I agree with a lot you're saying. How many people go past the one game for each Beta release? I certainly never did, except for a few restarts. The pattern is always the same: it looks improved and very promising the first turns, then when you start going deeper into it BLANDNESS HAPPENS.  So, as far as reviews go, I think it really depends on how many points Stardock will get for "good will" - points that are deserved anyway for what they did and the HUGE improvement over EWoM - and how much the reviewers themselves will play. I sense the devs know this too, that's why they ask specifically for first impressions (but I may be too unforgiving here, I admit).

On the other hand, one can only complain so many times. Magic was the thing people have complained the most through the various betas, and still it's bland and almost devoid of any meaningful role 2 full years later. Maybe it just isn't in their genes to make a fantasy game with "personality", or is not what they want to do to begin with. 

So, at this point it'd be fair to settle for a fine, smoothly running container where modders can inject any measure of "personality". *I'd* settle for it. But see, this is where I disagree with you, because I'm not at all certain that the many technical issues will be solved: the game is in a very poor state in this regard, imho.

So this brings me to my question: should I try Fall from Heaven, having never played it before? 

Because you don't understand, I am going to explain to you what core mechanics here you are saying need to change. The tech tree, not going to change. That is a core mechanic which is not going to change. They might move things around in it and play with it a bit but it is staying.

More uniqueness with factions is a good thing and they have taken some steps in this direction but it could use more. This I agree with, but I do not think the factions are bland.

Different outfits and such is something that can be done but I really don't see the purpose of it. It is purely cosmetic and a minor issue in my opinion. Also, you forget it is supposed to be a ravaged world, they are not going to have fancy starting equipment, it doesn't make sense. I would agree with unique armors.

Your request to ditch the original factions is another core mechanic you are asking to change. It is not going to happen and your request is unreasonable. This is why people don't take you seriously and why Frogboy has said to some that maybe this game isn't for them. These things are not going to change, if you think they are then you are just fooling yourself so just quit now before you get more disappointed. Also your request for "something more sexy" is in my opinion, childish and stupid.

This is exactly why I said your post is ridiculous. You mention mostly ridiculous outlandish things, with only one worthy point which has already been said many times, and you expect to be taken seriously. If you have issues with the game, then give meaningful feedback. You shouldn't be asking for things which just aren't going to happen.

Comparing Africa to a ravaged and destroyed world overrun by monsters is offensive in my opinion. They are not comparable and you are talking about established countries who have vast wealth which is mismanaged. In this case you are a wandering nomad who starts up a city for the first time. You should be able to make these distinctions with just a little bit of thought.

Don't get me started on who has been playing games for longer and who has played more TBS games. I can go into depth on how many I have played and still own. I literally own over a thousand games across many platforms (consoles, pc, etc.) This does not make you some kind of expert, nor does it mean you know how to make a good game.

No, the core mechanics are not going to change, how many times does Frogboy and stardock have to make that clear to people who persist in their stubbornness, like you? Tech trees and factions are Core mechanics, they are not going to change. That does not mean they wont make them more unique as in perhaps different buildings or different abilities\skills, etc. They are however not going to make Elves, orcs, etc. Also, as the game stands right now, I grade it around an 80 give or take a couple of points, not a 60 to 70.

What exactly did they advertise? Please inform me about what they advertised but didn't deliver. Just because you are not enjoying the game does not mean they have lied or advertised something they didn't deliver. As a matter of fact, I don't think they advertised much for Fallen Enchantress at all, maybe you have it confused with WoM. 

I am not saying the game is perfect, and I do hope they deliver on those other 20 points (to get to 100 from 80). However, what you are hoping for (actually I do not know what you are hoping for because you have yet to make any meaningful suggestions other than complain) is probably not going to happen. Nor do I think it should happen until I have a better idea of what exactly you want, other than nice clothes to put on your character.

I just have to say I had a fun time reading this thread.

Did anything get accomplished.  No, but everyone got to say a word.  It felt like I was watching the Morrie Povich show.

Thanks to this thread I learned about the fall from heaven mod, dusted off my old CIV IV and away I go.  Gives me something to play while I'm waiting for them to fix FE.

Cheers buddy. 

It's actually fall from heaven II that I have loaded, it seems to be a very well made mod.

As for FE, I have to say I did expect more emphasis on magic and less on micro managing city's and spamming armies, but there you have it.

Well the thing which is great about FE is that you will be able to mod most of the things that some of you are complaining about. You can add in new armors and clothes, you can add new buildings, unique buildings, more spells, more monsters, different factions, etc. All of these things can be modded into the game. I am already starting to look into some of the things.

Well see in MoM magic was central - damn, there was even Alchemy to turn gold into Mana, and every leader had it!

In FE it seems more like an afterthought. First of all, there's no straight way to build a pure caster. The way skills are assigned, you're gonna end with a "multiclass" caster at best, no matter what. Then there's the messy way by which spells are assigned, that is: some come in groups with research, some come randomly at level up. It's messy and I don't like it. 

Only thing I know, I played one entire game with Pariden, I mean the mage leader supposedly, and focused research on Magic. With the whole tree researched, I still had a few lousy spells (just a few more than at start), the most potent being a summon that with 3 matching shards still was less useful than my regular units. Don't even get me started on wonders like Burning Hands... who would even cast it? Sorry if I repeat examples I made in another thread, but they're handy... I couldn't stop remembering MoM when casting Regeneration! In MoM a Regenerating unit could die in battle and then regenerate if you won it (yes, the victor could salvage the regenerating body!) In FE you get a +1 or something...  

It's not about the power, it's about the possibilities. In MoM, with a regenerating unit, you could go suicidal, gambling on the outcome of the battle. And then you had spells like Invisibility, True Sight, Flight, Create Artifact! TRUE spells, that altered the tactical situation entirely. It's not what we have here, it's more like a bonus-oriented "spreadsheet" thing. It can work if properly balanced but it won't ever excite me, and it somehow misses the potential of the fantasy setting. 

EDIT: thanx @LightOfAbraxas, I'll try and get more info about it then  

FFh2 is and will always be one of the legends, like the previous poster said you have to get it.

And as far as MOM-create artifact- one of my all time favorite spells, another game that shall remain nameless had this also and it was just so much fun.

funny lantros...very funny

I seriously wonder what happened to the wonder boy that gave us the possibility OF PLAYING A CITY OF FRIKKEN ANGELS!!!!! THATS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!!

You might want to read the post again...

I hope you all now see what I am saying about the ridiculousness in this thread. Darkehound obviously major failed to understand what Frogboy was saying haha.

It's no more a release than this pre-order Beta is. A bit more visible on Steam but this isn't the game that's going on release and there's a patch coming with the Beta 4A. It might be bad, but I'm not really seeing how your EVERYTHING IS OVER approach is appropriate.