Frogboy Frogboy

Elemental: Good News Everyone!

▼

Elemental: Good News Everyone!

from JoeUser Forums

image

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!

128,712 views 73 replies +1 Loading…
Reply #51 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GreenIsles, reply 48


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

Patience is a virtue! That being said, I would like to start the testing of Beta 2 right now. *_*

Reply #52 from Elemental Forums Top

Yea, semester is over ... I want BETA TOMORROW!!!! :p

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #53 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Frogboy, reply 50

Quoting GreenIsles, reply 48Thanks for the answers Brad!

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

So early June at the earliest?

Reply #54 from Elemental Forums Top

:( .... 20 days from now? sez Beta 2 is 3 weeks away?? Mew ... le sigh :/

 

That'll be during my first week in Japan

Reply #55 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting John_Hughes, reply 21

"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)"
End of John_Hughes's quote

Right, right.. read the original a little too quickly. Thanks.

Reply #56 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Frogboy, reply 50




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.
End of Frogboy's quote

Only the best form of Chess ever, God I miss the pixel banshee scream or the pheonix ball o pixel fire immolation. And there was nothing the ever beat killing a queen with a pawn and the silly sword attack.

Damn that makes me want to go get dosbox and find Archon and Battlechess once again. Think I was playing Battlechess on a 286. Wow that brings back memories of long ago. Hell Wasn't I playing Archon one on an Atari system?

Reply #57 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting XeronX, reply 56

Think I was playing Battlechess on a 286. Wow that brings back memories of long ago. Hell Wasn't I playing Archon one on an Atari system?
End of XeronX's quote
I had Archon on the C64, so Atari sounds reasonable.

Reply #59 from Elemental Forums Top

Love all these Futurama references....Classic!!! :)

Reply #60 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Frogboy, reply 50



Quoting GreenIsles,
reply 48
Thanks for the answers Brad!

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


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.
End of Frogboy's quote

Ouch, so Beta2 won't start before early June. :\ Ah well, the waiting will be rewarded at least. :P

 

Brad, can we hope that Gamespot/IGN/etc. will get some gameplay footage about tactical combat? Because IIRC someone from the dev team has mentioned a couple of months ago [I am unable to find this post, because this google powered search engine is far from being perfect <_< ], that a tactical combat related gameplay movie will be released by may. :pout:

Reply #61 from Elemental Forums Top

Thanks! Awesome! :D

Reply #62 from Sins Forums Top

I'm done for one day, and I miss this. Wow:drool:

Reply #63 from Elemental Forums Top

Never fear Frog- Archon was the first game I purchased.  I had played a few games before buying Archon but that was my first purchase (from Toys-R-Us no less).  My how things have changed.

Reply #64 from Elemental Forums Top

Frogboy don't you dare release it before the 1st of June (when my exams start).  :typo:

 

Please release it on the 4th (when they end) :)

Reply #65 from Elemental Forums Top

My goodness, talk about fantastic news! And I'll be done with all my exams before release hopefully. Ah, life is good:)

Reply #66 from Elemental Forums Top



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

I realize I am in the vast minority, but I fail to see why everyone continues the uproarious hilarity. I think that at least this part of Brad's post I am quoting goes against everything the Stardock team has been attempting to uphold so far. Brad has, quite correctly, up until a few days ago held fast (with some minor self-contradictions) to the claim that it is not the graphical appeal of a game or fancy trimmings which will make for "fun", but rather the excellent game mechanics underneath; for this reason, Brad had continued to claim, we will not be seeing the former until quite late, to ensure that the latter are up to snuff.

But suddenly we hear that the game will suddenly start to appear more fun -- because of the introduction of the former.
I find this self-contradictory.

I realize it's no fun to be a party-pooper, and that nobody particularly likes a critic, but I'd rather abstain from fancy-colored party hats and continuous gratiuitous praise Brad doesn't need for constructive feedback. (And of course I am still looking forward to participating!)

Reply #67 from Elemental Forums Top

Heh, well I'll admit that they could have decided to implement BALANCE into Beta 1, since the original idea stated that the game would be fun before/without graphics.

In this respect I agree with onomastikon.

In any case, the combined effort of them actually TRYING to balance the game for once, + good graphics, will make it a lot more enjoyable.

The balance part will work more towards the enjoyment than the graphics imho.

Reply #69 from Elemental Forums Top

"Frogboy don't you dare release it before the 1st of June (when my exams start).  :typo:

Please release it on the 4th (when they end)"

 

I'm retiring in about 2.5 years.  Feel free to work on it until Dec 2012   :)

Reply #70 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Lord, reply 69
"Frogboy don't you dare release it before the 1st of June (when my exams start). 

Please release it on the 4th (when they end)"

 

I'm retiring in about 2.5 years.  Feel free to work on it until Dec 2012  
End of Lord's quote

 

Just in time for the end of the world!

Reply #71 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes! Can't wait to see the actual graphics in action. :D

Reply #72 from Elemental Forums Top

"But suddenly we hear that the game will suddenly start to appear more fun -- because of the introduction of the former.  I find this self-contradictory."
End of quote

Well that may have been true if the reason given was something other than:

"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."
End of quote

That certainly seems to indicate that a valid and fiscally responsible reason brought about the change.

If it makes it more convienent for all parties, with the Beta Testers, getting a earlier previw of Beta 3, then I can't see this as frivolous deviation from the "PLAN".

The "PLAN" surely has had, and will continue, to be fluid and flexible. There is no indication this will speed up the "PLAN" in and of itself.

 

Reply #73 from Elemental Forums Top

The only thing I am going to say is dont rush, lets use all the days we have to make an epic game....

Quoting strager, reply 70



Quoting Lord Cobol,
reply 69
"Frogboy don't you dare release it before the 1st of June (when my exams start). 

Please release it on the 4th (when they end)"

 

I'm retiring in about 2.5 years.  Feel free to work on it until Dec 2012  


 

Just in time for the end of the world!
End of strager's quote

 

Just as planned perhaps the beta testers will all become channelers and have to rebuild earth from the 2012 cataclysam... :D