I assume the initiative based system would determine the order in which a unit reacts.

But i would expect the number of actions you can/ how far you can move to be independent of this?

So a heavily armoured calavary unit might be slow but can move several tiles from one end of the battle field to another.

One question, any changes to the magic system in 1.4? 

Man, who let all these crickets in here last week?

Any ETA for 1.2? Interesting/surprising technical issues pop up while reworking the memory managing system? How about progress with 1.3? What was your thinking behind adding essence back in as a to-be-implemented game mechanic and then removing it again? What's the 'feel' of the internal build of the 1.3 patch? Et cetera.

Come on, stuff your PR lady in the closet for a couple hours and pull back the curtains a little, por favor!

Ssssshhhhh!  I'm listening to the crickets.

Brad probably has a dart board with my name and avatar on it. Just kidding. I think.

However, I'm positive Derek has a voodoo doll. I'm feeling all these unexplained random pains...

I'll be doing those animation journals on Mondays :)  As for design details, we have a marking outline that keeps getting pushed back as 1.2 keeps taking up time (time well spent, mind you, but time none the less).

I did enjoy your first animation journal- animation is something that I know absolutely nothing about. In fact, I'd like to know even more about the process, to be honest. Like: how in the world do you define the positions of body parts relative to one another throughout the animation, in a way that looks realistic, without motion capture? Do you draw it all 'by hand'? How do you even come up with the sequences in the first place? Is acting it out in the office really the first step?

Marketing outline? That's where the duct tape, closet, and PR department all come together. You know you want to leak a little bit of info. Just look at how famous Bradley Manning is now. I'm especially curious as to your all's thoughts as to the essence mechanic in 1.3.

I don't think it's a matter of like or dislike.  I think the issue is how people choose to voice their opinions of 1.3.  If the community is willing to work with Frogboy in a constructive manner, he will keep trying to improve WOM.  However, if people just start bitching about how the game isn't what they want it to be, then he will stop.  At least that's the way I read his comments. 

That's the way I read it too.

Best regards,
Steven.

Bullshit, they should start sending you a paycheck.

Think of 3d animation being a lot like posing an actiona figure...I want the attacking soldier to (1) pull back his arm, shifting his weight onto his back foot (2) lunge forward, striking with his sword arm and landing on his front foot then (3) retun to his battle idle pose.

This is all done by, literally, posing his hands, arms, legs, etc...like a virtual toy. Then it's timing and secondary motion (finer tweaking of the poses).

I'll try and show the above in one of my future journals...it's quite fun

Must make you look like a fool sometimes to act it all out in front of others so they get the idea :p naw, it's actually cool xD

Lol, okay, I was just nosing around the website, and I saw this little statement that made me giggle.

"The Kingdoms of the West are dominated by the factions of men. While of one species, each faction is substantially different from one another in terms of culture, capability, and philosophy."  

I think we should add "Culture, Capability and Philosophy = nation colors.  Differences in Culture, Capability, and Philosophy of the Taarth are a Green flag, while the Altar are a Red flag...get it?  They are way different.  Really.  Red is really fucking different than Green!  Can't get more different than that!!! 

So, Toby, Kael, Brad, or Jon...What differences will the nations have in FE?  I know in this game, Trogs are different than Urxen because Urxen sometimes have beards AND they have different color flags.  Super different.  

As for the human nations:

Altar = Generic Humans

Capitar = Uh...Slave owning generic humans?

Gilden = Merchant and Mining Humans

Pariden = Magical Humans?

Taarth = What are these guys?  Gladiators?  Brigands?  Warriors?  Barbarians?  Some combo?   

Rebels.

Just imagine how much quicker you guys could animate if you had some simple mocap.

Different flags, colors ... and don't forget a different starting tech and a different starting ability.  That makes them WAY different. 

Maybe we need to give them some ideas about what "different" should mean... how about something like:

One nation:

Intelligent (bonus to research, extra research buildings) weaklings (lower hit points) who prefer negotiation to fighting (bonus to diplomacy,bonus to influence)... starting city starts near lost library.

Second nation:

Beast-friendly (can recruit beasts) people who specialize in earth magic (earth shard bonus, earth spells faster to learn, extra earth spells for them) who recycle (bonus materials on completion of building) ... starting city starts near earth shard.  Influence is lower than normal as they try ti stay one with nature.

Third nation:

Fast (bonus to movement, combat speed) and efficient (bonus to building and unit construction) who don't wear chain or plate to keep them fast ... starting city starts near wargs/horses and mount technology.... specialize in air magic and starting city starts near an air shard.

Fourth nation:

Adventurous (bonus when researching adventure techs, better treasures from goodie huts) who are not slowed by mountainous or forest terrain... cities have higher prestige because of adventures (bonus city growth) and cheaper champion recruitment ... slower building/unit construction because everyone is out adventuring.

Fifth nation:

Magical nation (bonus when researching spells, bonus mana generation) with faster access to advanced spell books, imbuing heroes does not have a maintenance cost ... Magic makes them different so they struggle with diplomacy (reduced diplomacy capabilities).  Starting city starts near temple.

Sixth nation:

Militaristic (bonus when researching military techs, bonus to hit and dodge) who can quickly generate units, but struggle with magic because of their focus on weapons/armor.  Starting city is next to mine.

Seventh nation:

Large (deal extra damage in battles), slow (negative movement penalties, lower combat speed) race with thick skin (bonus hit points) who specialize in water magic so they can slow opponents down...starting city is next to water shard.

and so on... so let's have it.  What's the plan in FE?

P.S.  Heavenfall has a mod that illustrates some good differences in nations too.

Would be neat to see the abilities that transfered to the offspring from negotiated marriages

I like this a lot, reminds me of the difference between Civilizations in FFH2, truly the races/factions in Elemental need flavor and differences between one another pros and cons after all.