Catiline
05-20-2003, 13:42
http://e3.wargamer.com/articles.asp?ID=050192003-6
Short so I posted it. Worth poking around the site though.
Quote[/b] ]Reported by: Jeff Vitous
The Wargamer The award-winning Total War series just keeps getting better. The UK-based developer, The Creative Assembly, began working on the latest installment, Rome: Total War at the same time they began working on last year’s hit title, Medieval: Total War. With six months of development time (or more) to go, the leap between the older engine and new, fully-3D environment is simply stunning. And the changes are far more than skin deep: numerous other enhancements will make Rome: Total War the most historically accurate game of the series.
The most apparent change, of course, is the graphics. The zoom is far greater than before, and the detail present on the unit models is already stunning. Individual figures each have their own AI, so while they may march in formation into battle, they will behave differently once engaged. Included in the demonstration we were shown was a combat with charging elephants, stomping enemy units and hurling some into the air (while probably not quite an accurate depiction, it was still great fun to watch).
Buildings are now placed on the main map, and the tech-tree structure has changed somewhat to improve usability. There are less individual buildings, but many have modules that increase functionality. An example would be weapons manufactures, instead of separate buildings, there is a single one with add-ons for archers, swordsmen, spearmen, and the like.
There are five major factions in the game: Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Eastern (Parthian, Scythian, etc.) and Barbarian (Dacian, Germanic, etc.). Within these factions, most important nations are represented, from Persians to Carthaginians. The game begins at 300 BCE, around the time when Rome had consolidated its hold on Italy and the First Punic War was about to begin. There will be a smaller pool of units available, but the armies will be more differentiated than other games.
Other changes will prove a boon to those gamers still languishing with the archaic Great Battles series to play historical tactical battles. The scenario editor will be more complete and better documented than the one included in Medieval or Shogun. Several units can be grouped under a single general, and orders can be queued for all units. This will allow for complex battlefield maneuvers, such as the Roman manipular line extension, where units (maniples) marched in a checkerboard fashion then extended into a solid line prior to engaging the enemy.
Finally, while much of the campaign was not being shown, one tidbit was shared. Medieval: Total War had the players creating ahistorically large empires without consequence. In Rome: Total War, the large empire (Rome) was historical, but there were also consequences. As the tribal factions fall under Roman dominance, the mid-late game will be spiced up with civil wars, not unlike those seen by Julius Caesar and his adopted son, Augustus.
Short so I posted it. Worth poking around the site though.
Quote[/b] ]Reported by: Jeff Vitous
The Wargamer The award-winning Total War series just keeps getting better. The UK-based developer, The Creative Assembly, began working on the latest installment, Rome: Total War at the same time they began working on last year’s hit title, Medieval: Total War. With six months of development time (or more) to go, the leap between the older engine and new, fully-3D environment is simply stunning. And the changes are far more than skin deep: numerous other enhancements will make Rome: Total War the most historically accurate game of the series.
The most apparent change, of course, is the graphics. The zoom is far greater than before, and the detail present on the unit models is already stunning. Individual figures each have their own AI, so while they may march in formation into battle, they will behave differently once engaged. Included in the demonstration we were shown was a combat with charging elephants, stomping enemy units and hurling some into the air (while probably not quite an accurate depiction, it was still great fun to watch).
Buildings are now placed on the main map, and the tech-tree structure has changed somewhat to improve usability. There are less individual buildings, but many have modules that increase functionality. An example would be weapons manufactures, instead of separate buildings, there is a single one with add-ons for archers, swordsmen, spearmen, and the like.
There are five major factions in the game: Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Eastern (Parthian, Scythian, etc.) and Barbarian (Dacian, Germanic, etc.). Within these factions, most important nations are represented, from Persians to Carthaginians. The game begins at 300 BCE, around the time when Rome had consolidated its hold on Italy and the First Punic War was about to begin. There will be a smaller pool of units available, but the armies will be more differentiated than other games.
Other changes will prove a boon to those gamers still languishing with the archaic Great Battles series to play historical tactical battles. The scenario editor will be more complete and better documented than the one included in Medieval or Shogun. Several units can be grouped under a single general, and orders can be queued for all units. This will allow for complex battlefield maneuvers, such as the Roman manipular line extension, where units (maniples) marched in a checkerboard fashion then extended into a solid line prior to engaging the enemy.
Finally, while much of the campaign was not being shown, one tidbit was shared. Medieval: Total War had the players creating ahistorically large empires without consequence. In Rome: Total War, the large empire (Rome) was historical, but there were also consequences. As the tribal factions fall under Roman dominance, the mid-late game will be spiced up with civil wars, not unlike those seen by Julius Caesar and his adopted son, Augustus.