Elemental - War of Magic

[Tamas]

As one would expect of a Stardock-developed 4X TBS game

they have developed a total of 2 TBS games, Galciv and Galciv2. Being sequels and all its more like 1.5 games. Don't be such a fanboi.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

As one would expect of a Stardock-developed 4X TBS game, it looks very promising. I'm not quite willing to preorder (still tending to that nasty burn I got from Sins) but if the reviews are favorable I can't imagine not getting this.

Sins was developed, iirc, by a different studio or team.

Elemental is basically the prequel to Galciv II, but from the Altaran viewpoint

[Ed Anger]

As one would expect of a Stardock-developed 4X TBS game

they have developed a total of 2 TBS games, Galciv and Galciv2. Being sequels and all its more like 1.5 games. Don't be such a fanboi.

Says the AGEOD WWI fanboy.

[Syt]

I like some of the game's concepts as disclosed so far. E.g. researching a tech doesn't automatically grant you better units. You'll have access to the resources (e.g. iron, horses) and build the requisite buildings to fit out your troops (forge, stables or whatever something). Also, you need manpower; i.e. no raising vast legions in freshly built 100-soul settlements.

I also like that you can design your own troops - weapons, armor, training ... so you could have a huge force of badly trained, weakly armed cannon fodder or forge an elite troop using best equipment and extras, plus good training, or a mix (say, militia for defence, crack troops for Blitzing neighbours).

Not to mention that your resource caravans (if I read it right) can be interdicted by enemies.

[vinraith]

As one would expect of a Stardock-developed 4X TBS game, it looks very promising. I'm not quite willing to preorder (still tending to that nasty burn I got from Sins) but if the reviews are favorable I can't imagine not getting this.

Sins was developed, iirc, by a different studio or team.

Yup, Ironclad. Nevertheless SD claims to have been closely involved in its development and used their clout from GC2 to sell it, so I'm still a bit irrate with them.

As to Tamas' point I fail to see why only fanboys would assume that a company that had made two superb TBS games will probably make another. Put another way: fanboys don't wait for the demo, they preorder to get into the beta.

[Syt]

From IGN:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/101/1017713p1.html

[...]

The discussion then transitioned into gameplay, and it's here where Wardell revealed that the game is influenced by George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels, particularly when it comes to diplomacy. The problem with diplomacy in most strategy games, Wardell explained, is that diplomatic relations are handled from a pure numbers basis that doesn't take into account human nature or emotion. In Elemental, while you play as an eternal sovereign you do have a noble family at the heart of your faction, and you can marry off sons and daughters to shore up alliances with other factions. This plays an important role in warfare, because suddenly factions have an emotional interest to come to one another's aid. It also means that the span of the game will cover multiple generations, so the familial ties can get quite complex. And it'll be necessary, too, because there won't be the traditional "land grab" found in most strategy games; the problem with these is that land grabs often determine the outcome of the game just as it's getting started. The player who grabs the most land has a tremendous advantage over everyone else.

[...]

Could be interesting, and whether it amounts to more than EU's old "Royal Marriages".

[crazy canuck]

Cant wait till this is ready.

[Syt]

A bit more on that feature from http://elementalgame.com/journals.asp

During Stardock's recent preview to IGN, one of the closest kept secrets of the game, its diplomacy system, was finally unveiled.  In Elemental, diplomacy is not merely a matter of trading and treaties but involves family politics as well.  Each sovereign, while eternal, can have children who will, in time, grow up, have children, grow up, and pass on and repeat the cycle over and over.  Political marriages can strengthen ties and children and family members can become playable characters in the game world similar to "heroes" found in other games who have their own unique abilities based on their pedigree.

[KRonn]

Nice, very nice... 

[Eddie Teach]

And I love this size comparison:

Are they going to utilize the tiles as extensively as Civ does though? HOMM 5 has maps of that size but is still a much faster game to play through than Civ.

[Jaron]

Just got it today. Pretty fun.

[KRonn]

Wow, great huge map! Maps too often never seem large enough to me in these type strategy games. But this one looks like it'll pass the grade.   

[PRC]

This game looks fucking sweet.

And yeah the map size comparison doesn't mean much if a single tile in Elemental is equivalent to what would amount to ten tiles in Civ IV.

[Cecil]

This game looks fucking sweet.

And yeah the map size comparison doesn't mean much if a single tile in Elemental is equivalent to what would amount to ten tiles in Civ IV.

Ehm...the number of tiles is in the map comparison. Or do you mean what importance each tile has in the game?

[PRC]

Ehm...the number of tiles is in the map comparison. Or do you mean what importance each tile has in the game?

I don't know what I mean.