Welcome to the Elemental beta.  First, let me say that if you haven't ever been part of a Stardock beta program, you're in for quite a ride.

Our betas are real betas. Some would even say they're not even that as the games send to start out very very rough and before your eyes, you will see your ideas and suggestions come together to make a great game.

CREATING THE TITLE OF YOUR REPORT

There are 4 basic types of reports. When you create a post, prefece the title with one of the 4 tags:

[BUG]

[CRASH]

[PERFORMANCE]

[SUGGESTION]

Example: [BUG] Kingdom of Altar mining bonus not working

THE BODY OF YOUR REPORT

Once you have created the title of your post we will want to get specific.

Screenshots are very helpful. My program of choice is called Jing. http://www.jingproject.com.  It will take screenshots and host your screenshots.

If your report involves a bug, telling us how to reproduce it is important.

Each time you run the game it will generate a file named debug.err in My Documents\My Games\Elemental; you can open it with notepad and post it as with the dxdiag report. Note that it will be replaced each time you run the game, so make sure to grab it right after a crash or major problem without running the game again.

If your report involves a crash or some hardware compatibility issue you think then make sure you run dxdiag.exe (just go to the start menu and run it) and make sure you post the data on pastebin.com or a similar site and link it in your report (please don't post them inline as it makes threads unreadable very quickly).

If it's a suggestion, please keep scope in mind. If it's something that is going to take months to do in order for your idea or request to be done, it's probably not going to happen.

Good luck and have fun!

Example of using Jing and its build in screencast to take an easy screenshot.

(Edited by kryo for extra reporting details.)

Greetings!

Below is the status of where we are on the development of Elemental.

BETA 1: Game Mechanic Exploration (Fall 2009)

1. Initial Build: Basic Compatibility
2. Beta 1A: Initial Gameplay Skeleton
3. Beta 1B: Initial Economic system Implemented
4. Beta 1C: Initial AI system Implemented
5. Beta 1D: Initial Diplomacy system Implemented
6. Beta 1E: Initial Dynasty system implemented
7. Beta 1F: Initial Magic system implemented
8. Beta 1G: Initial Quest system implemented
9. Beta 1Z: Finalizing Stability

1. Initial:    Caravans enabled, 3D Engine enabled, Multiplayer enabled, shops enabled, sieges enabled, visual battles enabled.
2. Beta 2A: Beta Fixes. Gameplay updates. Naval transports enabled. Naval warfare enabled.  MP: Wars of Magic.
   
   

BETA 3: War & Peace Beta. (Summer 2010)

1. Initial:    Finalized Diplomacy enabled. .Master Quest enabled. All Tech Trees enabled. Empires enabled.
2. Beta 3A: Combat Magic enabled. The Hiergamenon enabled.  Tactical Battles options enabled. Morale and Tactical Battle AI enabled. Spell of Making enabled.
3. Beta 3B. Tactical Combat enabled.

BETA 4: Beyond Elemental Beta (Ongoing)

1. Map Editor, Item Editor, Tile Editor, Effect Editor.
2. Brad's Guide to Elemental Modding. Elemental Cloud Modding.
3. The Hiergamenon in-game.

Release: Elemental publicly available (August 24th)

1. Single Player: Beta Tester Content (spells, quests, characters released based on player feedback).
2. Single Player: Modding Tools: Race Construction Set.
3. Single Player: Quest Pack (a thank you for buyers).
4. Single Player: Monster Pack (a thank you for buyers).
5. Single Player: Notable Locations enabled.
6. Multiplayer: Custom Games.

Version 1.1: First major free update (30 days after release)

1. Usual performance, bug fixes, and other optimizations.
2. More optimizations for better Netbook support.
3. Single Player: New Content and Features based on player requests
4. Single Player: AI Wars

Version 1.2 (Second free major update (60 days after release)

1. Usual performance, bug fixes, and other optimizations.
2. New Features based on player feedback.
3. Brad's first serious mod example (Mini RPG).
4. Art Package for Modders to use (content for use by modders).
5. Multiplayer: Arena Mode

Copy Protection:

• Retail Edition will have no copy protection on it whatsoever.
• Digital version and updates will require Impulse to Download updates and install (but otherwise can be removed if the user chooses).
• Users who do not have good internet access at home can use http://anywhere.impulsedriven.com to download Elemental and bring it home to install on their machines.
• Multiplayer will require a valid customer ID to logon.

Notes:

All is subject to change based on player feedback and our own determination on where the game is at. 

This week Elemental Beta is to begin.  It will go out to all users who have pre-ordered it.  For the rest of September, new users will be able to pre-order and join in as well and then it will be closed (people can still pre-order but they won’t get access until we roll out Beta 2.

ALL REPORTS can go here: Elemental BETA forum.

BETA OBJECTIVES

BETA 1

1. Initial Build: Basic Compatibility
2. Beta 1A: Initial Gameplay Skeleton
3. Beta 1B: Initial Economic system Implemented
4. Beta 1C: Initial AI system Implemented
5. Beta 1D: Initial Diplomacy system Implemented
6. Beta 1E: Initial Dynasty system implemented
7. Beta 1F: Initial Magic system implemented
8. Beta 1G: Initial Quest system implemented

BETA 2

1. Initial build provides basic multiplayer (player hosted – client/server)
2. Beta 2A: Persistent stat tracking
3. Beta 2B: Stardock hosted option.
4. Beta 2C: Stardock hosted persistent games
5. Beta 2D: Stardock hosted persistent universe game (persistent dynasties)

BETA 3

1. Initial Kumquat3D engine build of Elemental.
2. Beta 3A: Introduction to Dungeons
3. Beta 3B: Introduction to Magical Spells

BETA 4

1. Introduction to tactical battles
2. Beta 4A: New multiplayer mode: Arena
3. Beta 4B: Customized tactical battle options
4. Beta 4C: Super-Duper AI Update to tactical battles
5. Beta 4D: Polish Beta (extensive and ongoing)

BETA 5

1. Introduction to integrated modding
2. Beta 5A: Persistent universe mods
3. Beta 5B: Third-party Maya/3D Studio importing beta
4. Beta 5C: Modding group testing

GAMMA

1. Private Build (only very active beta testers get access to this under NDA)
2. Single Player Campaign Testing

RELEASE

1. When the consensus is that this is the best turn-based strategy game of its kind available.

Betas will also include additions and enhancements to previously released milestones (i.e. additional game modes, additions to multiplayer options, additional single player quests, more single player game options, etc.).

Objectives of BETA 1 in detail:

1. We want to know if it runs okay on your computers. If it doesn’t, tell us what operating system you’re running, video card (dxdiag is a useful tool), CPU, etc. The more hardware info, the better.
2. As has been mentioned, beta 1 will NOT be fun in any way. We are not kidding about this. Our objective with this first build is to get the parameters on which the game runs, how well it runs.

On October 1st, we will have BETA 1A which will implement some of the “game” features that we took out of beta 1 along with a lot of features that we’ve been focusing on since PAX (computer AI, economic AI, research tree stuff, etc.).

The entire BETA 1 (and BETA 2) series will only play on the cloth map (seen above). The cloth map mode will remain the standard game experience for the Elemental beta until the Beta testers (AND Stardock) decide the game is sufficiently fun without having to rely on next-generation graphics. This will take as long as it takes. 

Good luck!

For starters, there are two types of mods we have in mind initially.

The first type of mod can be classified as mods that you would like to see implemented into the base game. I.e. feature changes and such that you would like us to propose to GPG for inclusion into a future update.

Mods of that type should be classified with as much detail as possible (specific code changes, which file, etc.). 

The second type of mod can be classified as an alternative mod, that is a mod a user would load from the v1.2+ mod manager UI that changes the game from the default.

For those of you new to modding, welcome.  Demigod offers an unprecedented opportunity thanks to much of it being developed using LUA for maximum flexibility.  Through this means, Demigod can continue to evolve and grow through the future in ways most games can only dream.

Have fun!

The game’s graphics engine (i.e. the MAIN graphics) won’t go into beta until January 2010.  But to give you an idea of how far things have gone already let’s take a look:

   
2006: Society rendering engine.

2007: First Engine port from Society .

 
October 2008: Mock Up of Elemental

November 2008: Engine Test

Elemental in March 2009

June 2009

August 2009

From PAX 2009

Next on the plate: Consistent shadowing. Look closely at the above screenshot and you’ll note that some things have shadows and some things don’t.  While the engine has improved greatly in the past year, it still has a ways to go.

Okay, I've been playing a lot more online and I'm curious what the thinking is between items that increase armor vs. items that increase HP vs. items that increase RATE of HP recovery.

As I get older, I am becoming more aware of how the body seems to change from a position of “must make sure this organism lives so it can reproduce” to “meh”.  At 38, I am definitely seeing the transition from “must live” to “meh” which is not uncommon for people my age from what I’m learning.

Being the ungraceful kook I am, I’m learning about dietary supplements that might provide if not a reversal of the negative trend at least some sort of decreased in the rate of decline.  Of course, there’s a lot of info out there and a lot of it falls well into quackary in my opinion.

Having spent quite a bit of time online there remains a considerable amount of debate over whether dietary supplements are worthwhile or simply create “expensive urine”.

I haven’t gone whole hog on dietary supplements from from simply using Juvenon and Fish Oil I can say with certainty that yes, they have a  noticeable effect and it is a good one.

After having to go on Statin drugs for Cholesterol I decided to look further into this and ended up taking a few more supplements and the difference, again, is significant and yet subtle.   The most noticeable change (for me) is that my flexibility is noticeably better which is not something I had anticipated but is noticeable enough that I can’t attribute it to anything else.

So I fall firmly in the camp that yea, dietary supplements can be beneficial. But I also am very skeptical about how much impact they can really have since there’s a lot of nonsense out there.

There’s plenty of people that think it’s all nonsense such as this guy. While I think the jury is definitely out on supplements for cancer prevention, I think they can be very useful for cardiovascular health.

So where to start?

In no particular order:

Phosphatidycholine. General cellular health.

Policosanol. Lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol.

Read Yeast Rice. Improves cholesterol.

phosphatidylserine. Improves memory.

CoEnzyme Q10. Useful if you’re taking a Statin drug.

Vitamin D.

Vitamin E.

Vitamin B12.

Resveratrol.

DHA.

Grape Seed extract.

Melatonin.

Juvenon.

Alpha Lipoic. 

These are just the tips of the iceberg.  I am only looking at this. Some people, like Ray Kurzweil, take over 200 supplements per day. I don’t think I could even remotely imagine consuming that many supplements.

But as try different things, I’ll let you know what I find.

Ones in bold. I am trying presently.

We’re going to organize these online better but in the meantime..

The next build is scheduled to be called v1.19 since it’s not quite v1.20 in features but has made substantial progress.

For the past few weeks, various builds have been internally in beta as kinks and tweaks have been made by the GPG/Stardock teams.

Here are some of the notes (this is by no means the whole list, just what’s passed into this particular build):

Replays:

· Replays can now be:

o Chosen from Front end

o Deleted from Front end

o Created at end of multiplayer or singleplayer skirmish game

· Slider added to adjust game speed during replays

· Skills, inventory, HUD, and citadel upgrades visible while in replay

· Added version matching for replays, will only display valid replays

· Added observer as a replay choice to remove shroud

Other:

· Decreased turn speed on minions

· Tweaked flight variables for angels to increase hit frequency, also dropped damage to compensate.

· Adjusted long distance repulsion

· Minions ignore 50% of the repulsion from buildings and land units.

· Blueprint loading enabled only when corresponding mod has been enabled.

· Fixed unable to join dialog/tooltip.

· Fix for active cooldowns adjusting when a cooldown buff/debuff fades.

· Fixed a potential threading crash.

· Fixed the Valor Flag buff/debuff bug.

· Fixed the underlying system supporting Ring of Might, Hex Scroll, Horn of Battle. Those items reactivated.

· Login screen now sets password field to blank after logging in.

· Prepend timestamp on error logging

This build also should address some stability issues some people have reported.

More to come.