Dominion of Darkness - my free simulator of the Dark Lord/Lady

[Adeptus]

"Dominion of Darkness” is a free strategy text game in which the player takes on the role of a Sauron-style Lord of Darkness with the goal of conquering the world. He will carry out his plans by making various decisions. He will build his army and send it into battles, weave intrigues and deceptions, create secret spy networks and sectarian cults, recruit agents and commanders, corrupt representatives of Free Peoples and sow discord among them, collect magical artifacts and perform sinister plots. Note – one game takes about 1 hour, but the premise is that the game can be approached several times, each time making different decisions, getting different results and discovering something new. Feedback is very much welcome. Very, very much.

Here is the game: https://adeptus7.itch.io/dominion
If you are hesitant to play the game, I invite you to watch/listen to the reviews:

Indie Game Sampler (video):
[BOKC] BlancoKix (video):
Choice Beat (zine, page 30): https://www.flipsnack.com/choicebeat/ch ... -view.html
Dads Game Review (podcast): https://www.dadsgamereview.com/dgr-78-d ... -darkness/

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

I tried it now (and failed due to a really stupid mistake), and it's amazing.

[Adeptus]

I tried it now (and failed due to a really stupid mistake), and it's amazing.

Thank You very much for playing!

I am planning another major update, focusing primarily on the endgame. Players focused on direct conquest will have new ways to find loot—portals to crazy, Lovecraftian worlds, discovering new lands, and a magical slumber to wait for the rebirth of old enemies/the emergence of new ones (and seeing how the world changes in their absence). For players more interested in the less brutal side of world domination, the options for managing the territories of our empire will be expanded. Will you allow orcs to overrun Dark Elf cities? Will schools focus on training engineers for the army and economy, or on brainwashing them into blind obedience? Furthermore, I'm expanding the Dark Lord's interactions with other characters, including available romances. Of course, new content requires testing, and since, as usual, it's highly non-linear and dependent on player decisions (plus random generation), I can't test every combination myself.

That's why I'm seeking the help of testers. All you need to do is play once—one playthrough lasts about 1.5 hours (as I mentioned, the game is highly non-linear and is meant to be played multiple times, each time revealing a different story) and send me a short report (specifically, indicating if you've spotted any obvious bugs).

Here is test version - no need for download, it is playable online in the browser: https://adeptus7.itch.io/playtesting

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

I tried it now (and failed due to a really stupid mistake), and it's amazing.

Thank You very much for playing!

I am planning another major update, focusing primarily on the endgame. Players focused on direct conquest will have new ways to find loot—portals to crazy, Lovecraftian worlds, discovering new lands, and a magical slumber to wait for the rebirth of old enemies/the emergence of new ones (and seeing how the world changes in their absence). For players more interested in the less brutal side of world domination, the options for managing the territories of our empire will be expanded. Will you allow orcs to overrun Dark Elf cities? Will schools focus on training engineers for the army and economy, or on brainwashing them into blind obedience? Furthermore, I'm expanding the Dark Lord's interactions with other characters, including available romances. Of course, new content requires testing, and since, as usual, it's highly non-linear and dependent on player decisions (plus random generation), I can't test every combination myself.

That's why I'm seeking the help of testers. All you need to do is play once—one playthrough lasts about 1.5 hours (as I mentioned, the game is highly non-linear and is meant to be played multiple times, each time revealing a different story) and send me a short report (specifically, indicating if you've spotted any obvious bugs).

Here is test version - no need for download, it is playable online in the browser: https://adeptus7.itch.io/playtesting

Sounds awesome! I'll find the time to try it.

[Adeptus]

I tried it now (and failed due to a really stupid mistake), and it's amazing.

Thank You very much for playing!

I am planning another major update, focusing primarily on the endgame. Players focused on direct conquest will have new ways to find loot—portals to crazy, Lovecraftian worlds, discovering new lands, and a magical slumber to wait for the rebirth of old enemies/the emergence of new ones (and seeing how the world changes in their absence). For players more interested in the less brutal side of world domination, the options for managing the territories of our empire will be expanded. Will you allow orcs to overrun Dark Elf cities? Will schools focus on training engineers for the army and economy, or on brainwashing them into blind obedience? Furthermore, I'm expanding the Dark Lord's interactions with other characters, including available romances. Of course, new content requires testing, and since, as usual, it's highly non-linear and dependent on player decisions (plus random generation), I can't test every combination myself.

That's why I'm seeking the help of testers. All you need to do is play once—one playthrough lasts about 1.5 hours (as I mentioned, the game is highly non-linear and is meant to be played multiple times, each time revealing a different story) and send me a short report (specifically, indicating if you've spotted any obvious bugs).

Here is test version - no need for download, it is playable online in the browser: https://adeptus7.itch.io/playtesting

Sounds awesome! I'll find the time to try it.

Thank You very much! I hope for some feedback.

[Adeptus]

And the update is here! As before, stable version of the game is avalaible, for free and without need to register or download, here: https://adeptus7.itch.io/dominion

And another news - here is hand-drawn fanart of the game, by LowestfromHeaven (thank You!):




An author used it in his fan video:



And here is another new fan video:

[alhoon]

I find the game (my first playthrough) exceptional! I like the "make your own adventure - the evil kind!" approach.

[Adeptus]

I find the game (my first playthrough) exceptional! I like the "make your own adventure - the evil kind!" approach.

Thank You very much! Could You tell what You (dis)liked the most?


And now...


This is Joanna Szatecka (Instagram) (photo: Fine Art Wiktor) and her cosplay of the female Despotic Tyrant player character from the RPG/strategy game Dominion of Darkness - Dark Lord/Lady Simulator: https://adeptus7.itch.io/dominion



She is a LARP organizer: https://www.facebook.com/BialyGryfLARPY

I thank her very much!

[alhoon]

I liked the most the very "make your own adventure" feel, as well as that I was given the opportunity to save. I know some do not like this, but I do. Those that don't like it, can opt to not use it.

I have finished 2 playthroughs now and I appreciate the effort.

[Adeptus]

I liked the most the very "make your own adventure" feel, as well as that I was given the opportunity to save. I know some do not like this, but I do. Those that don't like it, can opt to not use it.

I have finished 2 playthroughs now and I appreciate the effort.

Thank you very much for playing and feedback!


And now, time for another update.

- I made orcs slightly more usefull,
- I made "pure Influence" victory slightly more difficult,
- I added new mechanical impact scenes - and just flavour interactions - for the named characters,
- I fixed the difficulty system and many smaller bugs,
- added new storyline and ending, in which You devour Your minions to gain more power.

That's not all, new cosplay appeared.





Cosplay by XoAngelBeatsoX, I invite You to watch her DeviantArtgallery: https://www.deviantart.com/xoangelbeatsox/gallery


Polena is a young vampire, torn between being an innocent girl, a proper noble lady and blood thirsty beast. She is one of a recruitable and romanceable characters.

(Disclaimer from a cosplayer: The props and set pieces are real, the stone wall/background was added afterward in Photoshop to complete the setting).