Elemental Poll is up: How do you like the game?

I've bought copies of almost every game coming out of Stardock including expansions, so when I heard they were doing a MoM style game I was thrilled to no end. And when Impulse sent me an email that it was done, on faith alone I dropped my $50 into the company.

I feel utterly and totally ripped off and will never look at the company the same way again. However, I will wait this one out to see how long, post release, they take to actually finish the game. The potential here is massive, but this first offering was a black mark on the company's reputation.

In addition to the glaring unfinished aspects, crashing, and ambiguity in much of the game information it seems to have missed the mark on emulating many of MoM's strengths. Missing is the trade-off of specialized magical knowledge in one or two types versus getting a broad but shallow base. Essentially all mage's magical potential are the same at game start. Where are the scores of fantastical summoned creatures? So we can choose what type of hair and gauntlets out forces have. but where are the flying units, special attacks, special immunities or defenses, undead units, or units with special rules? Any why are the heroes not unique and useful leaders of armies but instead are just good early game one figure fighters than can be upgraded?

Successfully updated karma reason!

Gaming Industry trend at large is:

1- Releasing a broken game.

2- fixing only the Blocker bug.

3- Working on another title.

EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft... name the company, know how they proceed. (except Blizzard multi-billionaire "Corporation" that simply appears as the real hero, slashing that capitalist trend for money....)

I feel sad that the review make Stardock pay for that industry trend. I understand PC GAMERS about the bad feelings of that Trend. I had paid a lot for buggy games, that are still buggy 10 years after release. Gal CIV II, is way behond that state right now... but a little too late, I don't like to play 2005 games anymore.

But you know what, I hope that the gaming journalist continue to "fight" that gaming trend. Paying customers should been respected. The gamers right bill was a really nice "try" to break that trend. What is outrageous, is that the same people bashing that Trend in the past, are now using the same Trend to survive in this capitalist world. But at least, it seems to me, as a way to survive. Not a way to make millions of dollars of my money.

Gamers hate that Trend. Many pc gamers bought present gen console just because PC games are full of many bugs, while a console game don't need to be patch in general. Pc games always need patch. Good PC game company, will give patch. Others will not. While console gaming have hard time to patch, so they release proper finished product.

Stardock is not the baddest in that regard, but they actually loose a lot with that kind of behavior. Try to learn from it Stardock. And please... can you add free spells and monsters to be on par with the other fantasy 4x of the last 20 years?

Jourdelune

Successfully updated karma reason!

Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

As I've yet to finish a game without it crashing, it wouldn't be right to vote

Successfully updated karma reason!

I've quoted this guy claiming to be an ex Real Time Worlds employee in another thread, but I'm going to quote the relevant bits again because I think this a perfect example of what happened here.

"...game development is a weird business. A game can play poorly right up until only a few months before release, for a variety of reasons – Crackdown was awful right up until a month or two before it came out (some would say awful afterwards, too, but I’m trying to make a point . Knowing this, it can blind you to a game’s imperfections – or lead you to think it’s going to come right by release. You end up in this situation where you’re heads down working your ass off, not well able to critically assess your own product. APB itself only really came together technically relatively late in its development cycle (and it still obviously has problems), leaving too little time for content production and polish, and lacking any real quality in some of its core mechanics (shooting / driving). It’s not that the team was unaware of these huge issues, but a million little things conspire to prevent you from being able to do anything about them. It can seem difficult to comprehend, it certainly was for me before entering the industry – ‘How did those idiots get X wrong in game Y?’. No team sets out to ship something anything less than perfection, but projects can evolve in ways that no one seems to be in total control of. All that said, it was pretty clear to me that the game was going to get a kicking at review – the gap between expectation and the reality was huge. I wasn’t on the APB team, so I played it infrequently, during internal test days etc. I was genuinely shocked when I played the release candidate – I couldn’t believe Dave J would be willing to release this. All the issues that had driven me nuts about it were still there – "

"Our PR felt tired and dragged on and on, rather than building a short, sharp crescendo of excitement pre-release. We also went to beta far too early, wiser heads were ignored when it was pointed out that any kind of beta, even very early beta, might as well be public as far as generating word of mouth. The real purpose of beta is publicity, not bug fixing. We never took that lesson on board. We also made the error of not releasing fixes externally to many of the issues early beta testers were picking up, keeping the fixes on internal builds, I presume to lessen the load on QA. This simply meant that to early beta testers, it looked as though we were never bothering to fix the issues they found, when in fact, they were being fixed, simply being deployed back into beta very infrequently. This lesson was eventually learnt, but only after we’d pissed off a large number of early-adopters."

I know that, at the very least, the issue with the internal builds and the beta builds seems to have occurred here as well.

Successfully updated karma reason!

pacov

Join Date 02/2008

+183

As I've yet to finish a game without it crashing, it wouldn't be right to vote

Same boat. Its fun when its working, but I'm disappointed with the game's overall performance and current bugs. I know you'll get things sorted out. Perhaps having those of us in the beta have at the release version a bit earlier would have been a good idea... you said yourself that the game changed quite a bit from the last beta up until now... extra people testing wouldn't have hurt you at all...

Successfully updated karma reason!

I'm enchanted by it...ok small potatoes: can't sell weapons back or trade them between characters it seems, and a couple of other things...but I spent practically 3 hours last night in the world and the RPG aspect is just truly immersive...I got lost between my party exploring and the city growing, the terrain is grand and the world is alive, alive I say, it's ALIVE! ...They way it is depicted and the style is superb...The breadth and detail is staggering and the potential is nothing short of grand...I can't wait to see what Stardock is gonna do and the modding community...I literally disappeared into Elemental, creating my faction and leader and as my village grew I decided to tailor each settlement in Economic, material and research, then I fell into a deeper fantasy world by creating new units as buildings appeared from the simple farmer to the student and miners, hunters...wow....there must be a few modders out there lost in the sheer weight of tying all the regular items into a cohesive story line from my Tarth pantaloons to fine Amarian Bodices so yeah, since the early release which was early, so to me all the criticisms are really carping when you consider it that way to what the last patch(es) added: the game is immense and that is an understatement and really limitless to the possibilities it can create from wonderfully full stories with the tool-set(s) it came with...I mean one could spend weeks just creating units and items and the like and the descriptions and histories involved...I hope the combat gets tweaked with more depth, mostly a quick fix would perhaps weight turns based on dexterity so I can't just click on any unit and move them first, perhaps a random first turn generator too...

Gonna try the campaign eventually....I'm just having too much fun in the random universe right now...

I am happy with my purchase and from what I have experienced with Stardock (and the modding community) prior on GalCiv my happiness will increase exponentially [e digicons]:karma:[/e]

two thumbs up and a beer (i'm buying this round Frogboy)

Successfully updated karma reason!

OsirisDawn

Join Date 09/2004

+30

Like it.

With a few patches i am sure i 'll switch to love.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I voted disappointed. The game is not adequately finished or polished. I think it has the potential to be very good, but this isn't what I expected when SD stated that it would be dramatically different and improved over beta. I loved MoM and very much wanted this game to be that good.

I'll try again after a few patches; I'm sure it will continue to improve.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I'm disapointed with the game. To me it seems like its only the games engine that actually finished and all the content still needs to added, tweaked and polished before it becomes an actual game. I'd have to agree with PCGamer on this one: Its a beta at this point.

There is just too many things in the game that seem to be thrown in there without having been tested or balanced.

Have already requested a refund through Stardocks homepage.

Successfully updated karma reason!

As many people have said before me, the game in it's current state feels like a beta.

Things that I don't like:

- Factions: uninspired, all are the same...

- Game atmosphere: uninspired. Hate the idea of a dead world...

- UI: don't like to scroll through the different available actions for a sovereing, for example. Few info. Although I think that the last patch has improved it.

- Combat: way toooooooo simple.

- Magic: the same as above.

- Bugs

The game needs a lot of work.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I am very disappointed with the game and even more disappointed that Stardock doesn't seem to want to own that this game was released far from the finish line after 2 years of reaping the free goodwill from the Gamer's Bill of Rights.

Instead we hear about broken streets dates (we are well past the street date now and there are still massive issues even aside from the tech) or we hear about "the quote" as though that has anything to do with Elemental.

I expected the usual Stardock shine on this and didn't get it. I wish it wasn't the case.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I voted for 'like it'...but only because I do have some disappointment in how the game was released. I'm pretty sure in a month I'll probably 'love it' but at this point in time it's not the case.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I'm also disappointed with the game. I've given up trying to play it. I'm happy I supported my favorite dev studio with its purchase, but I'm not going to be playing it.

Compared to Sins and Demigod this game really just feels... super indie. Sins and Demigod felt like games coming from super experiences studios. (which I suppose they did) You guys really impressed me with those games. Elemental is just too niche and hard to use and I'm not willing to scour the internet to try to learn how to play this. It reminds me of Cryptic with Champions and Star Trek. Probably great ideas, just poorly executed.

I'm really sorry guys, this one is just a miss for me but I hope for the best =/

I still love you though!

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting Soulfire777,

reply 29

I admit I am somewhat "disappointed" in the game's current state, but I have faith in Stardock that in 30-90 days this game will be SPECTACULAR.

I have enough faith in Stardock that I would not accept a refund even if they offered me one - I'm content to wait for the game I know Elemental will become.

I pre-ordered becaue I wanted to support Stardock while they developed the game, so I really don't mind waiting a little longer.

Same here. I am ready to wait because I trust Stardock. May be not in 90 days, most probably in the next year, but I have a firm belief this game will be spectacular.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Like I said back in beta 4, fix the memory leak crash and I'd have been more than happy with that. The advances since then have put this firmly into one of my favourite releases of the year so far, so voted Love it.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I like it a lot, but it needs some more fixes and patches and general improvements.

Maybe it'll take a year. But this game WILL be awesome. Just like Sins took a bit to be OK.

Successfully updated karma reason!

It still has so much potential. But there are elements from performance to some inherent design choices that just need more work. I had to vote for "disappointed" though I think given more time I'll come to enjoy it more. It feels like it was pushed to make a date, which strikes me as odd coming from a small, privately-owned developer. You'd think they'd have more freedom to set their own timetables.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I haven't voted yet, (was reading this thread before I did), but i will probably have to go with disappointed as well. I will keep playing it though, and updating it hoping that it will get better, at least until Civ5 comes out. Then I will shelve this until I get tired of playing Civ5. To be honest I was kind of bummed that I had two games coming out so soon that I had VERY high expectations for, and having to pick which one to play. Unless something is really wrong with Civ5, I don't think that will be a big problem now.

Some of my problems:

Game gets slower and slower, after an hour have to exit game and restart

Game crashes usually if I go more than an hour anyway

Very poor manual. Basically a re-hash of stuff already posted on website. I spent a LOT of time trying to figure out how the benefits of caravans worked, couldn't do it.

Haven't even remotely finished a game yet. After playing 75-100 turns some other army comes along and spanks me so badly I just quit and restart. I had a single unit of 4 somethings come along and completely wipe out my 6 unit army, all of which were squads with my latest tech, plus my Sov, and it wasn't even close. They one hitted each of my units, and I hardly scratched them I had even researched War a bunch.

A little more info on the whole Dynasty thing would be good, I still haven't found a wife yet, let alone had any kids. Not sure what I'm doing wrong with that.

I ran out of spells to research, so in one game I researched up to the ability to cast level 8 spells, but still didn't get any new ones to research past level 6.

A couple of my games I've quit because suddenly I am loosing money so badly that all my armies desert on me. I still don't know why I suddenly started loosing money so badly.

And on and on and on.

I see tremendous potential in the game, and for the most part I like it. It's just there's way more issues than I'd like to see after spending $50 on it.

Ted

Successfully updated karma reason!

Okay, I played the game for 3 hours and I found it enjoyable, but like many others, I would say it requires some patches.

If I could propose ideas to make it even more fun... All those ideas are inspired by the game as it stands now which means that it is globally good!

ECONOMY
- It is good and refreshing to have something original and interesting.
- Sometimes however, for Arcane I didn't get much more than 50% of 1 which makes very little research. (But maybe I took wrong options in the tech tree). Probably because for Food, I had plenty.

QUESTS
- Remove the notable location concept which seems artificial. It links quests to the tech tree.
- Quests should always have a combat linked to them.
- Allow me to fail quests by allowing me to tackle challenges too early.
- Failing the combat gives me the reward of knowing what opposition there is (and a reward in proportion).
- Don't allow me to flee combat so easily.
- Choices (with Alignement ?)
- This will give a use to scouting : knowing what type of opposition I will have in a quest location, without risking an army.
- Better rewards. The more difficult, the greater rewards I should get.
- In summary, I lost half of my army to beat that dragon, but I got that 'Stormbringer' sword!

Mom did this quite good if I dare say something like that. PvE was so challenging in MoM I would sometimes regret there were other factions to distract me from it

HEROES
- I think linking access to greater heroes it to tech tree is wrong. I would rather like to attract heroes based on prestige.
- Getting darklings, demons and the likes was cool! I want more! I know I can probably mod it, but it would improve the game for lazy people like me I think.

ALIGNEMENT/FEEDBACK
- I must say I should have played a kingdom to see how different the game can be in that aspect.
- In GalCiv 2 this worked great, maybe reintroduce ideas from there like the opinion of inhabitants towards the sovereign/city. This with quests or bad rep when razing a town (is it possible ?) should do it.
- I want to know from others that my emperor is evil/benevolent and why they think so.
- Events like in Galciv 2!!! It will be great with how the economy works.

SPELL LEARNING
- It's great, really!
- But, maybe use some more humour like in Galciv 2 and illustrate that. Example: Chain Lightning 'Strange storms have been seen lately over the plains, probably nothing but our sovereign playing god !'. It will help identification to the sovereign.
- I think sovereign/heroes shouldn't get all learned spell automatically. They should have to learn them personnally. This is particularly true for children who are overpowered IMHO.

DYNASTY
- Children should not always be powerful, they could be weaklings too. Have detrimental/beneficial traits, and I mean a lot more drastic than what is proposed at creation.
- They should have only a chance to be channelers (if it is not the case already)
- They should not be controllable until your sovereign dies. (if IA could take them over I would faint from satisfaction).
- When sovereign dies, you should only get to control the eldest or the next in line of succession.
- Marriage, I'm not sure I saw all of it, but when you marry to another faction, shouldn't a faction have both one the other looses all? I had a boy and I still could control him. Is it the same for a daughter ?
In general, it would be cool to have an empire built by a powerful sovereign that would more or less weaken at the hand of an inept children. This would lead to MP strategies like turtling until the death of a sovereign where you try to take advantage of its stupid child.
If you know that your next child is inept, it gives you a good reason to imbue a more able hero!

AI.

Yeah, part of the challenge.

Anyway, guys, as a developer, I'm very respectful of what you have achieved so far. I couldn't even start imagining undertaking such a challenge. Before you do anything, please take some rest you all must be exhausted with the crunch of the last weeks. It probably doesn't help considering things with the right perspective.

Successfully updated karma reason!

I am disappointed with what has been released (even the day 0 patch), but I am hopeful that the game will shine in the long run.

jorune

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting snakepliskan,

reply 19

I do hope only registered owners can vote in the poll and not just anyone who creates a Forum account? If that is the case, too open to Trolls.

I have a feeling that a large number of "I'm disappointed" votes are from people who haven't even played the game.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting Mtn_Man,

reply 71

Quoting snakepliskan, reply 19I do hope only registered owners can vote in the poll and not just anyone who creates a Forum account? If that is the case, too open to Trolls.

I have a feeling that a large number of "I'm disappointed" votes are from people who haven't even played the game.

Come now...that is like saying "I think that a large number of the positive votes are just Stardock Employees."

Successfully updated karma reason!

I have a feeling that a large number of "I'm disappointed" votes are from people who haven't even played the game.

i dont think that

the game is fine but with the bugs , pc requirements its just disappointed

Successfully updated karma reason!

Quoting Mtn_Man,

reply 71

I have a feeling that a large number of "I'm disappointed" votes are from people who haven't even played the game.

They can still be disappointed. Me? I am elated with the game.

I was really hoping for a 75/25 split between positive and negative, respectively, for the initial polls. This close to 50/50 would stand to reason that Stardock is likely not happy with the results thus far.

I'm not too worried. Between Stardock and community improvements, Elemental is going to explode.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Where's the option for I like it, but it needs a LOT of bug fixing work.

Magic shards don't work. Tactical combat spells are broken. We need a way to turn off casting in the quick auto-combats when the disparity in combat strengths is significant. I keep seeing other city names over my own cities. Confusion is broken. Ridiculous memory leaks causing me to reboot my computer every hour. Etc etc. Lots of issues. Either Stardock didn't test the final version of this game well enough or they just didn't care about fixing all the bugs before releasing it because they needed the cash. Either way it's not good.

Really enjoy the game and look forward to seeing what folks can do from the modding perspective, but the bugs and memory leaks are just killing the game for me and I won't recommend it to my friends until these get fixed.

Successfully updated karma reason!