I enjoy stories. I enjoy creating stories, and experiencing stories. For me, epic X4 games such as Elemental are an opportunity to connect the gameplay elements in my head into a story in which I am partaking. For this reason, it is very important for me that the world with with I interact be convincing and engaging (notice how I avoided the word "realistic"). There are several elements of the current build which in my opinion detract from the enjoyment of the game's world:
-The fog of war is too restrictive, from a purely aesthetic sense. It's hard to absorb the immensity of the harsh wasteland when you can only see a tiny portion of it. My suggestion is simple: make terrain visible beyond the fog of war, which not only makes sense if you consider from a realistic point of view, but would also help the player to get a better sense of the world surrounding his sovereign.
-NPCs and monsters strolling around. I am particularly bothered by the fact that terrifying monsters and great heroes just walk around the cruel wastes for no reason. Not only does it look plain silly, it also makes the barren world seem a bit too lively. My suggestion for this matter is that most NPCs and monsters be tied to some specific location, as I believe some already are. For instance, a giant spider should be lurking in its withered forest abode, and a sage would be shut up in his cottage pondering the mysteries of existence. This could also make NPC hunting more compelling and active, as you might hear rumours about their whereabouts and decide to investigate, instead of just bumping into them in the scorching desert. It would then become more of a Seven Samurai situation: you want to assemble your heroic team, and you do so by adventuring into savage lands.
-Finally, just a suggestion: it would be really great if the map generator automatically detected interesting formations in the map, such as mountain ranges, forests, lakes etc, and name them. It's a small thing, but it would add much character to the world. Overcoming the brutal conditions of the Glamar Desert is much more fun than walking around some patch of nameless sand.
