Elemental:Expanded Edition (E:EE) is going to be a mod that expands and changes the gameplay in Elemental to provide a deeper, more strategic game than the original.
While I have a ton of ideas for how the gameplay (as it stands now) in Elemental can be improved upon, the ultimate goal is to make the game more fun. While I will continue to post my suggestions for incorporation into the "Vanilla" version of the game, I would like to start getting a team together, so when Beta-5 comes around this summer we can immediately start work.
The initial version of E:EE will be to create a backbone version of the mod while sticking to the canon and lore of the Elemental universe. Essentially it will expand upon the game, creating more in-depth systems for everything from Quests, to Diplomacy, to Magic without altering the story (or at least altering it as little as possible) and vision that Stardock has worked so hard to prepare for us.
Once this initial version is complete and released to the public, this "base" mod can be used by other mods as a starting point for more comprehensive mods, as well as an expanded version of E:EE.
One of the key goals of the mod, is to make it modular. As different aspects of the mod are completed, they will be released independently for use in other mods.
If you've read any of my threads on Multi-Racial species, mount changes, terrain, etc. you have at least a general idea of where I am looking to go with E:EE. Other changes will include a re-work of the Magic system, expanded diplomacy, and major changes to the tech tree. That being said the goal of E:EE (as stated above) is to make the game more fun- If something doesn't work, or the majority of the dev team feels its a bad idea, than I'm all for changing it. I'm not here to be a leader per-say- this is going to be a community effort- I'm just here to keep the team communicating, and contribute as part of the team.
Right now I need everyone I can get on-board. We will need everything including:
moddelers
texture guys
2-D artists
writers
play-testers
designers
anything else you can think of
If you are planning on creating a mod yourself, you might want to consider getting onboard with E:EE - We plan to make it fully available to all modders to use as a base (and further modify as they see fit) for their own mods. Why should 2 people be working on the same task just because they are working on different mods?
UPDATE 1: I have registered a domain, and set up some basic hosting for the mod-site. Once everything is ready up-to-date information on the mod will be kept at https://www.elementalexpanded.com
UPDATE 2: Already generating some interest from a few of you - I have launched a forum and a wiki for the project on the website above to help us track the mod. I'll have more stuff up for it later - for now I'm gonna go test some elemental!
Reserved for future updates
Reserved for the future
I agree with folks from the 'original' version of this thread that it's too early to get serious about details for a project like this, but I'm an economy Camp 1 guy in my heart and I might have time & interest in volunteering for the project if the Elemental meaning of 'fun' ends up being detail-poor for me, which looks distinctly possible at the moment.
In addition to wanting a richly modeled economy (at least in the background and controllable with moderate UI digging), I'm especially interested in the possibility of adding a Third Way to the Kingdoms-vs-Empires thing. The main UI so far does not seem particularly polarized in that regard, but the AI selection part of the game setup is clearly based on an Us-vs-Them worldview. I have no idea how hard it would be to alter the RTM UI art to either eliminate the bipolar K-v-E theme or at least make it tripolar, but I'd like to see something that enabled players to start the game as a minor/independent power with possibly new 'victory' conditions based on things like the kingmaker ideas that someone posted around here long ago but I can't find quickly just now.
I agree its too early to judge. Just as GW said, I'll be volunteering if Elemental ends up poorly detailed for my taste. I can do 2-D art, just for future reference. I think I'm decent anyway
heres a dragon (ignore her left wing ) not much you can do when you draw with a pen
I can help with your writing Strager. I've done that before for game items and quests and even skills.
It's not really about judging... Even if Elemental is made 100% perfect and is everything we all dream it could be, there will be things that can be improved upon and expanded upon. By identifying these things early, and throughout the beta we will have a better idea of what could be done differently, what is great as-is, and what is good but could be built upon and made better. Any ideas we come up with now, will be in a constant "state of flux" until beta-5. As things in the core-game change, ideas will be added, some will likely be addressed by Stardock in the core-game, and others will simply be dropped because they don't make sense any more.
The important thing is to get everyone talking and planning, and to start drafting the team now.
One of the core parts of this mod, is that it is going to be designed with other mods in mind as well - This way other mods can start with E:EE and not have to repeat work we've already done. By keeping things as modular as possible, this will also allow them to remove changes we've done with little hassle if they decide to take a specific feature in another direction.
I would say I could sign up for Play-Testing, Idea Factory, and "potentially" a future Art Asset contributor.
I think an initial goal could be (by Beta 4) to have an idea of if we are going to modify the game's economics, and in what direction. However, I don't think we should even approach this topic until Beta 3 has started.
Why? because by that time we will have a fairly stable economic system, a fair amount of experience with the Global economics system, and a rough idea of how we feel that we can improve upon it.
I realize that current economy is still in-progress, however I will already state that what I "think" my preference is, is for a global economy. My critique would be to first initiate "optimized builds" with the "best" buildings. Then to take a look at the not-so-best buildings "less efficient" and see how to bring them some-what equal to the other buildings in a way that doesn't produce clones.
Currently a Monastery just seems like a "bad" conclave, and conclaves are just "bad" buildings that are almost always worthless. In fact, if in every game you focus on Science, I bet only 1/5 of those games, or the games were you are isolated and only build housing and science, are conclaves even worthwhile. You would probably need a size 4 city (at least) with at least 4 schools (or some "better" building).
// below is 1Z 0.299 rambling .... read if you dare or are bored
I have noticed that, in your "main" city, or (for me) your Science city, it is ineffiecient to build workshops, lumberyards, or Markets. The other cities can build markets, banks, and lumberyards .. however your Science city can only build housing, prestige, and Science (maybe food if near a farmable resource).
Also, I made the mistake of not selecting refined housing. Now, I think everyone can admit that 1Z is currently unfun, however I think the game is currently working quite well in the "hard to master" department.
If you yver need somone to write, or come up with ideas, I can be of service. Sounds Like a cool mod. I think that his mod could develop, along with Elemental, and of course, it would need to change with elemental, but it is still, a cool idea.
Sounds like the native expansion for Mount & Blade. Good luck with the project!
Just a quick update for those who want to know:
Working hard on recrutiment, and we already have a good number of people in almost every department. We opened a forum on the website (there is a public site if you want to post any questions there) with a developer board where we have begun discussions on various ideas for the mod.
As the game develops, we will have more specific information. Generally however we have been taking a look at everything from the way quests currently work, to adding additional graphics (like Logos and hairstyles) to the game, to more in-depth systems we aren't ready to reveal yet.
Throughout Beta-2 as things in the main game become more and more "set in stone" in the main game, we will begin revealing more specifics on what you can expect to see in E:EE.
If your interested in signing up with us, hop over to our forums (there's a link from our main-page) and make a post in the "Now Hiring" board.
Very nice strager! I personally think its just a big compliment and also a certain level of dedication to a game that you can critize as you help create and add more content for it. It is also fun to see a possibly addicting game get some (early mod love). Lots of good ideas for games and not all good ideas can be in the same game. Your website looks professional.
I'll bite. I may do some modelling and scripting.
Just as another update we now have at least one of every postition, so everything looks to be a go.
If your on the team, or that of an affiliated mod please don't forget to check the dev forums frequently, and post your thoughts on each topic- if you have ideas of your own please post them as well - we need all the feedback possible. Also if you have tips, tricks, or advice for other modders please post it in the idea factory board.
It sounds like a promissing project! I'm a little rusty with the pencil, but here are a couple of drawings that i've made.. Might not be the style needed. But thougth i'd throw in my input here...
What we are really looking for in terms of 2D artists are Computer 2D artists. We need things like faction logos drawn, cloth map icons, buttons, backrounds for technologies, etc.
Nice site and forums strager. Signed up and all.
Thanks Kings -- The main page is just temporary. I'll put up the better one I'm working on somewhere around late-Beta3.
I forgot to add that we are looking for someone to do some extra music tracks as well.
We are still recruiting for other positions as well. We need more coders and modellers, 2D artists (to do backrounds for technologies, map icons, etc.), texture artists, etc.
Time is now ticking. FrogBoy's "Approximately 90 days" clock starts in the next few days. I would like to have some basic stuff ready for Beta-5's launch!
Well I'm just letting you know you can use whatever I produce. Just drop me a PM
Thanks Magic.
Things are really starting to move along now. We have our first big meeting being planned, and general work should begin in the next few weeks!
I'd be happy to help out in either a writing or design position. You can probably see a few of my ideas threads littered about the forum, although they're nothing big.
Hey all - Just a heads up that I just migrated our site to a new server, and did a major upgrade to the site. Still a lot to do, but the forums are now up and running again (they went down last night).
With 1 execption (who I PMed) your old logins should still function and should provide you access to the entire site.
Untill the DNS resolves you can access it via IP Here
While you can access the rest of the site, the only thing I know thats functioning properly atm is the forums.
Just something cool I thought you guys might like to see.... This is the first (very early) version of the title screen logo in-game.
Great work, my friend
(Damn, you beat me to the punch, I've been working on version 1.0 of the DL title screen since last night...LoL)
I plan on doing either the trade system I planned, or adding more customization options for nations. They will technically be modular, so adding them to EEE would make sense. The thing I don't have any idea about how to do is the AI for the trade system. Maybe I'll just have to spam Frogboy.
What I could help as:
Story-Writer
Text-Writer
Game-Design
Soft Programming (Soft= no engine or other heavy codes)
and maybe 2-D art if I get my drawing-pad next week. I have no idea how they make their art into the style they have now though. So if I would make art it would initially look radically different from theirs.
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