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Psst. Elemental 2015

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Psst. Elemental 2015

from Elemental Forums

Before I tell them to set this up I wanted to make a post and gauge interest in this:

There's going to be a new fantasy strategy game from Stardock in the Elemental universe. It's NOT a sequel to Fallen Enchantress.  

I'm looking to ask the team to set up a founder's program for people who are interested in getting a sneak peak at what we're doing and getting early access to it this Fall. The founder's edition would be $20.

Here is, broadly, what the game is like:

  1. Completely new art style
  2. Asymmetrical 4X (it's not you vs. other similar empires, it's you vs. a single bad guy with everyone else as pawns between the two of you and you both play by your own set of rules)
  3. No unit design and no tech tree, instead you gain access to things based on what you've built in your city
  4. Sovereign is not a unit in the game, you instead choose the spell books your sovereign has, their specialization and their ability and use that across the world 
  5. Shards provide magic which is divided between mana, lore (spell research) and skill (for upgrading your sovereign's specialization tree)
  6. Much more quest focused (spells written by Cracked.com's Chris Bucholz, they're awesome)
  7. Champions acquired via completing quests
  8. Crafting (players find ingredients and recipes through the course of the game)
  9. Multiple continents, islands, ship travel
  10. Tactical battles heavily focused on what spells and abilities you have and how you use them, feels a bit like Hearthstone but the battles are still elemental style except with more units - instead of 9 ala LH you'd have up to 15)
  11. All units have special abilities
  12. Plot takes place centuries after the events of LH - suffice to say, bad things have happened
  13. Player *starts out* with the Forge of the Overlord - the player is very tough, has all the techs from LH from the start which is to say the bad guy is just that much tougher

Now, as you can see, because it's so different we're updating, enhancing LH on its own dev path with its own meaningful updates. 

Anyway, who would be interested in joining a Founder's Program if we put it up in June?

 

UPDATE: The URL for the $20 early Founder's edition is live: https://www.stardock.com/buy?s=ESD-SDE-W062


UPDATE 2: The E2015 Founder's Vault is live: http://e2015.stardock.com/

298,402 views 108 replies
Reply #101 from Elemental Forums Top

New FAQ in the founders vault.  Pre-alpha screens of game setup.

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Reply #102 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I really, REALLY like the unit design and art much better than in LH.

I like the You vs The World design in generell.

I dont like the terrain (yet), but its clearly stated to be work in progress, so it's ok.

I am not sure about the doomcounter, but i'll have to see in game.

 

All in all ... is it out yet?! :drool:

The Political Machine 2024
Reply #103 from Elemental Forums Top

So I register that I am in Norway, and still have to choose an american state. I took Wiscounsin (not even sure about the spelling of my "home" state)

Reply #104 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting joasoze, reply 103

So I register that I am in Norway, and still have to choose an american state. I took Wiscounsin (not even sure about the spelling of my "home" state)

 

Welcome! Just lose the u and you have it correct.

Reply #105 from Elemental Forums Top

This all looks very cool. I know you say not to judge graphics yet, but this is more of an aesthetics question than graphics: The city shown looks kind of cartoony compared to the mood we are used to in Elemental games, Is this a style choice, or a symptom of non-final graphics?

Thanks!

Reply #106 from Stardock Forums Top

So, anything new with E2015?

Reply #107 from Stardock Forums Top

I don't like the idea of starting off supremely powerful and I do not like the idea of one enemy. Nor do I like it that there is no tech tree or design.

 

Still, I would buy the founders programme as I love the series so much!

Reply #108 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting FreedomShot, reply 107

I don't like the idea of starting off supremely powerful and I do not like the idea of one enemy. Nor do I like it that there is no tech tree or design.

 

Still, I would buy the founders programme as I love the series so much!

 

I think E2015 is leaning to more of a combat oriented gamestyle like AoW3. I kinda like that approach. You can see the similarities:

AoW3 doesnt have a tech tree per say but more of a research book where subsequent research options are randomized as well as the research itself consisting of the core which are strategic and tactical spells, also mostly to unit improvements(movement, unit traits, extra skills) and some economic improvements too but mostly combat oriented. Also your research options are totally dependent on what specialization and class you chose for your Leader. All buildings are available from get go(no research required to unlock) while unit types and city specializtion/benefits are unlocked via what buildings you build in your city.

In addition you can craft gear for your Heroes though it isn't as good as world drops. No custom units but all specialized hand crafted units that fulfill specific roles(Infantry, Calvary, Support, Pikeman, Flyers etc) or multiple roles(Irregular). Units also have different Tiers but that does not mean lower tier units will be outclassed late in game because of certain skills, traits, abilities. The units have differing traits like Shield(reduces dmg), Armored(increased physical def), Overwhelm(more dmg to shield units), Tireless(no action points spend for retaliation attacks), Charge(more dmg with more hexes travelled), Pike/Pole(increased dmg against cavalry), Sidearm(special research that equips all cavalry with pistols for range attacks), Fiery Explosion(fire aoe dmg on death) to name a few. Furthermore combat has mechanics like Flanking, Line of Sight, Range, Overwatch, Obstacles(reduce range dmg if projectile blocked by obstacles) etc. Most units also have special skills either to compliment their role or allow them to fulfill other roles temporarily for example buffing skills, healing skills, debuff skills, ranged skills for melee units(though its weaker) and also special attack/defense skills to counter certain targets.

Theres also Dungeons, Treasure sites, Monster camps for your Heroes/Units to plunder and level up as well as acquire gear like Fe/LH. Inns and Dwellings are available that provide quests for players and acquiring them lets you produce monster and mercenary units which introduces more varied strategies(as they have monster specific traits and skills), your army composition and tactics are not tied to your Leader type/specilization.

Then it also has Castle/Fort/Outpost Siege!!!! I feel this is the minimum requirement for this genre of games nowadays. FE/LH and Eador not having a proper Castle Siege mechanic was one of the major disappointments for me. And with proper Castle Siege i mean, walls, gates, siege machines(catapults to destroy walls, rams to break down gates, etc), spells both strategic and tactical that caters to castle siege encounters(for example Wall regeneration, Flaming walls/gates, Buffs for defending units etc), towers that act like defense structures. If you want to cap a Fort, then you better have a proper army for that, a siege army.

I like these mechanics, it introduces rock, paper, scissors into tactical combat and forces the player to frequently switch tactics and evolve their army to counter their enemy's unit combination. It encourages thinking and planning of your army as well as test how well you react and adapt to your opponent. No longer can we see stacking spamming of the same OP unit type, armies need diversity from all Tiers of units to counter different tactics. All these really strengthen the tactical combat aspect which i feel is lacking in FE/LH.

You can see a lot of similarities between E2015 and AoW3. Have to say i am very excited. AoW3 multiplayer has got to be one of the most enjoyable experience, you can see the many amazing tactics thought out by players and how they go about to counter certain strategies. I really want to see the such vibrant and artistic gameplay in E2015!!!!!