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Kittrell
Kittrell
Join Date 03/2006
+1

To Brad Wardell and Stardock

An open letter

November 1, 2012 5:25:25 PM from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

As most of us did, I received this email from Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock,

Dear Stardock customer,

My name is Brad Wardell. I'm the President & CEO of Stardock.  Two years ago, you bought a game from us called Elemental: War of Magic.  We had great hopes and ambitions for that game but, in the end, it just wasn't a very good game.

Elemental was an expensive game. You probably paid $50 or more for it. And you trusted us to deliver to you a good game. $50 is a lot of money and companies have a moral obligation to deliver what they say they're going to deliver and frankly, Stardock failed to deliver the game we said we were going to deliver.

While we did update Elemental: War of Magic (you can still download v1.4). Its design just wasn't adequate to make it into the kind of game it should be. So we decided to start over. From scratch. We made a new game called Fallen Enchantress.

So even though it's been two years, we haven't forgotten about you.  This week, we released Fallen Enchantress. It is a vastly better game and, we believe, lives up to the expectations set for the original Elemental.  This game is yours. Free. It's already been added to your account.

You can download and play it by going to http://download.stardock.com.

We hope you enjoy Fallen Enchantress.  Please feel free to visit the Elemental forum at www.elementalgame.com if you wish to talk to me and the rest of the team. We're there and very interested in your feedback.


Thank you for being our customers and your patience.


Sincerely,

Brad Wardell
President & CEO
Stardock - https://www.stardock.com
bwardell@stardock.com
@draginol http://www.twitter.com/draginol

 

I just wanted to reply to it here so that the and the rest of the Stardock staff could see it without a bunch of forwarding, etc.

First, Brad and Stardock, Elemental wasn't a bad game, in my opinion. The *only* reason I didn't play it very much was because of the memory leaks and instability. I really liked Elemental. I write books, and I know how the criticism can be, but I also know that praise is rare. So, thank you for Elemental (the first one) and Fallen Enchantress (the new and improved one).

I also have to say that I've always had high respect for you guys. When I wanted to play a contemporary, realistic turn-based strategy, I turned to the Civilization series. However, Stardock has the absolute best fantasy, alternate reality, and science fiction turn-based strategy games, hands down. When I found Galactic Civilization II, I said to myself, "How did this one sneak in under the radar? Why haven't I heard of this series or this studio before?"

To me, this letter (and your gesture) shows me that you guys really believe in your products and the enjoyment of your customers/fans. You didn't have to give all of us a free copy of the game, but you did. Most studios wouldn't have done that. Stardock, however, is a class act. I've always known that, and it shows more now than ever.

So, Brad, Stardock folks, thank you for everything you've done and what you continue to do. Keep making them, and I'll keep playing them.

- Brian

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athelasloraiel
Kittrell
athelasloraiel
Join Date 12/2011
+10
Reply #1 November 1, 2012 6:35:58 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

I agree..

I haven't bought WOM at the time, but if I had, and received FE for free, I would have bought another copy.

Stardock is special, I knew from start.

 

When I heard, long time ago, about SINs that they don't have DRM and never will, I bought the game just for that from UK, and got it to Croatia. I even payed customs, I didn't care. It ment that much to me. PPL who care, and who don't want to have their product copied for free and strive with quality to prevent that (since updates are only for registered owners).

 

Again, my hat goes to you. I wish for few small things...

Take these great ideas people post in these fora (and on steam fora) and use them. I can freely say there are elements for 10 DLCs (maybe some of them free?).

 

Make 4 packs on Steam - so I can buy and give around.

 

Later on, when you get some bucks, make Demigod 2. That is the game I love most....(Demigod 1 I mean).

PS Improve FE tools....

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Kittrell
Frogboy
Join Date 03/2001
+2412 sdemperor
Reply #2 November 1, 2012 6:38:37 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

Thanks! We appreciate it!

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Kittrell
DTOM
Join Date 06/2010
+2
Reply #3 November 1, 2012 7:02:06 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

Good call on Kitrell's part to post this in the forum's.   I received this e-mail too an was my initial reaction was to reply to share similar sentiments to OP regarding War of Magic and receiving FE for free.   I pre-ordered WoM.  It had its faults but I enjoyed playing it anyway.   After playing for a while I convinced my father purchase a copy.  He also got many hours of enjoyment out of it.   We have both been playing FE since the first beta and I suspect ti will continue to eat up our gaming time.   Since we both received FE free of charge I figured I could support Stardock's efforts with this game further and purchased a copy for my Nephew who is also enjoying the game a great deal.   I look forward to seeing FE be refined by SD and modded by the community.  I also look forward to future expansions\sequels etc.   

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Kittrell
LordSith96
Join Date 01/2008
0
Reply #4 November 1, 2012 7:24:36 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

yeah, thanks Stardock!  kudos!

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Kittrell
Trojasmic
Join Date 04/2006
+40
Reply #5 November 1, 2012 7:36:08 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

giving FE away to people who bought is EWOM is overpowered!

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Kittrell
willie sanderson
Join Date 05/2003
+6
Reply #6 November 1, 2012 8:28:32 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums


Well, I'm not satisfied yet. I want an Ancients game made by Stardock et al. Starting with the birth of ROME into the FALL of ROME. I want colorful pewter looking counters written to the PC of course. I want the best AI possible, nooo I DEMAND the BEST AI possible. Slitherine tried but they failed miserably. KOIOS Works started but didn't finish and all we got were a few scenarios with some colorful terrain and units. Rome 2 Total War is coming but somehow I just don't see it polished as much as I want those figures to look. I really liked KOIOS Works graphics just too bad they never made an Empire Builder. I'm a child of Ancients in an old mans body and I sure would like to see a decent Ancient Rome Empire builder before I die.

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Kittrell
hntr101
Join Date 04/2006
+5
Reply #7 November 1, 2012 9:12:59 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

I received a free copy and thank you for that.  This allowed me to buy one for a friend.

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Kittrell
athelasloraiel
Join Date 12/2011
+10
Reply #8 November 1, 2012 9:37:29 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

while we are at that, (wishing I mean) I wish Stardock would make a Birthright game (Like Gorgon's Crown).....that would be something...

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Kittrell
Kittrell
Join Date 03/2006
+1
Reply #9 November 1, 2012 10:56:40 PM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

hehe I would like a "Frippery DLC", where you get all kinds of sovereign items (craftable), like a big crown, royal robes, a scepter, orb, boots, and everything else to make your sovereign like something out of Buckingham Palace during coronation.

I'm serious, though. I love stuff like that.

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Kittrell
Okimosy
Join Date 08/2010
0
Reply #10 November 2, 2012 4:38:38 AM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

Em. Free copy for having EWOM? Is it for all EWOM owners or just for those that bought it in a specific place/time period?

 

I bough FE recently, so i just asking out of curiosity.

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Kittrell
joasoze
Join Date 02/2006
+39
Reply #11 November 2, 2012 4:43:32 AM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

Quoting Trojasmic,
reply 6
giving FE away to people who bought is EWOM is overpowered!

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Kittrell
FlashXAron
Join Date 03/2003
+1
Reply #12 November 2, 2012 5:14:34 AM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums


Hi there dear STARDOCK TEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a longterm friend of stardock games (I bought all of your games , starting with Gal Civ I ,,, aahhh I didn't bought Demigod ...)

 

I THANK YOU FOR THE FREE COPY and your great efforts to make the game more enjoyable !

THANK YOU !

 

 

I think I have played all/most of the roundbased games out there in the last 35 years ... starting with Apple II+
Anyway, please balance the game even more, after two full games (large map, 10 AI Players) and 40h ingame.

I have to say
GREAT WORK, but we are still at the beginning ... there is lot to do to balance the game.
I won one through conquest and one through diplomacy, which I already could have won with the master spell ! 

FAST feedback:
1.) To do the deadly and epic adventure quests, heroes have to be very overpowerd, but at this point you would already have won the game, because you could conquer all cities with them, without any problem

2.) why is the master spell somewhere in the middle of the game ? AND TOO CHEAP ... worse balancing ... put it at the end of the list and I have have played with settings, few of any resources ... could have won the game in the middle of the fights.

3.) Make cities a lot stronger ... give them catapults, more defenders and so on ,,, up to 20-30% of the inhabitants should defend their homes as militia ... and I should be able to improve their weapons and armors, when I have that tech ,,, Civilisation V is now more fun, since cities defend itself !

 

THANK YOU and keep on  

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Kittrell
Gaunathor
Join Date 04/2006
+170
Reply #13 November 2, 2012 10:42:32 AM
from Elemental ForumsElemental Forums

Quoting Okimosy,
reply 11
Em. Free copy for having EWOM? Is it for all EWOM owners or just for those that bought it in a specific place/time period?

 

I bough FE recently, so i just asking out of curiosity.

The free copy is for all those who bought E:WoM in 2010.

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