Pre-order now, beta key sent when available?

If you want in the next Beta, preorder now. I preordered in advance and was only charged when I was let into the Beta weeks later.

The game periodically opens up to new Beta users, and usually when it opens everyone who has preordered is let in.

Good to know,

  Thanks very much for the answer TCores.

I'm hoping that now is a good time with Beta 1 seeming to be wrapping up shortly, that perhaps Beta 2 will accept a few more people into the mix.

It won't be just a few more, EVERYONE who has pre-ordered automatically gets into the beta as soon as Stardock opens it again, which shouldn't be that far away. What ordering now will get you is not having to remember to do it during what will be a limited open period.

Aye.

After TCore's answer, I went ahead and pre-ordered now.

In some respects I wish they'd take the money immediately (just makes it a bit easier to manage on my end) but I'm also rather respectful of the fact they don't.

So now tis just a matter of awaitin' the fateful day I recieve the eye-bleeding imminent warning via email. I think I've pretty much already consumed all the information available about Elemental to date.

Funny thing is, I heard about Elemental way back when it was first announced, and thought to myself, 'Sounds kinda nifty. I'll have to remember to check that out later'. Finally got around to it relatively recently, and found I'd somehow managed to miss a whole slew of info releases and chance to get in with the tech testing stages.

Ah well!

The semblance of a game is starting to emerge! I'm glad you're excited about Elemental too. : )

But keep in mind, the beta is not fun! It is an agony of agonies, a torturous wench that we love and hate. She crashes on our desktop, fries our hard drives and ends the fun time swifter than you can say frozen popsicles.

Actually, the customization options, building your sovereign up and playing with the stats and feats appearances is getting better all the time. I like that Stardock is really putting the care into "This is YOU, and YOU are AWESOME" aspect of Elemental.

Indeed, been in a few tech alpha's before (for a few of the now older MMOs) so have a fair idea of what to expect in that regard. Call me a masochist, but I can typically garner some fun from that phase.

The problem for me is when it's supposedly in a gameplay testing phase, and we're still experiencing such issues. (i.e., shadowbane. )

But yes, I too love the character you'll be able to develop for your sovereign, race and units as a whole. Being able to develop MtG type cards for your sovereign and unit templates is just genious.

Have several friends keen on getting their hands on this now as well; albeit at a later beta phase or after release.

This "Beta" is the equivalent of other companies alpha tests.  This has been stated time and time again,

Yes.. Which is why I referred to experience in Alpha tests, rather than other betas. .. What's yer point?

I have pre-ordered. Assuming I am admitted to the beta at some point, will I be alerted through impulse at all, or only through e-mail?

I only received notification in the email. You'll have to turn on "show betas" or a similar setting in Impulse to see the Elemental download.

Judging from the number of CTDs I've experienced lately, I would guess it will probably be around 2 or 3 weeks until Beta 2 starts, if not sooner depending on how 1Z4 turns out. So if you pre-order now, I would be suprised if you didn't get in before June.

I just pre-ordered now thinking the beta access would be automatic and immediate. How long might I have to wait?

Did you get any emails? Specifically, one that contains a serial number?

It's registered to your account properly, so make sure you have 'Show pre-release versions' turned on:

If it's turned on, and it's still not showing, try closing Impulse and running the following file:

http://sd.stardock.com/curthendzell/fix_registrations.reg

Make sure to follow the link in Internet Explorer, as other web browsers will not handle the file type correctly.  Once you follow the link, save the file and double click it to apply it.  Then relaunch Impulse.  You will need to re-login with your username/e-mail (either will work) and password.

I just pre-ordered Elemental a few minutes ago but it didn't show up in my games list. I tried the steps Rosco_P suggested but I still don't have the game in the list.

What to do?

Stardock has been re-opening the betas during each beta generation; i.e. beta 1, beta 2, beta 3. but not for beta 1-c, beta 3-a and the like.

So if things continue as they have been, i would guess you wont get in until beta 4

- Othello

A bit misleading that it says "Note: You will be charged immediately for this product and gain access to Beta 3 via the Impulse client."

I suppose I'll have to wait for beta 4 then.

It's still open. If you set prerelease versions to display and it's not showing up, please contact [email protected]. You may have some registration issue that they should be able to help with.

Alright, I'll do that. Thanks