This is really great news! Thanks for the effort (and money!) you put into the further development of Elemental.

Considering the number of people on the Civfanatics forum that have decided to buy Elemental on the news that Kael has joined the team, I think the confidence is pretty unanimous

Excellent point - this move should hopefully pull in a larger player base for the game. 

I can't believe the criticisms of piracy regarding FfH! In no way could the use of those assets have harmed the creators interests. If FfH were being sold for money, then they would be entitled their fair share but that was not the case. To make such a critism, the burden is on you to cite an example of assets used in spite of permission being explicitely denied. It's a non-issue. It's as if you expect that he will continue to use copyrighted material while making games for stardock! Get real.

If anything, the art and assets used in FfH simply shows that Kael has a talent for recognizing quality game assets. Big plus for prospecive Elemental fans.

Well, maybe the acquisition of these customers was the reason behind the hiring? *gd&r*

Eh, I'm supposedly the biggest cynic I know, but that would probably be stretching it.  The Frog has basically dismissed modding as a mover of sales repeatedly, considering it a wasted investment fiscally.  A sales boost from a modder's fans is more likely to come as a shock than be the reason for the hire.

Kael is efficient and keeps perspective.  While reinventing the wheel with FFH2 and making an engine do all kinds of things it wasn't designed for, he still junked numerous features over the course of development because they couldn't get them to work well in the end.  It's perfect management credentials even without his day job.

Kael wrote the whole backstory of Fall from Heaven, he was also the "lead desginer" and basicly driving force behind the mod. I so hoped he would do a FFH mod for elemental and this is even better. I am sure Elemental will stick with it's current backstory but will become more of a MoM style game as FFH was the closest I have ever seen another game come to it. I forone also hope to see the races get thier due under him.

Congratulations Kael.   

The promised degree of modability (which is still entirely in the "promise" stage) sold 100% of the copies I personally know about.

Welcome Kael.

Modding can definately move sales of expansions, but modders first and foremost require an audience, or else they won't mod. If Kael can put together a functional game out this, its likely the community will grow to a point where the mods are a big part of the value.

Actually given RavenX's Undead Rising, and the community Elf Race Mods, I'd say mods are already a big part of the value of Elemental.  At least for me they are .

Anyway just want to add my welcome to Kael.

  Thanks for all the good wishes, I am very excited to work on Elemental.  I made over 16,000 posts at CivFanatics while working on Fall from Heaven so it's safe to say you will all be hearing a lot from me (and that I hope to hear a lot from all of you).

  The sad truth is I spent way to much time looking for a non-dorky picture of me and that's the best I could come up with.  If it helps, Im not wearing any pants in that picture.