Inaccuracies in the manual

Or things that made me sad

from Elemental Forums

So I read the manual (for a change) and I noticed a few things that made me want to cry a little :'(    I'm not complaining exactly, rather I'm making "suggestions" for improving the game by way of pointing out things Stardock obviously intended to do but didn't.

  1. Page 8 under "Spellbook: ...This doesn't limit their ability to learn spells from other schools, simply what they initially have access to."  This is true of enchantment, but as far as I can tell you can't get the 4 elemental books (which ironically are the only ones the manual mentions).
  2. Page 16 under "Food: ...Most of the land is capable of handling one food production improvement in a given settlement but for more food production, players will need to find resources in the world, such as fertile or enriched land."  I'm pretty sure Janusk says this too, I've seen no such "food production improvement."
  3. Page 18 under "Magic: ...Players build up life or death mana.... Spells require mana, as well as control of a certain number of different types of shards."  Ummm, what?  I know the spell system is being reworked, but this isn't even close to true of the current system.
  4. Page 21 under "Damage Types: ...Fire, Ice, Electrical, Arcane Damage: This damage is typically the result of spells but certain rare weapons can be found that cause this type of damage as well."  I have my doubts about this whole section which claims there ARE damage types, but I know there's no such this as rare weapons that do magical damage types.
  5. Page 22 under "Improvements for Settlements: ...Many improvements require a special resource to be adjacent to one of your existing tiles."  I only really play kingdom but you can build every improvement (ignoring per faction/world restrictions) in any settlement anytime, tech and city level permitting. 
  6. Page 24 under "Special Abilities: As your sovereign and champions level up (stuff about stats)... In addition, at certain milestones, the unit can also choose a special ability (sometimes referred to as feats) for their unit. These special abilities can provide unique attacks, helpful benefits in and out of combat for themselves or team members, as well as help specializing a unit towards a particular task.  For example, a player may choose to have their champion become a Beast Slayer... Another Champion may choose an ability that allows them to regenerate mana or heal during a battle."  Yes please!!  Now I've never got my sovereign above level 15 I think it was (that was hard) and no milestones or extra abilities.

 

*Fingers crossed for 1.1 and beyond*  And thank you Stardock for actually making a fantasy themed 4x game!!

elemental
5,215 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Damn dude, now I wish I hadn't even read your post about reading the manual.  The game described in the manual sounds pretty cool. Oh well, the big 08 will get it going in the right direction, and the 1.1 will most likely be way different then the current game, so we'll have to keep our hearts up. 

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Titling your post with the word "lie" is not a constructive way to put forth suggestions.  'Inaccuracies' is a neutral way to say the same thing.   It may or may not have been your intention to troll, but you've put the troll bait out there. I'd suggest editing the thread title before its closed.

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

@WhiteElk, point taken and suggestion applied.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

It always makes me kind of sad when I see that in a game, it's kind of like a monument to how completely rushed to production a game is when they don't even take the time to include all the features in their own manual. Obviously some of these may be implemented later, and some may be just discarded as not fitting with however the game turns out to be. But it does make it difficult to wrap my mind around how they could think the game was ready for primetime when it didn't even fit their own specifications for what it was supposed to be like.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Dhraconus, reply 3
@WhiteElk, point taken and suggestion applied.
End of Dhraconus's quote
Cool.  And the topic remains :~)

I share frustrations over inaccurate game manuals.  I'm one who wants a mini-book to accompany my game.  I enjoy well crafted game manuals.  Unfortunately, due to production realities... the manuals are commited to print months before the game is complete.  And in this current gaming climate, games are significantly updated after release.  It is just the way it's done.  I personally prefer that a game be rock solid complete right out of the box (though I am also a fan of Stardocks ability to make core changes to Elemental based on user feedback).  And I would be glad to wait the extra time so that an accurate and comprehensive manual can be included.  I don't know that the majority of gamers are as willing to wait for a proper manual as I am.  I don't know either way.