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Elemental Beta 1G will be this week

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Elemental Beta 1G will be this week

from JoeUser Forums

Last week we got bumped due to the ImpulseTV launch and the Sins of a Solar Empire update (both happened on Thursday which was our beta update).

So this Thursday we expect to release beta 1G.

Questions?

Q: Will it be fun?

A: No.

Q: Will it at least not cause my eyes to bleed?

A: No. It will still cause eye bleeding.

Q: What about the root kits? Does this beta get rid of the root kits?

A: No. Our malware requires the root kits to be installed.

Q: Does it at least quit uploading my .XLS files to a server in China?

A: Yes. It now only uploads .XLSX files and now it’s to “the cloud”.

Q: Okay then what IS new in this build?

A: Lots.

Q: Can you be more specific?

A: Yes.

Okay fine. Here are some high level details:

  • The Dynasty system framework is in. That is, you get married, have kids, and can arrange marries.
  • You can get spells.
  • The initial customization screens are in. So you now choose your sovereign or can create your own, choose your faction, or create your own, and can use points to customize your sovereign and facgtion.
  • The basic quest system is in.
  • All of the above are still very basic (i.e. the system is in but the assets will be continually added over the next several months).
  • Stability should be considerably better (I hope). Memory usage should be quite a bit better.
  • Altar tech tree is in (and they all use it).

Of course, the above involves hundreds of new small features and changes so it will seem quite a bit different.

Q: So when will it be fun?

A: It should be fun by Beta 3.  Buggy but fun.

Q: When is Beta 3 due?

A: April.

Q: What comes next?

A: Beta 2. The Multiplayer beta. That’s in March.

128,765 views 61 replies
Reply #26 from Stardock Forums Top

Erm, 'root kit uploading excel files to China'... That's a joke, right? :banhammer:

Reply #27 from Sins Forums Top

no, read the previous patchnotes they were doing far more worse things

i would also suggest to check you bank account asap

how do you think stardock gets the money for making the game?

A few notes about this update:

  1. The random video card overheating issue has not been addressed. As long as you don’t have an ATI or nVidia card you should be fine. Otherwise, please be prepared to replace your video card. We do expect to decrease the severity by Beta 3 (late Winter).
  2. The Boot Sector handle lock issue is addressed on 32-bit machines but not 64-bit. As a result, most 64-bit machines will likely still experience a hard lock that will require reinstallation of the OS.
  3. The uploading of .XLS files from users machines to our servers has been addressed in this build. However, .XLSX files are still being submitted.
  4. All .MPEG, .AVI, and .WMV files on a user’s machine are still being uploaded but .MOV files are no longer being uploaded to my computer.
  5. Random profanity strings being generated by the map generator have largely been taken care of.
  6. Keylogging of passwords fixed except when on the Internet.
  7. Rootkit updated to use less memory.

from beta 1B

 

First, a lot of bugs got fixed. There’s still a lot more to go at least but the CPU frying issue, the hard disk corruption issue, and of course the video card overheating problems have been mostly taken care of so we are pretty sure that the odds of the game physically damaging your computer are way down now (probably less than 1 out of 3).

Secondly, most of the profanity has been removed except from the technology descriptions and tool tips where we are still working to reduce that to a level where at least the expletives form a grammatically correct sentence.

Third, the root kit and spyware that beta 1 had in it has been mostly taken out. While the game loading will still make a complete file list of what is on your drive, it no longer uploads .xls and .doc files to our spam affiliate servers in Asia.  I know several people had mentioned or were concerned with seeing their personal photo albums and home budgets ending up on the net.  We are still looking into the issue of it submitting Quicken and MS Money data files to third-parties but we are hoping by Beta 2 that will be mostly resolved.

from beta 1A

SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme
Reply #28 from Elemental Forums Top

But it will still feature Stardock's patented "so awful it makes you claw your eyes out" technology, right? :grin:

Reply #29 from Stardock Forums Top

In that case: How the heck did they convinced even a single person to participate in the beta then?

It *is* a joke, and it's funny.

*_*

Reply #30 from Stardock Forums Top

Hehe, now I'm totally on buying into the beta as well :-)

Reply #31 from Elemental Forums Top

I can't wait to try tis version. It's been a while.

Reply #32 from Elemental Forums Top

can we get the update today hehe:grin: . grrr tired from waiting for thurdays.

Reply #33 from Elemental Forums Top

Landis: Yeah, I'm suprised of that myself. Our answer would be "1G is all those betas rolled together AND some" :)

Reply #34 from Elemental Forums Top

"Stability should be considerably better (I hope). Memory usage should be quite a bit better."

If I can get past my current 30 minutes to CTD I will be extra specail happy and ablr to hit the 40 tile City max. build size. LOL :)

Damn, I knew it was Beta withdrawal. Just the news of the impending Patch update has reduced my twitching... ;P :S o_O   :thumbsup:  

See.

 

Reply #35 from Elemental Forums Top

Reply #36 from Elemental Forums Top

Frogboy.is.such.a.tease!

Two days, two days, two days...

Reply #37 from Elemental Forums Top

Damn you frogboy, you sir are the cruelist of all!

GAH ima go gouge my eyes out as I ponder how long until such greatness is once again on my screen....

Reply #38 from Elemental Forums Top

Interesting..... am I the only one who notied a pair of small red scratch makes running down the left side of her face?

I've a feeling Winter was inspecting..... lower down.......

Reply #39 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Scoutdog, reply 38
I've a feeling Winter was inspecting..... lower down.......
Yes, that cursor was totally out of place. Unaware people could get the wrong idea that we can customize our own cursor!!8O

Reply #40 from Elemental Forums Top

Shame I am spending all my money on my new PC this month. :( I will have to wait till the official release to get to play. But thats okay it will be worth the wait and I will have a beefy rig to play it on. :D

Reply #41 from Elemental Forums Top

bleh it double posted...

Reply #42 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Scoutdog, reply 38
Interesting..... am I the only one who notied a pair of small red scratch makes running down the left side of her face?

I've a feeling Winter was inspecting..... lower down.......

 

I also noticed the scratches, although I think you mean the right side of her face.....our left.

Reply #43 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 33
Landis: Yeah, I'm suprised of that myself. Our answer would be "1G is all those betas rolled together AND some"

And Some Wish List: basic blazonry tool, basic item-making mechanics in the magic system, and champions with a Governing stat even if we can't yet have them make use of it.

Interesting..... am I the only one who notied a pair of small red scratch makes running down the left side of her face?

Looks like a scar to me. I can't find the thread quickly, but a bunch of us got really stoked by the idea of seeing grand battles reflected in actual scars on our champions.

I've just started the second volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, and there's a neat character named Davos Seaworth, called Davos Shorthand and the Onion Knight. The epithets are both related to his history as a smuggler who made a big career change by saving a noble's ass by getting a boatload of food (with onions as the 'fresh veggies') through a siege blockade. Seaworth ended up with a knight's blazon of his own featuring a black ship with an onion on the sail, but the lord he saved also felt obliged to punish the sailor for past crimes and took the last joint of the four fingers on his left hand.

Scars with sandbox-driven stories, that's what I want to see on my champions and sovereigns.

Reply #44 from Elemental Forums Top

Scars... Now that is something I can get enthousiastic about. :thumbsup:  

Reply #45 from Elemental Forums Top

I've just started the second volume of A Song of Ice and Fire

Read slooooooooowly. :annoyed:

 

Reply #46 from Elemental Forums Top

I also noticed the scratches, although I think you mean the right side of her face.....our left.
Her right, or left. I refer to all images/movies using the viewer's frame of reference.

Reply #47 from Elemental Forums Top

Her right, or left. I refer to all images/movies using the viewer's frame of reference

Stop quibbling, lad. Given your obvious, if youthful, brainpower, it's almost harder to read than your regular statements of unjustified certainty. Put your spiked-leather-clad, square-monacle-using brain to the important business of arguing about the fundamental abstractions and generalizations for Elemental. You might well do more for the game than most of us typing around here.

And start reading more 'epic fantasy' novels if you haven't already. The more Elemental beta folks who understand LotR, WoT, Goodkind's Seeker stuff (which I dislike despite trying hard to like), and Martin's Song of Ice and Fire (which I like very much), the better the discussions will be.

Reply #48 from Elemental Forums Top

ok its the 25th.. where is it, lemme at it...?! :)

Reply #49 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GW, reply 47

And start reading more 'epic fantasy' novels if you haven't already. The more Elemental beta folks who understand LotR, WoT, Goodkind's Seeker stuff (which I dislike despite trying hard to like), and Martin's Song of Ice and Fire (which I like very much), the better the discussions will be.

 

. . .I . . .agree? I'm not really sure what to say to something this. . .well put, on the internet.

 

As it stands, I eagerly await Beta 2.

Reply #50 from Elemental Forums Top

Too busy. I simply haven't the time to be interesting or insightful.... much less read anything..... mark my words, I'll be back.....