I'M SO EXCITED AND GIDDY!

[Vuk]

ROME 2!! THANK YOU HEAVEN!!! THANK YOU!!! YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!! YES!!! FINALLY! FINALLY!!

Why did it take CA so long!? Rome was the best in the series! I know the Frontroom is not for video games, so I apologize to the mods, but this thread is actually only about being happy.

[Strike For The South]

Rome was the best in the series!

I put up with allot of your shit, but this crosses the line. Get out of my house

[Vuk]

I put up with allot of your shit, but this crosses the line. Get out of my house

You know it is the truth.

[quadalpha]

We need a new forum for this.

Shogun II, and now Rome II. I'm kind of disappointed that CA is just retreading old ground rather than daring to explore other settings. It seems that the TW franchise has gotten so big that they're afraid to take risks with it.

I am happy that they seem to be paying more attention to appropriate scaling (I think my fondness for MTW was how the scale in the campaign map felt right):

We’re having a province system where for several regions, maybe three or four regions, you’re only managing one province. It means that you get the strategic depth in terms of capturing territories and moving armies around.

Also this:

A legion will have its own legacy, its own gameplay effects and character – so for instance if you’ve lost a great battle or done something very specific with a legion it might get a trait with a particular game effect that reflects how you’ve used it. And that outlives its General, so it’s not just about the effects of the General.

Jury is out on what seems like a new emphasis on siege and urban battles. It's not terribly historical and has traditionally been one of the weakest parts of the series.

(Quoted from RPS.)

Edit: We'll also need new forum names.

[Hooahguy]

I'm kind of disappointed that CA is just retreading old ground rather than daring to explore other settings. It seems that the TW franchise has gotten so big that they're afraid to take risks with it.
.

Well in their defense, what can they really do? There isnt that much left. Yeah you can argue you can go further back before Rome got powerful but then most units were roughly the same and it was for the most part fighting in between city states, if my memory serves. Rome seems the logical step forwards. Afterwards they can try something new and daring.

As for me, Im very excited.

[ReluctantSamurai]

Well in their defense, what can they really do? There isnt that much left. Yeah you can argue you can go further back before Rome got powerful but then most units were roughly the same and it was for the most part fighting in between city states, if my memory serves. Rome seems the logical step forwards. Afterwards they can try something new and daring.

This.

RTW2 is a logical step, IMHO, and one that will be met with great enthusiasm, I'm sure. RTW was probably the most popular venue of all the TW series, and it's the only one not to get a make-over. Hopefully they do a credible job with it.

[TinCow]

I haven't sales figures to substantiate this, so it may just be my own impression (I first started playing at MTW), but it really felt like the Total War series first became a big hit with RTW. Since then, they've already gone back and re-made their first two titles, so it makes a lot of sense to re-do the third one. There are a lot of people (myself included) who were rabid RTW fans, and a return to that setting I think is a guaranteed financial success, particularly after their relatively good showing with TWS2. CA's certainly managed to get themselves back onto my auto-purchase list, which they got knocked off of after ETW.

Could it have been something more interesting? Yes. Does that impact the fun factor of the Roman setting? No.

[Barkhorn1x]

Agree here on the main points:
- logical to do RTW2
- Good stepping stone for the polished engine
- I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the period.

[Kagemusha]

This is just what the doctor ordered!

[quadalpha]

Well in their defense, what can they really do? There isnt that much left. Yeah you can argue you can go further back before Rome got powerful but then most units were roughly the same and it was for the most part fighting in between city states, if my memory serves. Rome seems the logical step forwards. Afterwards they can try something new and daring.

Hm, really? Come on, people. We have talked about this before in these very forums. There were various periods mentioned: several possibilities in China, the American Civil War, 17-18th century Europe ... Well, I guess this is a thread to be excited in, so you alls can all do that. Just don't forget the obscurity of the wars of the Shogunate and even the Middle Ages before the TW series came along.

[H.P. Lovesauce]

All I can think about is TRIREMES and what the guys from Europa Barbarorum are gonna do.

[Arjos]

All I can think about is TRIREMES and what the guys from Europa Barbarorum are gonna do.

lol epic, how much everyone thinks about CA's games: hope the community will mod it right :P

[Centurion1]

meh i always enjoy ca's vanilla games! barely even touched mods.

[Hooahguy]

Hm, really? Come on, people. We have talked about this before in these very forums. There were various periods mentioned: several possibilities in China, the American Civil War, 17-18th century Europe ... Well, I guess this is a thread to be excited in, so you alls can all do that. Just don't forget the obscurity of the wars of the Shogunate and even the Middle Ages before the TW series came along.

China is a possibility but its so close to Shogun that it wont be that special. the American CW is too short for anything more than an expansion, and 17th-18th century Europe is pretty much covered by late M2TW (you have early muskets) and early ETW.

[Arjos]

China is a possibility but its so close to Shogun that it wont be that special.

Oh please, completely different culture and units, not to mention there would be Korea and tribes from Mongolia...

As for other periods: Charlemagne, Persian Wars, rise of the Neo-Assyrian empire, Warring States, Three Kingdoms, Renaissance, India in any time period, Chinggis Khaan...
There's lots of options, but as TinCow masterly put it, this won't affect the fun :)

[Hooahguy]

Oh please, completely different culture and units, not to mention there would be Korea and tribes from Mongolia...

You know of their different cultures, but what about the masses? Look at it from a marketing standpoint. I think that most would look at it and say "oh look, a Shogun 2 copy."

As for the others, yes, they are fantastic time periods, but how many people would buy a game based around the Persian wars? I doubt most even know what they were. The past TW games however, have been easily recognized by the average joe.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

All I can think about is TRIREMES and what the guys from Europa Barbarorum are gonna do.

I'm sure this one will be the most moddable total war game ever

[quadalpha]

You know of their different cultures, but what about the masses? Look at it from a marketing standpoint. I think that most would look at it and say "oh look, a Shogun 2 copy."

As for the others, yes, they are fantastic time periods, but how many people would buy a game based around the Persian wars? I doubt most even know what they were. The past TW games however, have been easily recognized by the average joe.

Without going too far off-topic (what was the topic?), I should note that this point has been answered:

Just don't forget the obscurity of the wars of the Shogunate and even the Middle Ages before the TW series came along.

[Vuk]

I would love one based in Asia (all of Asia, rather than tiny Japan...and not even all of it). The variety of cultures and warriors would be absurd, and for many people in the West it would be educational, as they know very little about Asian history.

[Hooahguy]

Without going too far off-topic (what was the topic?), I should note that this point has been answered:

The wars themselves can be obscure. Its the men who fight them. Everyone knows what a samurai or a medieval knight is. Why do you think the game covers have a very large samurai and a very large knight (or king, whatever) on them? Everyone knows of the Romans, the American Revolution and muskets, and most know who Napoleon is.

But can you say that for very many of the options you put forward?

Look, Im not against having a TW for Asia or the Persian wars or whatever. Id love an Asia Total War. Im just thinking that from a commercial standpoint doing such a game is a major risk.

[SalmonSoil]

Just don't forget the obscurity of the wars of the Shogunate and even the Middle Ages before the TW series came along.

But everybody knows what knights and samurai are, even if they don't know the specifics of warfare in those time periods.

That said, there are probably still viable new settings. I would love to see Warring States China, they could really emphasise the whole art of war angle, but not right after Shogun.

But Rome is also an awesome setting and Rome 2 is looking so so good.

[quadalpha]

Alright, people. Your points are well taken. It all goes to show that the world needs more people interested in military history.

[Noncommunist]

But everybody knows what knights and samurai are, even if they don't know the specifics of warfare in those time periods.

That said, there are probably still viable new settings. I would love to see Warring States China, they could really emphasise the whole art of war angle, but not right after Shogun.

But Rome is also an awesome setting and Rome 2 is looking so so good.

What about a Biblical setting? There'd be a decent amount of familiarity with the time period despite the fact that it also hasn't been immensely explored.

Sorta related, do you think religion will have much of an appearance in RTW2? Obviously, it wouldn't have the same monolithic power as in other games, but could be a way of having cultural influence on other places.

[quadalpha]

What about a Biblical setting? There'd be a decent amount of familiarity with the time period despite the fact that it also hasn't been immensely explored.

Sorta related, do you think religion will have much of an appearance in RTW2? Obviously, it wouldn't have the same monolithic power as in other games, but could be a way of having cultural influence on other places.

I don't think religion has ever yet lived up to its potential in the TW series. It usually seems to end up either as an annoyance or ignored.

[Monk]

China is a possibility but its so close to Shogun that it wont be that special.

Wow. That's subjective.

You know of their different cultures, but what about the masses? Look at it from a marketing standpoint. I think that most would look at it and say "oh look, a Shogun 2 copy."

As for the others, yes, they are fantastic time periods, but how many people would buy a game based around the Persian wars? I doubt most even know what they were. The past TW games however, have been easily recognized by the average joe.

Look, Im not against having a TW for Asia or the Persian wars or whatever. Id love an Asia Total War. Im just thinking that from a commercial standpoint doing such a game is a major risk.

I'd like to think after over 12 years CA has cultivated an image for themselves in the gaming industry. They could make it work by brand recognition alone. I bought Empire solely because it was the next big thing from CA, despite having next to no interest in the time period. If they went full on market blitz you can bet people would take the chance due to the unique niche these games fill in the market. After a decade there's still very few games who try to do everything TW does all in one nice and neat package.

I'm sure this one will be the most moddable total war game ever

Oh you.

Rome was the best in the series!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[rickinator9]

What about a Biblical setting? There'd be a decent amount of familiarity with the time period despite the fact that it also hasn't been immensely explored.

I don't really think Atheists like me would be interested. I also think the campaign map area would be far too small.

[Veho Nex]

You know it is the truth.

Get out of strikes house, we all know ETW was the best in the series.

[Monk]

Get out of strikes house, we all know ETW was the best in the series.

I'm surrounded by wrong opinions.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Joking of course.

[Andres]

I confess, I'm excited about this as well.

So much that I even re-installed R:TW and BI to get in the mood.

I do hope the new game will provide a bit more of a challenge though... And no burning flying pigs, please.

[Papewaio]

But can you say that for very many of the options you put forward?

Look, Im not against having a TW for Asia or the Persian wars or whatever. Id love an Asia Total War. Im just thinking that from a commercial standpoint doing such a game is a major risk.

I have to agree with you. After all who in the mainstream has any exposure to Asian martial culture other then Samurai.

It's not like there are any other country that has anything as iconic, martial or strategic when it comes to war.

Like China what do they have in mainstream entertainment apart from Jacky Chan comedies, or Hong Kong action cop flicks, or ghost stories, or HK martial art stories, or Bruce Lee, or ancient martial art stories, or Shao Lin monks.

Like seriously when was the last time you think China and massive warfare. Where in mainstream culture outside of a strategy site would have heard of the three kingdoms, autumn and spring, or the red cliffs or the terracotta soldiers.

Its not like Chinese martial arts is so main stream that kids movies would be based on them like some sort of Kung Fu Panda thing.

Or famous generals of like the red faced general or that other one that no one talks about outside of military geeks... like Son Chew or something or rather.

Nope I confuse all of that all the time with Samurai just like every other Gui Lao.