Gah! Yeah - I'm really starting to think about getting this now too. And just after spending $6 already this week on other games that were just released. Don't get me wrong - I'm happy to see games like this coming out on iOS. I'm just not sure my wallet is as happy with the weekly abuse! I asked this same question in the comments section of Hodapp's review but I probably should have asked it here in the real thread instead - my question is approximately how many hours of gameplay is there in the short and long campaigns? Yes, yes I know it "varies" and there's re-playability, etc but could someone provide an approximate amount of time? 5 hours? 10? More? Thanks.
Twenty to thirty I'd say. As you get used to managing the clan your time taken on individual turns will decrease, but there's still enough content to keep you busy for a while. I really don't think it's all that worth while to judge this particular game on its playing time as such. The variable factors are so many as compared to most games that some other metric is needed. I'm not sure what that should be, but think that either way you'll get much more enjoyment out of the game than the above playing time might suggest.
Game Impressions HD Gameplay Trailer (iPhone): Part One: Subscribe to the TouchArcade YouTube channel Part Two: Subscribe to the TouchArcade YouTube channel Note: First 30 Minutes of the Game. Special Note: Could some of the Mods add it to the first Post too since it does seem that everyone is asking for a Gameplay Trailer about that Game so i guess it would make this time really make some People buy the Game
Thank you. I found myself watching LP's of the PC version last night on YouTube so I'm probably going to get this soon. Looks great.
well, bought the game, checked the manual, started the game and what? it is needed to play the whole tutorial. And you cannot skip it. Ok, maybe it is not so important, but still. Hope the gameplay is more user friendly.
Hey Gang, Are aspects of the map and other tribes randomized each play through? Like if I realize there is a nasty tribe to my south and very helpful folk right over to the west, will they still be in those exact same spots when I play another session of the game?
The overall layout of the map is the same each time, since this is a simulation of an area of the world with well-defined geography. However, clans are in different places, and so the answer to your question is no. The map is only really used for exploration, you won't be doing anything like moving troops on it, Civilization-style.
This is a beautiful game! Just be aware that you will need to read through the ingame instruction to get the best out of it! If you take the time you will love this story based text game.
First time I'm playing anything like this, and I'm glad I took the plunge. I like that there is a tutorial, sorts of give one an overall idea what the game is about and introduces the basic stuff. Just scratches the surface but it's still good. Will eventually have to read the manual to understand the game fully. Likely I'd be playing and reading when I have to. Despite having quite a number of management screens for various aspects of clan management, it doesn't feel cluttered, but is all very well organized. After the first 'year' in the game, I can already see how its world is dynamic, and how sometimes the events seemed linked, and consequences of earlier action. This makes for nice thoughtful gaming for a change, different from most games I enjoy these days where it's all about rush and reaction, or instant feedback-done & forget-about-it. The art is just awesome.
I just finished playing the PC demo like....7 times now. I love story based games and reading/making choices (though I do not like a lot gamebook games that force usually to repeat half the game again due to a wrong choice) and this seems really great (loving the setting, the graphics, the music, the general mood). BUT I do not like a lot Civ-like games, in particular heavy resource management...judging from the (limited) demo I honestly did more adventuring/raiding/diplomatics than resource managing...but I'm unsure which component is prevalent later on: adventuring and story telling or resource management? I was particularly intrigued by the 'quests', even if in the demo you cannot do any. Thanks for any input.
Game Impressions If there is a deeper strategic civilization-building simulation on the App Store, I've yet to discover it. I'm almost absolutely certain there is none as dramatic. The interplay between the choose-your-own-adventure and the large-scale strategy mechanics is splendid, and makes for the most immersive 4X game I've ever played, regardless of platform. Apart from multiple save files, even more competent writing (currently definitively acceptable, but could have been so much more dramatic and immersive), and deeper insight into the other clans/mechanics for AI civilization growth similar to that of the player if there are none (having other clans grow and develop just like the player clan does, and being able to observe this in the manner in which you can observe other civs in Civilization, and therefore compete directly with them, would add another strategic layer, and much incentive), there is damn near nothing I can think of which could elevate the King of Dragon Pass ever higher. If you fancy deep strategic simulations, skip out on four other games to purchase this.
Fair requests, and I can understand where they come from. Multiple save slots would have been an extra complication, though I suppose if the developer gets enough requests he might add them in a future update. As far as mechanics go, I can understand why you'd want more insight into the other clans, but consider the alternate point of view for a moment. You're roleplaying the guiding force behind a clan of insular, traditionalist bronze-age types who are not adventurous by any means. Spies are unlikely in a scenario like this, and I'm not sure how else you could implement such an observation feature without breaking the sense of emersion to an extent. To me at least, part of the game's charm comes from not understanding all is mechanics. It works to tell a story, but I'd rather not think about just how that story is told. Just my opinion, of course.
Having detailed charts showing the exact power, wealth and/or influence of other clans would run counter to the theme and concept of the game, as Alensin mentioned; if you want to see how other populations are progressing, check your recorded reputations/debts/favours, or go raid/trade/explore. Weighing up the element of risk is an integral part of the experience. I'm a fan of multiple profiles for games, so that more than one person can play on a device, but not necessarily multiple save slots in a game like this; I can appreciate the developers wouldn't want players saving and reloading after every single event to try to get the best outcome, or jump back because an event had unforeseen consequences down the track. The game is supposed to play out as an epic tale, which means that you don't always triumph in every encounter: however, while you may lose a battle, in KoDP this rarely means you've lost the war.
Oh, I never said the insights would be detailed, or presented in a manner that breaks KoDP's wonderful storytelling principles. I would not want to spoil the immersion you both refer to. The fact that the numbers are hidden and the game instead relies on storytelling to represent mechanics is one of the main attractions of KoDP. But who said insight into the progress of other clans has to be represented with immersion-breaking figures? Currently, I am unsure if the other clans progress at all (if they are indeed clans run in accordance with the same principles as those that govern the player), or if they are just names on a map with short descriptions used by the game as dramatic and mechanic devices, for the sole purpose of challenges and interactivity for the players. As players, we probably assume they are independent units in the game, working and operating just like the player clan. But they might as well just be names and short descriptions with randomized numbers. Which means that when we raid another clan, the number of defenders might be completely arbitrary, or defined from some VERY simple principles (such as the game deciding from the outset that some clans are stronger, and able to amass greater number of defenders, but never simulating the actual growth). (It is possible my initial wording was confusing to you. Clarification: deeper insight into the other clans AND mechanics for AI civilization growth similar to that of the player if there are none. Not "deeper insight into the mechanics for civilization growth". Hence the "/" ) So, what I asked for in my first post also carries the additional desire that computer clans actually work as autonomous AI units (just like AI civilizations in Civ), if they do not already. But, since I know this is not going to be added to a 12 year old game (just like I do not expect a rewrite of the game's texts ), it was simply a statement of what I feel the game lacks, not a suggestion fo the devs. As per my initial post, this is one of the very few things which could elevate the game any higher, stated for effect, as a way to show that the game is indeed extremly good. The semi-historical argument holds some weight, but is not an absolute hindrance to adding some insight into the activities of other clans. My clan are hardly isolationist or insular in any sense of the word, considering just how frequent our contact with other clans is. From an in-canon viewpoint, detailing the progress of other clans could be done through (occasionally erroneus) rumors, reports from hunters and explorers, and simple eyewitness accounts from emissaries who visit their villages. But, again, my post on the few shortcomings of KoDP were primarily intended to show just how friggin' good the game is, not as suggestions for the devs. This is what I meant by "multiple save games" (the actual save files might be several, but they can still be restricted to a single save game per clan/playthrough). But "multiple profiles" is a better description. The Saga mechanism for going back a year is a great way to offer reloading, since additional progress might be lost, so I'm in complete agreement with ya on preventing players from reloading after every single event.
Ah. I think I understand your point of view now. Thanks for clarification. I'm sorry to say I can't offer much concrete information, since I'm not a developer. I've seen a few things which lead me to believe clans are at least partially simulated though. Last night, my harvest was forecast to be pretty bad. The forecast proved accurate, and apparently everyone in my tribe suffered similar tribulations. I was surprised to see a tribe mate I owed a favor to come to my tula next season asking for food. Was this preordained by the scripting, a lucky coincidence, or the result of simulation? I don't know. WHatever it was, the story continuity made it seem astoundingly natural. As far as reports from emissaries and traders, I've seen a few of them. Are they a result of a dynamic economy or something else? I really have no idea. Either way, as you say, the game is remarkable, and I hope you continue to enjoy it for a long time to come.
Oh, nice. I hope it was anything but a coincidence, and that those tribal mates suffered as you have suffered And I suppose there is a charm to not knowing ANYTHING about the underlying mechanics, not even if AI clans are indeed acting entities or just text labels, and instead just going with the flow of the narrative. As long as the game offers the impressions that other clans vie for power, space and resources, that is really all that matters. I think there's a good chance I might enjoy it for longer, possibly even more more, than perhaps almost any other iOS title so far. And I believe it is one of the best values in content to the dollar in the App Store, right upp there with content giants such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Mission Europa (though none can challenge the 100+ hours provided by The Quest for content, for those that can stomach all those pixels ), content-creation games such as iBlast Moki 2, and replayability (either through offline challenges, skill-honing, and grinding, or online competitive play) titans such as Bug Heroes, Infinity Blade, Street Fighter IV Volt, Deadlock, Dungeon Defenders, Shadow Era, Urban Rivals, Carcassonne, etc.
this game just like avadon is worth every pence. great games for the price. im wishing after reading the manual i didn't start a hard game:/ going ok so far though i expect to fail... enjoying the artwork also, can see how it wouldn't have translated to ipad res. playing on ipad x2 is good enough though.
Some Info on Internals Interesting that we're discussing game mechanics here. The developers have just made a blog post which explains a bit about how things work story-wise. I thought you might find it interesting. It is at http://kingofdragonpass.blogspot.com/2011/09/repeatability.html. Enjoy!
