When will the updates stop?

from Elemental Forums

I  have  a  love-hate (well  not  hate-  more like  love-frustration), relationship  with Elemental.

My  question  is:

How  long of a  time-frame  do  you  think  the  developers  will continue to  update  the game AFTER  the  bugs  are  fixed? Besides crashing  and  still some  slow-downs  deep  into a  game; there  are  still  many unbalancing, graphical, and game play  issues- not  to  mention, adding  better  content and  additional  game elements. I know  it  sounds like  a cheap  girlfriend (lol),  but what  do  you  think- how far   are they  willing  to  go before the paid  add-ons  begin? 

elemental
36,287 views 27 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Not for a long time. At least a year, but likely a lot longer than that.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

I said this in another thread, but this is a good place to reiterate.

 

As a good faith gesture, SD needs to commit to a longer support cycle.

The year of updates that Stardock has committed to this project should begin once they get the game stabilized, polish the UI and overly rough edges, and get the game to a level that is somewhat balanced.

 

 

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

I do not see them releasing a paid add-on before Q2 2011. They will certainly need the rest of 2010 to get things here ship shape. Until then (Q2 1011) and after that as well, I am sure there will be plenty of updates. But of course that's just my take

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Probably forever.  They're still updating Galciv2 and that's five years old.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RAT

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

It will be a long, long time. I get the feeling a few years. I mean, they aren't developing ANY other games for at LEAST a year so that they can update, and tweak Elemental. This is Brad's baby, and it's not going away any time soon.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5
Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RAT
In much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting IBNobody, reply 2
I said this in another thread, but this is a good place to reiterate.

 

As a good faith gesture, SD needs to commit to a longer support cycle.



The year of updates that Stardock has committed to this project should begin once they get the game stabilized, polish the UI and overly rough edges, and get the game to a level that is somewhat balanced.

 

 

 

They didn't commit a year. They committed at least a year. Labors of love tend to push longer than expected.

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Probably forever. They're still updating Galciv2 and that's five years old.

 

the last patch is quite old and the supposed coming additions are nothing but a promise (still!).

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7

Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

And like any good Garden, once the Seed is planted, only the patience gardener will reap the benefits. While the negative Nancies will get tired of weeding (a requirement of any productive garden) and simply give up and buy their garden in a bag...

 

 

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting charon2112, reply 4
Probably forever.  They're still updating Galciv2 and that's five years old.

hm? last update on galciv2 Twillight is from 8/9/2009. Brad just said that he MIGHT tinker a bit on GalCiv2 AFTER Elementals critical phase - and who know when that might end!

 

I wouldn't call that "still updating". It is more likely that after Elementals life cycle (lot of updates, content upgrades, then around 1-2 expansions) we see GalCiv3.

 

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

Content-wise,  how  far  will they  go or do you  want  them  to  go? In other words,  do  you  think  they'll simple  add on or  even  replace, etc?

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7

Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

 

How ridiculous, and inaccurate.  A better analogy is ordering dressing ON the salad and having them accidentally put it on the side.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting John_Hughes, reply 10

Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7
Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

And like any good Garden, once the Seed is planted, only the patience gardener will reap the benefits. While the negative Nancies will get tired of weeding (a requirement of any productive garden) and simply give up and buy their garden in a bag...

 

 
No no, they both paid for a garden in a bag, one just got what they paid for.
Quoting charon2112, reply 13

Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7
Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

 

How ridiculous, and inaccurate.  A better analogy is ordering dressing ON the salad and having them accidentally put it on the side.
How is that any better an analogy? It's more like getting the salad and being told that my dressing should arrive in time, possibly 6 months. Who's to say that I'll ever want a salad as bad as I wanted a salad then? Who's to say that every time I think of salad from then on I won't fly into a fit of rage at the idea that I am still waiting for my dressing? The worst part is the waiter told me, not too long ago, that every customer has the unequivocal right to a properly dressed salad.

Then when I express discontentment, some small subset of the community treats me like I'm the one who did something wrong.

 

 

 

Even if you don't agree with the people who feel like they were sold a product that doesn't even exist yet, you should be able to see where they're coming from. 

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

I seem to recall Brad stating at some point they already had a two year plan mapped out. I'd say a five year plan would be better, but I suspect this is the wrong game for that.

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Archonsod, reply 15
I seem to recall Brad stating at some point they already had a two year plan mapped out. I'd say a five year plan would be better, but I suspect this is the wrong game for that.
I don't know, I think this game will be getting a lot of love five years from now. Stardock is really just saying that, for the first year where they were planning on releasing book II and it's seagoing adventures as a for pay expansion, they'll now be releasing it for free. Certainly some of the more advanced modifications that will be being made in five years will still be ongoing, and Stardock has a good track record as far as post release support is concerned. 

Reply #17 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 14

Quoting John_Hughes, reply 10
Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7
Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

And like any good Garden, once the Seed is planted, only the patience gardener will reap the benefits. While the negative Nancies will get tired of weeding (a requirement of any productive garden) and simply give up and buy their garden in a bag...

 

 No no, they both paid for a garden in a bag, one just got what they paid for.Quoting charon2112, reply 13
Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7
Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

 

How ridiculous, and inaccurate.  A better analogy is ordering dressing ON the salad and having them accidentally put it on the side.How is that any better an analogy? It's more like getting the salad and being told that my dressing should arrive in time, possibly 6 months. Who's to say that I'll ever want a salad as bad as I wanted a salad then? Who's to say that every time I think of salad from then on I won't fly into a fit of rage at the idea that I am still waiting for my dressing? The worst part is the waiter told me, not too long ago, that every customer has the unequivocal right to a properly dressed salad.

Then when I express discontentment, some small subset of the community treats me like I'm the one who did something wrong.

 

 

 

Even if you don't agree with the people who feel like they were sold a product that doesn't even exist yet, you should be able to see where they're coming from. 

 

I can't believe we've sunk to arguing about salad...

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

They better not stop updating the game until it's the fucking spiritual successor to MOM that we were promised.

I enjoy the game as it is now but I signed on as a MOM fan. I don't expect them to make a MOM clone but it should still scratch that same itch.

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

"Spiritual Successor" is a relative term.  

 

Spiritual Successor != remake or sequel

 

it just means they both involve magic.

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

Gal Civ 2 was aggressively supported for two- three years, with regular patches that addressed performance issues, significant game play and interface improvements, and two official expansions that significantly revitalized the game, with the final expansion resulting in almost an entirely new game (more like Gal Civ 2.75).

That's really the best, and only metric that need concern you.  If it doesn't reassure you, nothing else is going to.

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Clawdius_Talonious, reply 7

Quoting SqueekyRat, reply 5Probably for a long time. I have no problem with the constantly improving the game. This is a GOOD thing. The big issue is the initial state of the game was rather lackluster.

RATIn much the same way ordering a salad and being handed a pile of dirt with seeds planted in it is rather unappetizing.

... hehe

Reply #22 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting charon2112, reply 17
I can't believe we've sunk to arguing about salad...

No, no, you all have it wrong. It's more like ordering an italian sub (ham, salami, pepperoni, lettuce, italian dressing, various other vegetables), but instead you get a salad with italian dressing, some cold cuts, and a couple breadsticks. And then your friend, an accomplished modder - I mean, cook - leans over and points out that if you pile some of the salad and the cold cuts on the breadsticks you might have something approximating a sandwich. And then your other friend says, forget that, just eat the salad and we can stop by Civ5 - er, Subway - on the way home, perhaps when we come back next week this place will have better sandwiches. Meanwhile your third friend is trying to figure out why he wasn't given a fork and can't even eat his salad, apparently his OS and graphics card combine in a wierd way to produce a bug that ..

ah, hell, lost the analogy. I give up, Elemental is nothing like a salad.

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Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting John_Hughes, reply 10
And like any good Garden, once the Seed is planted, only the patience gardener will reap the benefits. While the negative Nancies will get tired of weeding (a requirement of any productive garden) and simply give up and buy their garden in a bag...
Damn, and here I thought I was buying a video game!

Reply #24 from Elemental Forums Top

Hmm, speaking of growing a garden ... I wonder how far along Wintersong's "Dying Sun" is going.

Reply #25 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Austinvn, reply 22

Quoting charon2112, reply 17I can't believe we've sunk to arguing about salad...

No, no, you all have it wrong. It's more like ordering an italian sub (ham, salami, pepperoni, lettuce, italian dressing, various other vegetables), but instead you get a salad with italian dressing, some cold cuts, and a couple breadsticks. And then your friend, an accomplished modder - I mean, cook - leans over and points out that if you pile some of the salad and the cold cuts on the breadsticks you might have something approximating a sandwich. And then your other friend says, forget that, just eat the salad and we can stop by Civ5 - er, Subway - on the way home, perhaps when we come back next week this place will have better sandwiches. Meanwhile your third friend is trying to figure out why he wasn't given a fork and can't even eat his salad, apparently his OS and graphics card combine in a wierd way to produce a bug that ..

ah, hell, lost the analogy. I give up, Elemental is nothing like a salad.
:lol:

I tried to think of a better analogy, but I think it was alright for short notice.