OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Here's information on Stardocks upcoming Fantasy TBS game. Stardock is known for providing long-term improvements as well as providing good AI. I know Stardock likes Dominions_3 and plans to have touches of Master of Magic.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/920/920420p1.html

http://www.stardock.com/stardock/elemental.jpg

http://www.stardock.com/products/dre...age=comingsoon


EDIT Feb24th:
Added link to the developer diaries:

http://www.elementalgame.com/journals.asp


EDIT May29th:
Okay some bad news guys... any multiplayer gamers which have been interested in Elemental:WoM may want to voice their opinion to Stardock regarding a sudden change.

http://forums.elementalgame.com/352655

Here is the statement from the above link of Elemental journals which has struck fear in hearts of ALL multiplayer gamers of the Elemental community:

================================================== ================

BRAD:

That said, here are a few things that multiplayer in Elemental will have:

1. Multiplayer games will be hosted by us. Period. No peer to peer. Not even hosted on the user’s box. Our servers. No ports, no proxies, nothing. We’re hosting it.

================================================== ================


EDIT: June 2nd:

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I've been anticipating this game breathlessly for aeons.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

By the way, is "Elemental" the name (however tentative or provisional) of the new game? Some of your links seem to indicate that, but other sites I've been to claim that the name is still wholly undecided.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

To be released in 2010? :( But they are making more games now, if your list is good. Also interesting ones.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I watch Stardock closely because of Brads long standing in the AI field.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I'm pretty sure that the Drengin.net link is several years old (it lists Galactic Civ as "in development") and not being updated. Likewise, the screenshot for Elemental looks VERY dated. Interesting investigative work, but I'd be very hesitant to agree that it means much.

But I will say, if their fantasy TBS involves the far far prehistory of Galactic Civ universe, that could be a very cool concept to work with.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Screenshot looks quite MOMish for a "NONE" MOM2 game.

Finally the (not) sequel to MOM2 is coming. And by the capable of hands of stardock. This can't get any better :D

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I find it hard to get excited about something we don't know anything about that's a couple of years off. Though Galciv 1 and 2 are impressive in many ways, I don't think they are impressive in the same way as the better fantasy TBS games like AoW, MoM etc.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Well lack of *any* worthwhile Fantasy TBS games in the last years (with the exception of Disciples, AOW1 and DOM) kind of makes one excited at any promise for a new good title. Stardock GalCiv titles are very solid. They may or may not be as good as MoM but that's besides the point. We will see a new FTBS release, it may be somewhat innovative, it will bring back good memories of MoM and many good discussions of which one is better. It will bring some life to the genre.
That is good.
That makes me happy :D

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

The first link is what "means much" because it's new and indicates this product is still in production by Stardock. Other titles have slowed its progress.

Last year I sent an extensive email requesting many different features... one of the main developers responded saying all the features from my email already exist or are scheduled to be included.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Here is a requote from information released earlier on ideas and foundation concepts for the game:

===========================================
===========================================
Posted 11 Feb 2008:
Here's Brad's post on the Quarter to Three forums from last year.


I don't want to hijack the thread here with an tangential discussion on what should be in a fantasy strategy game. But here's my 2 cents on that:

1) Character building. The player is a character in the game. Nearly all magic in the world actually flows from the player. If you've ever read The Silmarillion (Tolkien) all the magic in Arda basically comes from the spirit of the things created by Eru. So in this sense, the player is a kind of Valar of sorts who can choose to invest their growing power into their creations/minions or into themselves (or a bit of both). That's an over simplification but the point is, part of the game mechanics is having to choose between making your forces more powerful or actual character.

2) The game is very spell-centric. The 3D engine is being designed so you can do Populous style spells to the world. Since it's turn-based (as opposed to real-time) that also means you can have some ridiculously fancy spell effects.

3) Very distinct magic schools.

4) You cannot build heroes. They have to be recruited and there's no Inn. Ones ability to attract heroes is one of the game mechanics and "interesting choices" players have. Those heroes can be wimpy or powerful depending on how the player chooses to use and invest in them.

5) There is massive scaling in this. At the beginning of Fellowship of the Rings (the movie edition) you could see just how powerful Sauron is. In this, if you manage to get a dragon, that dragon can wipe out hundreds of units. And by scale, we mean there's thousands and thousands of troops. One ancient dragon is taking out hundreds of troops.

6) Cities are built and improved and local geography matters. I won't say more on this right now.

7) Multiplayer will involve all players moving at the same time.

8) Battles zoom in so that tactical combat can occur which is also turn based.

I do want to stress that the goal for this isn't to be a MoM clone. It has its own game mechanics, many of which are in common with MoM since, in a sense, both want to have a lot of Civilization-style elements.

One advantage of being designed in 2007 is the hardware requirements are probably going to be higher than our other games. I want to see large battles. I want to see creatures that can wipe out massive numbers of foot soldiers and such. I want to see magic spells that can flood terrain, raise mountains, ruin worlds. I want to see the land sicken and die when evil takes it over.

If we'd done a MOM2, we would have been faithful to the Master of Magic mechanics. But since we're doing a new game, hopefully we'll be able to make a game that combines favorite elements from many games plus adds our own on innovations to the genre. But it'll be some months before we start putting up any previews or anything (or even announce the game officially).
==================================================
==================================================

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I sense the presence of an interesting game ^^

Hope the new KO and JK work will make an interesting battle with this :D

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Speaking of TBS fantasy, King's Bounty: The Legend is a REALLY good game. After resolving the incompatibilities with my graphics card I played the demo for 6 hours straight, bought the game and have been playing as often as possible since then. Dominions doesn't mind if I cheat on her, she's cool like that. She even said something about a three-some, but I was playing games so I didn't hear her...

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Where can I get the demo?

I tend not to like Heroes of Might and Magic-like stacks in tactical battles, but I will give it a go if your endorsement is so ringing :)

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Also, I thought King's Bounty was real-time on the adventure map, not TBS?

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

King's Bounty is real time on strategy map and turn based on tactical fights!

I can confirm that this game is really a good one! Its a lot of fun to me on "impossible" difficult and its really hard to decide how and where to fight next and not to run out of gold. For me is the best game came out in 2008.

The quests are very funny and have a lot of humor (even only text quests)! I find the campaign mode much better than HoMM's scenario campaigns.

The game surpised me many times with cool new features during playtime.

Take a look on it!

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Here: http://www.gamershell.com/download_32652.shtml

I liked the demo enough that I instantly bought the game over GamersGate after it became available. I didn't have the time to play it anymore lately, but for the time that I played it, I really wasn't let down any. Great game!

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

The game looks great and given the recommendation here I think I'd go ahead and buy it.

Is it available at retail?

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I've heard that it's available for retail at Gamestop and Circuit City, yes. Then you'll have to deal with the DRM it carries, though. The downloadable version doesn't have that. GamersGate sounds the better deal for me: You can install it on up to three separate computers, and on others if you deinstall it again somewhere. The online check is only during installation, not while playing. The only problem is that you'll have to download, at least once, but you can reuse the same files again for the other installations, too.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Thanks for the tip lch. Gamer's gate does indeed seem to be the better deal. The three installation limitation doesn't pose an issue since I only have two machines. Can I D/L installation files, then burn them to disk so that I don't need to be online for subsequent install?

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

It isn't visible in the menu of their program, I think, but yes, if you copy the downloaded installation files somewhere else then they're reusable. The only thing that their installer then redownloads again is the setup.exe.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I can't install the demo.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I have very fond memories of the original 'King's Bounty'. Great game, for the silicon stone age, and had one of the better game manuals, as well.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Looks like "Elemental" is indeed the tentative name of the game:

http://www.stardock.com/media/stardo...eport-2008.pdf

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Brad Wardell is pretty awesome. I'm really looking forward to what they're going to have to offer in the future, it seems like they've got a really good handle on what pleases people.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

The game will be announced this week in 2 days (wednesday) :):

http://forums.galciv2.com/328245

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Kewl :)

Looking forward to this.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Was it announced?

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Nope they changed the subject, now its nov. 4th!

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

That sucks. Election Day? LOL.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

They have made a pact with el diablo. If Obama wins, they will release the game as a TBS, as originally intended. If McCain wins, the game will shift focus to be an RTS version of GalCiv.

:eek:

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Announcing a hot new game on election day?
That doesnt make any sense.
Now, announcing it on election RESULTS day. That would make sense.
I might be in strong need of a good distraction to look forward to.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Yeah, if Mccain wins, I'm going out and buying a new computer *that day*, because it's that or make a run for Canada.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

This game will be after their current fantasy game, so I guess it will be good 2 years away, if not more.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

If by current fantasy game, you mean Demigod..... "not-MoM" is not being developed by the same studio. Stardock is just producing and distributing it.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I believe he was referring to the game not as yet named. I seem to recall Stardock has been directly involved in the development of that one, not just producing and distribution (since they are taking and using people who may/will be working on Galciv III).

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

The game not-mom ('elemental') IS the current game developed by stardock and will be go in beta in first half 2009. The other one -demigod- will be only distributed by stardock.

I think they'll handle it like GC. Each one who preorder the game is automaticaly in the beta test.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I guess my sleepy wording was unclear. I was in fact saying that "Demigod" is just being produced and distributed by Stardock, and that it's not the same studio that is developing "Elemental" (which is of course a Stardock internal project, and on a timeline completely unrelated to the dev timeline for Demigod).

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, that would be accurate then.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

There is a brand new GameSpy Preview out there with many informations and some Pics:

http://uk.pc.gamespy.com/pc/elementa.../926527p1.html

The full name of the game is "Elemental - War of Magic"

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I found a few more previews while doing a Google search. Here is an example:

http://www.edge-online.com/features/...magic-unveiled

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

I am both happy and saddened.
On the one hand it looks like it will be a game worth getting.
On the other hand it is definetly NOT going to be a new MoM so I am still holding out hopes that someone will recreate "Master of Magic"

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Ironically, MoM was about the only fantasy strategy game I've never played. So I have no referent compare this to. Still, the graphics look pretty awful for a game that is supposed to come out in 2010 (which may be optimistic, given the endless delays that usually accompany big game releases).

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Another preview--but this one has no new pictures:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=20916

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

ok now there is an official link to the game:

http://www.elementalgame.com

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Awesome :D

It really doesn't sound all that much like a MOM sequel so in that I share GP's sentiments. However in a world almost devoid of good, new FTBS games it may well prove to be a breath of fresh air.
I'm looking forward to see whether the game will feature innovative stuff.
Hey and I may yet install and play another game besides dom, been a long time since I last did that :)

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

You could also say that the graphics look like they are for a game that needs approximately two more years before it's ready.

They are going for a rather spesific look, with thick cartoony lines around the characters. The characters looked like they were 3d-models, and if that's so they can rework the textures and the outlines independently of each other. It's like painting a miniature - once you have a mold for making them, you can paint them again and again until you like it or run out of time.

I agree that everything didn't quite feel like it fit tgether in these screenshots. Some of the trees and mountains looked strange, water and shoreline of one pick felt a little plastic etc. But that's easy to change.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Yep, there are very few worthy fantasy strategy games. I also hope there is a revival of the Age of Wonders franchise as well--though it looks unlikely.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

Some of the art, like that in the Lore tab, reminds me of the thematic approach in Dark Tower, if anyone remembers that clunky motorized game. A sort of grim, watercolor cartoon feel that I actually like.

Re: OT: Stardocks Fantasy TBS
 

New AOW doesn't seem likely. I often frequent the AOW heaven (nostalgia I guess), and the word there is that the AOW devs are going for a new installment of their PSP game (overlord I think).
Too bad :(
AOW is a great game (though AOW2 wasn't, but AOWSM was better). I would love to see a continuation of the franchise.