Teknopathetic
Member
Starting up a beta thread is fine, but official threads work better when they start from a clean slate right around the time the game is released so that people don't have to wade through a multi-page thread for info.
Teknopathetic said:Starting up a beta thread is fine, but official threads work better when they start from a clean slate right around the time the game is released so that people don't have to wade through a multi-page thread for info.
During Stardocks recent preview to IGN, one of the closest kept secrets of the game, its diplomacy system, was finally unveiled. In Elemental, diplomacy is not merely a matter of trading and treaties but involves family politics as well. Each sovereign, while eternal, can have children who will, in time, grow up, have children, grow up, and pass on and repeat the cycle over and over. Political marriages can strengthen ties and children and family members can become playable characters in the game world similar to heroes found in other games who have their own unique abilities based on their pedigree.
platypotamus said:Thought this was interesting enough to bump the thread:
http://forums.elementalgame.com/362223
Mentions that it was influenced by George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones novels (mega sweet) and sounds like a logical step forward from the awesome family system in the Total War games.
Doytch said:Tre posted a new thread about this article, its bumming around the first few pages.
Doytch said:Tre posted a new thread about this article, its bumming around the first few pages.
Sipowicz said:are these 4x games noob friendly?
Yeah, here's a breakdown:vesp said:This first beta takes place entirely on the cloth map thing right?
http://forums.elementalgame.com/363844BETA OBJECTIVES
BETA 1
1. Initial Build: Basic Compatibility
2. Beta 1A: Initial Gameplay Skeleton
3. Beta 1B: Initial Economic system Implemented
4. Beta 1C: Initial AI system Implemented
5. Beta 1D: Initial Diplomacy system Implemented
6. Beta 1E: Initial Dynasty system implemented
7. Beta 1F: Initial Magic system implemented
8. Beta 1G: Initial Quest system implemented
BETA 2
1. Initial build provides basic multiplayer (player hosted client/server)
2. Beta 2A: Persistent stat tracking
3. Beta 2B: Stardock hosted option.
4. Beta 2C: Stardock hosted persistent games
5. Beta 2D: Stardock hosted persistent universe game (persistent dynasties)[more]
BETA 3
1. Initial Kumquat3D engine build of Elemental.
2. Beta 3A: Introduction to Dungeons
3. Beta 3B: Introduction to Magical Spells
BETA 4
1. Introduction to tactical battles
2. Beta 4A: New multiplayer mode: Arena
3. Beta 4B: Customized tactical battle options
4. Beta 4C: Super-Duper AI Update to tactical battles
5. Beta 4D: Polish Beta (extensive and ongoing)
BETA 5
1. Introduction to integrated modding
2. Beta 5A: Persistent universe mods
3. Beta 5B: Third-party Maya/3D Studio importing beta
4. Beta 5C: Modding group testing
GAMMA
1. Private Build (only very active beta testers get access to this under NDA)
2. Single Player Campaign Testing
RELEASE
1. When the consensus is that this is the best turn-based strategy game of its kind available.
Betas will also include additions and enhancements to previously released milestones (i.e. additional game modes, additions to multiplayer options, additional single player quests, more single player game options, etc.).
imageObjectives of BETA 1 in detail:
1. We want to know if it runs okay on your computers. If it doesnt, tell us what operating system youre running, video card (dxdiag is a useful tool), CPU, etc. The more hardware info, the better.
2. As has been mentioned, beta 1 will NOT be fun in any way. We are not kidding about this. Our objective with this first build is to get the parameters on which the game runs, how well it runs.
On October 1st, we will have BETA 1A which will implement some of the game features that we took out of beta 1 along with a lot of features that weve been focusing on since PAX (computer AI, economic AI, research tree stuff, etc.).
The entire BETA 1 (and BETA 2) series will only play on the cloth map (seen above). The cloth map mode will remain the standard game experience for the Elemental beta until the Beta testers (AND Stardock) decide the game is sufficiently fun without having to rely on next-generation graphics. This will take as long as it takes.
I was going to check that out when I got home. Shoot someone an email over at Impulse, their customer service is fantastic. Or find Wardell on one of the million social networking sites, dude responds to all that stuff.MrCompletely said:If I pre-order right now can I download the beta? It looks like the purchase page on their site hasn't been updated in awhile and says the beta is closed.
Musashi Wins! said:Post impressions, plz.
eznark said:can we?
eznark said:can we?
eznark said:Right now I am most interested to see where the battles end up. They've evolved heavily it seems since the initial beta and have gone from real time to what Brad described a "X-Com" style. None of that is in the beta yet but that could add a whole nother level of crazy awesome.
To be clear I don't feel like it's necessarily trying to do too much, I'm just worried they won't have time to polish all of the various elements of the game in time for launch, and some will suffer as a result.
arstal said:That's what patches and expansions are for- and we'll get plenty of patches and a couple expansions with Stardock. They have my full trust as a company , they've earned it over the years.
frogboy said:The public beta is not the same as our internal beta.
eznark said:Sure, but release it too early and it gets Demigod'd. I loved that game, hate to see it happen again, where technical issues just chop the knees out from the community.
arstal said:Also, the issue with Demigod that got them in trouble was a MP issue, that involved pirates crashing the servers accidentally. It got fixed in a few days. This game isn't a MP-centric as Demigod.
arstal said:Also, the issue with Demigod that got them in trouble was a MP issue, that involved pirates crashing the servers accidentally. It got fixed in a few days. This game isn't a MP-centric as Demigod.
eznark said:People were having problems getting into 5v5 presets months after release.
I know it's not the same dev or anything, just the first thing I thought of when someone brought up "release it now, fix it later" in the other forum.
I hope there is some significant multiplayer in Elemental. I know they are making a huge effort to involve modders and the community, and it seems like that never holds up in single player focused games outside the rare exception.
Despite my minor misgivings (and the game crashing when I alt+tab!) the beta is a ton of fun.
Totakeke said:I'm really interested in the game but I'm not ready to shell out 50 bucks for it yet. I liked previous Stardock 4X games like GalCiv but it the games were never that intuitive for me and it always felt like there's a lot of information that I was just missing. The concept for this game is awesome though, and I hope they'll have an open beta or demo soon enough.
Do they have a set release date for the game yet?
eznark said:Can't wait to get home and check it out. I was nervous w/ B3 despite Wardell saying everything was going great. Now hearing that they are working normal hours...well, they can't delay it at this point, right?!
Any significant game play changes? Have they added the tactical battles?