason.

Last I checked the computer I'm mostly on won't run it, so when I want to quickly play a game of something, I find something else. Lately Spectromancer has been my fast game of choice, although I think I'm about done with it.
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2720 on: February 10, 2016, 04:07:25 am »
0

When you come up with a new card idea, do you first test it on a simulator? Or do you just bring it out to the next game night? Do you do IRL or online testing first?

Also, do you test cards first in 2-player games; in larger groups; or does it depend mostly on who shows up to the next playing session?
I test cards first irl, and usually never test them in a simulator. It has to look specifically like something I want to simulate, to simulate it (typically, a card you can just buy with money). When we used a program of mine to do online testing, pre-isotropic, I would sometimes try cards first there, just because that was the next chance to play. Once it was isotropic, I didn't want to ask Doug to program something that might instantly fail.

I test cards with however many players show up. Usually that's 3-4 players though. I do way less 2-player testing (but some). Online leaned towards 2-player but that stopped midway through Empires.

Does this mean you stopped testing online halfway through Empires or that you moved to 3/4 player testing online on Empires. If so, that's a very interesting decision.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2016, 04:46:08 am by Beyond Awesome »
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2721 on: February 10, 2016, 04:16:57 am »
+1

Does this mean you stopped testing online halfway through Empires or that you moved too 3/4 player testing online on Empires. If so, that's a very interesting decision.
Doug found better things to do with his time midway through Empires. So, he stopped updating isotropic, so we couldn't test new cards on it anymore.
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2722 on: February 10, 2016, 05:06:13 am »
+8

Does this mean you stopped testing online halfway through Empires or that you moved too 3/4 player testing online on Empires. If so, that's a very interesting decision.
Doug found better things to do with his time midway through Empires. So, he stopped updating isotropic, so we couldn't test new cards on it anymore.
Does that mean isotropic is going down?
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Donald X.

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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2723 on: February 10, 2016, 05:15:26 am »
+2

Does this mean you stopped testing online halfway through Empires or that you moved too 3/4 player testing online on Empires. If so, that's a very interesting decision.
Doug found better things to do with his time midway through Empires. So, he stopped updating isotropic, so we couldn't test new cards on it anymore.
Does that mean isotropic is going down?
Dude, there's still Innovation, and uh. The Celtic knot thingy.
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Re: Interview with Donald X.
« Reply #2724 on: February 10, 2016, 05:34:20 am »
0

Does this mean you stopped testing online halfway through Empires or that you moved too 3/4 player testing online on Empires. If so, that's a very interesting decision.
Doug found better things to do with his time midway through Empires. So, he stopped updating isotropic, so we couldn't test new cards on it anymore.
Does that mean isotropic is going down?
Dude, there's still Innovation, and uh. The Celtic knot thingy.
Looks like he found better things to do (than updating isotropic Innovation) for quite a while now.
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