IGN: Elemental: War Of Magic - Preview - Page 9

Ballbarian · #81 September 11th, 2009, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kofiman

Hmm..

The unit model is that you manufacture equipment, and equip and train people to use that equipment, rather than having generic units or RPS.

Thanks for the links Kofiman. I have not read the journals yet, but the quoted statement has grabbed my interest by the throat. I have been toying around with an idea for a TBS with this very feature and would love to see it done right. Will be watching this closely now.

(I was a big fan of Lord of the Realms II and wanted to take something along the lines of that system and put it in a Dom3-like scale.)

atul · #82 September 11th, 2009, 02:04 PM

The thing that worries me in that game is that they seem really intent on modelling the most basic stuff in the game, right down to the material of the equipment. It's just not that conductive to the story, micromanaging everything. But, they might make it work. We'll see next year.

And some people will probably love that aspect of the game.

Sombre · #83 September 11th, 2009, 05:11 PM

Well listen to you guys getting your panties in a twist. It's fine for people to get amped up over preview screenshots and promised features, but you'd have to be some sort of reverse shill to predict the game is, in all probability, going to have the same problem as the previous two strategy games the devs made?

There's nothing mindless about voicing the opinion, based on the preview stuff I've seen and the quality of their previous efforts, that the game seems to lacks soul. Did you think that maybe my voicing of this opinion just might be because I actually want to see a good mom style game and I'm disappointed in what I'm seeing? NO? OK THEN.

Kofiman · #84 September 11th, 2009, 05:55 PM

Do what you like, man. I'm pretty sure they'll be plenty of modders around who can write some good stuff.

Sombre · #85 September 11th, 2009, 07:38 PM

Could be. I wouldn't buy a game on the basis that I can ignore problems since modders will sort them out, though. No matter how mod friendly it is.

NTJedi · #86 September 11th, 2009, 08:58 PM

Considering this is one of the very few fantasy TBS games being released I'll give my best effort for the game being successful. I'll be doing some beta testing and will do my best to convince Elemental developers to include quality features for the games enjoyment. I've created several topics on their ideas forum already. Last I heard Stardock plans on providing an extra long beta testing with the release pushed backwards to August_2010... so the "problems" will definitely be fewer.

I've never bought any previous Stardock games, so we'll just have to see how well the developers listen during the long beta testing.

Foodstamp · #87 September 11th, 2009, 09:10 PM

Holy Crap Alpha Game Put Away The Jump-to-conclusions Mat.

Foodstamp · #88 September 11th, 2009, 10:32 PM

BTW I just preordered. I'm all in. Rumor is that beta is next week

.

romis · #89 September 12th, 2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atul

The thing that worries me in that game is that they seem really intent on modelling the most basic stuff in the game, right down to the material of the equipment. It's just not that conductive to the story, micromanaging everything. But, they might make it work. We'll see next year.

And some people will probably love that aspect of the game.

if done properly it shouldn't add any significant micromanagement at all, but does add a nice bit of strategy and more importantly adaptatability to the game.

while each unit can be unique in theory, its not going to happen, the reality is likely going to be each player with a handful of units types that take advantage of their resources and situation, effeciently, which they then produce in mass. you make one unit schematic and then recruit hundreds of units from that schematic. you won't often change these once you have something that works for you unless your situation drasticly changes. And if they are smart, they will let you keep prototypes from game to game.

it allows you to better adapt to the resources you have available, and your current needs, advisaries. In Civ4 if your unique unit is horses and you have none, you are gonna suffer. if you start with fishing and are land locked, you're hurt. in dominions if you lack certain types of gems needed for your nation, or if your nation needs money and is surrounded by poor provinces, resources and you territories are stripped. you are kinda boned.

you see it as lacking a story. more to the point, it lets you build the story. you establish the kingdom, you establish their elite corp, their focus. It works best when a unit type can, through use, become something more than a simple soldier. a hoplite was a hoplite till they became spartans, if you follow. but this takes extreme care to prevent it becoming an overwhelming advantage, rewarding someone already in the lead and things like that.

unless i completely misunderstood you.

LDiCesare · #90 September 12th, 2009, 08:22 AM

I understand Sombre's concerns. I have preordered and will participate in the beta, though, because I think Stardock can make good games. I loved Galciv1. I think Galciv 2 only added micromanagement and fancy graphics and was rather worthless.
Elemental's storyline also lookds underwhelming to me. There are the good guys and the bad guys. Stardock says there will be more factions, but nothing is said about them. Compared to MoM or FfH2 where there are races which are different without necessarily being morally different, it sucks.

However, the game should not just be moddable. It should be moddable during the beta, and influenced by the beta testers. Galciv's starbases were introduced by players during the beta. So, hopefully we can shape the game during the beta in order for it to become something pleasant.