Messages

Dear team,

The situation has become truly unbearable. Sometimes the login works, sometimes it doesn't. The problems have escalated significantly after "Rising Sun." In addition, there's the long-standing issue on iOS devices where one has to reconnect twice to rejoin a game after being kicked out (which always happens when switching apps). Overall, your site increasingly comes across as unprofessional. I mean, how can THIS be the welcome message when you visit the site: "I'm happy to announce we signed a new contract with the Dominion publisher Rio Grande Games. As a consequence you can now buy subscriptions for 2020 and 2021." It gives the impression that the site is only being maintained superficially instead of being actively supported and developed. Your site is a great product, but I will not renew my account unless some things change.

I think it is very important to differentiate resigning from quitting (just disconnecting, doing nothing for minutes...). The latter (if it does happen on purpose) is not acceptable and I would blacklist any player who does behave that way. Resigning is a valid option. It is an option the interface offers (just like buying cards). It is a move within the context of the game. It is IMO neither impolite to buy a torturer nor to click resign. Hitting the resign button communicates: "I am convinced that I am no longer able to win this game (whatever the reasons may be: worse deck, inability to get enough victory point, boss calling). I congratulate you to your victory". I don't need to express this in the chat. The intent is clear. (The intent of buying a torturer is also clear: "I want to torture you ;-)").

My opinion is: it is absolutely ok to resign anytime - some might prefer to explain themselves, but I do not expect them to do this.

Thank you. This is exactly the point I was trying to make on a different thread (but less well). The interface is designed from a technical insider point of view. Ir is totally confusing when you are not deep into a specific online dominion community. the login/register screen should attrct new users, it should explain, why this game is so cool. The interface should inform the user exactly what everything means. For starters: a simple video tutorial might help.

While I share much of the criticism regarding the interface of the current implementation, I think the subscription based model is very smart and reasonable. I just paid for 2 month to get the new expansions. It did cost less than a meal. I am not forced to renew my subscription. Let's call this the "Netflix" model of the digital economy. Why is this model smart? Because you constantly pay for a product that is constantly generating costs. You pay for a service not a physical product. MFs model was unfair (because it provoked expectations it could not fulfill) and doomed to fail.
Dont get me wrong: there is indeed much room for improvement- but the business model is solid and fair. I guess if the implementation survives 2017 most of us would be more than happy to pay a small amount of money for a service that is much better than the current incarnation.

Wow, that really exploded...
After several games I really adjusted to the new interface - even on IOS.  However, I am not an casual player (and you will need those to make this work). As some have already said: the new implementation is designed by people with a great technical understanding of dominion functionality. The platform would have been a good heir to isotropic. But in order to become a good online card game, the interface needs to be transformed from a text based interface to an intuitive gaming interface.
It was a mistake IMO to release such an unpolished product, but I know that this kind of criticism is not helpful. A lot of good points to improve the implementation were already made in the answers to my opening post. I think we all agree that we want online dominion to improve so I hope the delevopers might take some points into consideration.
It agree BTW that what has been delivered here is way better than the early days of Goko - but that shouldn't be our benchmark, should it? it would be great to have a product in the next month that really surpasses MF (instead of doing some thing better and done things worse)

Dear new owners of online dominion,

I know that you are part of the online dominion community for several years and really aspired to release a version that would correct the flaws of Goko and Making Fun and satisfy the needs of folks still dreaming about isotropic. I am also a hardcore dominion player myself (several thousands of games at Makung Fun) and I really see the technical improvements you have done.

However...

This implementation continues a worrying trend in online dominion history: releasing a product that is simply not finished. Currently this implementation is in many aspects inferior to the making fun client. I will just poin out two flaws.

1. The internet today is an increasingly mobile internet - desktop usage is becoming a niche. Your interface is clearly not optimized for IOS or android, the sheer fact that the interface makes "right clicking" necessary to get info about cards speaks volumes.
2. the interface looks like an amateur product, reminiscent of the state of the art of the 1990ies. Today, even simple mobile games usually have a good looking interface. There is way too much text - the use of the log should e.g. be an option not a necessity.

My point is: the interface is good for the hardcore users (I personally don't have much problems with it), but full of design flaws that will never attract casual gamers. Clearly your priorities were "technical functionalities' not a the design of a modern game Interface. IMHO the redesign of your interface should be your absolute priority. I really want you guys to succeed but in the current form your product is destined to fail. Do not take the positive comments here and at Dominion Strategy too serious because I fear they do not reflect the opinions and needs of the average (dominion) player but  a limited group of hardcore fans. I showed the interface to people not familiar with online dominion and they turned away in terror...

I know this critique is quite harsh but really inspired by my desire that online dominion should finally be a success story. Your subscription model per se is perfect to to really atrrect the contemporary gamer - it would be great if it would generate enough money to make your business sustainable.