I am really enjoying Elemental. However I feel it needs some more work. It just feels like I have to make too many concessions each game and am not really challenged. Also, the simplicity of the tactical battles was a HUGE dispointment and really kills my desire to start a fresh game... I like indie devs, and support this game as well as Darkfall, just so we can have more variety and push the quality of AAA games. I feel like their hands were tied as far as release date and its either support them or see 5 major studios release all of our content.
Anyways, I keep hearing people mention other RTS games like dominion and MoM etc. I would be interested in trying a new game while I wait for Elemental to get polished. One game that seems similar is HOMM5. I REALLY liked the tactical combat, but the overmap and strategy elements fell flat. Can anyone recommend any other games to try, hopefully one that is still rather recent (past 5 years Id say).
Thanks for any suggestions!
Oh, also has anyone heard the extent of mods? Could we put something as complex as HOMM tactical battles into Elemtental? How about have dungeons actually load up dungeons that are REALLY long tactical battle maps...
Well, not perfection, but definitely the most perfect that has ever been achieved in this kind of games. I think that was has been said about MoM also applies to Heroes III. It's a pitty that after 11 years it still has not been superated by any other game. Specially having several clones (Disciples, Etherlords, HOMM5...). At least MOM does not have any successors. But HOMM3 has many wannabe successors that could not superate it, despite there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Some of the clones are Ok. HOMM 5 started bad in vanilla, but after two expansions that fixed several gameplay issues is a good game. But not as good as HOMM3. The thing is that, despite existing HOMM5, I sometimes come back to HOMM3.
Looks like HOMM6 is reinventing the wheel and somehow I feel this won't end well...
But for some reason your customers ask this in your own forum and stay in it. This means something also
I don't like HoMM3 that much, some of the hero skills are pretty useless, spells and magic schools are unbalanced, items are boring (HoMM2 items with HoMM3 slot system would be much better), and somehow I prefer the "look and feel" of HoMM2 (but maybe it's for sentimental reasons, because it was the first installment in the series that I played).
HoMM5 isn't bad, the skill system is particularly interesting. But if you compare its graphics and interface with King's Bounty: The Legend (or Armored Princess), you'll see which is better (or ask Hortz )
(sorry for posting almost the same as in the AoW forum, but I suppose most people from here don't read that one)
For now it isn't. But I hope it will be on Steam really soon, it was supposed to be there "near the end of this month".
It's fine and well YOU find it boring, I was just pointing out the aspects that I find fun and enjoyable, no need to get your panties in a twist. sheesh, some people just takes things too personal.
Which is why HOMM3 could still have been improved, and why HOMM series has a lot of potential, that sadly has not been fully developed in HOMM5 and will definitely not be developen in HOMM6, which looks like an step backwards.
And yes, KB graphics are soooooo pretty
Elemental isn't 'bad' I'm only playing AOW because of the slowdown issue with Elemental. Once that's fixed I'll be back to Elemental. Everyone keeps praising how awesome AOW and MOM is but now that I've had a chance to replay and refresh my memory of them sure they have some nifty things about them but they also have some glaring balance issues as well that haven't been rectified to this day.
Thanks for posting about those mods Pawels I'll have a look at the dwiggs rebalance one and see if that makes the game less of a pushover.
Dominions 3 is the cream of the crop in my opinion. So deep, each game can be completely different if you want it to be. Just a gem.
Maybe it was a conspiracy to release Elemental in it's current state to increase sales of all the other games listed in this thread.
I'm sure there must have been somewhat of an increase in sales for these other games in the past few weeks. Shrapnel games had a promotion on their website for Dominion 3 when Elemental released. Wish it would have lasted longer or that I took advantage of it.
They have a new one now, if you check their website. Save $6 on the purchase of Dominions 3.
I'd say someone from their website must be reading this one!
Hmm... I don't know... how about $10 off?
Holy crap, good call!
I've played Avernum 3 through 6 and while it's rough around the edges (graphics would be ghastly by 1999 standards and inventory management is still crappy) these are true pinnacles of indie gaming. A small shop that puts out high quality, old sk00l RPGs that are incredibly flexible and addictive. Well assuming you don't want to play a solo character on torment difficulty
I played HOMM V again for a few hours this past weekend. It's enjoyable, I don't really have any complaints about it, but it just leaves me wanting to play something much larger or more epic. I have both of the King's Bounty, Legend and AP, but haven't put much time into them.
Dominions 3 still has my curiosity. One possible negative for me is that I prefer SP so I've been slightly concerned where I've been reading about people saying MP is where the game is really fun.
I was looking to see if Kohan was available digitally. Looks like the only place you can buy it online (digitally) is directly through TimeGate Studios - http://www.timegate.com/store/. The Kohan Warchest is available for $20. Just wish it was through Steam or Impulse instead of Digital River.
I only play Dom 3 as single player, and it's a lot of fun for me It has the best AI I've ever seen in a single-player strategy game (and I've played many, including 90% of the games listed in this thread). Unless you are some kind of strategy savant, you'll get your butt kicked by the AI for quite a while At some point, you'll be better than the AI, but you'll have gotten your money's worth by then. And then you can try multi-player if you want, or the various mods.
Birthright: Gorgon's Alliance is an old fantasy TBS with some optional RPG elements. It's a computer version of the Birthright setting for Dungeons and Dragons TRPG.
Fall from Heaven fantasy TBS mod for Civilization 4 is so good it's worth bying Civilization 4 just because of that mod. It's definitely better than Elemental in that state.
I had no trouble with the AI at all. Game mechanics is tricky and it may take a while to be accustomed to it, so if you were just playing randomly in your first games instead of picking some decent strategy and sticking to it, you may have had some trouble. But that's just your weakness, not an AI strength. I saw nothing of note in Dom 3 AI. I think the latest Civilization 4: Beyond the Sword AI is much better.
It's currently on sale for $23.
King's Bounty Gold Editionhttp://www.impulsedriven.com/products/ESD-IMP-W372
That makes me feel better. As long as the AI puts up a decent fight I'll be happy.
I like eshalon books 1 & 2 (both available on Impulse) they are great games that are Solo turn based RPG stratagy type games, That don't hold your hand.. you have to really get into them and Play the game.. Death is Game Over.. start again.. none of this Cyotee and road runner stuff where you just keep comming back for more.. You can Save your Games, Both have a plot/Story line.
Another option is the lastest from Stardock. "Elemental" I've yet to get it but i will eventually... it is a turn based game that supports up to 16 players from what i've read. Its looking Different and great, I'd have prefered realistic Graphics but apart from that what iv'e seen looks great
I had the impression that Birthright was very buggy and unbalanced (rather like Elemental) and never really got fixed (hopefully not like Elemental). A cursory play of something (a demo?) reinforced this conclusion so I never played it further.
Am I wrong about Birthright? Should I be trying it out? It certainly sounded like a game that should interest me.
The saddest thing is that I bought Elemental which got my interest up agani for TBS games and because of the current state of the game, I've ended up playing GalCiv2 and the Dune Civ4 mod instead.
I dunno man, i've heard bad things about that "Elemental" game. Maybe in a couple of months it might be good but for now its a buggy mess and the developers haven't said anything since they went on break on Saturday.
Actually, they did make a few posts since Saturday. Brad, for example, posted from his vacation location. "Elemental" is a little "green", but on my system it's not a "buggy mess". Like with all Stardock games, there will be many updates and content patches over the next few weeks, months and years.
It's also possible to play more than one game at a time, especially since there are so few fantasy TBS titles coming out anymore.
First off, I'd like to say that Elemental is a great game. Due to its being an indie game, it was my thought these forums would contain a very high concentration of intelligent gamers. By reading these posts as well as the in-depth analysis of possible Elemental improvements, I have been proven right. So it says a lot about Stardock, that I believe the opinions of their forum members is so valuable.
Anyways, I'm still playing/addicted to Avernum 6 right now. The graphics may be a little weak, this is true. However, at no point has the graphics ever detracted from my gaming experience. The same cannot be said for many AAA games, where their top-of-the-line graphics engine at times actually causes problems, ranging from bad clipping to annoying camera angles. There are also some things where Avernum's graphics are better than many other games. For instance, loot dropped on the ground actually has an image. Avernum 6 is such an amazingly fun game to play. I urge everyone here that enjoys old school baldurs gate, party based rpgs to give it a try. Yeah, the graphics will slap you in the face at first. But then you will realize something:
Great gameplay makes the game, there is no substitute.
I honestly get the feeling that some of these larger studios get all of the pieces together (graphics department, programming department, audio dep. etc. etc. etc.) then try to make a technically awesome game. But the gameplay is considered last. It is a pity that a large studio won't buy the rights to redo Avernum series with the only change being graphics. That way the masses would actually try it and be introduced to good games. With all of its glitter and prettyness, Neverwinter Nights never felt like an improvement over baldurs gate.
This is why we are all here and being understanding of Stardock and release difficulties of Elemental. Stardock wants to create great games for us, when every other studio writes us off as not worthwhile. By "us" I mean the gamers here that demand great gameplay.
I'm one of the testers on Basilisk Games Eschalon series, nice games. Friends with the developer.
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