The HDR adds great stuff like shadowing on the hills which make the picture MUCH more 3D

I'd like to see a Soft50 or a Soft25 before judging.

Soft100 is the weakest, the other two are a toss-up.

No HDR is more "happy and friendly" because the brighter colors - the green and orange especially - are less dull than in the other images.  Soft 100 is a little too blurry, as others have said.  The Soft 75 gives it a nice look except for the detailed objects like the castle, which end up losing detail and feel less... defined.   I think I like the mountains of soft 75 combined with the rest of the image in No HDR.  I don't know if there is any way to combine them like that, however.

Soft 75 has the nicest colors imo. The other ones look a bit too harsh as if the grass does not grow that well and the river contains water that you better stay away from. Soft 75 does not have this look, yet I feel it could use more bright colors. There is not really anything wrong with the colors as they are in the first pic, it is just that they could use a bit more warmer colors.

I like the sharper lines in the no HDR picture. The HDR ones seem a touch too blurry. The sharper lines look a bit better, yet I feel the colors are a bit lacking in the no HDR picture too. Overall the first one with brighter colors would be perfect imo.

I have two suggestions on these. Overall, I like Soft 75.

As far as happy and friendly enough, I completely agree. My first suggestions is possible some kind of bloom effect and some objects of contrasting colors to fill some of the empty space. Lava cracks on the evil side or light colored flowers, tall grass, or plant life on the good side.

The other reason I think it looks gloomy is the fog of war. It looks like a haunted graveyard fog. Can you make this fog of war a little more friendly, or is the super mystery/fear factor of the darker, scarier fog intended? If not, I suggest looking at a game like Anno 1404: Dawn of Discovery. The colors are really vibrant and the environment is relaxing, even when corsair ships hunt you down. Their fog of war is light beige parchment color, with compasses and sea monsters and navigational lines on it. Here's a picture:

Perhaps if the fog of war was lightened up, too, you could add drifting, fluffy clouds (Or dark, stiletto clouds on the evil side).

I made a comparison picture, if anyone finds that more easy to use. Here's a preview, plus a link, because the full size pic is 8MB. Pics are in the same order as the OP.

Full size link: http://home.wanadoo.nl/h.krause/Elemental_lighting_compare.png

The Soft100 en Soft75 pictures seem to give more depth to the world, but also seem to remove a lot of detail. I like the dark tower / castle (the building itself) in the NoHDR picture the best, but the effect around it look better in the Soft pictures.

I'd like something between the Soft75 and the NoHDR one...

I like the soft75 and the NoHDR ones equally.  The one real problem with the no HDR one is the fog of war can be 'seen through', though

For the looks, I'd prefer the no HDR then 75 then 100.

I abstain due to jpeg compression.

Just a side note: The vegetation looks very weird. [Trees etc.] Perhaps more/better textures could help or something.

Anyone else agrees?

Nah, thats the style thier going for. I think they want to "stand out" and this very artistic style is prolly a part of that.

As for which is best, I kinda like the no HDR simply because things are "brighter". I bet a lower scale image (ie 25-50) would be best though, as I think shadows add alot to the game. but I could certainly live with 75, even 100 isn't terrible or anything.

Soft: 75 is the one I like.

Soft 75   is my choice

I say just make it a client option with these options available so we can choose which lighting solution we want to use.  Sometimes I cant stand HDR because a lot of games overdo it, and having options just lets people decide for themselves which one they want.

I honestly couldnt tell that much of a difference between these shots, but I imagine it looks a lot different in real time.