DerekPaxton DerekPaxton

Four days into the new job

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Four days into the new job

from Elemental Forums

  The longest part of my day is waking up to early to head into the Stardock office.  I'm anxious to get back to work.  What a great job.

  I spent yesterday helping to make the spells more exciting, but so far my focus has been on process.  We will create a consistent design, we will document that design, we will march toward implementing that design.  Flexibility is important in creating games, if something isn't working it has to go, but we aren't going to simply "try things".  There is a great game in Elemental, we have to bring it out.

  It's worth saying that the great game in Elemental isn't Fall from Heaven (for those hoping or worried that I'm going to try to make Elemental into FfH).  That doesn't mean there aren't ideas in FfH that are valuable here, such as faction differentiation, but this is a very different game.  This is about exploring a shattered world, engaging in great tactical combat and building a fantasy empire.  Master of Magic is the inspiration here, not FfH.

  There is great background lore in Elemental, but we need to bring it into the game.  There are great opportunities, but we need to make them more fun.  There are some problematic mechanics that we need to get out of the way.

  My main focus is really on the post 1.1 work, but I've been able to help on the 1.1 side.  Tighten the feature list, make sure everything is moving toward the next steps, help with ideas and flavor.  There is a great team here, I'm honored to be able to work with them.

  We will be starting a community design contest soon.  I appreciate all the great ideas everyone provides, and we are going to have some fun with it (we were just going to use my ideas but then we realized we wanted the game to be good).  Watch the boards, the full details will be announced next week.

371,218 views 113 replies
Reply #101 from Elemental Forums Top

Well Hello.  I am looking forward to the next patch Master of Magic was one of my favorite games, and if you want to put that game into a DOS BOX thing like XCOM, and Master of Orion I would buy it.  Master of Magic had the ability to make really cool toys for your heroes not just numbers for damage, and hit points and defense I would like to see better toys for the heroes, or champions. 

Reply #102 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm not sure what you mean, you can buy MoM at gog.com, and it runs with DOSBox.

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Reply #103 from Elemental Forums Top

Please remember that this (bolded text below) is the heart of Elemental.  This is a 4x game, and although tactical battles and fun spells are cool, they should never come at the expense of all the things that make a 4x game great.  I read often in these journal about how you guys are working on tactical stuff and making spells better, etc...but I much less about improvements that make EWoM a better 4X.

 

That said, welcome!  and good luck in your new position...

 


  The longest part of my day is waking up to early to head into the Stardock office.  I'm anxious to get back to work.  What a great job.

  I spent yesterday helping to make the spells more exciting, but so far my focus has been on process.  We will create a consistent design, we will document that design, we will march toward implementing that design.  Flexibility is important in creating games, if something isn't working it has to go, but we aren't going to simply "try things".  There is a great game in Elemental, we have to bring it out.

  It's worth saying that the great game in Elemental isn't Fall from Heaven (for those hoping or worried that I'm going to try to make Elemental into FfH).  That doesn't mean there aren't ideas in FfH that are valuable here, such as faction differentiation, but this is a very different game.  This is about exploring a shattered world, engaging in great tactical combat and building a fantasy empire.  Master of Magic is the inspiration here, not FfH.

  There is great background lore in Elemental, but we need to bring it into the game.  There are great opportunities, but we need to make them more fun.  There are some problematic mechanics that we need to get out of the way.

  My main focus is really on the post 1.1 work, but I've been able to help on the 1.1 side.  Tighten the feature list, make sure everything is moving toward the next steps, help with ideas and flavor.  There is a great team here, I'm honored to be able to work with them.

  We will be starting a community design contest soon.  I appreciate all the great ideas everyone provides, and we are going to have some fun with it (we were just going to use my ideas but then we realized we wanted the game to be good).  Watch the boards, the full details will be announced next week.

Reply #104 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Jharii, reply 95
Don't look now, but that blade of your knife is upside-down.

This is a perfectly valid stance in knife fighting. Depends on the knife, though, and how well it can be used for hacking and slashing.

 

Reply #105 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Gazz_, reply 104

This is a perfectly valid stance in knife fighting. Depends on the knife, though, and how well it can be used for hacking and slashing.

But not when "chopping vegetables" as was described.  Thanks for the trivia, though.

Reply #106 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Gazz_, reply 104

Quoting Jharii, reply 95Don't look now, but that blade of your knife is upside-down.

This is a perfectly valid stance in knife fighting. Depends on the knife, though, and how well it can be used for hacking and slashing.

 

If you're cutting vegetables this way, you have to throw them up in the air and slice them as they come down. I tried cutting some freshly laid eggs this way, but the liquid yolk kept trying to escape my knife, and so I had to rape its mother. It may sound harsh to some but I just look at it as tough love (get it? tough love? Ah whaddya know from funny you bastards).

Reply #107 from Elemental Forums Top

I know this was over and settled, but I don't care. I almost fell on the floor from laughing when I read that you were being reported for using the word **** on an internet forum. If there was any hint that you were being malicious in your use of it, I might understand. But otherwise it's bullshit, as you were really just making funnies.

What you think is funny is not the measure of what's acceptable. The game is rated T, so let's keep the forums in line with that and keep this thread on topic. There's no need for gratuitous profanity, insults, overly-colorful metaphors, etc; any point that needs made can be made as well without.

Reply #108 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting kryo, reply 107

I know this was over and settled, but I don't care. I almost fell on the floor from laughing when I read that you were being reported for using the word **** on an internet forum. If there was any hint that you were being malicious in your use of it, I might understand. But otherwise it's bullshit, as you were really just making funnies.


What you think is funny is not the measure of what's acceptable. The game is rated T, so let's keep the forums in line with that and keep this thread on topic. There's no need for gratuitous profanity, insults, overly-colorful metaphors, etc; any point that needs made can be made as well without.

 

Salesman: And what flavour will you be having that in today sir?

Customer: Umm..., I think today I'll have choc-

Salesman: Plain it is, there you go. Next!

 

Really though, I never said that what I find funny is acceptable, let alone what might be considered funny in general. Only that it's silly to take offense at something that was never intended to be offensive.

As far as forum moderation and rules go, what is and is not acceptable is purely at the discretion of those with the discretionary power. I can accept that, so I'll try to tone it down, so to speak.

Reply #109 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Istari, reply 108
I'll try to tone it down, so to speak.

The use of "tone" as a pun could be construed as a derogatory reference to colour.

Mr. PC

Reply #110 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Gazz_, reply 109

Quoting Istari, reply 108I'll try to tone it down, so to speak.

The use of "tone" as a pun could be construed as a derogatory reference to colour.

Mr. PC

hehe. Well it actually was a reference to colour, not of people, but of Kryo's reference to 'overly-colourful metaphors' and wanting the reduction or elimination of them, hence the 'toning down'.

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Reply #111 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Lord, reply 96
I just want to say, I am refusing to take the blame for the derail of this thread.

 

Clearly this is all my fault.  My full name is Tobias, so go ahead and call me that and call it a day.  I'm sure no one has a problem with Gobias Industries, right?

Reply #112 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Kestral2040, reply 111
My full name is Tobias, so go ahead and call me that and call it a day.  I'm sure no one has a problem with Gobias Industries, right?
Gobias Industries?  or is that supposed to be "Tobias Industries"

Reply #113 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting landisaurus, reply 112

Gobias Industries?  or is that supposed to be "Tobias Industries"

 

It's an Arrested Development reference.