Is anyone going to buy a book about ELEMENTAL if they aren’t interested in the game?
We aren’t talking about sticking the code onto the next Martin book or something.
Its really a shame there was so much drama and name calling surrounding this game, because at the end of the day, it just isn’t a good game.
There is absolutely nothing to defend here, even ignoring the bugs. The UI is obtuse. The world is generic. The units are bland. The art style is amateur. The manual is laughable. The story and voice acting are worse than fan fiction.
All of that could be forgiven if it had a great core idea that pulled you in despite of its shortcomings (see Dominions 3 or Dwarf Fortress). Elemental lacks even that. The beta testers were right, there is no design here. Just a mishmash of poorly implemented generic TBS conventions.
At the end of the day, whatever, shitty games get released all the time. The real shame is how Brad decided to cash in his reputation and status as an independent developer to sell us all a bill of goods. Preying on gamers desire for a fresh take on a beloved game. Constantly repeating how this was the best game Stardock ever made.
Even worse was Tom’s reaction. When several other sites started calling Brad on his bullshit, Tom threw a hissy fit because they nabbed a quote from his baby. Really? Thats what makes Tom draw the line? Not the fact that Brad is on his boards pulling the game dev equivalent of a ponzi scheme? No, its the people who are calling brad on his bullshit that raise Tom’s ire. Sure, why not, fuck your members.
Sorry, dude, words mean things.
They sure do, even if you don’t quite understand them. You really think this thread needs this stupid tangent, too?
When someone is so deluded as to self-righteously insist that “I’m not buying any more Stardock games either” should be automatically interpreted as “I’m not preordering any more Stardock games but will consider buying them after enough critical feedback has been gathered and evaluated,” I believe someone should take it upon themselves to help that poor someone.
So, again, words mean things, and the words you used do not mean what you subsequently, with great indignity, claimed they meant. I would think anyone who read this thread in its entirety would be acutely aware of that by now.
And I would think that just about anyone except for two offended pedants took my statement, and any others of the same kind, in the way they were intended. You are being amazingly ridiculous here.
sinfony
3688
Your statement was unequivocal.
Hi guys! I’m back from vacation! So is this game any good?
ioticus
3690
Well said Angrycoder. Agree 100%.
To be fair, Chris Nahr, I’m not a pedant (something of a linguistic descriptivist, in fact), and I also know nothing about you. I do know that this thread, this game, and Brad’s attitude/politics have turned a LOT of people off of Stardock completely. Since I have no idea if you are level-headed or angry in a general sense, I too just took you for yet another person giving a giant middle finger to this dev for life.
Like, what you really meant makes plenty of sense…but the literal interpretation of your original post makes plenty of sense, too. No need to get angry over that kind of simple misunderstanding.
JM1
3692
Quite. It wouldn’t require delusion or self-righteousness to not want to buy Stardock products again full stop.
Teiman
3693
I have made some epics game sessions with Elementals. Maybe some people is wrong, and there’s a awesome game here.
Is a crazy game, made of volatile magic. That’s why implode on some people computers.
I am not really defending the game. I just say that at the end of the day the things that are awesome glow in the dark and can’t be ignored. Some people really need to have more sex with dragons. I have read somewhere that the hybrid childrens are very OP.
One word that describes it is “Generic”.
There is a good game underneath the piles of bland but you don’t feel compelled to keep pushing end turn unless your game has some flavor and some real choices. I thought that the tech tree was supposed to be akin to MOO and it ends up not really doing anything of the sort.
Where is the versatility? Where is the specialization? Where is the choices in making my regent making a difference to the world? Stardock released this too soon. I blame all you pre-purchase bastards making it okay for them to release what is still essentially a beta. Whatever content dump they did in the last beta was only half-done and it shows.
Which reminds me, Stardock’s built-up good relations must be having some impact. Tom’s review, I thought, had some pulled punches, but even GameSpot put up a review in progress instead of reviewing it in the state it was in during attempted play. Past good will accounted for something; it just means that Brad et al will be back on the PR bandwagon to smooth things over.
Fortunately for them, most gamers tend to have short memories.
Unfortunately for them, most games also have short shelf lives.
Best In Thread, “Elemental all-purpose thread,” 2010.
Yeah, it sucks they have no digital distribution service too.
I got it yesterday, and yea there are problems, but I like what I have played so far. I think some people here take there games way to personal.
Cubit
3700
Actually, I think it is more accurate to say that people don’t enjoy paying $50 to participate in a beta test.
