Elemental all-purpose thread

[Gendal]

We contacted Stardock yesterday about the layoffs, but have yet to hear directly from the company. We’ll continue to update as we learn more.

Read: We yelled really loudly for 2 seconds but nobody responded!1!!

[Falcon554]

Wow, ok, so I’ve had some time with the game now, and I have to say; this is quite the smear job.

Stability: I’ve had some crashes, but it is certainly no worse than many AAA games people gush all over. Oblivion, Fallout 3, Dragon Age, the list could go on, all had stability problems well after launch that were at least as bad or worse than what I’ve seen with Elemental. Granted, I didn’t start playing with it till 1.06, but the game has only been released for a week and a half.

Game mechanics: Beyond what tweak and polish the game needs, the ideas are good and the game will get better as support continues, if Brad is to be trusted. But I don’t see any reason not to. Track record on past Stardock games speak volumes here.

Documentation:
This is weak and needs improvement, especially for those who need handholding.

UI:
It’s not non functional, but still, see Documentation.

Campaign:
Weaksauce. They shouldn’t have even bothered with this. As it stands, the scripted events can be a bit buggy, which kills immersion.

Multiplayer:
Lack of multiplayer at launch shouldn’t be a deal breaker, I think one should learn how to play the game before they get their ass handed to them in multiplayer anyway.

Presentation:
The graphics are actually a unique look that I enjoy. Smaller units on the tactical battlefield could use some size increase so they don’t blend in with the background. But overall, I like it.

Summary:
I don’t get the “OMGz!!1 The game isn’t what I thought it was going to be like, can I haz refunds please!?!” Especially from those who haven’t even opened the game yet. I have bought far worse games than this, and if that is indeed the lowest score Gamespot has ever put out, they are being heavily influenced by the current internet outrage.

And, do other companies even give refunds for releasing shitty games? I have a few on my shelf that I would like my money back for. For instance, Silent Hunter V, a game that was released full of bugs and introduced the new UBI DRM. It was months to get the one and only patch for that game that still has major bugs in core mechanics, and UBI has since all but abandoned that game.

At least with Elemental, I’m confident there will be support for it to fix what isn’t up to snuff, unless of course this whole fiasco causes Stardock to go belly up. I’m sure that’s what many of you want anyway, so carry on.

Agree with everything you said.

[Dave_Weinstein]

Wow, ok, so I’ve had some time with the game now, and I have to say; this is quite the smear job.

Stability: I’ve had some crashes, but it is certainly no worse than many AAA games people gush all over. Oblivion, Fallout 3, Dragon Age, the list could go on, all had stability problems well after launch that were at least as bad or worse than what I’ve seen with Elemental. Granted, I didn’t start playing with it till 1.06, but the game has only been released for a week and a half.

So, you think all the people who had severe crash problems were lying? Or somehow in a conspiracy to “smear” Stardock/Elemental?

[Troy_S_Goodfellow]

Stability seems very dependent on hardware. Bill Abner told me that he had zero crashes, mine were frequent. ATI drivers have been singled out, but it’s not like this is some obscure video card.

I have not played since 1.06, so I can’t speak to its condition now.

Troy

[Dave_Weinstein]

Stability seems very dependent on hardware. Bill Abner told me that he had zero crashes, mine were frequent. ATI drivers have been singled out, but it’s not like this is some obscure video card.

That was pretty much my point.

When you start out with “smear campaign” you are accusing people of acting in bad faith.

[Razgon]

I’m kinda sad this is happening to Stardock… they have some great ideas, and great approaches to the making of games, and I’ve enjoyed many of their games in the past. Also, its hard enough for people to find jobs these days that I feel sorry for those laid off.

I really do hope everything works out for the company and that the game will come back revitalized at some point in great shape.

[Mark_Asher]

I’m kinda sad this is happening to Stardock… they have some great ideas, and great approaches to the making of games, and I’ve enjoyed many of their games in the past. Also, its hard enough for people to find jobs these days that I feel sorry for those laid off.

I really do hope everything works out for the company and that the game will come back revitalized at some point in great shape.

It is sad. I mean, how many game companies work on TBS 4X games? We don’t get many of them.

[KevinC]

It’s doubly sad because being are being laid off in this economy… in Michigan. Ugh, I feel terrible.

[slikster]

That was pretty much my point.

When you start out with “smear campaign” you are accusing people of acting in bad faith.

Well, I said I didn’t start playing till 1.06. And I have an ATI card, a 4870x2 to be exact. On Win7 64-bit no less. IIRC, this was the kind of combo a lot of folk were complaining about. The game could have very well been a crash fest on release. So in a weeks time, they managed to get the crashiness somewhat under control.

So, let’s burn everyone at Stardock at the stake for actually doing something in a timely manner. Yeah, ok. People waited months to be able to play Dragon Age after 1.03 screwed them. Why are there no pitchforks aimed at Bioware?

[frank_austin]

So, let’s burn everyone at Stardock at the stake for actually doing something in a timely manner.

You’re being a twat.

[Robert_Sharp]

Damn, they were planning an RPG? We need more of those. I’m sad this whole thing is putting the smack on that too.

I notice Rune is the one posting the joystiq article over there, and pointing to Matt with two t’s again. I’ve NEVER in my life met a Matt who used only one ‘t’ to spell his name. Is that actually the norm, as Rune suggests?

Anyway, very sad all around. I like Brad as a designer. I won’t comment on his politics either way. But I’d like to see more games from Stardock and I hope this whole thing doesn’t sour him on trying ambitious games in the future. I’m still hoping we get a good/great game out of Elemental. I haven’t returned my copy, though I haven’t tried it either. Like Dan Theman, it will sit on my shelf until it sounds like it’s in better shape.

[tomchick]

Matt Gallant, I wouldn’t normally compromise the identity of an account, but since you have no reservations about how you treat my forum, I don’t really feel constrained in this instance. So I’m just letting you know that it’s easy enough for me to ban accounts as soon as you register them. However, considering how quickly you’re registering them, it would be easier for me to just click on the IP addresses you use and ban those instead. But that’s going to affect anyone else who works at Big Fish and anyone who lives at your house, some of whom might still want to post here or even just read the forum. I’m thinking of one person in particular.

So the next time you use one of your alt accounts to post – that include Emmanuel Goldstein, The Punch Line, and a couple of others – I hope you realize that you’re endangering the posting privileges of people other than yourself. If that’s okay with you, fair enough. But you’ve had your fun and it’s time to either move on or drag other people down with you.

-Tom

[Robert_Sharp]

Wow. Matt seriously needs therapy. Seriously.

Chin up, Tom!

[Adree]

Matt Gallant, I wouldn’t normally compromise the identity of an account, but since you have no reservations about how you treat my forum, I don’t really feel constrained in this instance. So I’m just letting you know that it’s easy enough for me to ban accounts as soon as you register them. However, considering how quickly you’re registering them, it would be easier for me to just click on the IP addresses you use and ban those instead. But that’s going to affect anyone else who works at Big Fish and anyone who lives at your house, some of whom might still want to post here or even just read the forum. I’m thinking of one person in particular.

So the next time you use one of your alt accounts to post – that include Emmanuel Goldstein, The Punch Line, and a couple of others – I hope you realize that you’re endangering the posting privileges of people other than yourself. If that’s okay with you, fair enough. But you’ve had your fun and it’s time to either move on or drag other people down with you.

-Tom

So who’s rune_74? Or would banning that account prevent the thread originator from posting.

[Dave_Weinstein]

Well, I said I didn’t start playing till 1.06. And I have an ATI card, a 4870x2 to be exact. On Win7 64-bit no less. IIRC, this was the kind of combo a lot of folk were complaining about. The game could have very well been a crash fest on release. So in a weeks time, they managed to get the crashiness somewhat under control.

No.

All it means is that you didn’t experience crash issues.

That does not mean that the people who say they are still experiencing crash issues are lying, and that is what you accused them of when you called it a “smear campaign”.

Also apparently, people who have game play issues with the current release (which includes the owner of Stardock) are also lying or acting in bad faith.

[idrisz]

Matt probably just need to chill out and play Frogger for a bit.

[slikster]

All it means is that you didn’t experience crash issues.

I specifically said I have had crashes. I had very frequent crashes with Fallout 3 and Oblivion in the past as well. Bethesda owes me, big time.

[BobJustBob]

Matt Gallant, I wouldn’t normally compromise the identity of an account, but since you have no reservations about how you treat my forum, I don’t really feel constrained in this instance. So I’m just letting you know that it’s easy enough for me to ban accounts as soon as you register them. However, considering how quickly you’re registering them, it would be easier for me to just click on the IP addresses you use and ban those instead. But that’s going to affect anyone else who works at Big Fish and anyone who lives at your house, some of whom might still want to post here or even just read the forum. I’m thinking of one person in particular.

So the next time you use one of your alt accounts to post – that include Emmanuel Goldstein, The Punch Line, and a couple of others – I hope you realize that you’re endangering the posting privileges of people other than yourself. If that’s okay with you, fair enough. But you’ve had your fun and it’s time to either move on or drag other people down with you.

-Tom

[tomchick]

Bob, I don’t understand your point. When someone keeps registering alt accounts, I just shut down the IP addresses, which is a pretty simple way to make it harder for the alt accounts to be registered. In this case, I’d rather not do that because Matt posts from home and work, and I like having Angie around, and I suspect there might be other folks at Big Fish who want to read the forum.

I don’t understand what that has to do with a ransom note.

  -Tom

[Dave_Weinstein]

I specifically said I have had crashes. I had very frequent crashes with Fallout 3 and Oblivion in the past as well. Bethesda owes me, big time.

Doesn’t that mean you are conducting a smear campaign?