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| | {{Infobox Website | | {{Infobox Website |
| | |name = Goko | | |name = Goko |
| − | |url = http://play.goko.com/Dominion/gameClient.html | + | |url = (defunct) |
| | |type = Game | | |type = Game |
| | |aka = FunSockets | | |aka = FunSockets |
| | |founder = Ted Griggs, Kevin Binkley | | |founder = Ted Griggs, Kevin Binkley |
| − | |admin = [http://www.funsockets.com/#/about Goko Team] | + | |admin = (defunct) |
| | }} | | }} |
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| − | '''Goko''' is an HTML5 gaming platform which holds the rights to create online versions of a variety of Euro style and other games. Initially known to the Dominion community as '''FunSockets''', Goko's Dominion is the official online implementation of the game; other online platforms, such as [[Isotropic]], were asked to shut down. The platform is now managed by '''Making Fun'''. | + | '''Goko''' was an HTML5 gaming platform which held the rights to create online versions of a variety of Euro style and other games. Initially known to the Dominion community as '''FunSockets''', Goko's Dominion Online was the official online implementation of the game; other online platforms, such as [[Isotropic]], were asked to shut down. The platform was later managed by [[Making Fun]]. |
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| − | ==Goko Dominion==
| + | When Goko's contract with [[Rio Grande Games]] expired, rights to produce [[Dominion Online]] were contracted to Shuffle iT. |
| − | ===Gameplay===
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| − | ====Features====
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| − | * Goko features AI in the form of a variety of different bots to play games against. There is also a campaign/adventure mode where the players have to overcome disadvantages to win the game. There are rumors that the product will eventually offer some way for users to create AI's.<ref>[[Jay Tummelson]], [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/8421729#8421729 "IOS"], BGG Forums</ref>
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| − | * Goko Dominion features two separate leaderboards, a Pro Leaderboard and a Casual Leaderboard. Based off of discussion with Goko,<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4321.msg95643#msg95643 "FunSockets Livestream"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> <ref>Trisha Lantznester, [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4895.msg115363#msg115363 "FunSockets Q&A - Part 2"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> their skill rating system is functionally very similar to [[Isotropic#Levels_and_Leaderboard|Isotropic's ranking system]] which is based off of TrueSkill.
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| − | * The promotional swipe cards which come inside of the recently released Base Card expansion and Dark Ages allow you to receive a free promotional pack of 5 cards for use on Goko's platfform.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4586.msg103535#msg103535 "How the promo card in Base Cards/Dark Ages works"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> The cards included in this pack are Nobles, Haven, Hoard, and one card each from Hinterlands and Dark Ages. It is said that you can also get these cards by accessing Goko through the website https://www.goko.com/games/promocard.
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| − | * Goko provides a single-player campaign mode titled [[Dominion Adventures]] that serve to introduce players to the cards of each expansion in a storytelling fashion.
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| − | ===Cost===
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| − | * The base set is free for the public to play with. To offset this free play, there will eventually be a video ad <ref>Trisha Lantznester, [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4895.msg115363#msg115363 "FunSockets Q&A - Part 2"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> once every 15 minutes or so between game launch and start of game.
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| − | * In addition to having free access to the base set, users are able to play with other expansions provided that the person hosting the game owns the expansions. This is comparable to someone owning a physical copy of the game inviting friends over to play with their expansion.
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| − | * Cards from the expansions can be purchased for use a half set (or full small set, about 13 cards either way) at a time. These mini-sets currently cost about $4 each. The cheapest way to get all currently available cards is buying the Ultra Pack, which gives every set for 450 Gokoins ($45).
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| − | ===Ratings===
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| − | Goko appears to use an adaptation of the TrueSkill rating system, just as [[Isotropic]] did for its [[Isotropic#Levels_and_Leaderboard|level and leaderboard]] system.<ref>[[Trisha Brooke]], http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=6707.msg185148#msg185148 "Q&A with Ted Griggs and John Smith (Goko)"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> The system assigned players a level rating based off of their results against other players, factoring in the skill level of all players involved in each game. Among the attributes of the system:
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| − | * Beyond the win/loss status, end of game score has no bearing on rankings. A one point nail biter is worth just as much as a 100 point blowout.
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| − | * A win against a highly ranked opponent increased your rating more than a win against a lower ranked opponent. Conversely, a loss to a highly ranked opponent damages your skill rating less than a loss to a very low ranked opponent.
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| − | * The scale of the ranking system is much larger than on Isotropic, with ratings from 0 into the 1000's instead of 0 to 60.
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| − | * A player's displayed skill level was the result of subtracting a player's variance from their skill estimate. In contrast to Isotropic's system, the level ranking appears to update after each game. Coupled with the larger scale of the level ranking, this helps cater to a more casual gaming community by giving immediate feedback on skill after the result of a game.
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| − | * For some players, their level calculations would actually fall below 0 because their variance was larger than their small skill rating. On Goko, players ratings as displayed does not go below zero, but their actual skill rating can still be below zero. This can lead to some players seemingly getting "stuck" at the 0 skill level even as they start to win more games.<ref>http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=6819.msg189088#msg189088 "ratings on Goko"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | ==Praises and Criticism==
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| − | The praise seems to be overwhelmed by the criticisms at this point, though there are various examples of each. Many praises and criticisms tend to compare the product directly to Isotropic and other online implementations.
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| − | ===Praise===
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| − | * Official Card Art
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| − | * Ability to play against AI opponents
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| − | ===Criticism===
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| − | * Purchasing product twice - Many who own physical copies of expansions do not feel comfortable paying the full price for their online counterparts. Supporting views range from wanting a discounted price all the way to having the product be made free.
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| − | * Cost - There are objections to the cost of the product with some feeling that the total cost is too high. A few others object to the pricing structure.
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| − | * Slow Gameplay - Game speed is frequently cited as being slow in comparison to Isotropic.
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| − | * Lack of matchmaking - Goko has stated that this is one of their priority items, but as of this point there is still not a functional matchmaking system. This can make matchmaking difficult for many players.
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| − | * Lobby structure - The multiple lobby format and user limit in lobbies can make finding games challenging. These complaints should be minimized with the implementation of a matchmaking system.
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| − | * Access issues - Many people have complained about having trouble accessing the site. Some have no issues and some struggle to make the site work, even when using similar devices or browsers.
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| − | * Lack of offline play - Though Goko offers fairly competitive AI/bots to play Dominion against, there is no way of playing against these bots (or friends) while offline.
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| − | == History ==
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| − | === Speculation ===
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| − | Speculation about the eventual existence of an 'official' online version of Dominion began years ago, likely before the existence of the blog and [[Dominion Strategy Forum|forum]]. Unfortunately, for a very long time little was known beyond that. Individuals would try to piece together information from comments by [[Jay Tummelson|Jay]] and Donald X. but nothing was known for sure. Speculation was wide ranging and rampant, and led to the creation of "[[rrenaud's Law]]", an observance of how much Dominion discussion inevitably descended into speculation about the eventual online version. [[Isotropic]] creator [[dougz]] was informally approached about taking the job of creating the official online version but he turned down the offer.<ref>[[dougz]], [http://www.reddit.com/r/dominion/comments/sf5y1/i_wrote_and_run_the_isotropic_dominion_server_ama/c4djxbx "dougz Reddit AMA"], Reddit</ref><ref>[[Donald X.]], [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=175.msg2283#msg2283 "All previous turns occasionally visible in Isotropic games"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | === FunSockets and Beta Testing ===
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| − | Putting an end to some speculation, [[Jay Tummelson]] leaked some information in May 2012 about the official online Dominion platform in a BGG thread discussing the Origins Convention. He revealed that the name of the company working on the game was Funsockets, adding that there would be playable versions of the game on display at the convention.<ref>[[Jay Tummelson]], [http://boardgamegeek.com/article/9102653#9102653 "IOS Version"], BGG Dominion Forum</ref> The first images of the game leaked<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=2768.msg45228#msg45228 "Live Report From Origins"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> during the convention, prompting further discussion. Though Jay reported that the platform was near its release point, there was no further word on that front for a few weeks.
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| − | In late May 2012, it was noted that there was a change on the FunSockets website.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=2700.0 "ZOMGZ The Dominion Online website is doing something!"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> The site offered a form to sign up for further information when it became available and offered a contact address for questions. A week or two later rumors sprang up<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=2700.msg47687#msg47687 "ZOMGZ The Dominion Online website is doing something!"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> about BGG having access to some Beta test accounts. [[Dominion Strategy Forum]] members were immediately interested in taking part in the testing, prompting the creation of an unofficial list of interested individuals.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=2890.0 "Unofficial Interested in beta list"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> Just days later, theory announced that Beta tester signups would occur on the blog, with preference being given to individuals who wrote articles for the blog followed by a mix of first come first serve and active Forum members.<ref>theory, [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=2937.0 "Dominion Strategy FunSockets Beta Signup "], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | Beta testing was slowly rolled out to the Dominion community starting in late June<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=2937.msg54862#msg54862 "Dominion Strategy FunSockets Beta Signup "], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> and continued through the eventual release in mid-August 2012. Beta testing was attractive to many Dominion fans as it allowed them the chance to be among the first to use the new Dominion platform. Later in the Beta testing cycle, interest was renewed when it was revealed that Dark Ages cards were available to the Beta testers.
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| − | === Failed Release ===
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| − | The official online version was expected to finally launch to the public on August 16, 2012.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=3945.0 "Official Version Launching 8/16?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> This date was chosen to coincide with the release of [[Dark Ages]] at Gencon, and Goko's press release found its way to the front page of blogs and news outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Kotaku, and Mashable.<ref>Russ Garland, [http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2012/08/16/the-daily-start-up-goko-emerges-from-stealth-to-launch-html5-gaming-platform/ "Goko Emerges From Stealth to Launch HTML5 Gaming Platform"], WSJ Blogs: Venture Capital Dispatch</ref><ref>Mike Fahey, [http://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/08/the-age-of-true-platform-free-gaming-begins-with-goko/ "The Age Of True Platform-Free Gaming Begins With Goko"], Kotaku: Australia</ref><ref>Chelsea Stark, [http://mashable.com/2012/08/16/board-games-online/ "Board Game Classics ‘Settlers of Catan’, ‘Dominion’ Invade Your Social Networks"], Mashable</ref> However, there were a host of issues at the time of release, including security issues,<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4096.msg89794#msg89794 "Do we know when exactly it's going up?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> server load troubles,<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4096.msg89736#msg89736 "Do we know when exactly it's going up?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> failure of the game to load,<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4096.msg89726#msg89726 "Do we know when exactly it's going up?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> and inability to register.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4177.0 "Can't Register"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | Goko attempted to keep the site running but had difficulty doing so, working through the night and emailing users to apologize for the issues with their service.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4180.0 "Goko email update"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> After realizing that they could not keep up with the maintenance of the site, they eventually decided to bring the release back into beta status.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4188.0 "Back into Beta?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> There are a number of blog posts/articles and forum threads related to the failed release and return to beta status.<ref>Owen Faraday, [http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-08/20/goko-launch-problems "Launch of Zynga competitor Goko marred by technical problems"], Wired UK</ref> <ref>Owen Faraday, [http://pockettactics.com/2012/08/18/dominion-online-makers-goko-un-launch-retreat-back-into-beta/ "Dominion Online makers Goko un-launch, retreat back into beta"], Pocket Tactics</ref><ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4096.0 "Do we know when exactly it's going up?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | <ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4188.0 "Back into Beta?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | <ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4191.0 "Bonfire"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | <ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4245.0 "Interesting article on Goko launch"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | <ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4287.0 "Another article on Goko Launch Problems"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | === Public Beta Status and New Release Date ===
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| − | On September 21, 2012, Goko quietly released their Dominion product in a public Beta.<ref>Trisha Brooke, [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4738.msg110578#msg110578 "so this is out?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref> At this point, there are still a number of bugs, and updates are still coming regularly as the problems are solved. They are at a point where they are accepting money for the purchase of expansions, with the prices significantly reduced (from ~$6 to ~$4 per half set) from the previous release.<ref>Trisha Brooke, [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4738.msg110614#msg110614 "so this is out?"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | Goko has at this point not released a date for an official full release. The continuing uncertainty has led to forum members (prior to the beta release) making a guessing game of when the product will fully release.<ref>[http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4705.0 "The Goko Dominion Release Prediction Contest!"], [[Dominion Strategy Forum]]</ref>
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| − | === Goko Interaction and Current Online Dominion ===
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| − | Much to the dismay of many on these forums, there has been little information flow from FunSockets about their product, a problem which dates back to the first hints of an official implementation. Fortunately, the volume of interaction has increased in recent weeks. There have been two separate completed Q&A sessions so far with a third upcoming, both exclusively catering to members of this forum.
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| − | * Q&A #1 - [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4080.msg95195#msg95195 Submitted Questions], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxdnHp5_2B4 Video Response], [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4321.msg95643#msg95643 Transcript]
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| − | * Q&A #2 - [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4735.0 Submitted Questions], [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=4895.0 Answers]
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| − | * Q&A #3 - [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=6540.0 Thread] [http://forum.dominionstrategy.com/index.php?topic=6707.0 Answers]
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| − | At this point, Goko is the only place to play Dominion online. Unofficial implementations such as Isotropic have been shut down.
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| − | === Future Features ===
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| − | * Matchmaking - Expected date unknown
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| − | * Offline App - beta version seen at GenCon 2013, release date unknown
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| − | ==References==
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| − | {{reflist|2}} | + | |
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| | {{Navbox Dominion community}} | | {{Navbox Dominion community}} |
| | + | [[Category:Sites and venues]] |
