Nesrie Nesrie

Gamespot Dubious Honors

What surprises me is that Elemental was even widely known enough to receive a nomination for most disappointing game of the year on a site like Gamespot. 

Since I won't pay a company to beta their game, and I won't purchased broken buggy products that are missing advertised features, I couldn't vote for Elemental myself. It isn't going to "win" this dubious award though because the other titles on the list are huge and one of them trying so hard to recover from a terrible launch that Enix is still not charging monthly for it.

It sure was difficult deciding between Star Trek Online and FFXIV Online though. Star Trek left me bored and wanting. FFXIV is gorgeous but managed to annoy the living hell out of me to the point where I only beta'd it for a handful of days before I decided enough was enough, and that was free play.

Anyway, I don't put much stock into these kind of polls, usually unable to vote on most of them because my games are not on the list, but I found it interesting to see a game like Elemental make the list.

Edit: Apparently it did make Tom's list: http://fidgit.com/archives/2010/12/the_ten_most_disappointing_gam.php#more 

212,135 views 81 replies
Reply #76 Top

Quoting luketan, reply 75

Quoting Mtn_Man, reply 73
Quoting luketan, reply 70actually i meant the random map generator

No, there is not random map generator per se.  Instead we have a few dozen set land masses with randomized resources and start locations.  Take a look at ../Program Files/Stardock Games/Elemental/data/Maps
They going to fix this right? weird for a game like this not to have a random map generator

I thought MOM had this? Or was i mistaken?

 

As I recall the reason they dont have a truely random map generator is because it creates insanely unbalanced maps. Instead what they have is a semi-random map based on preset seeds with code in place to ensure everybody gets certain resources near their start, like food and a shard.

 

Oh and for the record, MoM maps could be massively one sided. It was fun but it was never fair :p

Reply #77 Top

This is a wonderful conversation that revealed to me a great deal about how gamers and publishers / developers view (and 'game') the various polls, and 'best of' type lists.  I learned a lot.  Thank you all.

Now, I have a question.  How can we users / consumers/ players get the people who make those list add a few new categories, like

Most improved FRP game from last year?   etc  etc.   You get the idea,even if i haven't presented it totally clearly?

Is good idea, yes?

 

 

 

 

Reply #78 Top

Elemental has a random land mass generator, it's in the map editor if you ever want to see it.  Just go in there, choose a size and press go and it will randomly make your world. The problem is that it creates maps that aren't fair.

Elemental isn't like say Civilization where you can pretty much do anything with each tille thus the shape of the world is largely irrelevant.  We'd need to modify the game mechanics before we could do a truly random land mass creator.

Reply #79 Top

Quoting Frogboy, reply 78
Elemental has a random land mass generator, it's in the map editor if you ever want to see it.  Just go in there, choose a size and press go and it will randomly make your world. The problem is that it creates maps that aren't fair.

Elemental isn't like say Civilization where you can pretty much do anything with each tille thus the shape of the world is largely irrelevant.  We'd need to modify the game mechanics before we could do a truly random land mass creator.

Can you fit that into 1.2?

Reply #80 Top

Quoting FatNonFree, reply 79

Quoting Frogboy, reply 78Elemental has a random land mass generator, it's in the map editor if you ever want to see it.  Just go in there, choose a size and press go and it will randomly make your world. The problem is that it creates maps that aren't fair.

Elemental isn't like say Civilization where you can pretty much do anything with each tille thus the shape of the world is largely irrelevant.  We'd need to modify the game mechanics before we could do a truly random land mass creator.
Can you fit that into 1.2?
Changing game mechanics just to be able to do random maps? I would rather have game mechanics aimed on interesting gameplay...

 

Reply #81 Top

Quoting MxM111, reply 80

Changing game mechanics just to be able to do random maps? I would rather have game mechanics aimed on interesting gameplay...
 

I do believe you can have both. And I truly hope we will have both.