thanks for replying brad..

can i ask the question, if it hasnt been answered before, but are you doing all the AI for FE or is someone else helping you?

And also is there a requirement that the AI achieve a certain level of ability before FE goes gold? Would this push back release?

Brad has said in another thread that this is the case.

You can't expect the CEO to reply to every comment somebody makes, especially when he's already answered the question. You can wish for it, you can hope for it, but it's not going to happen. Frogboy will respond when he feels he wants to.

Besides, their tactic for FE is "show, don't tell". They don't want the judgement of the game to be based on forum comments. They want to make a great game, and let people judge that. So saying something like ... " replying promptly with direct and concrete responses go a long way to remedying peoples criticism and critiques.. " is just missing the point.

I think you are partially right, but it still won't change the fact that he's never going to respond to every question asked. Saying he should "answer any possible queries/criticisms/worries/technical problems for (potential) customers of Elemental" is just unrealistic, and it's not part of how they market the game. Their community involvement is, as you say, intended both to gauge the community reactions towards things, and to give off the air of being more intimate with their customers. It's NOT, nor will it ever be, to instil a sense of certainty in their customers. And I think that's where you are wrong in your analysis of the hypocrisy of both posting bits of information, and saying that the product will be where judgement should fall. They aren't intended to give a clear outline of the game that is definitive, because the game is still in development. Take the AI posts, for example - Brad posts about issues that he encounters, and what is being done to overcome them. The players love it, because it gives an insight into his thought process behind the development, and not because it tells them definitively what it is going to be like to play the game. So, as crude as it sounds, you are STILL missing the point of those posts - if you too had read them, you would clearly notice that they are trying to avoid such definite statements on purpose because it led to a lot of disappointments in E:wom when different things changed.

And let me repeat, he has already answered your questions elsewhere.

And as for the cancer comment, I am pretty sure everyone on this forum has probably had a friend or family member that has had cancer. My girlfriend went through cancer recently and you know what? If we couldn't laugh about it, it would have been alot harder to deal with. It's fine if you can't joke about it, but please let the rest of us have our fun at cancer's expense. 

And if Brad acted more professional, like other game CEO's, we would literally never see him. He would be in the Bahamas sipping on gin and juice. There might be a trailer or two of the game up on the website, but that would be all we would know about the game. Think of this community as a glass house Mr. Darkhour. Please leave your stones at the door. 

Heavenfall, where do you think that brad went wrong with ewom? Is it that he listened too much or too little to the community? Or perhaps it was both? I just like the community had real issues that were never addressed in the beta. Legitimate concerns that were never replied to in posts or pm. Fair enough for a CEO to not respond to questions and pm's, but imo when you ARE the voice of stardock in the forum community (and do post a hell of a lot), you have an obligation to not debate every possible idea with the community (which remains a catalyst for uncertainty, no definitive structure and failure -ewom), but "answer any possible queries/criticisms/worries/technical problems for (potential) customers of Elemental". I still believe you are being ignorant to the fact that brad's comments have indicated that FE is far superior to EWOM, if it doesn't succeed then stardock have no place making games etc.. If that doesn't say that FE will be definitively awesome, then i dont know what will convince you. The cancer comments are sarcasm at best, but no-one believes them.. really..

As I also said above Linque. I am merely at fault of being a paying customer who tried to help during EWOM's beta, defended stardock against others, then found out no-one at stardock listened or replied to criticisms or critiques, only fanboy posts/ideas. I was bitterly disappointed, but refused to howl down stardock for refunds etc.. (like others did) believing they would fix the issues with patches first and then FE next.. No.. i dont mind others telling me the answers or anyone at stardock.. just a link to the post in question would suffice because i read most if not all of brads posts in the diaries and sneak peak forums. I dont need to get over myself, i just want someone at stardock to make me a happy customer. 

If you want professional indie = look at paradox. I've been real impressed with Derek's professionalism though and hope that this is a step in the right direction for stardock. Really his appointment is the only thing holding me on to stardock as a customer.

I agree.  Part of the fun of strategy games is the random starting location, and what you do with it, good or not.  So you spawn 3 tiles away from a level 20 dragon lair...how are you going to deal with it?  Restart?  Catastrophic defeat on turn 7?  Become the dragon's friend and dominate the world? 

Having choices when facing adversity is what can make a strategy game really fun.