Damn! I think I'm an Elemental addict

from Elemental Forums

I'm finding myself looking in on the forums every spare minute lately. If I have to look something up on Google for work it is always after I've had a quick look at the latest posts. Get up in the morning, "Hmmm, I wonder if there is any more info on the game this morning". Not really a healthy cycle.

My greatest concern is that I am now so invested in what the game could be that I don't want to be disappointed once it is released. Sort of like waiting for a movie after you've read a great a book.

I stopped playing the beta about a week ago because I was enjoying some aspects while not enjoying others. When the game does come out I want it to be fresh again so I can hopefully play on its own merits and not play it based on my expectations.

I've got to admit that the control freak inside me doesn't like the beta process much where we get to see a small portion of the game without really experiencing it in its entirety. I sincerely want to have faith in what the devs are saying about how good the final game is but the beta has left too many questions open. I think that was why I decided to stop playing now until the game comes out.

I've got no concerns about the stability at all. My main concerns are around the immersive quality of the world and races - particularly in sand-box mode. I want each sand-box game to be dramatically different in mood and play style. Like how in Gal Civ your neighbours largely dictated how you need to play the game. Where Gal Civ is concerned, space is space where there isn't much environmental flavour, but Elemental needs a lot more treatment for its environment to capture the mood of a fantasy world which has been a little flat in the beta. And in the beta the races pretty much all play the same way.

Anyone else struggling with 'Elemental addiction'? :(O

elemental
4,643 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I too have stopped playing to enjoy the game at start. But I'm still learning how to use the map editor and tile editor, even if some serious things are missing (exact properties instead with sliders, being able to change position of pieces with mouse, being able to select multiple pieces, being able to "link" pieces to let the game think it's only one piece, etc.)

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

I am so addicted I am considering lying about having small pox and locking myself in my bedroom unitl October. All kidding aside, it is foolish to fear dissapointment from a game that is specifically made with control freaks in mind. If there is anything in the game you don't like, mod to your specifications and move on with the game. I am playing every chance I get so I can test out the map making features and give some input into how to mod them and really give each realm a more immersive feeling. So far factions have't been differentiated, as every troll with an internet connection has been pointing out this week, but the fact that they are so similiar is a good indication that they will get a lot more work in the future. I am currently thinking about how to create five or six types of economy that any race can specialize in given their location and the goods they have been given. Of course special buildings and unit bonues are a good way to flavor a faction or race, but this game allows so much more creativity. I will make a seperate post for my ideas.

-It should be possible to make one race survive on trade, another on conquest, and yet another on magical creation; all based on what resources they start near.

-It should be possible to have some factions and races spawn soldiers/denizens very quickly, allowing for weak and numerous armies to be built very soon, while others may have a single soldier defending their vast lands.

-It should be possible for a mage society to conjure massive armies to defend their realms.

-It should be possible for there to be a totally mundane faction, whose Sovereign is some kind of void-magic anomaly, not affected by magic at all and has a special kind of hatred towards magicicians.

-It should be possible for a Sovereign to gain his magical abilities from the worship of his followers (like the Ori in the mediocre ending of Stargate SG-1).

-It should be possible to have a faction that relies on technological advancement, never having lost any tech from the cataclysm thanks to their Sov's underground fortress they have been living in for the past 100+ years.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

I stopped play do to OOM errors but I have been having dreams about it! that is typically a sign to me that I am hooked on a game, this will defiantly be eating up a lot of my free time!

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Highly addictive game. I am trying to not play every day so I really enjoy the release. As awesome as Starcraft 2 is I have found myself booting up Elemental more often.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

If the game is really important than help the developers by searching for bugs and reporting them.  I have found the easiest way to discover bugs is doing multiples of the same task.  For example start a randomly generated map, then after it's created start another then after it's created started another... soon you'll see there's a bug.  Another example is start a new game then after the world has been created start another new game and soon you'll receive a crash and memory dump.  I could go on and on however I think you have the idea.

Ideally the release date for the game should be delayed so many of these game breaking bugs can be fixed.  I would not feel comfortable bringing my friends or family into Elemental games until I know all the major problems have been fixed. 

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting NTJedi, reply 5
If the game is really important than help the developers by searching for bugs and reporting them.  I have found the easiest way to discover bugs is doing multiples of the same task.  For example start a randomly generated map, then after it's created start another then after it's created started another... soon you'll see there's a bug.  Another example is start a new game then after the world has been created start another new game and soon you'll receive a crash and memory dump.  I could go on and on however I think you have the idea.

Ideally the release date for the game should be delayed so many of these game breaking bugs can be fixed.  I would not feel comfortable bringing my friends or family into Elemental games until I know all the major problems have been fixed. 
End of NTJedi's quote

Or you could read in the Dev Journals that many of these things have been fixed. You assume much and it just makes an ass out of you and me.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

I am an addict also, so take this as a sufferer:

Quoting dragoaskani, reply 6

Or you could read in the Dev Journals that many of these things have been fixed. You assume much and it just makes an ass out of you and me.
End of dragoaskani's quote

I've read in the dev journals, on previous betas, about hordes of bugs being fixed, and stability improving; for me, however, Elemental crashes consistently every 2-5 turns. Always has, through each revision. You are assuming that these bugs are being fixed. I think it's more prudent to keep testing, keep crashing, and keep posting error reports to ensure that each bug is logged before release. They might all be the same bug, and it might be fixed, but why would you assume that? It's a terrible testing practise.

 

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting dragoaskani, reply 6


Or you could read in the Dev Journals that many of these things have been fixed. You assume much and it just makes an ass out of you and me.
End of dragoaskani's quote

nasebee  knows what he's talking about...  listen up.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Elemental has stopped crashing on me since beta 2C or D (don't remember well).

And devs are well ahead of our beta. But if I was in place of nasebe I would continue, because there may be a problem with its computer (maybe that nasty ATI problem devs talked about)

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting NTJedi, reply 8

Quoting dragoaskani, reply 6

Or you could read in the Dev Journals that many of these things have been fixed. You assume much and it just makes an ass out of you and me.

nasebee  knows what he's talking about...  listen up.
End of NTJedi's quote

 

Not the brightest bulb on the tree eh?

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting dragoaskani, reply 10


Not the brightest bulb on the tree eh?
End of dragoaskani's quote

It's alright we still love you anyways... whatever your weaknesses.

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

 

Quoting NTJedi, reply 11

Quoting dragoaskani, reply 10

Not the brightest bulb on the tree eh?

It's alright we still love you anyways... whatever your weaknesses.
End of NTJedi's quote

 

o.O Its official you can be my "Pinky" I need someone to help me take over the world anyways.