Games That Weren't^®

1994 Mindcraft

Platform: PC DOS

A short entry for a title called Dominion, due for release by Mindcraft and highlighted by Andreas Wirooks and spotted in various upcoming text files in Mindcraft’s other games.

A description for the game was given as follows:

Dominion is a fantastic strategy set in a Naturalists Age. You play the life of a young King struggling for survival on one of several continents populated with a wild variety of natural and unnatural races. You control all areas of your kingdom directly, plus give supervision to your ministers.

New features, never before seen, include intelligent Ministers who can handle given affairs independently, a frightening look at populations and the terrors of war, barter economies, and a task-based events system to simulate the time pressures of extending personal control over a broad area. VGA, SVGA graphics – requires 16 Mhz ‘386 or faster, 2 MB RAM, Microsoft or 100% compatible mouse.

Thanks to Hoagie / Abandonware France, it has been found that a full preview was given in Electronic Games magazine, complete with screenshots!

Dominion is described by the article as a grand strategy game set in an alternate historical period resembling the Age of Exploration (1000–1600 AD) but infused with strong fantasy elements. Players take on the role of a young monarch striving to expand their kingdom on a continent filled with independent city-states, mythical creatures, and intelligent animals.

Initially, knowledge of the land is limited, requiring exploration and careful management. As the game progresses, players must delegate authority to ministers, who may prove invaluable or disastrous depending on their loyalty and competence.

The game’s dynamic time system adjusts the flow of events based on player actions, seamlessly shifting between rapid progression and detailed strategic pauses during key moments like war. Economic and military aspects are deeply interwoven, with resource production tied to the population’s natural life cycle, making each citizen a vital asset.

Diplomacy, alliances, and trade play as crucial a role as military conquest, allowing for multiple playstyles – from passive influence to full-scale domination. More details can be read in the article scan.

So from the screens and article, it is clear something was started – just how far did it get? If you know anything more, please do get in touch.

With thanks to Andreas Wirooks for flagging up and his research, Archive.org for the scan and Hoagie / Abandonware France for the article suggestion,

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