Beta 4 start?

Define Major change still some things I would LOVE to see changed but I am quite a critic when it comes to games, only perfection is good enough... and nothing is perfect

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Yup. I'm much the same. The ony things I talk about are the busted things, because if it works, it doesn't bear discussion!

In terms of Beta 4, I really hope they do at least one more full Beta round after that. Preferably two.

We are Stable, we have Faction Differentiation, in Beta 4 we get new cities and economies. At that point all(most) of the fundamentals will be in place, and I think the finer points of champion traits, tech tree balances, and overall game balance will need a full pass.

I also hope that the Magic system gets a full once-over during one of these upcoming betas, and that they do a few weeks of "This is what 1.0 will look like" for final UI polish and last minute bug triage

Frogboy said a while back that he was pushing for a Beta 5 series, but that it was up to Derek to make the call.  I hope they do go through a Beta 5 series, that could change the game from excellent to classic (or epic ;-)).

I still have so much to do before the next beta mod-wise, I would prefer a nice long interval. Maybe take an extra month.

@ Seanw3 - I'm sure your mods are great, and I intend on finding out soon enough, but I'd really like to see Beta 4 soon regardless. You can catch up before final release

But yeah, aside from city management and the economy getting an overhaul, I'd really like to see the magic system fleshed out a little better and I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see the research system thinned out and more focused. I know it's a pipe dream, but I love the idea of a random tech tree a la Sword of the Stars...but that's a pipe dream, methinks. I just want to know WHAT is in store, really. Something to look forward to. 

Agree with magic needing an overhaul, the system is functional but seems tacked-on. Like alot in FE the UI lacks the fantasy aesthetic and comes across in a way that betrays SD's origins- funtional, practical, but lacking flair or 'drama'. I also think magical paths should be restricted to one per champion or one per 10 levels.

Not to be a stickler but on May 17, 2012 10:11 PM it was posted that "The next beta (Beta 4) won't be here for about a month. That beta is all about your civilization. A new city construction system will be introduced, the FE specific economic system will be introduced. "

So about a month from that point is only but a week away!!!

*stares at monitor waiting*

And any given timeframe is always an estimate.

Psssh. I always hold developers to their word on release dates. It's why MY Diablo 3 came out in June of 2004.

I knew it SHOULD be soon, but whether or not we're going to get an update as "scheduled" remains to be seen...

Either way, I'd just like to know WHERE we're headed with this next update, even if we don't have a firm date for it yet. What kind of changes are headed our way?...

If they had a bugfix patch then our patience for Beta 4 would be prolonged quite a bit.

I think a beta 5 would be useful, but could be done post-release.  I'm not expecting beta 4 info until the end of June.  This game does need to come out this year.

This game is already in the very good category.  I'm ok with no bugfix, while I'm really enjoying the game, I can put it aside for a couple of weeks due to a mini-backlog.

So beta 4 should re-work the city building.  Yet, I would easily pay $30-40 for this game now.  I can't wait to see how it gets better.

Nice! When did your Duke Nukem Forever release to you?

The original release date in the mid-late 90's. It was pretty awesome then! Too bad it didn't hold up with age.

FROGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

So, I chuckled quite a bit, after reading the Original Post in the Discussion thread, and the first 17 comments that followed.  Already, the restless masses are champing at the bit, in anticipation of the release of the Beta 4! 

Among the ploys being tested, I noticed:  Guilt-tripping (Tibor2000's reminder to Stardock (a quote from the Kael's v0.915 Changelog) suggesting release "about a month" after the day the changelog appeared on May 17);   Negotiation  (Joasoze's observation that if we received an interim bugfix patch, then "... our patience for Beta 4 would be prolonged quite a bit. ");  Prayer to the Frog (by DevildogFF in his reply #17 ... or was it  Yelling at the Frog ?);  Feigned Indifference (Seanw3's observation that he is so busy modding, that he would actually  PREFER  "... a nice long interval ...");  Self-Distraction (Malsqueek's change of subject, to other games, and their other schedules);  and  Self-Delusion (Tibor2000, again, staring compulsively at his monitor).

All of this is understandable, and I am essentially empathetic ... but of course :

So, it is time to add my 2 Gilder, and go out on a perilous, fragile, limb, and   MAKE A PREDICTION !

The Beta 4 will NOT be released on June 17.  That would be exactly on time, so that is not likely to happen.  Besides, it's a Sunday.  It might be released the following Monday, June 18 ... but that would be like winning the lottery -- a happy thought, but not happening in my lifetime.  The Beta 4 could be nearly finished late in the week of June 17-23, if Kael uses his whip sufficiently,  but then it has to pass QA!  So the earliest it will be released will be the following week.  But due to the "China Syndrome", oops, I mean Stardock's bizarro "Thursday Syndrome", the day it will most probably be released, will be on Thursday, June 28.  That is still before July gets here; but far enough way to make scores of people Crazy!

So, that's my fearless/logical Prediction -- Comments?  Counter-predictions?  Cries of Outrage?  Threats?  ...          

Is is it just me or is OrionM42 living a month behind the rest of us?

Also, I want to have fun with sprawling cities as much as possible before they get taken away. 

Oops !    Touche' UmbralAngel.  I just edited my previous reply to change all the dates to  JUNE  ...   

Thanks for making this seem like a group therapy session OrionM42, but well observed at any rate. lol

I'm really looking forward to beta 5.

Arragh.. I got analyzed... 

Well, if we're making predictions, I'm going to have to say Friday, 6th July, since they did say it COULD be early July, and when a developer says it could be later, it almost always is.  Friday means we get the game for the weekend!

It was a prayer/battle cry. 

I invoke thee, Froggy. I invoke thee! 

FROGGGGGGGGGGGLLLEEEESSSSSS!!!

They are all playing Sins, Elemental is far, far from their minds.  :D