Sushikawa Sushikawa

Molyneux Syndrome

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Molyneux Syndrome

from Elemental Forums

I'm trying to figure out exactly what happened at Stardock to make them release the game in it's current state. I can only assume it to be a case of budget related pressure combined with Molyneux Syndrome. I never played the early pre-patch release to hopefully avoid a bad first impression, but I should have probably waited longer. I have to agree with with a lot of the things I've been reading, and I dont think I have anything else to add to any of critisms so the only thing I'm going to harp on here is the UI. The UI is important. Very, very, very, very important, and yet here it feels like an after thought, something I'd find on an old school .html based web RPG from the 90's. In some respects it almost feels like a step backwards from the BETA. For one of your bigger patches, please give that thing a major overhaul. Even after learning it, I find frustrating to interact with.

I love Stardock as a company, I admire Wardell's tenacity, even so, I do not like Elemental. I've been trying to like it. I really have. Maybe in another year or so it'll be close to the game I thought I was buying.

 

 

elemental
56,424 views 31 replies
Reply #26 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 25

Months ago, several people (myself included) did attempt to warn Frogboy against such an early release.
Read the rest of the post, maybe? I'm well aware that people were "warning" about it, and I expressed my concern as well. But it's moot. They're a small company, putting off the release for another 6 months was likely not feasible financially.

There are lots of things that go on behind the scenes we don't see. Better to help them make the game better than continue to whine about the release.
End of Annatar11's quote

 

how comes its better to put out a game with "mediocre" reviews and (i think) less sold  than spend  a bit more, delay and then get good reviews and sell it more?

 

how can you say that?

Reply #27 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 23

If you bring up the city details by clicking its portrait when selected, it will show you which bonuses it has.
End of Annatar11's quote

Can you do that when the game asks you what bonus you want next? I always just pick a random bonus lol.

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #28 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Annatar11, reply 25

Read the rest of the post, maybe? I'm well aware that people were "warning" about it, and I expressed my concern as well. But it's moot. They're a small company, putting off the release for another 6 months was likely not feasible financially.
End of Annatar11's quote
Frogboy said that their money was made elsewhere (from windows customization software, if I remember correctly) and that releasing Elemental wasn't critical financially.

how comes its better to put out a game with "mediocre" reviews and (i think) less sold  than spend  a bit more, delay and then get good reviews and sell it more?

 

how can you say that?

End of quote
I don't know why you're asking me this, since I asked for the game to be delayed at least 2 or 3 months. You should be asking Stardock, because it's not like a lot of people agreed with them on this choice.

Reply #29 from Elemental Forums Top

Gee z, get over it. It has it's flaws, but it's still a completely enjoyable game. Can only get better from here.

Reply #30 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting cephalo, reply 27

Quoting Annatar11, reply 23
If you bring up the city details by clicking its portrait when selected, it will show you which bonuses it has.

Can you do that when the game asks you what bonus you want next? I always just pick a random bonus lol.
End of cephalo's quote

 

dont think you can but it shows the stats of that city you are upgrading

 

its bad if the c ity is new without bonuses already so you cant guess what it will get, if your city is already high you have surely developed its features and so you see what you get

 

still the feature  can be greatly increased like someone said in the past leaving the option to give the bonus to the town in a later stage

Reply #31 from Elemental Forums Top

I agree with the OP. There are parts of the UI that could definitely be improved. For example, the game hides all information about damage types. That information should definitely be available to the player in-game.

Much of the item purchasing/trading hassle could also be reduced by implementing some sort of Diablo/pick-your-favorite-RPG drag and drop system.