1.05 Elemental - Released Version Feedback - Option Settings and more

from Elemental Forums

First, I want to clearly say that I'm enjoying Elemental and am VERY happy that release day has finally come.  BUT (always an annoying but after a compliment), there are a few things that I found to be quite non traditional and therefore feel off. Granted, these things are completely non game breaking, but other companies have adopted some standards that I think might benefit SD to adhere to... it just makes the game feel more polished out of the gates.

So, for one - hardware detection.  I really felt like the game did a very poor job of detecting the optimal graphics, sound, etc, settings for my pc.  I'm not even sure if there is a check in there for your hardware or what, but my 5.1 surround system was identified as stereo speakers.  My 5850 radeon was not powerful enough to handle all of the max settings, etc.  So, I didn't like that.  But really, that's just a minor polish piece.  Anyway, I change my settings.  There is no OK button.  I expect to see it, but I see nothing.  I click on Main Menu after making my changes and then see a pop up indicating that these changes will require a restart.  Then, I see that there is no restart button.  I have to exit the game and then relaunch it.  Most current games have a change settings and then click ok button.  Also, most games prompt you to restart the game after you choose new settings if a restart is required.  Anyway, I personally think that the more the initial start up and configuration of Elemental is like AAA titles, the better.  Anyway, just my feedback.  If its not that difficult to implement in the future, I think this may be an easy win towards making the game feel more polished.  Thanks!

Edit - also, when I start my first game, I'm immediately confused.  I want to start the campaign mode, but I see the options "New Game" and "Campaign."  Most games start with campaign mode and then have a sandbox mode and/or MP mode.  The menu layout seems to indicate that New Game is what I should click on... and then try Campaign (order of importance).  For me, I want to play the campaign and then play skirmish mode or sandbox mode.  Anyway, I think you should reverse the items AND change the labeling for Campaign (item 1) and then Skirmish (item 2).

edit 2 - after playing the campaign for the first time, I meet up with janusk (or something to that effect)... in short, its just him and me after I survive a shipwreck.  I click on the crown.  I am able to design troop upgrades.  From a new player point of view, I have NO idea why I can design upgrades for my troops (its just me and 1 other guy) - I don't have a peasant or pioneer or anything.  I'm not at all sure why this is enabled at this point... it just adds confusion and takes away from the me and some guy made it out alive from a shipwreck story.   Its quite normal to check out the ui as you play a new game, and the ui enables settings that I don't need at this point in the game... which makes things for confusing... please disable elements that serve no purpose in the campaign until they are needed. edit - it actually seems like the crown icon should be disabled or all of the subcategories disabled until its possible to utilize them.  You turned off a few of the subs, but not all of them... Just think about the world as it is RIGHT THEN - you are shipwreck survivor - WTF are you doing having a button talking about dynasties, etc at this point?  Where are the troops that don't exist going to be upgraded to?  Etc. I hope I don't sound too crass, but I just want to give you some reasonable feedback based on my initial impressions and I think they would very much mirror any new player.

edit 3 - then I meet the third member (maybe of my crew?) - I took a screenshot but I just get a black screen so can't paste - anyway, the dialog says MIRAMOUS - "I see more than urgency in your eyes, boy.  Please, if you are heading north, take a moment to hear my tale."  Ok, so great, I'm interested and want to know what this guy has to say.  But guess what my immediate response is?  "Excellent.  You will make a fine addition to our kingdom."  Um... wtf?  Guy appears and wants to tell me what's going on in the north.  My response is - you will make a fine addition to our kingdom... ????  I walk up to a guy on the street.  He says he wants to tell me a story.  I say, you will make a fine addition to my household.  Doesn't make sense.  Anyway, I'm guessing this is a generic response.  Perhaps it should be changed to "go on..." or "ok..." or anything other than, you will make a fine addition to my kingdom.  If you want a quick out that fixes this at least to some degree - maybe change it to - "Click to continue."  In coding speak, maybe setup something so you have a few options - if dialog = generic, then "click to continue."  If recruiting, then "you will make a fine addition..." and so on.

elemental
4,787 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

NT

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

the campaign was vastly improved in 1.05. I'd recommend updating and starting from scratch. Please note that the campaign is mostly a tutorial to the game elements and less the "bulk" of the game (which is Sandbox, hence why it is on top: "New Game").

The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Just to clarify - ALL of my feedback is based on  1.05.  I actually waited until this release to make this post and try out the campaign mode.

edit - its easy for me to do, but try the campaign out and pretend you are a brand new player... some of the stuff just doesn't make much sense at this point...

I had some chats with a few folks in SD chat tonight and game breaking stuff is going to be looked at before any of these tweaks are (which makes sense of course). 

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Just a bump - I think FutileEmotion and I are going to do some in depth analysis on the campaign mode and provide some feedback on what appears wrong or needs some tweaks.  Then SD can take it or leave it.  I'm pretty sure we will be making polishing the campaign extremely easy for them, though, and it seems an easy enough way to give them a simple "change this" route instead of digging through it all when they are taxed working on more important fixes.  Happy to add some polish if we can.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm gladly going to work with Pacov to polish the campaign.  I'm making notes as I go.  Please note that I love Elemental, and overall have been impressed with the campaign.  I expect Pacov and I (and whoever else goes through it) to post everything, then go back and highlight what we see important.

Philosophy One thing I noted is that Elemental will be getting a tutorial.  How experienced with the game should someone be going through the campaign?  All of my notes are based on the campaign being the very first thing people touch, with no previous experience with any similar games.  When I say "I had problems figuring this out" does not mean that I personally had trouble, only that my fictitious newbie persona had trouble.

I will try to post potential solutions to the issues I raise.

--

Chapter 1

Dialogue The first thing I think about, as I watch the opening video, is why is Kraxis evil?  Or rather, why are the fallen empires evil?  Perhaps one of the first few characters we meet should talk about how they did dark things back in the day.


Dialogue When talking with Janusk for the first time, I say, "Excellent.  You will make a fine addition to our Kingdom."  Wouldn't something like "I'd be glad for the company" be more fitting?  I'm just shipwrecked - I don't have a kingdom yet.


Gameplay Advice Needed After joining together, I click and go nowhere.  Somewhere prior, it would be good to know that there is an "end turn" button.
Dialogue I'm running to inform the queen (my queen?) of the treachery, and in the midst found a Kingdom.  Thats nice and all, but isn't that a little..counter productive to delivering a message?  Aren't I in someone else's territory?  


Gameplay Advice Needed I found that Janusk has a shop.  I'm not really sure what to buy.  I see that I could buy staffs instead of clubs - which is better?  The staff has a higher damage with a .25 attack speed.  The club has 2 damage and...no attack speed listed.  On a more metagame note - Do the items carry over?  Will the gold?  Is there any reason to sit and stockpile pork for fifty turns before I run out?  I also had a hard time figuring out where/how to equip weapons.  [This might be easier with future UI updates].  As I approach the bandits, it tells me I can click the view equipment button.  Might be nice for that to pop up earlier, in case I went to the spider first.

Gameplay Advice I enter the tactical battle with the Bandits, and I leave it, without any popups.  Would be nice for something to say "victory!" especially after my first battle, and to mention that I gained spoils, which can be used to equip further, as well as experience.


Bug As I keep moving back to dispatch the spiders after killing the bandits, it keeps auto-moving me back torward the bandit camp.  Not sure why, and very frustrating.  With enough button clicking, I'm able to over-ride the automove, and after about ten turns I'm able to get back to the spider camp.


Leveling Up Advice?  I see that I can put points in my Lord as I see fit.  Which is nice.  But some advice would be well placed.  I also note that dexterity says it "increases defense", while combat speed is "my dexterity in battle."  Better tooltips needed.
Auto-Resolve After fighting the bandits, I went back and bought equipment, then went to the spider's lounge.  I won, but he killed all of my peasants.  That wasn't very nice of him.