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51

Dominion Online at Shuffle iT / Re: Subscription pricing & structure

« on: December 15, 2016, 12:16:49 pm »

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

Originally you announced there would be two models: Subscription to play online against other players, and 1-off payments to "buy" the sets for offline play against AIs. Goko spend could be allocated to either buying the off-line product, or giving you free subscriptions for a period of time.

Has that plan changed? Is everything just a subscription now? Does the subscription get you the offline play with the AI?

Completely separate question:
Will I be able to play this on my iPhone in any way? (online or off? App or web? Magic?) (I still have an old app on my phone that lets me play AI only for the base set. Not available in the app store anymore, but sitting on my phone. I've gotten really really good at beating dumb AIs at the "First Game"...)

Thanks,

(And sorry if this has been explained somewhere else in the intervening time)

52

General Discussion / I wrote a short story: The Great Filter

« on: June 07, 2016, 01:39:18 pm »

It tackles some themes that Dominion players may be interested in. Why we can't find any aliens, what time travel would mean, human extinction events, etc.

You might enjoy it.

Story here:
http://www.begoodenough.com/the-great-filter/

Reddit comment thread here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/4mwcvl/rt_the_great_filter/

Hope you like it,

Ed

53

Tournaments and Events / Re: Empires play in Portland

« on: June 05, 2016, 08:36:16 pm »

If you make it up to Seattle let me know

54

Goko Dominion Online / Blocking individuals

« on: April 24, 2016, 10:12:58 am »

Hi,

Sorry if this has been covered. In the latest version of D Online is there a way to create a personal block list?

I was just burned by a guy who started swearing in one hand so I didn't rematch. Then I randoming got matched with him. Continued swearing then started slow-rolling when he decided I was getting "too much luck".

The old extension made it really easy to avoid guys like this in the future but I can't see how to do it with the modern desktop version.

Thanks!

Ed

55

Dominion Online at Shuffle iT / Re: Creating Dominion

« on: April 18, 2016, 12:30:16 pm »

I haven't read all of the other replies but I have to admit that I also find this entire ordeal really annoying. I payed the equivalent of $90, so I can occasionally play Dominion at my free leisure. Recently I had troubles in my life and didn't really have time for anything and I still don't and now you're telling me that my purchase will basically be just a waste? Making my purchase the equivalent of a service of about $36 is not a good reimbursement, come on. I'd rather prefer MF to still hold the contract at this time even though it is far from perfect and made me use SCSNs mod to make it more bearable.

I'd rather pay a steep price once than pay a little each month and feel like I wasted money if I don't play at least once this month. I am disillusioned at how poor structered the new pay model is and how everyone is so ecstatic about these news.

I think that most people understand that ongoing services have a cost.  Some places use donation models to keep things going (BGA, Yucata, Kingdom of Loathing).  Some use pay-to-win or pay-for-hats to keep things going (Prismata, Hearthstone, and *shudder* mobile freemium).  And others use subscriptions.

Making Fun had an unsustainable business model.  They were going to get less and less revenue each month at some point, and server costs were going to eat them.

The thing about subscriptions is, you don't have to pay every month!  Shit hit the fan IRL?  Cancel for the next few months, bam, done.  You could request/suggest that the free year be allowed to be taken as 12 months, I suppose.

And yes, you could argue that a donation model might work.  But how many people will donate to server costs?  Would they need a yearly donation drive like BGG or Wikipedia?  How quickly would that start to hurt?  I personally would rather have a sustainable service, and $3 a month is an incredible price point.

Both groups have a point.

MakingFun's model was a bad one. But that didn't stop Rio Grand from making the deal with them. So there is some responsibility there.

The "contract" MF made with players was "buy this product and get to use it online forever". Note that the price they charged was VERY VERY high. Normal online games are nowhere close to $90 for the "full service". Also note that server costs are low and getting cheaper everyday. Most costs for an online service are one-time fixed costs. So the one time charge is less crazy than it sounds (more bad from a revenue perspective than due to cost structure)

I think people who paid $90 for a specific thing are right to be pissed off that those contracts are being thrown away and replaced with a vastly weaker product: Either less than half the functionality or only one year of service (and still less functionality).

I honestly think RG is setting themselves up for s class action lawsuit.

I think there best options at this point are:

1- Offer full refunds to original buyers
2- Offer free lifetime service to original buyers (expansions purchased)

If they were willing to take more risks they could offer the $90 as credit on the new platform (likely after getting people to sign a contract promising not to sue). But even that is a little risky.

What they are doing now counts on a court saying that all liability lies with MakingFun. It's possible but I wouldn't count on that if I was Jay.

Ed

56

Dominion General Discussion / Re: Interview with Donald X.

« on: April 15, 2016, 12:56:39 pm »

Question:
One obvious (to me) trashing element would be something like this:

Card $x
Something something
--------
When trashed this card is worth $y

It seems like a natural add-on for a card in Dark Ages. Like the below the line stuff in Catacombs and Hunting Grounds.

Did you test this and rule it out for some reason. Or did it just not occur to you?

Thanks.

Ed

57

Dominion General Discussion / Re: How to Teach People Dominion & Introduce New Expansions to Them

« on: April 22, 2015, 10:01:29 pm »

I've been successful doing this:

1- explain the rules
2- play first game kingdom. Use BM+Smithy strategy. Win by a lot
3- explain big money and how it works(worked). Talk through why their strategies did not work
4- play first game kingdom again. A lot will play a variation on big money. You play the optimal engine strategy and win again. By a lot
5- explain what engines are and why it worked. The trashing, gaining, +buys, etc
6- at this point they get very excited to build their own engines
7- play with new set. Include Witch. Learn about curses
8- next game used alt VP
9- now go nuts. On gain. Durations. Colonies. Tokens. Basically fully random.

Key is really the first three games.

Ed

58

Puzzles and Challenges / Most valuable Fairgrounds

« on: April 17, 2015, 02:14:00 pm »

I think this has been done a number of times before, but it will be interesting to see how Adventures affects it.

I think right now, if you don't count Black Market (which depending on how you play with BM effectively makes it 200 or something), then I think the max nu,ber of unique cards in a single Kingdom is:

Base Kingdom: 10 cards
Victory Cards: 4 w/Colony
Coins: 4 w/Platinum
Shelters: 3

Extras:
Knights +9
Tournament +5
Merc +5 Ruins +1 Spoils
Young Witch +1 Kingdom +1 Curses
Hermit +1
Urchin +1
Alchemy card +1 Potion

Total: 21 + 25 = 46
...So 18 point Fairgrounds without Black Market...

Am I missing any?

It only uses 5 specific Kingdom cards (plus one from Prosperity to get the Colonies if you play by that rule). That leaves 3 more (after Fairgrounds itself) that can be used in Adventures to create the largest Kingdom possible.

We know already about the two "series" cards that each get you +4. Is it possible there are others?

If not we will be at 54 unique cards in a Kingdom and 20 point Fairgrounds...

Anything else missing? One possible card left (I know... Black Market....)

Ed

p.s., It must have been said before, but it's a nice theme that the two best support cards for Fairgrounds in terms of value are Knights and Tournaments.... (Followed by Mercenaries...)

EDITS from comments:
5 Ruins, not four
Added Shelters
Adventure Series are five cards not four
Potion

59

Tournaments and Events / Re: Dominion Adventures in Seattle

« on: April 16, 2015, 01:19:50 pm »

Eventually, we will move to Seattle, and when that happens, I hope to get invited to your next one!

When?

Need a job? What do you do?

This city is hiring like crazy! I know of a bunch of opening depending on your specialties...

60

Tournaments and Events / Dominion Adventures in Seattle

« on: April 14, 2015, 08:27:29 pm »

Hi all,

I've spoken to my local game store and they are 90% certain they will have Adventures ready for me on Friday April 24th.

In honor of that (and the fact my wife is away that weekend at a bachelorette party) I am hosting a bunch of folks at my place in downtown Seattle on Sunday April 26th. It will be an all day event...

If you are interested in joining, please send me a DM and I can get you directions and contact information.

(I will be renting the common space, so we will have lots of room, a half dozen tables, etc. I have all the sets (including base cards) which means enough cards for about 6 simultaneous games... I think a few people will be bringing sets, which will increase that number even higher... There is free parking in the building. It's right near the Space Needle and the SAM Sculpture Park).

Hope some of you can make it. It's not too late to book a flight!

Ed

61

Rules Questions / Harold, Black Market and Possesion

« on: April 08, 2015, 10:46:37 am »

Not sure what I didn't understand.

I played BM while possessing my opponent. I bought Harold out of the BM deck. I over paid $2.

I wasn't sure if that would let me stack my deck or his deck. I thought both would be a good play.

Instead nothing happened at all.


Is that the right implementation? Is so why?

If it's not the correct implementation, what is?

Ed

62

Goko Dominion Online / Re: How should Colonies/Shelters be Implemented after Adventures

« on: April 08, 2015, 10:42:57 am »

One option I would love implements on Goko:

Pro game
It randomly chooses 2 expansions
It chooses ten cards at random from those two expansions

I believe this is the way DXV plays the game and the way new expansions are tested. It would allow a lot of the cards that don't do well in fully random to shine a little more (even make Scout better...)

It's the way I play IRL, especially when a new expansion comes out.

It also think it would maintain the integrity of the pro system since it would still require ability to play all the cards and interactions between them.

Ed

63

Dominion General Discussion / Where to order Dominion Advnetures

« on: March 30, 2015, 03:45:31 pm »

Hi,
It's been a long time since I've posted here (Having a baby will do that I guess...)

When I come back I find out that there is a new expansion announced and it's even in previews...

I did some searching, but I haven't found anything (apologizes if I missed it) on where the best place was to get Adventures delivered in the US the soonest.

I checked Amazon and they are saying release on April 23rd, for delivery sometime after that.

I know for Dark Ages there was a much faster way to get it. Can anyone recommend a place that will get it to me faster in the US?

Thanks!

Ed

64

General Discussion / Re: O

« on: October 30, 2013, 09:11:20 pm »

His brother used to play too. Anyone remember his name?

65

Rules Questions / Re: Questions on technical matters

« on: October 25, 2013, 10:50:27 am »

Thank you for the answers. Especially, the part about Band of Misfits has been very helpful and is very important information.

I was assuming that the "when you trash this" part triggers when the card goes in the trash, therefore not letting Band of Misfits mimic that effect.

Incorrect.
If you play a BoM as Mining Village and then choose to trash it, you gain +$2, and the BoM (as MV) goes to the trash. THEN it turns back into BoM.

It gets more complicated if you Throne Room a BoM and it gets trashed along the way. In that case, in a very complicated series if decisions, the TR "locks in" the card and the BoM is played as the same card twice. I'm sure someone can find the entire conversation somewhere on here.

Ed

66

Dominion Articles / Re: Exploiting Asymmetry

« on: October 24, 2013, 09:14:12 pm »

Two thoughts:

1- There is something unique about Bag of Gold: its a "gainer". Gainers can be really important on some boards with the right trash for benefit cards. Think Apprentice or Remodel. Both love gold gaining.

2- the other asymmetry in the game is ruins. 99% of the time ruins are just bad. But every now and then they will be the only source of +buy. I so at least one game by building an engine and holding on to a ruined market for a come from behind victory (it may have involved a King's Court for action of buys). Even more rare is when you need the other ruins. But if there is no virtual cash on the board and you have an otherwise good KC board ruined Mine could be used, or evenRuined Village if there is no other +action. But realistically it will usually just be the +buy you need to watch out for.

(I remember now - it was actually an apothecary engine that I needed the +buy for!)

Ed

67

Other Games / Re: Time Masters on BGA

« on: October 18, 2013, 02:09:51 pm »

Knowing no more than what is written here:
The one issue I see is with powerful cards being both expensive, powerful and give VP.
The result is more "acceleration" where the person who gets ahead ends up speeding even faster ahead.

The nice thing about Dominions VP mechanic is that it acts as a decelerator.

Still, worth trying.

Ed

68

GokoDom / Re: GokoDom II: Round 7 Results *ONLY*

« on: September 29, 2013, 06:04:44 pm »

ednever 3, mail-mi 1

Missed the log for game 2 with Mail-mi won.

Game 1: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130929/log.516d0e09e4b082c74d7aacc1.1380489428383.txt
Game 2: Missing
Game 3: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130929/log.516d0e09e4b082c74d7aacc1.1380491471851.txt
Game 4: http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130929/log.516d0e09e4b082c74d7aacc1.1380492105442.txt

Ed

69

General Discussion / Re: An interesting article against asymmetry in game design

« on: September 25, 2013, 10:35:10 am »

My first thought is Android Netrunner.
I haven't played it yet, but ive heard very good things, and its the next game on my list I want to try.

And it's very very asymmetric.

Ed

70

Dominion Articles / Re: Request: Rogue

« on: September 24, 2013, 09:48:55 am »

It's a 2-card combo that, after you play both cards, results in +1 Action, +$4. Quite powerful effect, definitely too strong to appear on a single card. I played this once and it worked really well.

Actually just $4,  since Mining Village gives +2 Actions and playing MV and Rogue costs 2 Actions.

Mining Vilage: +1 card, +2 actions, +$2, trash
Rogue: +$2, gain MV

Total if it was on one card:
+1 card, -1 card = no card effect
+2 actions, - 1 action = +1 action
+$2 +$2 = +$4
Lose MV, gain MV = no effect

So if it appeared on one card it would be:
+1 action, +$4 (for a card cost of $9 and an extra buy)

Can we do better with $9 and two buys? What about this:
Border Village, Mandarin, tournament
+2 actions, +1 action -2 actions = +1 action
+1 card, +1 card, -1 card, -2 cards = -1 card
+$3, +$1 = +$4

And it takes $10 to get, not $9.

Another attempt:
BV, market, duchess (cost: $8)
Actions: +2, +1, -2 = +1
Cards: +1, +1, -2 = 0
$: +1, +2 = +$3

So $1 cheaper, but provides +$3 instead of +$4.


So I think there is a synergy from Rogue+MV. It's not huge though, but it might be the cheapest way to produce that exact effect from a $9 two-card combo.

Ed

71

Goko Dominion Online / Blacklisting

« on: September 19, 2013, 03:59:55 pm »

So we all know those threads where people bad-mouth each other can get bad and eventually shut-down.

The nice thing is there is a blacklist function on the salvager that solces that. But you still end up playing with the people you don't want to play with that first time.

My suggestion is this:
In this thread, just post people you have blocked and why.

People can use your own reputation on whether they want to follow your lead or not.

Is that too harsh?

I'd sure like to know the players who have slow-rolled Sharkbait or Robz or WW or a dozen other people on here.

Ed

72

Dominion Articles / Re: Stonemason

« on: September 18, 2013, 05:21:12 pm »

Thought I would share this Stonemason turn:
http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130918/log.516d0e09e4b082c74d7aacc1.1379538889026.txt

I was worried that I made the wrong call ignoring Soothsayer, but the Foragers kept it reasonably at bay. And then the last turn made me very happy:

ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: Forager, Advisor, Stonemason
pt6776   discards Advisor
ednever   places cards in hand: Forager, Stonemason
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: King's Court, King's Court, King's Court
pt6776   discards King's Court
ednever   places cards in hand: King's Court, King's Court
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: Forager, Hamlet, Advisor
pt6776   discards Advisor
ednever   places cards in hand: Forager, Hamlet
ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays Market
ednever   draws Market
ednever   plays Market
ednever   shuffles deck
ednever   draws Advisor
ednever   plays Market
ednever   draws King's Court
ednever   plays King's Court

-> At this point I realized I could do something fun...

ednever   plays Stonemason
ednever   trashes King's Court
ednever   gains Pillage
ednever   gains Soothsayer

-> Nothing better than gaining a card and then playing it the same turn for a surprise attack. Actually there is...

ednever   plays Stonemason
ednever   trashes Forager
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   plays Stonemason
ednever   trashes Forager
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: Advisor
ednever   shuffles deck
ednever   reveals: Hamlet, Pillage
pt6776   discards Advisor
ednever   places cards in hand: Hamlet, Pillage
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: Hamlet, Hamlet, Soothsayer
pt6776   discards Soothsayer
ednever   places cards in hand: Hamlet, Hamlet
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: Hamlet
ednever   shuffles deck
ednever   reveals: Soothsayer, Advisor
pt6776   discards Advisor
ednever   places cards in hand: Hamlet, Soothsayer

-> ...gaining a card and then playing it three times on the same turn.

ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays Soothsayer
ednever   gains Gold
pt6776   gains Curse
pt6776   draws Silver
ednever   plays Soothsayer
ednever   gains Gold
pt6776   gains Curse
pt6776   draws Hamlet
ednever   plays Soothsayer
ednever   gains Gold
pt6776   gains Curse
pt6776   draws Gold

-> ...Followed by playing the other card three times to discard 3 cards with Pillage...

ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays Pillage
ednever   trashes Pillage
pt6776   reveals Copper, Advisor, Forager, Soothsayer, Advisor, Silver, Hamlet, Gold
pt6776   discards Advisor
ednever   gains Spoils
ednever   gains Spoils
ednever   plays Pillage
ednever   trashes Pillage
pt6776   reveals Copper, Advisor, Forager, Soothsayer, Silver, Hamlet, Gold
pt6776   discards Advisor
ednever   gains Spoils
ednever   gains Spoils
ednever   plays Pillage
ednever   trashes Pillage
pt6776   reveals Copper, Forager, Soothsayer, Silver, Hamlet, Gold
pt6776   discards Hamlet
ednever   gains Spoils
ednever   gains Spoils

-> And then drawing the 3 gold and 3 Spoils that I just gained with the cards I gained earlier...

ednever   plays King's Court
ednever   plays Market
ednever   shuffles deck
ednever   draws Spoils
ednever   plays Market
ednever   draws Spoils
ednever   plays Market
ednever   draws Spoils
ednever   plays Hamlet
ednever   draws Spoils
ednever   plays Hamlet
ednever   draws Spoils
ednever   plays Hamlet
ednever   draws Advisor
ednever   plays Advisor
ednever   reveals: Gold, Gold, Gold
pt6776   discards Gold
ednever   places cards in hand: Gold, Gold
ednever   plays Hamlet
ednever   draws Spoils
ednever   plays Hamlet
ednever   shuffles deck
ednever   draws Gold
ednever   plays 4 Gold
ednever   plays Spoils
ednever   plays Spoils
ednever   plays Spoils
ednever   plays Spoils
ednever   plays Spoils
ednever   plays Spoils

-> And then end on piles by using the Stonemason a second time...

ednever   buys Stonemason
ednever   overpays for Stonemason with 7 coins
ednever   gains King's Court
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   buys Stonemason
ednever   overpays for Stonemason with 2 coins
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   buys Stonemason
ednever   overpays for Stonemason with 2 coins
ednever   gains Hamlet
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   buys Stonemason
ednever   overpays for Stonemason with 2 coins
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   gains Stonemason
ednever   buys Colony
ednever   gains Colony
ednever   buys Estate
ednever   gains Estate
ednever   buys Estate
ednever   gains Estate
ednever   shuffles deck
ednever   draws Colony, Soothsayer, Market, King's Court, Hamlet


Fun with breaking rocks!

Ed

73

Dominion General Discussion / Fun Kingdom

« on: September 06, 2013, 01:37:57 pm »

Thought I would share this one. Played it random and I think it looks like it was designed:
Moat, Loan, Market Square, Bishop, Horse Traders, Procession, Spice Merchant, Knights, Rogue, Soothsayer,

Only thing that doesn't fit is Horse Traders (But maybe that one if you decide getting to $5 early is important). The rest makes for a really really interesting game with lots of different strategies that show off the effect of the different cards, and trade-offs you need to make at different points in the game.

Ed

74

Game Reports / Re: Finding the combo

« on: September 04, 2013, 12:15:38 am »

Why not just open Chapel/Remodel?

Chapel clears out the starting stuff. Remodel gives you silver or lighthouse. Then remodel turns chapel into Fortress and Fortress into BV+a second remodel.

Then you are off to the races. Keep turning Fortress into BV+either fortress or remodel or Smithy. Pretty soon you can draw your deck and you turn four BV into four provinces. Them just clean up (worse case remodeling provinces into provinces )

On a mirror it gets really interesting on timing. Hard to say when you "go off".

Ed

75

Goko Dominion Online / Re: goko rankings in multiplayer

« on: September 03, 2013, 10:52:48 pm »

http://dom.retrobox.eu/?/20130903/log.516d0e09e4b082c74d7aacc1.1378263087936.txt

It was almost my first Golf Achievement!

Ed