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ELEMENTAL SCHEDULE: STATUS

ELEMENTAL SCHEDULE: STATUS

Greetings!

Below is the status of where we are on the development of Elemental.

BETA 1: Game Mechanic Exploration (Fall 2009)

  1. Initial Build: Basic Compatibility
  2. Beta 1A: Initial Gameplay Skeleton
  3. Beta 1B: Initial Economic system Implemented
  4. Beta 1C: Initial AI system Implemented
  5. Beta 1D: Initial Diplomacy system Implemented
  6. Beta 1E: Initial Dynasty system implemented
  7. Beta 1F: Initial Magic system implemented
  8. Beta 1G: Initial Quest system implemented
  9. Beta 1Z: Finalizing Stability
BETA 2: Game Play Beta (Spring 2010)
  1. Initial:    Caravans enabled, 3D Engine enabled, Multiplayer enabled, shops enabled, sieges enabled, visual battles enabled.
  2. Beta 2A: Beta Fixes. Gameplay updates. Naval transports enabled. Naval warfare enabled.  MP: Wars of Magic.

BETA 3: War & Peace Beta. (Summer 2010)

  1. Initial:    Finalized Diplomacy enabled. .Master Quest enabled. All Tech Trees enabled. Empires enabled.
  2. Beta 3A: Combat Magic enabled. The Hiergamenon enabled.  Tactical Battles options enabled. Morale and Tactical Battle AI enabled. Spell of Making enabled.
  3. Beta 3B. Tactical Combat enabled.

BETA 4: Beyond Elemental Beta (Ongoing)

  1. Map Editor, Item Editor, Tile Editor, Effect Editor.
  2. Brad's Guide to Elemental Modding. Elemental Cloud Modding.
  3. The Hiergamenon in-game.

Release: Elemental publicly available (August 24th)

  1. Single Player: Beta Tester Content (spells, quests, characters released based on player feedback).
  2. Single Player: Modding Tools: Race Construction Set.
  3. Single Player: Quest Pack (a thank you for buyers).
  4. Single Player: Monster Pack (a thank you for buyers).
  5. Single Player: Notable Locations enabled.
  6. Multiplayer: Custom Games.

Version 1.1: First major free update (30 days after release)

  1. Usual performance, bug fixes, and other optimizations.
  2. More optimizations for better Netbook support.
  3. Single Player: New Content and Features based on player requests
  4. Single Player: AI Wars

Version 1.2 (Second free major update (60 days after release)

  1. Usual performance, bug fixes, and other optimizations.
  2. New Features based on player feedback.
  3. Brad's first serious mod example (Mini RPG).
  4. Art Package for Modders to use (content for use by modders).
  5. Multiplayer: Arena Mode

Copy Protection:

  • Retail Edition will have no copy protection on it whatsoever.
  • Digital version and updates will require Impulse to Download updates and install (but otherwise can be removed if the user chooses).
  • Users who do not have good internet access at home can use http://anywhere.impulsedriven.com to download Elemental and bring it home to install on their machines.
  • Multiplayer will require a valid customer ID to logon.

Notes:

All is subject to change based on player feedback and our own determination on where the game is at. 

320,854 views 172 replies | Pinned
Reply #26 Top

Quoting Matthew, reply 25
The beta is up?

I dont see it yet.

 

Make sure you have ticked the box saying "Show pre release versions" in the Impulse menu

Reply #27 Top


BETA 1

 

Initial Build: Basic Compatibility
Beta 1A: Initial Gameplay Skeleton
Beta 1B: Initial Economic system Implemented
Beta 1C: Initial AI system Implemented
Beta 1D: Initial Diplomacy system Implemented
Beta 1E: Initial Dynasty system implemented
Beta 1F: Initial Magic system implemented
Beta 1G: Initial Quest system implemented

 

Is the technology in the game already close to what is final product if not where would it fit on the schedule?  I am going to cross my fingers for 1A.  If it is later in the Beta ie.  polish that is such a long while.  The tech is looking really good and for me the "stats" "reports" are pretty important aspects of a game to me and I am not disappointed with what is currently there.

 

Reply #28 Top

The devs are doing to have a fun day tomorrow when they get to work to find 4(or more) pages of stuff to work on.

Reply #29 Top

Personally I think this Beta schedule is a great idea.  Not only do we, as testers, get to be involved but its also a promise that they are going to wait to make the best stinking game possible before releasing it.  I'd much rather wait for a great game than get a good game early. 

Reply #30 Top

*sigh* So it will be a long time before we see the tactical battles. Oh well he (Frogboy) said it wasn't supposed to be fun.

Reply #31 Top

Quoting Frost, reply 30
*sigh* So it will be a long time before we see the tactical battles. Oh well he (Frogboy) said it wasn't supposed to be fun.

I think it's great fun so far. I have three pages of handwritten notes on the game thus far, after only a couple hours of playing. But then, I'm a bit... detail orientated like that.

Reply #32 Top

I think it's a waste to do much except for a few crash/graphic bugs till there's actually a 'gameplay skeleton'.  But at least you're having fun!  (Oh, graphics, crashes, alt tab, and the save/load bug).

Reply #33 Top

I'm having great fun predicting how long into a game I find a bug :d

Reply #34 Top

I wonder when we'll be able to customize channelers, 1A or 1E...hrmm...

Reply #35 Top

Any gut feeling when a patch or then next beta 1a will launch... just wondering... :drool:

Reply #36 Top

Quoting Hawawaa, reply 35
Any gut feeling when a patch or then next beta 1a will launch... just wondering...

It seems like I saw somewhere that it would be the beginning of October, but I'm not sure.

Reply #37 Top

Yeah they did saw Oct 1. 

Reply #38 Top

Well, let's wait for it, cause Initial Build is a mess with very little to test.

Reply #39 Top

Quoting TucoBenedicto, reply 38
Well, let's wait for it, cause Initial Build is a mess with very little to test.

Mess or not, we've reported many bugs at least. That is the purpose of the current build. It's an engine/basic test, nothing more.

Reply #40 Top

Yea, October 1st does seem a short time with the various crashes and such.  (But than again, I haven't done these sorts of beta tests before, so perhaps it is a typical amount of time.)

Reply #41 Top

We don't want to wait until EVERYTHING is fixed before releasing an update...we're actually hoping to put out a build on Thursday that seems to fix some major graphical issues people are having.

Reply #42 Top

There was much rejoicing. I have stopped testing the current build because everything I find seems to already be posted, and though semi fun I would rather spend my time on some of stardock's completed games like Sins. Waiting until thursday!

Reply #43 Top

Yes, more frequent updates are definitely the way to go.  I'd do more testing, but between myself and the multitude of others hammering at it, the bug list seems pretty exhaustive right now.  When the game's stripped of almost all features, there just isn't that much to report on after a few days besides the fact that it's missing content everywhere, heh.

Reply #44 Top

Where the beta testing will become intensive for everyone, is when we get more features and it becomes more of a balancing the game act instead of the laundry list bugs deal. The first beta was fun for what it is, but Thursday is well looked forward too. I think we got MOST of the bugs caught in this version anyway.

Reply #45 Top

Quoting Matthew, reply 25
The beta is up?

I dont see it yet.

Make sure you have "see unfinished" thing clicked in impulse preferences.  Also make sure you added it with your key from email.

 

EDIT - lol thought I was on last page. Oops, ignore/delete.

Reply #46 Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 41
We don't want to wait until EVERYTHING is fixed before releasing an update...we're actually hoping to put out a build on Thursday that seems to fix some major graphical issues people are having.

That´s a good new!, although I hope that the save/load/continue game issues be also fixed soon.

 

Reply #47 Top

i think that the save/load bug will be the first thing resolved (if not too hard to resolve)

Reply #48 Top

Quoting porternielsen, reply 42
There was much rejoicing. I have stopped testing the current build because everything I find seems to already be posted, and though semi fun I would rather spend my time on some of stardock's completed games like Sins. Waiting until thursday!

Yep, same here. I am waiting for the next version also. :)

Reply #49 Top

I suppose it's what they expected - everyone was so excited with the beta that pretty much every bug to be found was found within a day or two.

Reply #50 Top

Well, the dev's are asking for map seeds that have messed up features on the map, you guys could still post those =)