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Elemental: Good News Everyone!

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Elemental: Good News Everyone!

from JoeUser Forums

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After a lengthy meeting with the Network team, it was concluded that it would require a considerable amount of effort (read: expensive) to release beta 2 with it crippled (like beta 1 is) for the public.

Therefore, Beta 2 and 3 are being combined so that from here on out, all builds will be the “full beta” (minus the Workshop mod options and campaign). This way, the network team doesn’t have to put a bunch of code in to turn off certain parts for the public build versus what we use internally.

This means that starting with Beta 2 (rather than 3) you will be able to give all the feedback you want on both single player and multiplayer in terms of what you would like in the game (either before release or as a post release update).

It also means that Beta 2 (rather than 3) should start being (I dare say) fun-ish.

The updated schedule which now includes some of our post release plans can be found below:

https://forums.elementalgame.com/363845

The change does not affect the beta schedule one way or the other except that players will get the full graphics engine a bit earlier than originally planned.

When Beta 2 (rather than 3) hits, the clock starts ticking towards release. Typically, the gameplay beta (based on The Corporate Machine, GalCiv, Sins of a Solar Empire, etc.) occurs roughly 90 days prior to street date.  That isn’t a promise mind you. But it does show just how much things change in that final 90 days (GalCiv beta testers and Sins beta testers can tell you – GalCiv didn’t have starbases 90 days before street date and Sins didn’t have phase lanes or infinite resources).

Cheers!

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Reply #26 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting strager, reply 20

Quoting Tasunke, reply 17Legend of the Seeker was cancelled?

so no Season 3?
 

Join the fan campaign to keep it on the air...
End of strager's quote


And where do I sign up?

Reply #27 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting arstal, reply 24
I wonder if the Civ  5= Steam announce had something to do with this.

 
I'm sure that Stardock didn't want the two games released at the same time, but with the Civ forums being in anger over Steam, competing directly might now be a good idea.

 
 
End of arstal's quote

 

I doubt that they are changing their mind based on Civ 5.  The best thing that Stardock can do for Elemental's sales and Impulse's distribution is to make Elemental the best game they can.  I'd actually say that Elemental is competing more with one of Steam's inhouse games, albeit indirectly, than Civ 5.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #29 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting arstal, reply 24
I wonder if the Civ  5= Steam announce had something to do with this.

 

I'm sure that Stardock didn't want the two games released at the same time, but with the Civ forums being in anger over Steam, competing directly might now be a good idea.

 

 
End of arstal's quote

Stardock wasn't concerned about releasing Elemental near Civ5; they're going to release it when it's ready. From what I've gathered, Stardock is having more trouble then they expected keeping separate internal and public builds. The stripped down version we have to playtest is hard to fix without fully enabling the game engine, and that combined with the talk Frogboy had with networking has shown it's probably better just to get the internal build out, rather then wasting time finding ways to make it work with a stripped down version.

Reply #31 from Elemental Forums Top

Awsome news!! :D It will be cool to check out!

Screw that TV show.. We're talking Elemental here ;) :p Who needs a TV??

Reply #32 from Elemental Forums Top

HOLY S*&^T!!! That's the best news I've heard all MONTH!!!! Frogboy and All the Elemental Team, my hats off to you and yours!!!!

Only one, possibly stupid question. I don't see when the "Building Editor" will be enabled on that list. Maybe I missed it. Will that be saved for until the Map Editor is released? Or before? I only ask because I would like to hand design my buildings for in my cities in multi-player. People will definitely know it's Raven Xavier when they see my cities.

Reply #33 from Elemental Forums Top

/glee

 

Bring on the awesome.

Reply #34 from Elemental Forums Top

YAY GRAPHICS!

Reply #35 from Elemental Forums Top

I for one can't wait to start having fun with this!! the sooner I can see it in its full glory, the better. Stability be damned, bring the pain!!!

Reply #36 from Elemental Forums Top

Thank god the semester is over, is all I have to say!

Reply #37 from Elemental Forums Top

Damn. and I didn't bring a change of pants to work. :rofl:

Reply #38 from Elemental Forums Top

:omg:  

\o/  

*happygasm* 

 

Reply #39 from Stardock Forums Top

ok.....when do we get Beta 2 my excitement has now reached a fever pitch!!:D

Reply #40 from Elemental Forums Top

HELL YA!

I won't require as much medicine to keep me going through this beta... ah... relief...

 

Yes lots of new stuff enabled! Wonderful news!

Reply #41 from Elemental Forums Top

This is what I call news :grin:

 

The beta just jumped a whole main phase!   No more .5. 4. is the last one now.

Reply #42 from Elemental Forums Top

:beer:  

Reply #43 from Elemental Forums Top

Cheers!

Now I can enjoy not having fun even more! 

Reply #44 from Elemental Forums Top

Reply #45 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GreenIsles, reply 19
A few questions:

1) How long is Beta 2 expected to last (now that it's not merely a Multiplayer test)?

2) Will Beta 2 include a Tutorial mode, or is that technically a part of the Campaign?

3) Will said Campaign be available in any of the Betas, or only in the final release?


Thanks!
End of GreenIsles's quote

1. Until we're happy with it. Though, likely not long since the tactical battles are already in internal testing. It's not Beta 3 that will potentially go long. It's beta 4.

2. No.

3. Campaign won't be in betas. We're saving that as a surprise.

Reply #46 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting FutileEmotion, reply 27

Quoting arstal, reply 24I wonder if the Civ  5= Steam announce had something to do with this.



I doubt that they are changing their mind based on Civ 5.  The best thing that Stardock can do for Elemental's sales and Impulse's distribution is to make Elemental the best game they can.  I'd actually say that Elemental is competing more with one of Steam's inhouse games, albeit indirectly, than Civ 5.
End of FutileEmotion's quote

It's purely an issue of how it was getting increasingly difficult to cripple the game for the public beta.

Reply #47 from Elemental Forums Top

No complaints here, none whatsoever.

Reply #48 from Elemental Forums Top

Thanks for the answers Brad!

I guess the only remaining question is this: WHEN will we get Beta 2??? :grin:

Reply #49 from Elemental Forums Top

Only hope my memory crashes decrease with the next build. T_T

Reply #50 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GreenIsles, reply 48
Thanks for the answers Brad!

I guess the only remaining question is this: WHEN will we get Beta 2???
End of GreenIsles's quote

Hopefully soon. I have to go to San Francisco later this month to start doing the marketing thing (btw, just a tip for everyone else, the marketing people hate when I refer top media tours as marketing things).

So it won't be out until after the week of the 24th when I'm visiting Gamespot, IGN, PC Gamer and so forth to grovel for coverage.

And while I don't want multiplayer to be a focus, I can't help but think there's some really great potential here because of our game mechanics to have mods that let people replay Archon 1 and 2. If you don't know what Archon is, please say nothing as you'll give me liver spots.