Welcome to the first of several 'Countdown' journals leading up to the release of Beta 0. While we don't have a firm date for the release (several folks need to recoup from weeks of Demigod all-nighters), we still plan on getting Elemental's first playable form into your hands for June!
Boogiebac (myself) holding a Resturaunt Meeting on City Resources
After seeing the amazing starships made by players (and reviewers) in GC2's ship designer, we decided fairly early to make customization a huge part of the Elemental experience. And while this has resulted in a longer tool-development period than GC2, the current results with those tools have been really exciting.
Case in point: our new Particle Engine (and coorisponding in-game Particle Editor). Obviously, since we're making a fantasy game, we would need some fantastic spells spell effects to get players excited. Besides spells, every weapon swung, item used, dungeon cleared, and acheivement acheived would require it's own special effect. To acheve this we (Ross and Paul) created the Particle Editor, a mighty in-game workshop for the artists (and players) to create effects with.
We put the final few touches on version 1 of the editor last Wedensday and gave it to Akil and Dan (two of our artists) to create spells with. In just TWO DAYS, they had the tool learned and had created their first 4 spell-ready effects.
Beckon HomeA spell for the adventurer that just wants to get home to heal up. 'Beckon Home' sends any unit to a friendly settlement.
FlareA ball of fire burns away the FOW and gies you full view of a selected part of the map. Flare uses both Fire mana and a small amount of essence. Think of it as the 'Eye of Sauron: Lite'.
Sublime HarvestFeed your people with some magical rations! Sublime Harvest tops up a settlement's food supply, using both Earth mana and a pinch of your essence.
PyrostormBurn away a section of forest or any unused Fertile Ground with Pyrostorm.
The in-game Particle editor, despite requiring additional up-front dev time, will allow anyone with a crazy spell idea to get their creation into the game easilly (then use the online Library to let them share it). Besides this, the final boxed game will have an Item Editor, Equipment Editor, Tile Design Editor (more about TD's later), the World Builder, and any other editors we can cram in
Next week we'll talk about World Creation and the adventures you'll be going on! Till then, please send your good vibes to the Demigod team as they (hopefully) wrap up a very rough month.
Sweet... finally updates are going to flood on in again... Can't wait to beta test!
I wouldn't worry too much about the essence costs right now, guys. It's pretty early, all of this can change in testing.
oh knows! its been up for hours and I'm late.
I'm excited. About how many spells can we expect in the beta?
Awesome update! If those tools are not too hard to use I think the sooner you get them into fans hands the better! I mean Spore had what? 5 million creatures created by fans before release?
Or maybe that is what you are trying to avoid?
It seems like creating a spell effect is going to be a lot more involved than making a creature in Spore, though. Maybe when you are ready you could have a fan contest and include the top x# in the released game - that would be cool. Not that I want to put your artists out of work, just in another post you were saying their hands would fall off if they made a lot of new resources for dungeons.....so let the fans take this "burden" off their shoulders!
Very, very exciting news this update. BTW, if you are having a "countdown" don't there need to be numbers associated? and of course you would want to start with the top number on decriment, otherwise it would be a "count UP"
Looking very nice.
Will it be possible to incorporate some randomness into spells? e.g. Could a pyrostorm-like spell sometimes drop 10 fireballs, sometimes 9, sometimes drop them all at once, sometimes in clusters, etc? Or will it always be the same effect for the same spell?
And beta "for June"? I'm going to assume you don't mean June 1st.
I'm surprised to hear that the mana is tracked apart from each other. "Fire mana" and "earth mana" show a clear distinction. I now expect multi-element spells!
Yeah I wouldn't expect June 1st. It'd sure be a nice surprise, though
I do have have one minor request to be considered related to the topic at hand, and it is for multipreference files. For example, so I can create a hardcore setting and a net based one and one for testing -etc...
Hm... Looks excellent... I wonder if it would be possible to create an effect in which the doors of hell are opened. Some tentacles are wiggling their way from the fiery opening and snatch one or the other soul (whatever is standing around...) and draggs it in...
This could be a spell for recruiting some demons...
Man, looking forward to it!
How easy will the editor be able to use? I have no creative bones in my robotic frame.
All great stuff... thanks for the update!
To Do list:
Get a restraining order on Boogie Bac's picture
Pre-order Elemental
Start thread on how much of a jerk Zubaz is
blame said thread on Annatar and Boogie
hide
This should actually be first on the list since by the time you do everything else and get to this point one of us would be knocking on your door already. That, or Boogie's picture will jump out of the monitor and swallow you in your sleep..
windows firewall will protect me
/sarcasm
good point
Ooh lots of groovy editors to play with. Like Spore but with a game actually attached this time (and where the editing actually matters rather than simply being aesthetic for most of them). I like the effects as well. Cool but not overdone.
I'm seriously considering putting in a pre-order to do beta 0. Usually I don't do much betaing (in fact Entrenchment was probably the first time I gave any sort of constructive criticism for any beta), but I do have lots of free time over the summer...
Your hesitation can be easily solved with the proper application of peer pressure.
*applies*
Interesting how folks expectations vary--I'd unconsciously assumed that mana would come in 'flavors' since the game was named for the elements. Scott definitely implied that mixed-element spells are possible or already exist when he answered my quibble about essenece.
I'm not worried, I'm starved for magic info! It's a true mystery what moves the dev spirit to post replies.... Plus, the essence stuff is my favorite aspect of the game at this vaporware stage.
I'm going to assume where 'jerk'='a good looking and intellegent fellow'
I think both of those might be a bit subjective. And you're naturally biased. Jerk.
Ok ok I got the message
*preorders Elemental*
Oh BTW Boogie, random question but do you have an estimate of the download size of the finished game and the betas? I'm wondering whether to get just the download (cheaper due to no shipping costs) or whether to get the box as well (won't need to worry about downloading). I have problems with download limits and slow speeds at times. Or is it possible to alter my order if this turns out to be a problem?
Good It'll be worth it. There's no game quite like it currently on the market (Total War is only similar), so it'll be very worthwhile to do the beta to make sure it comes out all nice and shiny.
In the past they've offered an option to upgrade to a box from digital-only, but that's usually a week or so after the game's release. I don't think you would be able to change your order after it's charged though..
Maybe but clearly 'intellegent' != 'good at spelling'.
- Ash
PS> And thanks for the info and videos!
OUr first look at spells. Looks promising.
I'll be on vacation when I finally get to play beta. I am happy I have a laptop. Waking up in the camper and playing this game will be cool.
It's all good news.
PS it's true the picture is scary LOL
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