Looking over the posts on the forum, I can see so many activate community members and discussions over the in and outs of the game. 

To start, I don't play. Not yet at least. I am downloading at the moment but I have to say a simple Thank you to Stardock and Brad's team. Thank you for being steadfast, enduring, honest, full of dignity and any other words that fail to appear in the sick gallery of twisted thoughts I call my mind.  But more importantly than the words, you kept a promise to an old gamer that I simply find rare in this day and age. 

I played Galactic Civ. I loved it. Reminded me of Master of Orion and going without sleep just hitting "next turn", just one more time. I stuck with Galactic Civ all through college and even tried Trials of battle - we all wish we owned a hover tank but something just didn't work well there. Anyhow I purchased Elemental longing to go back to my roots of sandbox games and of course was happy to give Stardock my money. I eagerly loaded up the game while my children slept and ignored my wife's lecture of how I stay up too late  - making me rather unbearable in the morning. Thank God I have work in a small office - just me. I toiled with the game, struggled with the crashes and odd quirts but stuck it out hoping for some improvement.

Months past. Then more months. I surrendered hope and moved to other games but still couldn't scratch that itch. You remember the one, you started it when you released Galactic Civ. so many years before. Until yesterday. An old gamer buddy bumped into me as my kids went swimming and told me to check my email. "Frogboy hasn't croaked yet. Go check it out." he suggested.

I dug up my old email, reset my password and started to read your email. Well, Brad, I am here. I am excited. I am more impressed by you and your team than my words can express. I wish you the best for the coming launch. And I am excited to go dig in the dirt and build empires.

All the best, 

Arth.