Original MTW Lives On!!

[caravel]

Noir is correct in essence. MTW won't live forever, and it will eventually come down to myself and Martok posting about MTW with me changing my name every week to fool everyone into thinking there are more members than there are.

Well I doubt it will get that bad but I expect that it will get quieter as time goes on. Saying that, there are always a few new MTW players appearing on the scene here every week so it's not really in decline as such.

MTW is pretty much dead at the .com and it never really existed at the TWC anyway as it was an RTW era forum IIRC. Those places are not really of any interest as the former is basically the official support forum that serves the latest game, and CA, best and the latter is really an RTW/M2TW (and Mods) community forums.

The number of participants here is not important it is the fact that it does continue, with those characters that make it what it is, that matters.

At the end of the day, MTW (and STW) will still appeal to those that aren't much bothered about eye candy graphics, but just want a solid strategy game, that doesn't cost the earth, doesn't need the latest hardware to run it and can provide hours, weeks, months or in my case years of gameplay with a high reinstall factor and low uninstall factor.

[Noir]

MTW won't live forever, and it will eventually come down to myself and Martok posting about MTW with me changing my name every week to fool everyone into thinking there are more members than there are.

You forget myself and the mp crowd - there's still some backbone in MTW.

.com is dead - there are two regulars (danilonious & greyfox) and the admin (maedatoshiie). Maeda plays very occasionaly as far as i know.

The number of participants here is not important it is the fact that it does continue, with those characters that make it what it is, that matters.

agreed

Saying that, there are always a few new MTW players appearing on the scene here every week so it's not really in decline as such.

They are "mosquito" players as they say in Japan. Seasonal.

all in all - it had a good run.

When they put the last nail in the coffin i wont be the one staying unmoved.

[ULC]

Would that be a release of the Hard coded information? One could only hope then .

Not diving too deep into this, but by inference are you suggesting that STW is already dead?

[caravel]

They are "mosquito" players as they say in Japan. Seasonal.

A bit of a generalisation to say the least. Yes there are members that come and go, but not all. You have to remember that 99% of players probably don't post on any TW fan forum at all. So there are a lot of players out there that could potentially stumble upon this place one day.

all in all - it had a good run.

When they put the last nail in the coffin i wont be the one staying unmoved.

You seem rather final in your statements? Have you finally decided to move on to one of the newer engine TW games?

[Noir]

Not diving too deep into this, but by inference are you suggesting that STW is already dead?

Yes - but not for those that still love and appreciate it.

For those it will "never die" - heh.

[Noir]

A bit of a generalisation to say the least.

maybe so, and yet it holds a certain amount of truth. Not that i meant it in a bad manner - they are very decent members and most welcome.

You seem rather final in your statements? Have you finally decided to move on to one of the newer engine TW games?

Not in the slightest bit - its just that i cannot afford to be optimistic these days - heh.

[caravel]

Ok - heh.

[Noir]

heh - you seem playful and picking up on things rather fast lately mighty Cambyses. Something good in your life it seems. Glad to see you alive and kicking.

Ask CBR - among revealing you the secrets of TW in fullest, he'll also explain what i call the "secret charm of - heh" - heh.

[caravel]

The days of heh are numbered, GAH! will rise again...

[Tony Furze]

Im still around-an old(er) guy who came a bit late to MTW, so I ve got some staying power and goofy questions. I got to Shogun after MTW.

I ve been having problems:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=92051

which have now been ironed out thanks to the guys in the hardware forum.

I ll be interested in MTW for quite some time to come-I have RTW but I never really play it.

[Noir]

Good to see you around Tony - how is the Mrs?

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
After the disappointment with M2TW, I'll return to MTW-VI too. I may even release that ancient Modlet with as much data as I can recover but first I need to wrestle and squash EUIII.
.

[Noir]

After the disappointment with M2TW...

ETW will be out in a year or so - there's always room for improvement (in dissapointment).

Welcome back

[Ayachuco]

.
After the disappointment with M2TW, I'll return to MTW-VI too. I may even release that ancient Modlet with as much data as I can recover but first I need to wrestle and squash EUIII.
.

I am also playing EU III but after four kings and two regency councils, I am tired of launching an English War of Aggression against the French. Esp. since the French have gain the kingdom of burgundy through royal marriage. So now I will start to play MTW again esp. with the XL mod I just downloaded yesterday.

[Martok]

The number of participants here is not important it is the fact that it does continue, with those characters that make it what it is, that matters.

At the end of the day, MTW (and STW) will still appeal to those that aren't much bothered about eye candy graphics, but just want a solid strategy game, that doesn't cost the earth, doesn't need the latest hardware to run it and can provide hours, weeks, months or in my case years of gameplay with a high reinstall factor and low uninstall factor.

Truer words were rarely spoken. Even if the community were to dwindle to almost nothing -- and I'm still comfortable stating that that day is a good ways off -- it won't matter so long as people are still playing the game. Indeed, I know at least two of my friends still play MTW; but neither of whom have ever posted even once on any Total War message board.

.
After the disappointment with M2TW, I'll return to MTW-VI too. I may even release that ancient Modlet with as much data as I can recover but first I need to wrestle and squash EUIII.
.

Hey Mouza, good to see you here again mate; it'll be great to have your around these parts again. What modlet is that you're referring to, by the way? I confess I'm ignorant of the project you were working on.

@ Tony Furze: Welcome back to you as well, man. I hope all is well with you and yours.

[Tony Furze]

Noir: thanks for the concern. She s well now.


Martok: Thanks for the re-welcome-always good to see you here and at the other forum.

[seireikhaan]

Heh, long live MTW! Never yet have I had a game give me so many hours of entertainment, and unlike many games, it actually involves coherent thought process rather than "see enemy run. see enemy shoot. shoot enemy back". I'll confess I've pretty much never played RTW or M2TW, but from what I've heard from many of the MTW and STW faithful, I doubt I ever will want to play them. So pardon me, modern gamers, but I'll stick with my outdated game on my outdated computer, and have much more fun than you ever could comprehend on your $1k model with modern games riddled with glitzy graphics, brain-dead AI, and numerous bugs and glitches.

[Passatempo]

The original MTW is one of the best games ive ever played. Ive played RTW and(in my opinion) MTW is a lot better than RTW...
i can't resist playing this game again and again

[Mouzafphaerre]

.

Hey Mouza, good to see you here again mate; it'll be great to have your around these parts again. What modlet is that you're referring to, by the way? I confess I'm ignorant of the project you were working on.

Thanks for the welcome.

Here is the original thread for Modlet I. It evolved very much from that point on, with most valuable contributions of Solo, Eastside Character, Tricky Lady, PseRamesses, Dead Moroz, later Forgus and many others. A considerable database of accurate namelists were made. Unfortunately the ad-sponsored host demolished the forum and I lost my backup together with the latest progress in an HD crash.

Worst of all, I lost contact with Solo, who quit TotalWar. He might have made a backup of the forum database.
.

[TosaInu]

Hello Mouzafphaerre.

[Kaidonni]

Yep, MTW is the legend of legends when it comes to games. I'm playing an Aragonese/Early/Hard/GA/XL mod campaign right now, and even though the game is more abstracted than later TW games, guess what? It's also more fun, because it leaves a lot more to the imagination, and the micro-management isn't too tedious.

Why, I've decided that to truly role-play the Reconquista, I must ally with (or try to) the Castile-Leonese and Portugal, presenting a united Iberia against the Moorish invaders. Fine, I might be a backstabbing moron later on, but the point is, that will also be part of the role-play - once the common enemy of the Iberian houses is of little threat, what of their friendship? Obviously each of the three nations' kings will wish to be the King of all Spain, and without a common enemy, in-fighting will begin. Old alliances will be breached, for there is a new enemy - your old friend's lust for power becoming unchecked, threatening your very survival.

I even find role-play reasons for other alliances now. Some I turn down because the nation is a long way away, or not in the immediate vicinity, and therefore I will not take the decision to ally lightly. What would an alliance offer me? Taking smaller, more steady steps is wiser. But, well, the French? I border them, and want to keep the peace - and I like the French. Don't want to rile them. Same with the English - I want to be cordial with the bordering nations. The Scots? Well, they came highly recommended by the French royal court. Norway? They offered a marriage to Prince Sancho, and I saw it as a way to secure the future Aragonese bloodline. How polite of King Magnus III to propose that.

When England declared war on Scotland end of last turn, the French and Norwegian representatives stormed out of the discussions with the English, ending their alliance. So, I decided to follow suite, and stormed out too.

This makes my game more fun because I can imagine a whole new storyline to it. I even listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtracks and imagine these events in all their glory. The Almoravid hordes marching, the Iberian houses meeting them in battle, diplomats storming out of discussions, the Iberian kings celebrating the beginning of the triple alliance, etc.

[Noir]

How much i enjoyed your posts in the .com MTW forum Kaidonni - they basically, quite early and very systematically laid out all the worngs with RTW and all the rights of MTW. At the time i was trying to find a way to play RTW that it would be as pleasurable and enjoying as the older games.. in the end, after many mods, effort, blood sweat and tears i just quit, of course. I was posting in the .com as excetchzebe before moving over here and some time later change my username to Noir.

Now i enjoy MTW better than ever, and also have tasted many fruits that before were sort of "too high" for some reason for me, such as extensive home modding and multiplayer.

Both are worth it beyond words.

Noir

[Mouzafphaerre]

Hello Mouzafphaerre.

.

.

[Kaidonni]

How much i enjoyed your posts in the .com MTW forum Kaidonni - they basically, quite early and very systematically laid out all the worngs with RTW and all the rights of MTW. At the time i was trying to find a way to play RTW that it would be as pleasurable and enjoying as the older games.. in the end, after many mods, effort, blood sweat and tears i just quit, of course. I was posting in the .com as excetchzebe before moving over here and some time later change my username to Noir.

Now i enjoy MTW better than ever, and also have tasted many fruits that before were sort of "too high" for some reason for me, such as extensive home modding and multiplayer.

Both are worth it beyond words.

Noir

Hmmm...you mean the official forums for MTW and the other games? I can't remember much about my posts there (but since as I really only know of one Kaidonni ever posting on forums I go in, and that is me, it probably was me ...or my evil twin...sorry, I mean good twin ).

I liked RTW, but eventually the micromanagement (and compulsive obsessive disorder I have) made it too tedious. Especially reading my characters' traits. MTW is so much more friendly. M2TW I just couldn't get into. Extortionate costs on buildings and units, especially upkeep, and unappealing distances to travel to conquer. As for the mods...extortionate costs once again, and I do hope I can get to play once I've understood what exactly my character can or can't do from his/her 101 traits. LOL!

MTW is not too abstract, not too complex. Just right. It has atmosphere and presence. Not that I mind expanding on many concepts, and I feel RTW gave it a shot. M2TW is just...not me. Hopefully Empires will be better, but...meh...

The role-playing is good for the soul, too, in MTW.

[caravel]

I hated the retinues and transferring them around. I would always forget to transfer the drunken uncles across to an old family member.

This kind of jiggery pokery doesn't really add to gameplay.

[Jxrc]

The original MTW is one of the best games ive ever played. Ive played RTW and(in my opinion) MTW is a lot better than RTW...
i can't resist playing this game again and again

Same for me. Got the vanilla version when it first came out and keep coming back at it (with VI) every year.

Game mechanics are good, atmosphere is great ... who cares about the graphics as long as it looks about ok.

RTW had much improved graphics but I only played it five times I would not be surprised if people stop playing that game before MTW.

Nice graphics will remain an asset for a while (until someone manages to make something more flashy) whereas a good game remains a good game for as long as the graphics have not become repulsive enough to stop anyone from giving it a go.

Most games I still play from time to time are oldies (Baldur's gate, Steel Panther, Panzer General, Civ II, MTW) no younger player in his right would probably even look at but, WTF, as long as I still have fun ...

Probably MTW is just some kind of vintage stuff!!!

[Noir]

Hmmm...you mean the official forums for MTW and the other games? I can't remember much about my posts there (but since as I really only know of one Kaidonni ever posting on forums I go in, and that is me, it probably was me ...or my evil twin...sorry, I mean good twin ).

I see... we are feigning innocence now, eh?

I hated the retinues and transferring them around. I would always forget to transfer the drunken uncles across to an old family member.

i remember in one of my first Brutii campaigns what was going on after you had 30 settlements or so... impossible to keep an eye in 30 family members spread over the ancient world.

Sometimes i was trying to concentrate all the "bad" ones in a character or two that i had for that business - pretty busy guys - constantly on the road
and all - but they had plenty to keep them occupied -

[Ludens]

Welcome back, Mouzafphaerre. Glad to see that you are still playing.

[Kaidonni]

I don't care about the graphics. Sometimes one might feel it's a bit lacking in areas (I feel that sometimes about the campaign map province art), but this soon passes over, because it's still atmospheric and has presence. I like pressing shift because I can see exactly what I own (my provinces don't go below 100% loyalty...I don't let them), and it's just so nice to see it all. I feel like it's my nation, what I've built from all that blood, sweat and tears. Like it is a sovereign power. Right now, for example, Aragon seems so small...but it is quaint, and the beast within is stirring. It's already a very artistic game as it is. The 3D art from RTW and M2TW doesn't have as much personality (you'd have to download mods to get better art), although it'd be great to get the assassination/spying/sabotage/marriage movies in MTW...I was amazed the first time I saw them in M2TW...and I've seen some of Shogun's via links (hehe...assassins, the deadly, or dead, jesters of the Medieval underworld...).

[Martok]

.

Thanks for the welcome.

Here is the original thread for Modlet I. It evolved very much from that point on, with most valuable contributions of Solo, Eastside Character, Tricky Lady, PseRamesses, Dead Moroz, later Forgus and many others. A considerable database of accurate namelists were made. Unfortunately the ad-sponsored host demolished the forum and I lost my backup together with the latest progress in an HD crash.

Worst of all, I lost contact with Solo, who quit TotalWar. He might have made a backup of the forum database.
.

A pity you lost so much of the data. My sympathies, mate. I would encourage you to take a look at the Pocket Mod; I think it might be of interest to you. It's not so much of an expansion per se, as it is making a number of changes to the existing game. It's being headed up by Caravel/Cambyses II -- I myself am useless at modding, so I just mainly serve as the project's "cheerleader".

Kaidonni reminded me of another aspect of MTW that I enjoy so much: roleplaying. While I roleplay in most of my strategy games to a certain degree, I probably do so in MTW more than any other title I own. Indeed, there's so much flavor & atmosphere in the game that I can hardly *not* roleplay fairly heavily.

I know I haven't done so very often, but when I have posted my campaign stories in the Pics & History thread, it usually seems to end up reading like a chapter in a book with narrative between & among various characters. What's insane is that I usually don't have to try ver heard to come up with the dialogue, because it's often at least half-formed in my head already. My point being that when I play MTW, my brain often has "written" out the events in story mode without me even realizing it, which is very satisfying for me -- in my experience, my favorite games usually play out as a narrative tale unfolding as it goes along. Therefore it's a small wonder I enjoy MTW so much!