Long national nightmare of pre-release Fallen Enchantress almost over

Posted by on October 9, 2012 in Games

If you bought Elemental or pre-ordered Fallen Enchantress, you’ve been able to play the beta of Stardock’s fantasy strategy game for some time now. It’s been exciting stuff, with inventive twists that make it far more than just a fantasy skinned Civ. But since it’s been a beta, it necessarily involved that constant nagging sensation of “wait, is this the way it’s supposed to work?” or “will they change that?” or “well, I’m sure this will be different in the final version…”. Now that Stardock has announced an Official Release Date, that all changes on October 23.

Furthermore, we’ll finally get a look at what Stardock has in mind for Fallen Enchantress’ story-driven campaign mode. The Galactic Civilizations games similarly tried to spin out stories over successive scenarios, which always seemed odd to me in a richly detailed 4X game that will tell its own story anyway.

  • James

    People should boycott this game. Brad Wardell is a dirty, sexist pig and even admits it in emails he has sent to an employee. Co-workers have backed her up and the evidence is in front of everyones face via the emails of Wardell admitting he is sexist and if she doesn’t like it she should quit. A man like this does not deserve any success.

  • Spongedwarf

    I made the huge glaring mistake of pre-ordering this piece of crap game when it first came out. That killed any of the kudos I felt toward them over Gal Civ II. Brad’s true colours that have shown since have put them on the “Never buy their games” list.

  • Brend

    I’ve been playing the beta for a while and it’s very meh. I can’t recommend Fallen Enchantress to other people, unless it was cheaper (<= $10)

  • wisdomchild

    Is that screenshot representative of what the game will look like at release?

  • David

    I know that brad created some controversy for himself. I’ve talked to him a few times in person and never found him to be overboard. I think he did a good job of explaining why he said what he did, and clearly showed poor judgment in his overall response. We are human, and that happens from time to time. I certainly wouldn’t want to be judged solely based on my comments I made when I lost my temper, so I think I’ll give him the same courtesy.
    No as for the game, the beta looks great! I can’t wait for the release. I think it will be enjoyable, and anyone that stay away purely because of comments taken out of context loses out.

  • debacle1

    I agree. It’s one thing to be a misogynist or misanderer in one’s mind. It is completely different with ANY interaction with the world. Where should we spend our game money instead?

  • debacle1

    How many times should someone be excused for more than questionable behavior? Wardell is not particularly reticent on his world views. In this matter, Google can be your bosom buddy and provide some enlightenment.

  • Blips

    At least one month premature :(

  • debacle1

    Yes. Only the last few betas have brought it’s appearance up to COE3 level quality.

  • wisdomchild

    All joking aside, to me CoE3 is pretty much aesthetically perfect. It is an object of beauty. That screenshot is no such thing.

  • Intrion

    You do realize you get Fallen Enchantress for free? For all the hate being casually thrown around, the fact that Stardock’s trying to make good to all those Elemental early adopters says a lot.

  • debacle1

    I do agree. I’ve enjoyed COE3 tremendously and I love the fact that the UI simply fades away for me into something completely functional.

    Fallen Enchantress seems to have failed when it escaped the traditional design by committee and veered off onto a sojourn of circles. There appears no clear concept, too MUCH forum input and not enough strong internal opinions(gameplay). I see an art style that started with the promise of simple yet beautiful cell-shading that has morphed into dreary clayola. Having spent a lot of time reading the forums and looking at feedback, it appears the teams in charge each of AI, gameplay and UI all went their separate ways and agreed to meetup in Tijuana on Monday night after a long four day weekend. The product about to be shipped smells of tequila. I don’t think even Mr. Cuervo is interested in getting his hands on this.

    COE3 is a winner and I’ve also played a large amount of satisfying Warlock this year. I’m still wondering what it is that will come to pseudofruition out of Elemental/FE.

  • Aaron

    So you’re saying you make video game choices based on the political preferences of the CEOs of the studios who make them? I think you might be wound up a little too tight.

  • debacle1

    Add in political/religious views and cultural/gender treatments. If that doesn’t sound like a shit storm, I have some blood diamonds to sell you.

    Everybody has a pucker factor. If you don’t, I’d be more concerned than those the opposite of you.

  • http://www.swiftthought.com Drakkheim

    Loved Fall from Heaven, best thing Stardock did was to hand over the reins to Paxton. Now if stupid personal issues can stop blemishing this I think they’re finally onto something fun and unique. I hated beta 4 but have sunk waay too much time into the latest beta 5 versions and it’s finally ‘one more turn compelling’ to me.

  • Aaron

    So he has political religious and cultural and gender views you disagree with and so you make your video game purchases on that? Do you take that kind of time with all your product purchases or even other video game purchases?

    You sound like you have an axe to grind. I’d rather read discussion on a video game. Leave your politics at the door please.

  • debacle1

    So go ahead and discuss the game. I made a lengthy comment above that I’d love some debate on.

    Tell the CEO to leave his own baggage at the door. If someone is unable to separate personal life from business life then that individual is fair game. This is clearly the case here. The ones who end up suffering because of a lack of discretion are always closest which in this case is the employees of Stardock.

  • Quicksilver

    What game are you talking about? Even a casual glance around the beta forum shows that people love the beta. The forum posts here on Qt3 indicate people like it.

    Can you go troll somewhere else?

  • debacle1

    Can you enumerate more than 10 who are so favorable of the game? The echo by regulars is simply cacophonous.

  • Quicksilver

    So the regulars here on QT3 and the game site don’t count but your snark about COE3 should be taken seriously? Your posts make you look like you have an agenda. Maybe I’m wrong but as a beta tester of the game I haven’t seen anyone in the beta have criticisms that sound like what you posted.

    I guess we’ll find out in about two weeks.

  • proteinfool

    I didn’t get the beta until it went up on Steam so it was pretty far along. It’s taken over my life. Easily the best 4X strategy game since Civilization IV.

  • MickG

    You seem to be the one having a problem separating someone’s personal life and business life. I just want to read about the damn game.

  • debacle1

    You outed me man. How did you know? I got no money. The only way I can play this game is if it becomes $10 for a four-pack. What the hell am I supposed to do now?

  • debacle1

    Straight from the horse’s mouth. Number 5 is quite ironic huh?

    http://forums.elementalgame.com/413281/page/1/#replies

  • Jimm

    Are you like this guy’s ex girlfriend or something?

  • debacle1

    No, I’m practicing The Gentleperson’s Guide to Forum Spies. You can try it too.

    http://cryptome.org/2012/07/gent-forum-spies.htm

  • Charles

    I was pretty disappointed with Elemental (or do we call it WOM now?). Having gotten fallen enchantress for free has almost restored my faith in game companies. I’m still smarting from Legend of Pegasus so the game makers out there still have a ways to go to earning my trust back.

  • Andy

    Aaron, if you wanted to just discuss the game, you shouldn’t have created this thread. David created the original question raising the issue of his behaviour, and you followed it up with a question about buying preferences.

    If you want to talk about the game, then just talk about the game.

  • Feferrel

    Yes, some people do make conscious decisions about where they spend their money based on the values that are important to them. For example, I do not shop at Home Depot or Chic-Fila because of political reasons, regardless of how convienant it might be, or how badly I want a tasty chicken sandwhich. It’s all about putting your money where your mouth is, and is really the only leverage consumers have over corporate America any more.

  • http://twitter.com/broccoman Jeff

    I wonder if the folks putting Brad on Blast are Capcom fans. I’d laugh if they are.

  • http://twitter.com/broccoman Jeff

    Overall, I have a few quibbles with this game, there are a few minor bugs (As of the current beta), but it’s a very strong game, that while it isn’t the platinum standard of Civ IV, comes reasonably close, and is definitely worth $40 easily.

    Fairly easy recommend.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Janster01 Jan Bjørnebo

    Done a few plays now, it really is a -lot- better, I would say it’s got real addicitive properties now.

  • Spongedwarf

    Let me know when they give those who bought Demigod what they promised, then perhaps I’ll give them some credit for giving us FE for “free”. I use “free” in quotes since they gave me nothing of value with the original release.

  • Spongedwarf

    Don’t get me started on Capcom…