Fine line between greatness and POS

Just edit the XML to mod it to your heart's desire! So easy that a caveman can do it!!

It looks like a couple of them might have already taken a whack at it Surly

Why don't you just ask for a refund?

Lets see your Dxdiag, see how "high end" your system is, we might even catch some obvious driver errors that might be causing issues.

Grease your cursor and stop alt-tabbing.

While Elemental was certainly released before it was really finished, here's how I see it: I could buy it now, and have a half broken game to fiddle around with while they finish it and turn it into a great game in a couple of months.  Or, they could have taken a couple of months to really polish it and release it then.  Either way, I'll have a great game in a couple of months, but at least now I have something to mess around with if I want that option.

Other developers usually never fix a game that gets pushed out the door too early by either them or the publisher.  For them, a too-early release is a death sentence for the game.  Stardock supports their games better than any company I've ever seen, so a premature release isn't nearly as bad.  In my mind, it's more like them letting me play the game while they finish it.  Because of their reputation, I'm confident that they'll do a good job, so I'm not going to get worked up about its currently very-rough state.

I'd agree with your wholeheartedly if this were a bargain or indie-priced game... not something that's supposedly ready according to Brad (while not being the case) while set at a AAA pricepoint.

Except that there was better approach. They could have release game later (like half year later) yet allow everyone to participate in beta, like they did anyway. I mean, there is no difference, current version of the game still plays like beta, with all crashes imbalances and horrible late game. So what was the point to release it? I see only negatives - customers feel betrayed, low scores, etc, and no positives.

I was in beta test, and while I like SD in general, I think that they have screw up here.

At the same time they did NOT screw me up, it does not matter for me if the game is released or in beta stage - I payed money well in advance, and in my mind I still consider it beta. But they DID screw up themselves and all customers who thought that they are getting quality product at the release (since I was in beta, I did not think that release will be polished or even stable), and not much later. Oh, I am sure, that in half year the game will be interesting to play, we just have to wait, but there is no question in my mind that the release is a mistake for them, they should have been released the game much later.

Oh, well, everyone makes mistakes. As long as SD committed to the game (and it looks they are) for me it is fine. It is just there are lots of players who are turned off by the initial impression or will not buy game at all because of the bad press. So SD will be probably less motivated in future to develop this game. And THIS is bad.

i agree with empyrean.  The game is done whenever its done.  However, this way i have something to play around with now while i wait for them to finish it.

It'll cost you 50 bucks now, or 50 bucks six months from now when it's a much better game.  Actually with an earlier release it'll probably hit the bargain bin that much sooner, if you're really concerned about the pricing from a customer perspective.

I'm indifferent to whether it's release or beta.  They'll be working to improve it either way.  I'm not going to speak for everyone, who (like you point out) might be off-put by the reviews, but rather I was just talking about my own personal feelings on the matter.  I think you're right and you make good points about other gamers and the press, but speaking just for myself I don't mind one way or the other.

It's def got problems but MY problems aren't as bad as the OP's problems:  I have a 285 GTX, an old 32x bit system with 3.2 gigs of ram posted, and an old slightly o'clocked Q6600..but it still runs pretty well most of the time, no crashes now at all (I dont alt-tab so I couldnt tell you if it's still doing that) and I've quite enjoyed breeding my children...er..I mean..*cough*

This is exactly how I feel about the matter.

You know, it's kind of sad that I'm so much of a 4x fanboy that I've actually been looking at doing bugfixes like that myself.  Have you looked at those XML files, though?  The maze of InternalNames and DisplayNames spanning across a dozen files just to do one thing.. It's no wonder things are so broken.  The sad thing is that since there doesn't seem to have been a cleanup pass through the whole thing since Beta 1, it's hard to tell what was broken on accident vs. on purpose.

If only I could xml-mod away unit shrinkage, mouse jitter and frequent crashes.. I'd be all over that!

Modding the XML just change the gameplay rule and stat but not going to change or fix bugs and other problem.

I have yet to get a gameplay crash - got 1.5k turns into my longest game (8 ai on tiny, many tense moments) aside from 1 alt-tab crash.  I alt-tab often as well.  The select thing I think I've gotten several times, the game has trouble updating selection at times (most noticeably when a new unit goes into a selected city.  Need to reselect)

i don't understand why these threads keep getting made, its the same crap over and over again.  why not just go into someone elses bitch thread and show your distaste there? why make yet another thread that says the same crap? i know these people see them on the boards, just go in there and stop crowding up the forums. 

Oh, and the answer to your question is "because any bitch thread that develops momentum is locked or deleted by the forum mods".

Also, I gots me an avatar nao!

well i guess you got me bob with your role reversal special move.  i guess i'll just drop the tough guy act, and go back to offering soothing ointment to all the butt hurt masses.

Ok you are everywhere with these same types of posts....not helpful and just basically disruptive.

Do you see these kinds of posts flooding Blizzard or Bioware forums? No because they release finished products, maybe people don't like something about the game but they're not arguing about the release state at least no where near the quantity you see here and good god just take a step over into the paradox forums for Hearts of iron 3 and even a year later the discussion is still going on.

Here it is, very simply for everyone, it is absolutly possible to release finished polished software, even games, especially games, imagine if the ILS application on a commercial plane didnt work. So it begs the question what is happening that were getting software released to us that is in pretty poor shape. especially from a developer alot of us pretty much "love" for his DRM stance, great AI programming, and genuine love of games.

Alot of us just feel let down, need to vent, and want to be held by Brad and have him tell us he'll never hit us again!!!

OK Bob, not as creepy as this guy.

Is that even remotely constructive?  Sheesh.

yeah rune, i gotta agree with you there lol.