Coming soon! This fall, Goko will introduce the official tablet version of Dominion by Donald X Vaccarino: -iOS tablet version will come out first. . . Yeah, we know Android has some really cool tablets. Were working on Android as fast as we can! -Play against the computer, online or offline. Lots of flavors of bots to hone your skills for every kind of opponent. Fight greed against Banker Bot, or try to slip one by our Warlord! -Find your friends and play with them online. Show your love and devotion to faraway friends and relatives with a quick hand of this beloved deck-building game. -No shuffling or cheating! Yes, this whole digital thing has some practical advantages. Check out screenshots and stay tuned for more. Beta invites and trailer coming soon. https://www.goko.com https://www.facebook.com/goko
Cautious good news. However, still a number of questions to be answered: Native iOS app or HTML5 wrapper? Freemium or paid app? GC integration or other solution for online play? Social media integration? Consumable IAP? That's for starters. I would *love* to see a native Dominion iOS app with GC online multiplay. Online multiplay with other devices would be the cherry on the cake. However there are very, very few cross-platform multiplay because - I suspect - it is a PITA to get a working solution for iOS, Android and Windows (not to mention Linux). The reason for my caution is because although cross-platform online multiplay is a noble aim, the previous execution left much to be desired. Also, the use of "monetization" inc. a VP of Monetization doesn't give me a good feeling that this "official" version will not be freemium. See Big Daddy Creations (Caylus, Eclipse and Neuroshima Hex), Coding Monkeys (Carcassonne), Codito (Le Havre, Puerto Rico, Ra, Tigris & Euphrates and Tikal), and Playdek (Agricola, Ascension, Nightfall and Summoner Wars) for respected board-game implementation. Throw in Small World, Stone Age and Ticket to Ride to the above. Let's wait and see ..
Thanks, Riotgirl. Great questions, and we’re happy to clarify. Our answers are below. • Native iOS app or HTML5 wrapper? Good question. Technically, it’s a little of both. We’re starting from the same HTML5 code that powers the online version, available at http://www.dominion.goko.com. However, to make it work on tablets and handsets, we’re using a native compiler, which enables the code to access lower level systems and operations, just as native code does. The technology, known as Cacoon from Ludei, also enables the app to work offline. So it won’t require a persistent broadband connection – something very important for mobile devices. Freemium or paid app? Just like the online version, it’ll be freemium. A baseline of gameplay for free, with paid content like expansion packs and some consumables. GC integration or other solution for online play? Just like the online version, you can find your friends online and play against them in a room. This utilizes the Goko back-end. Social media integration? You can log-in with Facebook. We have not done deep Facebook integration for this version. Those features, along with a ton of other ones, are on our roadmap. Please let us know how important those features are to you versus other ones. Consumable IAP? We have consumable items available for purchase – Zaps. However, to be honest, we’ve not done a great job integrating the Zaps into the play experience. Right now, the most popular products are the expansion packs – so unlockable content that you need to pay once to make available. We do know the popularity of certain consumable items and would love to hear from you all about what types of consumable items would enhance the Dominion experience. I would *love* to see a native Dominion iOS app with GC online multiplay. Online multiplay with other devices would be the cherry on the cake. However there are very, very few cross-platform multiplay because - I suspect - it is a PITA to get a working solution for iOS, Android and Windows (not to mention Linux). You will be able to play Dominion on a tablet against your friends playing on a PC. And, as we roll out the other platforms, all of those will be compatible with the other versions. So, slowly, platform by platform, we’ll cover them all. We know that cross-platform compatibility is key to the social experience, because we know no one has friends just on one platform! The reason for my caution is because although cross-platform online multiplay is a noble aim, the previous execution left much to be desired. Also, the use of "monetization" inc. a VP of Monetization doesn't give me a good feeling that this "official" version will not be freemium. You are correct. Dominion will be freemium, just like the version available online now. Already Dominion fans have been playing tens of millions of free games, and buying lots of expansion packs. We’re working hard to make sure that the freemium product we offer supports a rich community of players. That's healthy for our business too. See Big Daddy Creations (Caylus, Eclipse and Neuroshima Hex), Coding Monkeys (Carcassonne), Codito (Agricola, Le Havre, Puerto Rico, Ra, Tigris & Euphrates and Tikal), and Playdek (Ascension and Nightfall) for respected board-game implementation. Throw in Small World and Ticket to Ride to the above mix. Let's wait and see .. We’ll be sure to include you in our preview release via TestFlight. Look for an invitation and a build in the next week or so.
I've been playing with the online version of Dominion (and the Race for the Galaxy beta) on and off for since the "soft launch" last year and see a lot of potential for growth with these implementations. I play them mainly on the PC, but play through the web portal on the ipad has steadily improved. I'm really looking forward to trying them out through a more "native" app, just to see how much more responsive it is. I'm also excited by the prospect of using a version that don't require "always on" connections - I think I'll be much more likely to dip my toes deeper into the Dominion pool knowing I'll be able to play anywhere I'll have my iPad. Looking forward to what you guys have in store - you guys sound like you're taking a step back in the right direction giving boardgamers and mobile gamers alike what they're looking for with this type of experience. Edit: Oh, if you're looking for more beta testers for you iPad app, I certainly wouldn't turn one down ;-)
*raises band* Pick me, pick me! That was supposed to say hand, but band is less relevant and therefore funnier. Pick me, seriously. I'll leave my prior impressions at the door and give it a fresh eval
Wait. Zaps? Why don't we get some info on those, as honestly they sound like a pay to win approach, and that's not cool. Seriously, this should be like dominion in card form, I don't mind paying for expansions, but consumable stuff in a game like this? Can you imagine something like that for ascension? The player base would be nil, I for sure wouldn't go into a game like that. Allow us to turn them off, then maybe. I really think you'll find a huge amount of people turned off. Sure, you might make more money... But Is it worth completely destroying the heart of the game? It's like the new EA fueled board games with crappy, embarrassing consumable IAPs I really feel like garbage IAP such as "zaps" will truly ruin a game that should be skill/luck, not THAT kind of pay to win. I'll be open minded, I will, but I will also be honest if it's implemented in the EA way. I swear to god if you implement timers or energy, I will send someone to slap you silly.
On a 3G connection until my new router arrives and/or I go to my girlfriend's workplace or coffee-shop with Wi-Fi. Damn. We need a new [Maslow] hierarchy of needs. Right at the goddamn bottom of the pyramid should be 'Wi-Fi'! First, I would like to thank Goko for responding to my questions. Thank you. I'd love to beta-test the Dominion iOS app (I'm iOS / OSX in terms of O/S). In terms of everything else, I'm in the more ornery board-game camp demograpgic re: I prefer Euro games with a small amount of random chance [luck], dislike freemium (timers, paywalls, consumable IAPs, yada yada yada) and do not have a Facebook account. That said, as the above 2 posters have stated, no problem with freemium for the base game with paid expansions, but definitely would not want consumable IAP that affects gameplay in Dominion. Unless specifically restricted to single-player (vs AIs).
I would definitely like to beta test this version. I was part of the original Goko Dominion beta and really, this is what I (and many others) wanted all along; the ability to play offline on a mobile device. Good to see it finally happening, as the iPad/iPhone thing was supposed to be part of the original launch, or shortly thereafter. I have a question, though... My previous expansion purchases will carry over to this implementation, right?
I surely hope the many dollars I spent on expansions carry over to this version. Especially as this was what was promised when Goko had that nightmare initial launch.
Zaps are used only in the adventure mode (at least in the web version). It's basically a campaign mode with a series of levels with stars and coins to collect. You start the game with 10 cards: 7 money cards and 3 victory point cards. You can spend these money to make starting card better ( money card worth 2 points instead of 1). Also you can use zaps to make bots starting hand worse (exchange victory card for a curse). When you start playing the adventure mode, both you and the bot have the same 10 cards, but later the computer has better and better cards, so it's near impossible to beat them. It's a nice feature to train, but the difficulty ramps up quite quickly. But the meat of Dominion is the multiplayer and in it there are no zaps. Players start with same cards and you can't use zaps. The only thing you have to buy are the expansions... For 45$... PS I really hope they will make it cheaper...
Say what? $45 each!? I just checked on Amazon and that's pretty much the physical board-game cost! Or do you mean the total cost for all the expansions is $45? If the former, then no fricking way! If the latter, then providing that you can purchase on an individual basis, the cost is acceptable. Appreciate the head's up on zaps. Glad to hear that it is just for the campaign mode and doesn't affect online multiplay.
45$ for all of the expansions Just go to goko.com and check the game for free. The web interface works on ipad, so you could have a preview of the app. I doubt it will look any different than the browser game.
Beta tester If you are still looking for beta testers, I have an iPad 2 and an iPhone 5 both running ios7, am an app developer myself so I know what to look for and how to report it, and I've used TestFlight before. Shoot me an email if you want.
Well I was (am?) a beta tester and nothing new has come out since Mid to late October. So something is going on and sadly not the app.
Goko (web) still have the same three games to play and the same "coming soon" list they have had since day1. The sooner they go to the wall the better. Hopefully then RioGrande will sell the licence to a decent developer. Goko's HTML5 model with a "VP of monetisation" stinks
If you think that whatever developer gets it isn't going to focus on monetization, then think again. That shit is here to stay, unfortunately. Did you know that games are being "developed" by psychologists, now?
I disagree. If an entity like Playdek had Dominion, it could be done like Acsension or Nightfall or Penny Arcade. Monetization always seemed like a bad fit for Dominion, anyway, which was one of the many problems with the Goko model. Unfortunately, the term of the Goko deal with the license was something like 5 years, and apparently there is no means of bailing on that (or you'd think Rio Grande would have done so by now). So we still have a while to wait for Dominion to get into some better hands. And by then, who knows if we'll even care much, anymore. I still play it once in a while, but have definitely missed the opportunity to be able to play it any time (esp. offline) on my iPhone/iPad.
