Sick of living under that rock?

http://elementalgame.com/

I looked at getting that for a while along with Demigod. I played a demo of Demigod but did not enjoy it much. What are some pros of Elemental or Demigod?

I believe Haree's point is that Elemental IS the next Stardock game. Regardless of if it is what you'd personally choose or not, it is what they are currently developing. So the next Stardock game, both in temrs of what they publish (they only published Demigod and Sins, they didn't write them) and in terms of what they develop will be Elemental. After that, I don't know.

My bad. I thought Elemental was out but it was the beta testing. Sorry.

out != beta testing

Beta testing is allowing an early version of the product out to a, normally restricted, group of willing victims (sorry: users) to get feedback to help fine tune the product.  It also stirs up a bit more interest in the product before its finally released.

The advantage for the users is that they get to play with it before everyone else, often for free unless you are tied into a "pre-order" scheme.  They also get to contribute to the finished product by expressing their opinions to the developers.

The disadvantage is that you are getting a warts-and-all early version of the product. It will probably be buggy as an ant-hill and have gameplay problems that make it less than fun a lot of the time.  It will have lots of features planned for the final release completely missing until closer to (or at) release.  It could put you off using the final product.

Some, but not all, developes do this.  At what stage they do it also varies greatly from developer to developer: it could be just from just a few weeks before release up to years before final release.

There are also pubilc and private beta programs - private often means "by invite only" so you have to know someone who knows someone ...

Some products might have both - start with a private scheme and then widen it out.

Usually, whether private or pubilc, they will have a limited membership - you have to register interest by a certain date to get to take part.

Too bad Elemental is not actually my cup to tea.

Yes Ironclad made SINS with co-operation with Stardock. Its great that companies do one game at a time and make it great but that means we dont get to see them making a lot of games so I guess I have to wait the next Stardock game for a long time

Unless someone come hear and announce their next project?

Basically Elemental is also Stardock's test bed for their new engine too for making future games. So they can kick out new games faster.

Basically to answer your question once Elemental is done SD has a few choices. A rpg that takes placing in the Elemental universe(Stardock likes Bioware games alot), GalCiv3 which I hope to god is next cause I very much enjoy 2, Society a RTSMMO but most likely you its a one time pay ie like Guild Wars, and something else which there not telling us... Jerks.

Wow, a RPG model after a Bioware game would be awesome. Not sure if the have the programming/artistic resources to develope such a title. Probably should just stick with the strategy games since Stardock has the most experience with this genre.  I would love to see a merger of the complexity of Gal Civ with the tactical action of a SoaSE. Sort of a like Medieval/Rome/Empire type of a game but in space.

Or a Freelancer type game in the Galciv universe.

Just, you know, not sucking.

Or a space shooter a la X-Wing/TIE Fighter

that would be awsome