Elemental February Status Report

from JoeUser Forums
image

As I write this in February, we are working on Beta 1G of Elemental. The last two betas (beta 1E and beta 1F) have been released only internally making this the first public beta since December.

Beta 1G marks the end of Beta 1.  Right now, we’re trying to decide whether we need to polish beta 1G further prior to releasing it to the public or whether to release it and then do subsequent public updates to beta 1G as we clean things up as we head into Beta 2 which begins the multiplayer testing phase of the game.

So where do things stand?

Dynasties

Players get married, have children and those children will grow up. Those children can then be put into arranged marriages with the children of other sovereigns.  When negotiating the marriage, one of the elements is whose family does the couple belong to. If they enter your family, you end up with a champion which is quite powerful. If they end up in their family, you have an heir which means that if that player quits (MP) or surrenders (AI) the player with the best claim to the throne of that kingdom inherits the remaining cities.

The Children

One of the more challenging (visually) issues we’ve had to deal with is the off-spring of your children. They inherit traits from the parents and this has had some interesting visual effects.

You can can up with some pretty ugly grand-children and later great-grand-children.  This is an area that will likely continue to be enhanced as we get further along. Of course, the benefit of children is that they grow up to be powerful champions.

Champions

Most units are mundane. You cannot breed an army of wizards or priests or unicorns or what have you. Magicians are rare, powerful, and important. You can recruit lots of different champions into your armies as well as powerful magical creatures (like dragons).

Beta 1G includes non-player-characters who roam the world doing their own thing. You (and AI players) can try to recruit these champions onto your side.

Magic

The initial spell book is in beta 1G. Each faction will have its own spells. There will be some common spells (healing for instance) but there will be plenty of unique spells as well based on the history and legends of each faction.  For beta 1G, only the global spells are in since tactical battles aren’t scheduled until Beta 4 (Spring).

Be forwarned: Since beta 1 and 2 only take place on the cloth map, magical spells are boring. Casting a raise mountain simply creates a mountain on the cloth map. Ironically, behind the scenes, the full 3D transformation does take place but beta testers can’t see i.

Speaking of ugly

I realize there is a temptation to simply turn on the 3D engine. We just want to focus on the game being as ugly as humanly possible for as long as we can so that we can focus on making the game fun without relying on its graphics as a crutch. The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it.

Quests

The basic quest system is in. There aren’t many quests in yet. Quests of various complexities will get added throughout the development process.

Will it be fun?

Before we call it a day and move to Beta 2, we do want the game to be a game and not simply a series of unconnected features.

We’ll be deciding tomorrow whether the build we have constitutes what we are willing to call beta 1G as there is a certain amount of polish and even basic balancing that is necessary for it to be playable imo.

So that’s where we’re at. Stay tuned!

35,261 views 74 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top


Ironically, behind the scenes, the full 3D transformation does take place but beta testers can’t see i.

You are so eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil. You could always give us some "sanctioned by the marketing department" videos of some of those spells that are "boring" in the cloth map. ;)

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

What would it take to get some hi-res versions of those images (particularly the second one)? :)

 

TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top


I realize there is a temptation to simply turn on the 3D engine. We just want to focus on the game being as ugly as humanly possible for as long as we can so that we can focus on making the game fun without relying on its graphics as a crutch. The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it.

Well said. I totally agree, once we love the way the game is played, it will just be gratifying to see the amazing 3D graphics complementing the gameplay. Keep up the great work, it's nice to have such details about what the dev team is working on right now.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I don't see why the spell effects on the cloth map have to be boring (maybe boring when compared to the 3d engine, but not boring on it's own right).

 

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wieke, reply 4

I don't see why the spell effects on the cloth map have to be boring (maybe boring when compared to the 3d engine, but not boring on it's own right).

 

Indeed, rather than a mountain just appearing you could have a graphical 2D animation to impart the violence of the event. What that would look like, I dunno, but if the idea is to keep the minimum specs low on the cloth-map then you could still do something where the 'tile' starts off as a plain (or whatever underlying type) and is 'shaken' (like an earthquake) as the graphic for the raised land is rising up through it. You could even get 'fancy' - and still 2D - and have the animation show animals/birds/creatures fleeing. No reason it has to be boring :)

Of course, if part of the point is that on the cloth map a spell can take place without all the awe-inspiring, grand-standing effects then any animation might be overkill. Or maybe a toggle.

 

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wieke, reply 4
I don't see why the spell effects on the cloth map have to be boring (maybe boring when compared to the 3d engine, but not boring on it's own right). 

One very good reason to keep graphics simple on the cloth map is to help the game run adequately on very low-end machines for players who strongly agree that "The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it."

For the beta process, it seems to me that the longer we can go without adding copious art/performance discussion to the feedback, the better off gameplay will be when RTM finally comes.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds like there will be a lot to balance and bug fix in Beta 1G. Meanwhile you probably have beta 2 about ready to go and new players chomping at the bit.

My suggestion would be to revisit this tested beta 1G right after you've prepared for the initial beta 2. I think we'll get the most of implemented feedback, excitement, and allow you to take fresh looks at the stuff which got overlooked in 1G.

My other recommendation might be that as unbalanced as spells sound they should probably be turned off in 2 whenever we're supposed to be doing balance testing in multiplayer.

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting GW, reply 6
One very good reason to keep graphics simple on the cloth map is to help the game run adequately on very low-end machines for players who strongly agree that "The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it."
Options options options. :X

 

:fox:

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

This should be interesting... I haven't been following the inheritance thread very closely... have you boys/girls changed the male-inheritance-only policy yet?

Also, I am actually rather disappointed that "fantastic" creatures are going to be relegated to the position of "champions".... this just seems needlessly boring to me: I see no reason why wierd things can't be cheap and weak, and thus readily accessible while still preserving balance.

Finally, spelling seems... enticing...... I wanna see some really wierd spells that, say, cause units to be unable to move diagonally off of affected squares... cheap beyond belief, so that you actually wind up using them in some novel situations that present themselves.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

Can't wait!

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm still confused on one aspect of 1G and I know I've hammered this in multiple threads but this time it's a serious question, do new players get let in on 1G or do we have to wait until 2?

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

"Look at the little baby arent you cute!" :grin:

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

This is looking to be one of the most exciting updates to date! I really am looking forward to see how dynasties evolve over the course of this development. I hope they come out at the end playing a really interregnal part (haha get it? ^_^ )

I think a good mix between something like crusader kings, master of magic, and dominions would be a fascinating and unique game. If you include tactical battles like x-com with destructible environments and the constant feeling of danger then you are going to have a classic that people will still be playing 15 years from now. Which is another thing that I think is cool about what you guys are doing. It shouldn't have to look great to be fun. Master of magic looks pretty bad (tho the animations make up for this truly) and its one of my favorite games!

Really looking forward to seeing how children look, and how it turns out in the end as well. I hope we'll have a generator that can generate a person who looks unlike anyone we've seen in many many many games previous so that we can say things like "Remember prince Jeffery of mine in that one game we played that had that crooked nose and the little john style haircut?" I want to be able to recognize faces and not see them over and over again from game to game. This is something I'm really looking forward to finding out.

Overall, thanks for the update!

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Brad, how could put those sweet pictures in there and not even let us click on them to look closer! D:

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

Players get married, have children and those children will grow up. Those children can then be put into arranged marriages with the children of other sovereigns. When negotiating the marriage, one of the elements is whose family does the couple belong to. If they enter your family, you end up with a champion which is quite powerful. If they end up in their family, you have an heir which means that if that player quits (MP) or surrenders (AI) the player with the best claim to the throne of that kingdom inherits the remaining cities.

Wow what a great idea, surrendering was one of the few thing that bugged me in GC2, awesome solution.

The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it.

Very nicely stated.

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

One question.

Why are Stardocks monitors all slanted like that? They really need to fix that...

 

Anyway, always like reading these updates.

(please nobody think i was being serious about the above)

 

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

If my child grows up to be a champion that uses pink clothes like in the picture above, then he will be sent on an immediate suicide mission

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting RisingLegend, reply 14
Really looking forward to seeing how children look, and how it turns out in the end as well. I hope we'll have a generator that can generate a person who looks unlike anyone we've seen in many many many games previous so that we can say things like "Remember prince Jeffery of mine in that one game we played that had that crooked nose and the little john style haircut?" I want to be able to recognize faces and not see them over and over again from game to game. This is something I'm really looking forward to finding out.

This is Elemental, not Crysis. XD

Quoting joasoze, reply 18
If my child grows up to be a champion that uses pink clothes like in the picture above, then he will be sent on an immediate suicide mission

It's camouflage. :P With the proper tone, it could be a weapon too, damaging the optical nerves of anyone who dares to look his way.

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

We just want to focus on the game being as ugly as humanly possible for as long as we can so that we can focus on making the game fun without relying on its graphics as a crutch. The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it.

 

Have anybody ever seen a quote like that from a gamedeveloper before..?  The closest I've seen or heard is from Blizzard in that they get their games playable as soon as possible.

+1 Loading…
Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Campaigner, reply 20
We just want to focus on the game being as ugly as humanly possible for as long as we can so that we can focus on making the game fun without relying on its graphics as a crutch. The 3D engine should enhance the fun but not be the ultimate source of it.

 

Have anybody ever seen a quote like that from a gamedeveloper before..?  The closest I've seen or heard is from Blizzard in that they get their games playable as soon as possible.

 

No, especially as unfortunately most gaming magazines are rating first and mainly the graphic...Have you in the last years seen any rating where the graphic was not at least 60-80% of the whole game rating?

Reply #22 from Sins Forums Top

Most I ever see of mainstream games are screenshots. Millions and MILLIONS of pointless screenshots always captureing the *BEST* action, but not the stupid animation that plays right after it. They don't tell me ANYTHING about how fun the game is.

 

Heres a good example: The last fun game Id made was Quake 1 (Quake 3 dosn't count). I didn't really enjoy 2 or Doom3 it was just "Yeah, I done this before but this is 'must play' apparently. Whatever. Oh another zombie closet." Even the damn graphics wore off after you realise everything is just hidden by the darkness, all the low polys bits. All the bad textureing.

 

Now. I have screenshots of RAGE!!!!!1!!!!. Great. Thats gonna be a fun game then. Its got cars you say? So did borderlands, the worst PC controls for a vehicle EVER, looks kinda nice though. So does it have a story? (I don't know, nothing in the screenshots implied that it does...). What about cool mechanics like resource management or squad based tatical shooting? The screenshots don't tell me.

I really don't know what RAGE!!)1!!=!! OMG !!11! is trying to do, but the screenshots arn't telling me.

 

(wow that went ranty)

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

In previous games with dynasty mechanics like the Total War series, characters age and eventually die while the new generation takes over. Will that be the case in Elemental?

Reply #24 from Elemental Forums Top

...Release the Dogs of WAR!

(ver 1G) :thumbsup:

 

Re: reply #23, I recall reading all characters age except your channeler. So yes, you will outlive your children. (unless this has changed)

Reply #25 from Elemental Forums Top

[quote who="cephalo" ]In previous games with dynasty mechanics like the Total War series, characters age and eventually die while the new generation takes over. Will that be the case in Elemental?/quote]

 

Kinda and kinda not, characters will age and die, but as far as we know your sov (You) cannot die of old age. Or as some people claim he can but it will take so long that he may as well not.