I'd just go with the current one.

On a very serious note, I'd absolutely love if we could keep something reminiscent of what we have going right now, with the obvious changes, since it wouldn't be beta anymore. Something completely retro, with a good MIDI soundtrack.

Other than that, I propose something between or mixed between "1" and "2". Something that gives a general outline of what's going on, without actually telling you exactly what's going on.

Why should we change it? If it's not broke don't fix it.

After all you wanna be memorable what better way to stand out then to use old ANSI gfx for an intro on a modern game.

I don't have the beta, did not know there was an actual intro. But the way people peaks about it, it should be temporary. Still, even if 8 bit, it has to be simillar one of the style explained above.

Start with a view of a sovereign in the wasteland. Sovereign then casts a massive spell, healing the lands around him. Skip forward in time to that same area with a big city with lots of construction going on in it. Then flash to a seige: darkness and storms swirl all around, as an undead horde lead by a dark sovereign attack the city. The dark sovereign casts a spell, blasting a hole in the enemy wall, undead horde swarms in. Skip to an epic battle between the attacking dark sovereign and the first sovereign who healed the land, spells and swords flying everywhere. Then end inconclusively. A good balance of awesomeness and gameplay.

This kind of intro reminds me of civilization where they always try to make a contrast between the start of the game (antiquity) and the end of the game (modern).

Perhaps some 8-bit homage at the beginning, and then break into the graphics (during the intro)

although I think I have already said this ...

Hmm ... so this "Indroduction" that is a buton in the Main Menu ... is it like, a CGI anime about the past and present of Elemental? Somewhat reminiscent of Matrix: The Rennaisance?

Personally, my opinion for the pre-menu intro should either be full impressive or a hybrid of commodore blending into impressive.

Ironically Commodore was my nick-name while I was Co-captain of a highschool sporting team ... heh

That could be awesomely good or awesomely bad. Given the art style I would have thought the overt homage to old-school games would be implicit as it is, what with the cloth map and 'illustrative' art style. Games with flashy 3D graphics need to show off but I dunno about Elemental until I see the engine. Plus it might turn off potential buyers.

I would vote for a short 4-bit (old school) snippet that quickly morphs into a Proper (in-Game representation) Intro. Once the game hits a HDD, then it matters way less, but one has to assume that the Opening Scene will at some point be part of the Advertising campaign as well perhaps?

I don't have to tell anyone this but "First Impressions" especially with today's somewhat more finicky buyers, can and will make all the difference.

I think the intro should be incorporated into the new avatar/game setup.  In the spirit of Ultima IV's fortune teller but with modern day graphics and storytelling.  It could be very interesting to have the lore delivered to the player as they make decisions about their "background", their "people", and the world around them.  Decisions would seem impactful when driven home by graphics, animation, and voiceover.

Just a thought but you have to admit it beats check boxes.

After thinking about it I believe that 4bit intro is way to go. Especially if there will be another intro after pressing introduction button. But even if you will end with just 1 intro 4bit is better choice!

Why?

Because doing really nice high end intro seems to be privilege of few (were it blizzard intros/short movies for W3 or WoW which were really impressive?) and probably consumes lot of resources. These intros really works well, get people attention and leaves player with mouth open. However, most of the intros looks really unpolished (to say at least), especially if they aspire to be high-end. It really is easy to see, that artists were in the hurry, didn’t have enough time etc... and result is insta-spacebar-hit

One way around is do stylized, „cartoonish“  intro. Well, these usually works (at least  I like them ), but it is nothing new, it may be nice and so on, but it will most certainly „be forgotten“.

Here you have very nice opportunity to do something „new“ (or so old, that it is new). So original, that it will really get attention in the „game world“. It might be slightly controversial, probably between younger players, but on the other hand you will catch older gamers by their hearts  It is quite probable that just this intro alone will get decent amount of youtube view, attention in gamezins and some „diggs“. All thanks to its original form and definitely with fewer resources consumed than high-end intro. And saved people-hours can be invested in the game itself instead.

Intro should be a BSOD mockup.

"And the heroes defeated the Titans but provoked a BSOD that destroyed the world. Now the beings know as Sovereigns reboot the world and..."

More seriously (note the use of "More"), I'd say snippets of gameplay in form of images/animations. If the game has Legends, it could be the tale of that Legend about two code monkeys, one of to save the land and the other to plague it with bugs. And stuff.

I vote anime because it's as good option as any, having only really against it the horde of antianime zealots. The anime can be 4 bits too.