HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval announced.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Slitherine, The Lordz Games Studio and Koch Media announce distribution deal for: HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval. A historic strategy video game released for
Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION®3, and PC.


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Slitherine Software Ltd, an independent developer and publisher based in the UK, and Koch Media, a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products, today announced the release of the video game, HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval,for Xbox 360®, the video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3, and PC. Koch Media will distribute the title in Germany, Austria, Switzerland (including French and Italian versions), Spain, Scandinavia, Benelux, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval is set against the background of the historic Hundred Years' War, spanning various conflicts between England and France in the 14th and 15th centuries. HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval allows players to assume complete control of huge armies with more than 40 different units. From knights on horseback to infantry, French crossbowmen and English longbow archers, all units of the two warring factions are represented in the game, historically correct. Whether in campaign mode, a brief skirmish, or multiplayer mode, HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval offers precise, realistic recreations of medieval battles.

Here at the Lordz Games Studio we designed, balanced and produced the singleplayer and multiplayer battles, scenario`s, campaigns and maps, the movies, music and soundeffects.

To round out this authentic, true-to-detail gaming experience, the game features video clips from the award-winning HISTORY programming library.

HISTORY™ Great Battles Medieval is the second title in the highly successful Great Battles series, which saw its first appearance with the release of HISTORY™ Great Battles of Rome in 2007.


Features
* Advanced graphics engine optimized for the capabilities of each platform
* Free form quest map that allows players to decide when and where to fight within a historical framework
* 70 Medieval battles, including 26 historical encounters from the Hundred Years war (like the well-known siege of Orléans or the Battle of Crécy)
* More than 40 different units all accurately researched and carefully modelled
* Weapons and shields are added to each unit by the player, giving an almost infinite number of equipment combinations
* Over 100 unique skills to customize your squads.
* Next generation engine with advanced shader effects and lighting.
* Free form quest map that allows players to decide when and where to fight within a historical framework.
* More than 20 different units all accurately researched and carefully modelled in amazing detail.
* Weapons and shields are added to each unit by the player, meaning an almost infinite number of equipment combinations are possible.
* Every equipment change changes the appearance of the models. Never before has this kind of customization been possible on such a scale.
* Specialise your squads with over 100 unique skills.
* Animations and behaviour change to match the equipment you have allocated.
* Play as the English under the Black Prince or the French under Joan of Arc.
* Historical events effecting game play.
* Innovative Battle Card system that gives bonuses and penalties in battle.
* The most detailed and realistic medieval combat model ever created.
* Special ambush missions.
* Story movies created from hundreds of hours of The History Channel's library combined with in game engine footage.
* Completely new control and battle system designed to work on console and PC.
* Multiplayer over LAN & Internet.

About Koch Media:
Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and movies on DVD). The company's own sales activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe, and it has formed strategic alliances with numerous software and games manufacturers: Ascaron, Braingame, D3P, G-Data, Gamelife, Kaspersky Lab, Lexware, Namco Bandai, Pinnacle, Square Enix, Sony Online Entertainment, System3, etc. Headquartered in Planegg near Munich/Germany, Koch Media owns publishing and distribution branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and the USA. www.kochmedia.com

About Slitherine:
Slitherine is a privately funded and independent UK developer and publisher. Slitherine is dedicated to bringing highly playable and approachable strategy games to the mass market with a specific dedication to history of all ages. Slitherine Software is uniquely placed to deliver due to its experience within the industry and also the wider gaming community. Internet site - www.slitherine.com

About The Lordz Games Studio:
The Lordz Games Studio is a privately funded, independent game development studio based out of The Netherlands. Launched in 2006, The Lordz Games Studio, (LGS) is dedicated to developing cross-platform titles that are fun, highly playable and mirror our passion for military history. www.thelordzgamesstudio.com

About HistoryTM and History HDTM
HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™ are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning, original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture.


Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[Daimon]

Dudes 2 things

1 - That's one of the most amazing covers that I've seen in a while.. Great job!

2 -It looks freaking awesome!


Wait! WAIT! Are you guys based in the Netherlands! The most awesome country in the world with people that are totally awesome like myself living in it? That's fantastic

[Crazed Rabbit]

Ok, I'll be honest and say that a strategy being released for the PC, XBOX, and PS3 makes me hesistant.

And the Lordz promoting a game using, in part, fancy graphics, also seems a bit odd.

But, if you guys can pull of this:

* Innovative Battle Card system that gives bonuses and penalties in battle.
* The most detailed and realistic medieval combat model ever created.

This could be a very good game. When might we be able to see some video of gameplay?

CR

[Sheogorath]

Looks like a more cartoony version of MTW2 to me. :blankg:

[Husar]

Attack of the clone armies!

Well, it could be good but you better release a demo! ~;)

[Spino]

I don't care about clone armies so long as the battles are...

1) Challenging - Strong AI
2) Realistic - No fantasy units, high explosive artillery or similar nonsense
3) EPIC - Presenting the Battle of Agincourt, shot in Technicolor and featuring a cast of thousands!

In that order.

[frogbeastegg]

Give me good AI and good controls and I shall be there.

Is this turn based by any chance? That type of strategy game works extremely well on consoles. I could see this working like the now forgotten Dynasty Tactics series. In those games you give orders to units on a larger grid representing the battle map, and when the fighting plays out the camera zooms in so you can see individual men battling it out. Different unit types have different strengths, weaknesses and abilities.

Please don't include multiplayer achievements. Please. It makes my soul die a little each time I see a developer go "We could encourage you to do something awesome or creative in the SP game, but we can't be bothered. Go win 100 matches online instead. Don't play online? Stuff you; we don't care."

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

My bet is Frogbeastegg you will like this game. It has a lot of RPG elements in it as well. By progressing through the various battles and scenario`s you will be able to tweak, equip and train your armies to your own liking and develop your own personal favourite tactics. Equipment, looks, weapons and unit types all can be created or changed according to your success in battle, preference and money...

To be very clear, this is totally different compared to TW, it is not a classic RTS game, not at all. We like to call it a Role Playing Strategy game, so people should be in for something new.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[seireikhaan]

Give me good AI and good controls and I shall be there.

Is this turn based by any chance? That type of strategy game works extremely well on consoles. I could see this working like the now forgotten Dynasty Tactics series. In those games you give orders to units on a larger grid representing the battle map, and when the fighting plays out the camera zooms in so you can see individual men battling it out. Different unit types have different strengths, weaknesses and abilities.
NEVER FORGET!


:sweatdrop:

[pevergreen]

Its got decent AI, from what I remember, the battlefield is tile based, move one unit at a time.

Think TW but in squares.

Should be a good game, it had promise back when I beta tested, and that was quite a while ago.

The graphics improved!

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Any word on a demonstration?

[frogbeastegg]

My bet is Frogbeastegg you will like this game. It has a lot of RPG elements in it as well. By progressing through the various battles and scenario`s you will be able to tweak, equip and train your armies to your own liking and develop your own personal favourite tactics. Equipment, looks, weapons and unit types all can be created or changed according to your success in battle, preference and money...

To be very clear, this is totally different compared to TW, it is not a classic RTS game, not at all. We like to call it a Role Playing Strategy game, so people should be in for something new.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ
:bow:

Glad to hear you're not trying to do TW! I do like a good console strategy game; contrary to popular belief, they do exist. they're just hard to get right and most developers make the critical error of making a PC game and trying to shoehorn it onto a console*. From the little snippets of information here it sounds very much as if you are heading in the right direction.

This RPG comment makes me think of Bladestorm, another of Koei's console strategy titles. Your character could level up his command ability, get new gear, improve his troops, gain more advanced troop types, and generally scoot about medieval France fighting skirmishes for England, France or both. He was a mercenary, and for once the game made that something more than a "I'm like a normal soldier but cooler" label.

Well, the comparisons are no bad thing. Those games were exceedingly fun to play, and both series sadly appear to be dead.

And, of course, I do love those Japanese strategy RPGs like Disgaea, Final Fantasy Tactics etc. It will be great to see a western styled take on that. More realism, less spikey manga hair. More awesome shiny knights, fewer depressed teenagers out to save the world.

Yes, I'm aware it's on the PC too.

[Spino]

Wait, this is going to have turn based battles?!? :inquisitive:

Are we talking about traditional, 'I go, you go' turn based gameplay or 'we go' style gamepay; turns with simultaneous execution of orders (i.e. Combat Mission series)? I could really go for the latter but the former isn't my cup of tea, especially when it comes to tactical battles. Turn based gameplay is fine for grand strategy games but it just feels so clunky and outdated in a tactical setting.

Turn based? I mean really kids, this is a new age we're living in; digital watches, video cassette recorders, car telephones, computers, microchips, the silicon revolution... LASERS at 8 o'clock, day one! Is this not the new technological dawn?!?

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Anyway congratulations to the Lordz on their multi-platform release. I hope it brings a windfall of success.

[Vuk]

oooo...I wonder what this is gonna be like. :beam:

[Prussian to the Iron]

Looks like a more cartoony version of MTW2 to me. :blankg:

exactly my thoghts.

[Veho Nex]

I was on the Beta test, though I only had it for a little while before my Hard drive clonked out, it was pretty good when I played it. I would recomend it to anyone.

[Vuk]

exactly my thoghts.

I was a beta tester, and I cannot speak about the game (you know, I would be sued and all that boring stuff. :P), but I will repeat what the Lordz already publically said, it is not like Total War. I think you will find it is quite a different type of game. Lordz have already publically said that, so I hope I am ok by repeating it. :beam:

[Prussian to the Iron]

i know that; ive seen the great battles rome game, and i was kinda impressed. the only reason i wouldnt buy this is that m2 has better graphics; whereas the great battles rome had better graphics than R:TW.

i might try a demo if it comes out on computer; if not ill see if i can download on the ps3.

[Fixiwee]

Does the HISTORY™ stand for accurate historical units?

[Vuk]

Does the HISTORY™ stand for accurate historical units?

No, I think it is just the History channels game name. I could be wrong though. (I am not saying the units are not historically accurate either, just that I do not think that is what the name means. Ok, am I getting paranoid? Wait a minute! Who is that knocking at my door? :P)

[Prussian to the Iron]

it's quite obviously a history channel game; look at the logo.......

i'm sure thye will have some historical stuff, but i'm thinking the graphics aint that great from what i see.

[Vuk]

it's quite obviously a history channel game; look at the logo.......

i'm sure thye will have some historical stuff, but i'm thinking the graphics aint that great from what i see.

The graphics are pretty good IMO, not cutting edge, but pretty good. Don't judge a game by graphics, because it could have your dream gameplay and yet you pass it up because the graphics are not cutting edge. Those are pretty ok graphics, and the gameplay is unique, and you may end up liking it. Seriously though, some of the best games ever made have only had mediocre graphics. Graphics really don't help if a game :daisy:, and they really aren't missed when a game rocks.

[Prussian to the Iron]

The graphics are pretty good IMO, not cutting edge, but pretty good. Don't judge a game by graphics, because it could have your dream gameplay and yet you pass it up because the graphics are not cutting edge. Those are pretty ok graphics, and the gameplay is unique, and you may end up liking it. Seriously though, some of the best games ever made have only had mediocre graphics. Graphics really don't help if a game :daisy:, and they really aren't missed when a game rocks.


so you are saying that a game made in 2009 that has worse graphics than medieval 2, made in 2006, is excusable? i am just hoping that it has better graphics on the ps3/xbox(hi-def ftw)

[frogbeastegg]

I thought the screenshots look very nice :stunned:

I admit that much of that comes from the unit design: accurate! A game full of accurately equipped, nicely detailed medieval soldiers running about, fighting and dying at my whim. The units here look better than those in M2TW IMO.

The only thing I'm not so keen on are those strange square shields. Not something I can think of evidence for outside of a couple of isolated, non-battlefield and non-infantry occasions. I'm happy be to proved wrong on that if someone knows better.

While on the topic of shields, my little historian's heart glows at the soldiers using the oft overlooked 'raised fist' shield strap arrangement instead of the generic horizontal one. Yay for people paying close attention to detail!



EDIT since the post above appeared as I was making mine: CA are a massive studio with a huge budget. The Lordz aren't. Uber graphics cost an absolute bomb to make, and are very resource intensive.

[Fixiwee]

No, I think it is just the History channels game name. I could be wrong though. (I am not saying the units are not historically accurate either, just that I do not think that is what the name means. Ok, am I getting paranoid? Wait a minute! Who is that knocking at my door? :P)
I was a bit vague I guess. I'm aware that it's a History channel game. And that would imply the thrive to make a historical game without fantasy units. Hence my question. ;)

Looking at the screenshots it looks like there are no fantasy units. Maybe the canon explosion looks unrealistic, but I guess that wont bother most.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Just to clarify some things:

History Channel`s role in this game is first and for all a branding/marketing role and they gave us access to their huge documentary database.

Every mission is introduced by a story and a movie that guides you through the main events of the 100 Years War. No Beta-tester has seen them yet. :-)

History Channel has nothing to do with game design, unitroster or gameplay. This game is produced and designed by Slitherine and The Lordz Games Studio.

All units are historical, there are no fantasy units included. All units you get or can purchase during the campaign you can enhance with various skills, looks, weapons, armour upgrades, etc...

Indeed the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions have even better graphics. For PC we didn`t want that only high end systems could play this game.

We are small developers and do not have 250 people on our paylist and a budget of millions, so we can never compete with the big guys, nevertheless we think the overall graphics are very nice within our limits.

The Beta testers have seen some early builds of the game, during the last months we have made many improvements and I have a good feeling people will like it.

However if people think it is similar to TW, they are in for a disappointment. If you have an open mind and want to try another game approach, I think many people will enjoy this Role Playing Strategy game.

And that is what it is all about for us, making fun games within a historic frame.

Cheers,

Tim aka LZ

[Prussian to the Iron]

so is the control scheme similar to halo wars/end war? because if i buy this for any system it will be the ps3. i'd buy it for my 360, but i want the best graphics possible.




on a side-note: could you not have the pc version with varying levels of graphic detail/quality so you can appeal to people with high-end computers like me as well as people with more mediocre computers?

[frogbeastegg]

Could we get a loose idea of when you expect the game to appear on shelves, please? Will it be sometime this year?

[Crazed Rabbit]

Indeed the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions have even better graphics. For PC we didn`t want that only high end systems could play this game.

We are small developers and do not have 250 people on our paylist and a budget of millions, so we can never compete with the big guys, nevertheless we think the overall graphics are very nice within our limits.


Indeed, I think the graphics are more than fine. Pity you can't scale the PC graphics up to the console level though.

CR

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Could we get a loose idea of when you expect the game to appear on shelves, please? Will it be sometime this year?

If all goes well Late Summer or at least Q4 this year is our goal.

[Prussian to the Iron]

If all goes well Late Summer or at least Q4 this year is our goal.

awesome; will there be a demo coming out beforehand?