If all the functionality is there that's intented to and all major bugs have been slain I'd like to have it by christmas. I can "beta test" it alone too. All assuming TA is actually ready to be released and not pushed out in a hurry.

January, negative press for unfinished features would be just annoying when it's such a fine product, and from one of the finest software companies on this planet.

I'd vote for January if the poll wasn't broken. Every time I click 'vote' it returns some massive code errors to me.

January is the better release date - for all the reasons stated! Since I've already pre-ordered the game, the enhancements that are going to be added add value to my purchase. Do it!

Since you have stated before it is your work on business systems that provides the money for your company, and the work on the games is icing on the cake I will assume that the impact on your bottom line in dealying a release until 2008 is not a significant concern (or at least one that as a CEO you are willing to account for).

I will also take the fact that you asked the question of us at face value and assume that our answers actually do mean something to you. (That it is easy to believe based on the concern you have shown in the past for your customers, makes that an easy one.)

Waiting will give you and us:

1) Solid individual AI's
2) More time for feature requests
3) Less opportunity for major bugs to impact consumers not familiar with Stardock's customer support.
4) More opportunity for good press. An important point as this is what will bring added name recognition to the public unfamiliar with your work, this will increase long term sales more than a Christmas release of a less superior game.
5) More time for the members of the modding community to have major mods ready to go on release.

Not waiting will allow you:

1) To have additional sales in a holiday shopping period already expected to be sluggish.
2) To Compete with all the other new games for copy space in magazines/web sites, retail shelf space, and for the attention of the general game buying public.
3) To appease the part of your fan base that does not want to preorder and take part in the beta.
4) To give you that sense of peace and satisfaction Christmas morning (or Kwanza morning of Chanukah evenings or even boxing day morning if you prefer ) that you are "finished" and that you released two expansion packs in 2007. even if it means having cheated your fans out of the AI they could have had... that they deserve...   
5) To Know that you didn't let the terrorists win. (or some other vague post 9/11 reference)

Oh and almost forgot to mention that waiting will allow Carielf more time to read all the flirtatious emails she undoubtably gets... now wether that is a good or bad thing is up to you to decide.

Waiting will give you and us:

1.) More time to spend with our family during the holiday season.
2.) More time to see what ideas everyone has to how to make this great game even better.
3.) More time to critisize your work and time delay.
4.) More time to sleep and dream of this great game .
5.) Potentially more time to add an extra beta release on more extra's you introduce to the game.
6.) Something to look forward to in that harsh cold January/February.


Not waiting will give you and us.

1.) Angry wifes / girlfriends / husbands / boyfriends that this game takes from them during this holiday season.
2.) Angry bosses that hate when we call in a week straight after the game release during this holiday season.
3.) Hear complaints for those who wanted you to wait to make the game better.
4.) Less sleep, but who really needs sleep
5.) A final quick shell of what could have been but, also could be updated.
6.) You will still hear from those who think they have better ideas of how to make this game better.

Yeah stardock is hott stuff. They dont bite the hands that feed.

An important note here - a few people are saying that a December release will ultimately be the same as a January release after they release a few patches. This might be true, but has a few drawbacks that some people may not be aware of:

* Stardock wants to get started on GC2 v2.0. There was a plan at one point that it would be out in January or February I believe. The option of releasing in December sounds like it would mean cutting out new features for good, probably in favor of getting their other projects going.

* Supporting the above theory, Brad has already stated that a new game is almost always more profitable than an expansion. They won't want to do much support past GC2 v2.0.

* Gaming publications (physical and web-based) like to rip games apart that "need" patches, so even if the release did get the same level of support after the fact, the original release is what the magazines/websites are evaluating. Obviously this would be bad for SD. Granted, an early TA release is bound to be pretty sweet, but the best reviews and coverage will happen if the game is AMAZING, not simply "pretty sweet".

Anyway, I still hope a delay doesn't hurt SD's bottom line, but I think it's way cool that this company actually asked our permission. Go Stardock!

But PLEASE give us an updated beta schedule! The poll results are obvious. It would take a hell of a lot of voting to change the overwhelming preference of delaying until January, so please, let's get an idea what we can expect and when we can expect it!

Is the poll closed? I am not able to vote so I assume that it is. Not that it would make a difference anyway since I was going to vote with the 90% that said wait.

I could'nt care less how long they take. OK by christmas we have more then what we got atm in the beta but the longer they take the better. It gives them time to add plenty of new features and also bug fixes.

I like what I seen so far considering its an early beta. I could'nt care how long they take for all I care the final could be released next june. But by christmas we would have alot more content to play with then we currently got.

So my vote goes to January.

Also I like the fact stardock ask there customers and listen to them. That is what I like in a company and they have good level of support and keep patching the games as well as adding new content. Not many game publishers/developers do that these days.

Take your time. I can wait. Make it the best expansion thank you can make it. I am in the beta and enjoying it. January for me please. Thanks Stardock your the best!!!

I vote for December. The expansion will get even better if we wait for February, March, April and so on..
I think releasing the game on 12 December instead November adds extra waiting time and January even more..
I pre-ordered and playing beta. I would like to have the final version on holidays and play a lot. Additionaly Stardock will lose the Christmas opportunity.

I suggest 2 options
A. Release a finished expansion on December and update it later on update 2.0 with all extra and better AI.
B. Release a final beta on December for those who pre-ordered it so everybody is happy. Additionaly in January you can release the final expansion and update 2.0.