Define Major change still some things I would LOVE to see changed but I am quite a critic when it comes to games, only perfection is good enough... and nothing is perfect

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Frogboy said a while back that he was pushing for a Beta 5 series, but that it was up to Derek to make the call.  I hope they do go through a Beta 5 series, that could change the game from excellent to classic (or epic ).

@ Seanw3 - I'm sure your mods are great, and I intend on finding out soon enough, but I'd really like to see Beta 4 soon regardless. You can catch up before final release

But yeah, aside from city management and the economy getting an overhaul, I'd really like to see the magic system fleshed out a little better and I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see the research system thinned out and more focused. I know it's a pipe dream, but I love the idea of a random tech tree a la Sword of the Stars...but that's a pipe dream, methinks. I just want to know WHAT is in store, really. Something to look forward to. 

Not to be a stickler but on May 17, 2012 10:11 PM it was posted that "The next beta (Beta 4) won't be here for about a month. That beta is all about your civilization. A new city construction system will be introduced, the FE specific economic system will be introduced. "

So about a month from that point is only but a week away!!!

*stares at monitor waiting*

Psssh. I always hold developers to their word on release dates. It's why MY Diablo 3 came out in June of 2004.

If they had a bugfix patch then our patience for Beta 4 would be prolonged quite a bit.

So beta 4 should re-work the city building.  Yet, I would easily pay $30-40 for this game now.  I can't wait to see how it gets better.

The original release date in the mid-late 90's. It was pretty awesome then! Too bad it didn't hold up with age.

So, I chuckled quite a bit, after reading the Original Post in the Discussion thread, and the first 17 comments that followed.  Already, the restless masses are champing at the bit, in anticipation of the release of the Beta 4! 

Among the ploys being tested, I noticed:  Guilt-tripping (Tibor2000's reminder to Stardock (a quote from the Kael's v0.915 Changelog) suggesting release "about a month" after the day the changelog appeared on May 17);   Negotiation  (Joasoze's observation that if we received an interim bugfix patch, then "... our patience for Beta 4 would be prolonged quite a bit. ");  Prayer to the Frog (by DevildogFF in his reply #17 ... or was it  Yelling at the Frog ?);  Feigned Indifference (Seanw3's observation that he is so busy modding, that he would actually  PREFER  "... a nice long interval ...");  Self-Distraction (Malsqueek's change of subject, to other games, and their other schedules);  and  Self-Delusion (Tibor2000, again, staring compulsively at his monitor).

All of this is understandable, and I am essentially empathetic ... but of course :

So, it is time to add my 2 Gilder, and go out on a perilous, fragile, limb, and   MAKE A PREDICTION !

The Beta 4 will NOT be released on June 17.  That would be exactly on time, so that is not likely to happen.  Besides, it's a Sunday.  It might be released the following Monday, June 18 ... but that would be like winning the lottery -- a happy thought, but not happening in my lifetime.  The Beta 4 could be nearly finished late in the week of June 17-23, if Kael uses his whip sufficiently,  but then it has to pass QA!  So the earliest it will be released will be the following week.  But due to the "China Syndrome", oops, I mean Stardock's bizarro "Thursday Syndrome", the day it will most probably be released, will be on Thursday, June 28.  That is still before July gets here; but far enough way to make scores of people Crazy!

So, that's my fearless/logical Prediction -- Comments?  Counter-predictions?  Cries of Outrage?  Threats?  ...          

Oops !    Touche' UmbralAngel.  I just edited my previous reply to change all the dates to  JUNE  ...   

I'm really looking forward to beta 5.

Well, if we're making predictions, I'm going to have to say Friday, 6th July, since they did say it COULD be early July, and when a developer says it could be later, it almost always is.  Friday means we get the game for the weekend!

They are all playing Sins, Elemental is far, far from their minds.