Like with any betas, I don't have a problem with multiplayer so long as there is a single player mode. I like to be able to try to figure out what the various buttons and icons do, at the very least, before I consider going online to play the game.

yeah i agree, single player is just to start understanding the game but every expert player become bored of ai after a bit

thats when online starts to kick off

and like every online game i just want to play with a friend or 2 vs some other guys and enjoy the challenge

Dude I like this idea! Can't wait to try it out hopefully in alpha!

Guys this is the first probably of many different types of modes to play with remember its an alpha ya dont get much and theres little to no eye candy. And sometimes buggy as hell with long load time... oh boy...

Its good to see Stardock is starting with multiplayer and then going over to AI. This will help alot in the long run.

Can we get a picture or two of the UI please if possible for the alpha. That would be greatly appresciated.

Having multiplayer in the alpha/betas would be very cool. I don't play much multiplayer but it seems like it'd be fun to play with a relatively small community and a great way to find things that would be easy to miss against incomplete AIs. 

Also, a few things about that screenshot... Hopefully the rivers will look better come the final version. It would be really nice if rivers didn't have to follow along the edge of map tiles, they'd look so much better - and right now the river goes out into the ocean, turns right and then splits into a delta in the middle of the ocean... Let's just say that looks odd Also, maybe it's better at full resolution but in that screenshot the pewter figures are almost impossible to differentiate.

Sounds like a good way to get a little early exercising of the network code for those so inclined.

Wow, this is what I want to use my summer holiday for. I have all of july free from work, so total dedication on Elemental would be the best way to spend it.

Multiplayer on this type of game sounds really interesting.  Love the map. Good work guys keep ii up. can't wait to see how you guys fare against me in multiplayer

Duel mode sounds really cool. Sometimes I don't have time or just don't feel in the mood for a humongously long, involved game, and the duel mode would fill those times nicely.

What will be the correct build order for this mode?

Also, I don't want to see any Alpha build unless we have the ability to change our character's hat. Scarves and the ability to change those would be an added bonus but not necessary.

i love the cloth map, i don't recall every playing a game where once has been present before.

Magesty had a olde style map  (its so old it has an 'e' on the end)   it and the desk upon where it sat was the interface outside of the game.

for the most part older games like this did take place on an equivalent to this cloth map..

Although this is a genius and stylish idea.