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Elemental: Fallen Enchantress takes Stardock’s fantasy strategy game in a new direction

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Elemental: Fallen Enchantress takes Stardock’s fantasy strategy game in a new direction

from JoeUser Forums

 

PLYMOUTH, MI - January 11, 2011 Stardock released the details of the next chapter in its Elemental fantasy strategy game world.  Elemental: Fallen Enchantress includes an all-new battle system, more sophisticated spell casting, an updated economic system, new game mechanics, more creatures, quests and much more.

Elemental: Fallen Enchantress will be released as a stand-alone game but will be free to all players who purchased Elemental: War of Magic in 2010 and will be heavily discounted for anyone who purchases Elemental: War of Magic prior to Fallen Enchantress’s anticipated Summer 2011 release.

Elemental is a strategy game in which players build a kingdom from the ground up in a shattered fantasy world. Players build cities, raise armies, research technologies, learn magical spells, go on quests, recruit heroes, negotiate treaties, learn spells, build a family dynasty and more.

In Fallen Enchantress players will be able to explore the world of Elemental and discover a wide range of unique locations, including dangerous wild lands that can’t be settled until they are conquered.  There are areas like the Bhinadmi Fissure, a massive chasm that spawns demons and earth elementals, until a player goes to the edge and challenges the elemental lord that dwells within.

These undiscovered lands contain new characters and creatures: from the tragic Butchermen who wander the lands around Red Springs trying to pass their curse off to another victim, to Morian the Ruin of Summer, who was once a powerful nature elemental who has been driven mad by the Cataclysm and the destruction of his forests.

Derek Paxton, lead designer for Fallen Enchantress, said, “In Fallen Enchantress we wanted to focus on exploring the world outside your kingdom’s borders.  The world isn’t empty and waiting to be settled, it is dangerous and needs to be conquered.  There are unique locations with their own history and guardians; monsters settled in their lairs and vast wild land areas that offer their own challenges and rewards.  There will be areas the player would do well to avoid for most of the game until he builds an army that is able to conquer them.”

To face these new challenges, Fallen Enchantress adds a host of spells and magical equipment.  Sacrifice a champion to summon a powerful demon in battle, envelop an entire enemy kingdom in the icy grip of winter or open a gateway to a shadow world that dark creatures can come through.  Players can also recruit champions who specialize in different types of magic and outfit them with magical equipment they create, recover from monster lairs or earn through quests.

 “Fallen Enchantress brings the world of Elemental alive.  Don’t expect many of your scouts to return, but those that are daring, lucky or strong enough to survive will be rewarded for their journey,” concluded Paxton.

Stardock has brought in additional talent in recent weeks to aid in the development of Fallen Enchantress including Jon Shafer, lead designer of Civilization V and Sci-Fi/Fantasy author David Stern to aid in the in-game lore.

Elemental: Fallen Enchantress is expected to be released in the Summer of 2011. It will be free to those who purchased Elemental: War of Magic in 2010 and be available at a significant discount for those who purchase War of Magic.

About Stardock

Stardock is one of the world’s leading developers and publishers of PC games and desktop software.  Its PC games include Sins of a Solar Empire as well as the Galactic Civilizations series. Its desktop software includes Object Desktop, WindowBlinds, and a host of other programs for customizing the Windows experience.  Its software can be found on most new Dell PCs as well as HP and other PC makers.  Learn more about Stardock by visiting www.stardock.com. 

www.elementalgame.com

 

Abeix Ceresa
189,031 views 101 replies
Reply #51 from Elemental Forums Top

Really smart move. 

Reply #52 from Elemental Forums Top

                                                       'Sacrifice'Posted ImageAwesome

Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #53 from Elemental Forums Top

Sounds awesome!  I have a question, will these new areas and elements like the Fissure and Red Springs and such be randomized in sandbox game maps, or are they only part of a campaign?

Reply #54 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm a bit confused as to why this is going to be a stand alone expansion.  So if I wanted to play a vanillla game of Elemental, I'll have to load up Elemental, but if I want to play the expansion, I have to start it up.  SO in a sense I'll have two Elemental games, or will the expansion somehow register itself in Elemental so I only have to start up one to play both?  Or will the Expansion feature all the same things from Vanilla, so in a sense makes it obsolete?

Reply #55 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting xStarfirex, reply 50
"Elemental: Fallen Enchantress will be released as a stand-alone game"


As in you don't need Elemental to play it? Seems like a smart move if this means you can get the game to be reviewed all over again. That is a smart move aslong as the game continues improveing at a rapid pace

That's one possibility, although expansion packs traditionally get their own review in the gaming press.  I think it's more a matter of appealing to new customers who would likely find it more attractive to buy a standalone expansion rather than buying the original game plus the expansion.  There's probably a practical reason behind it, too: if they're really making such sweeping changes then it may be easier from a development standpoint to approach the expansion as if it's a new game rather than trying to extend the current game without breaking things.

Reply #56 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wizaerd, reply 54
Or will the Expansion feature all the same things from Vanilla, so in a sense makes it obsolete?

Yes.

Reply #57 from Elemental Forums Top

If I hadn't been a believer, I'd be one. I bought Elemental despite having a totally underpowered PC. Alas, I couldn't play the game yet. But the investment was still worth it - the game is being improved all the time and now this. Yes, Stardock remains at the front of my PC gaming (The only thing I really want to play on a PC is turn-based strategy games).

Reply #58 from Elemental Forums Top

You can't play it on cloth map? You must have a really old PC.

Reply #59 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wizaerd, reply 54
I'm a bit confused as to why this is going to be a stand alone expansion.  So if I wanted to play a vanillla game of Elemental, I'll have to load up Elemental, but if I want to play the expansion, I have to start it up.  SO in a sense I'll have two Elemental games, or will the expansion somehow register itself in Elemental so I only have to start up one to play both?

Or will the Expansion feature all the same things from Vanilla, so in a sense makes it obsolete?

:\

If the expansion features all of "Vanilla" then vanilla is not obsolete.

-.-

Reply #60 from Elemental Forums Top

WTF!  Kael and Toby, you've ruined Elemental!  How the fuck could you think these are good changes! 

 

Just kidding, looks great to me, can't wait.  Just wanted to have a psychotic rant that included Toby.

Reply #61 from Elemental Forums Top

If the expansion features all of "Vanilla" then vanilla is not obsolete.

If the expansion features the same gameplay elements from the main Elemental game, then yes the vanilla game is obsolete, as in I'll never click on the elemental.exe to start and play the game.  But then in a sense I'll have two copies of Elemental on my computer, which I'm not overly crazy about either.  Can we then uninstall and delete the original Elemental?

Reply #62 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wizaerd, reply 54
I'm a bit confused as to why this is going to be a stand alone expansion.  So if I wanted to play a vanillla game of Elemental, I'll have to load up Elemental, but if I want to play the expansion, I have to start it up.  SO in a sense I'll have two Elemental games, or will the expansion somehow register itself in Elemental so I only have to start up one to play both?  Or will the Expansion feature all the same things from Vanilla, so in a sense makes it obsolete?

 

Well, that's what I was also thinking, or maybe the second "expansion" (since the "first" could not really be called an expansions since it's a stand alone) will bring back together the War of magic and Fallen enchantress :).

Reply #63 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Lord, reply 60
WTF!  Kael and Toby, you've ruined Elemental!  How the fuck could you think these are good changes! 

 

Just kidding, looks great to me, can't wait.  Just wanted to have a psychotic rant that included Toby.

 

I've been longing for the hate...

Reply #64 from Elemental Forums Top

To face these new challenges, Fallen Enchantress adds a host of spells and magical equipment.  Sacrifice a champion to summon a powerful demon in battle, envelop an entire enemy kingdom in the icy grip of winter or open a gateway to a shadow world that dark creatures can come through.  Players can also recruit champions who specialize in different types of magic and outfit them with magical equipment they create, recover from monster lairs or earn through quests.

You mean we can create/craft magical items?? finally!!

Wonder what that bit about champions means? I thought champions had no spell books of their own but whatever the sovereign had (within INT limits)

Spells are from the design a spell contest?

 

lemental: Fallen Enchantress includes an all-new battle system, more sophisticated spell casting, an updated economic system, new game mechanics, more creatures, quests and much more.

All-new battle system - initiative based system? 

More sophisticated spell casting - wonder what this one is?

An updated economic system - bah

new game mechanics - er.. might as well just say "new stuff" 

 

 

Reply #65 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wizaerd, reply 61

If the expansion features all of "Vanilla" then vanilla is not obsolete.
If the expansion features the same gameplay elements from the main Elemental game, then yes the vanilla game is obsolete, as in I'll never click on the elemental.exe to start and play the game.  But then in a sense I'll have two copies of Elemental on my computer, which I'm not overly crazy about either.  Can we then uninstall and delete the original Elemental?

I'm pretty sure we'll be given one game menu from which either expansion or vanilla can be selected to play.

But claiming that Elemental vanilla is obsolete is plainly incorrect for two main reasons:

1)  this is Stardock we're talking about here where "no app is left behind" (I saw that title posted in GalCivIIForum and felt it was fitting to use it here) thus Vanilla will continue to be updated and I'm certain that it will provide different content than the expansion.  You won't have 2 copies of the same Elemental, but you will have two different games of Elemental.

2)  if Vanilla were 'obsolete' then its contents would not appear in any expansion because then that would make the expansion obsolete since it would contain 'obsolete' content.

;)

And people can uninstall anything, up to and including the OS if they so choose....but why subject yourself to so much misery?

-.-

Reply #66 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting aeligos, reply 65



Quoting Wizaerd,
reply 61

If the expansion features all of "Vanilla" then vanilla is not obsolete.
If the expansion features the same gameplay elements from the main Elemental game, then yes the vanilla game is obsolete, as in I'll never click on the elemental.exe to start and play the game.  But then in a sense I'll have two copies of Elemental on my computer, which I'm not overly crazy about either.  Can we then uninstall and delete the original Elemental?


I'm pretty sure we'll be given one game menu from which either expansion or vanilla can be selected to play.

But claiming that Elemental vanilla is obsolete is plainly incorrect for two main reasons:

1)  this is Stardock we're talking about here where "no app is left behind" (I saw that title posted in GalCivIIForum and felt it was fitting to use it here) thus Vanilla will continue to be updated and I'm certain that it will provide different content than the expansion.  You won't have 2 copies of the same Elemental, but you will have two different games of Elemental.

2)  if Vanilla were 'obsolete' then its contents would not appear in any expansion because then that would make the expansion obsolete since it would contain 'obsolete' content.



And people can uninstall anything, up to and including the OS if they so choose....but why subject yourself to so much misery?

-.-

You are completely missing the point.  Are you being deliberately obtuse?  If the Expansion includes everything the vanilla game has, then I would not ever click on the main Elemental executable to run the game. Why go into Elemental if the expansion has everything in it? 

If however they do remain two separate collections of content and gameplay mechanics, I now would have two different "Elemental" games to choose from, and click on an approrpiate one in order to play.  And two different Elemental games to keep up to date.  Thus the main Elemental game does not become obsolete, but they're two different games at that point.  Quite frankly, I do not like the idea of two separate games.  I'm not a big fan of stand alone expansions to being with, an "expansion" should expand the original game, not be a totally different application (game) in and of itself.

So either the expansion supercedes the main game, or it is a different game altogether.  I either have 1 game that includes everything, thus making one obsolete that'll never be played again, or I have two separate games.

Once more, if the expansion has everything in it that Elemental does, why would I have or keep Elemental itself, it becomes obsolete.  When "Elemental" gets updated, I would expect the expansion to be updated since it includes everything Elemental has.

Reply #67 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wizaerd, reply 66



Quoting aeligos,
reply 65



Quoting Wizaerd,
reply 61

If the expansion features all of "Vanilla" then vanilla is not obsolete.
If the expansion features the same gameplay elements from the main Elemental game, then yes the vanilla game is obsolete, as in I'll never click on the elemental.exe to start and play the game.  But then in a sense I'll have two copies of Elemental on my computer, which I'm not overly crazy about either.  Can we then uninstall and delete the original Elemental?


I'm pretty sure we'll be given one game menu from which either expansion or vanilla can be selected to play.

But claiming that Elemental vanilla is obsolete is plainly incorrect for two main reasons:

1)  this is Stardock we're talking about here where "no app is left behind" (I saw that title posted in GalCivIIForum and felt it was fitting to use it here) thus Vanilla will continue to be updated and I'm certain that it will provide different content than the expansion.  You won't have 2 copies of the same Elemental, but you will have two different games of Elemental.

2)  if Vanilla were 'obsolete' then its contents would not appear in any expansion because then that would make the expansion obsolete since it would contain 'obsolete' content.



And people can uninstall anything, up to and including the OS if they so choose....but why subject yourself to so much misery?

-.-



You are completely missing the point.  Are you being deliberately obtuse?  If the Expansion includes everything the vanilla game has, then I would not ever click on the main Elemental executable to run the game. Why go into Elemental if the expansion has everything in it? 

If however they do remain two separate collections of content and gameplay mechanics, I now would have two different "Elemental" games to choose from, and click on an approrpiate one in order to play.  And two different Elemental games to keep up to date.  Thus the main Elemental game does not become obsolete, but they're two different games at that point.  Quite frankly, I do not like the idea of two separate games.  I'm not a big fan of stand alone expansions to being with, an "expansion" should expand the original game, not be a totally different application (game) in and of itself.

So either the expansion supercedes the main game, or it is a different game altogether.  I either have 1 game that includes everything, thus making one obsolete that'll never be played again, or I have two separate games.

Once more, if the expansion has everything in it that Elemental does, why would I have or keep Elemental itself, it becomes obsolete.  When "Elemental" gets updated, I would expect the expansion to be updated since it includes everything Elemental has.

 

So what?  Whats the big deal if it's either one?  Why is everything some monster fucking issue with geeks, damn, I feel bad about the people at Stardock who have to put up with us.  Oh, and the games are going to be 2 separate games, Pretty sure Brad has already stated this.  So?  All I got to say is, Thanks Stardock, it's free, so if I could think of a reason to bitch, I don't think I should or would.

Reply #68 from Elemental Forums Top

No body said it was a monster fucking issue, except for you.  Why does everyone on this board have to be a prick.  I merely asked a question initially, a perfectly legitimate question.

 

Reply #69 from Elemental Forums Top

I want the word 'green' in the title. It sucks that it doesn't. I think that Stardock owe me an apology unless they put the word 'green' in the title somewhere! I bet Stardock won't apologize though because they are a big business that doesn't care whether it's core fans want the word 'green' in the title.

Reply #70 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Wizaerd, reply 66

Quoting aeligos, reply 65


Quoting Wizaerd,
reply 61

If the expansion features all of "Vanilla" then vanilla is not obsolete.
If the expansion features the same gameplay elements from the main Elemental game, then yes the vanilla game is obsolete, as in I'll never click on the elemental.exe to start and play the game.  But then in a sense I'll have two copies of Elemental on my computer, which I'm not overly crazy about either.  Can we then uninstall and delete the original Elemental?


I'm pretty sure we'll be given one game menu from which either expansion or vanilla can be selected to play.

But claiming that Elemental vanilla is obsolete is plainly incorrect for two main reasons:

1)  this is Stardock we're talking about here where "no app is left behind" (I saw that title posted in GalCivIIForum and felt it was fitting to use it here) thus Vanilla will continue to be updated and I'm certain that it will provide different content than the expansion.  You won't have 2 copies of the same Elemental, but you will have two different games of Elemental.

2)  if Vanilla were 'obsolete' then its contents would not appear in any expansion because then that would make the expansion obsolete since it would contain 'obsolete' content.



And people can uninstall anything, up to and including the OS if they so choose....but why subject yourself to so much misery?

-.-

You are completely missing the point.  Are you being deliberately obtuse?  If the Expansion includes everything the vanilla game has, then I would not ever click on the main Elemental executable to run the game. Why go into Elemental if the expansion has everything in it? 

If however they do remain two separate collections of content and gameplay mechanics, I now would have two different "Elemental" games to choose from, and click on an approrpiate one in order to play.  And two different Elemental games to keep up to date.  Thus the main Elemental game does not become obsolete, but they're two different games at that point.  Quite frankly, I do not like the idea of two separate games.  I'm not a big fan of stand alone expansions to being with, an "expansion" should expand the original game, not be a totally different application (game) in and of itself.

So either the expansion supercedes the main game, or it is a different game altogether.  I either have 1 game that includes everything, thus making one obsolete that'll never be played again, or I have two separate games.

Once more, if the expansion has everything in it that Elemental does, why would I have or keep Elemental itself, it becomes obsolete.  When "Elemental" gets updated, I would expect the expansion to be updated since it includes everything Elemental has.

:\

The source of your frustration comes from within your own mind.

It will be 2 different games, each with their own updated material to gain.

Thus, with these being 2 different games, contents of neither are obsolete.  Even if "vanilla" is wholly integrated in the expansion, the same cannot be said about the reverse order.  Thus, they are two different games.

1+1 does not equal '2', but 1+1 equals '1+1'.

It would be wise of you to release all auto-assigned significance of worldly aggressors.

Be at peace.

Peace through submission.

-.-

Reply #72 from Elemental Forums Top

Very cool.  I'm glad the development for Elemental (the Elemental series?) carries on.  I like the changes listed - I hope there are many more that we get to drool over soon. :)  It seems like a wandering Sovereign challenge game mode would really fit into Fallen Enchantress, sort of like Civ's one-city challenge, except its a *no* city challenge. :P

Reply #73 from Stardock Forums Top

Good news. :congrat:

Reply #75 from Elemental Forums Top

These news are just so bloody great! They are adressing the things I want the most. A greater feel to adventuring, and a more diverse world. Also a world that's not being urbanized in 1-2-3 by city spam all over the place, but a world that remains wild and exciting throughout the game. Clever thinking Stardock lads! :)