Pre-Ordering and Payment

I think you are charged as soon as you are able to download it from impulse. So you'll probably be charged at the start of beta 1 (early September). Not sure exactly how the box option works, but thats how it worked for GC2:ToA.

I think they charge you when beta starts. 

They are correct.  With Demigod you were charged when beta started.  Elemental will be the same.

To add to the posters above: If you are not ordering from overseas you should get the box on the day it is released.

thank you

that would explain it not showing up in my games that i own category of impulse then.

ok, so if i preordered it today, when the beta starts, ill be charged? i would think they should wait until its released before charging. that doesnt make any sense to me.

You gain access to the game -- even if in beta form -- so yes, you pay.

Yes you are charged in theory. as the funds will dissapear from your account for at least 1 week. Impulse does a check to see if the funds are there.

They do charge you straight away but they cancel the ticket and do the full charge when the game is released.

When I preordered. it said I won't be charged until the game is released, No mention of getting charged for the beta.

so, they would withdraw the funds, check there their, and then put them back? thats dumb. since ive preordered the game and will be buying it when it comes out then they shouldnt charge anything until the full game is relased. im not getting charged for a half done game, thats rediculous.

Please try to avoid spreading innacurate information.  Impulse does a check to see if the funds are there.  Your bank may place a hold on the funds in question for a period of time, but that has nothing to do with Impulse!

I don't remember the exact terms in question, but the normal process of a transaction goes as follows:

1. You enter your card info.

2. The company asks your bank 'does this account have the funds to cover a transaction of "XYZ" amount?

3.  The bank answers.

4.  THe company then charges your account the ammount in question.

Because step three is almost always followed by step 4, the banks put a hold on the funds in question until the charge comes through, or until a pre-defined period (usually less than 48 hours) has passed.  But since Impulse is only concerned with checking that your payment information is correct, step 4 never occurs and you have to wait for the hold period to lapse, or talk to your bank.

Yeah, that would be dumb... if that's what they're doing!  Pleave give SD a little credit.  If something sounds that dumb, you might want to double check the information you're being given.  Sometime's it's true (EA's fascination with DRM comes to mind...) but sometimes it isn't.

You aren't getting 'merely' a half done game; you are getting the opportunity to have a say in the design process, an opportunity to be involved in the production of a game.  If you aren't interested, just don't pre-order.  That's your choice.  SD has a very clear, and fair, policy.  If you don't care for it, you don't have to give them your money... and they don't have to give you your game.

Indignation because of being charged for beta? Nobody owes you the privilege of being involved in the development process. 

Well even I have to admit being "CHARGED" to participate in a BETA is a bit far fetched and rediculous. I mean seriously it's very easy to put $40 in a new checking account. Wait for all this bs to pass and then just draw the dam $40 out and close the account. They aren't going to know the funds have been removed until they try to process the pre-order a 2nd time around. Thus they should just let everybody participate in the beta for nothing, BUT, nobody gets a free game out of it for doing so. This way those that like it can buy it and those that don't won't be out $40 bucks.

Why should Stardock let you play their game for free? Beta is not a demo. 

You obviously know nothing about BETA then. lmao. Betas have always been free to play. I've played them since the mid 80's and never paid to play one yet.

Usually betas have some sort of way of limiting the number of  people playing.  Either by drawing, being invite only, or  something similar.   Its becoming increasingly popular to have it tied to some sort of purchase  to be included in the beta.  Dawn of War 2, for example, gave beta invites  to all who purchased the last Dawn of War expansion.  Blizzard was giving Beta invites  to people who attended BlizzCon.  

You arn't paying for the Beta.  Thats why you can't be refunded for the Beta.  (you can only get refunded for a problem with the  retail)  you are buying the game...  since  you let them withdraw the funds early, you get a beta invite (provided you do so before the cut-off time)

Well, SD beta aren't usual betas. It is more alpha since lots of code is not yet. For example, the first GC2 was near one year before the retail release date and was more about engine testing than gameplay. So expects of lots of missing functionnality or bugs. Like Bras said in that thread https://forums.elementalgame.com/361549 SD beta = Agony. SD beta aren't about polishing a product. They are more baout ensuring that the shape the product will take is correct. As Brad had said few years ago, it was the beta testers that introduce the idea of starbase in GC1 during the beta as the game wasn't fun enough.

And since SD want users to give them input to mold the product, they need a way to ensure that only interested people (and not troll) will participate in the beta in order to have MEANINGFUL feedback. Charging when preordering people get the beta is a way to ensure that.

BTW, you aren't forced to participate in the beta. And as long as you haven't downloaded the beta, you can cancel your preorder without any penalty and get your money back in case you bank account was charged.

When IS the BETA BTW?

yeah, i understand what your saying, but no where in the preorder info or anywhere else does it mention that ill be charged for beta, it just says that ill be charged for the game when its released. i understand that  by participating in the beta ,ill be allowed access to it, but preordering a game means you dont have to pay till its relaeased. idk, i just think it should have been mentioned somewhere. anyways PCE

I've said before that they need to be clearer about what is going on, since people have the idea from other companies that "pre-order" means you don't pay until release.

What SD is doing isn't really a pre-order. It's an order. Terminology is fun that way sometimes.

If you're looking for a no-commitment trial rather than an active role in the game's development, we'd advise against preordering. We usually do demos after release, which may be more what you're looking for.

And where do you get this information that this is the way SD is doing the "pre-order"? I see you talking but I don't see any documentation.

Well, you should look at this page

https://www.elementalgame.com/purchase.asp

You can't have full refund for a beta. This means that money is taken when you get access to the beta. But Stardock knows if you have downloaded a beta or not. If you haven't downloaded the beta, you can get all your money back since you haven't got anything from SD.

Multiple pre-order experiances with the company?

Sins of a Solar Empire, Demigod, GalCiv II ToA (I wasn't really active there, though, more foused on Sins as I recall), and now Elemental, I've been in lots of betas with SD.