View Full Version : A request from Brennus
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Dear Europa Barbarorum fans,
First of all thank you to everyone for the ongoing support you have shown and expressed for Europa Barbarorum. It seems quite strange to think that Europa Barbarorum will be ten years old this year, although it must be said that not everyone in the team has been around that long, including myself. For those of who unfamiliar with who I am, I am the faction coordinator for all Celtic factions in Europa Barbarorum II: the Aedui, Arverni, Arevaci, Boii and Pritanoi. I have been in this role for 4 years now, and by and large almost every description which exists for these factions was researched and written by me.
In real life I work at the University of Leicester, examining various aspects of the Iron Age in Gaul and Britain, with my main research being focused on the burial practices of people in southern Britain and northern Gaul during the La Tène period of the Iron Age. As those of you who follow the Twitter feed may already be aware, in just over a month’s time Europa Barbarorum will be presenting at the Digital Past 2015 conference. The list of delegates who will be presenting at this conference includes representatives from the University of Oxford, the British Museum and Microsoft’s UK research division. In my capacity as a member of the Europa Barbarorum team and representative of the University of Leicester, I will be presenting alongside them. Considering the esteem of some of the institutions who will be attending, as well as the desire to spread awareness of Europa Barbarorum, and great work of past and present members of the team, it will be necessary to present a strong paper.
I would therefore like to invite you to help with gathering the necessary data to present at this conference, by asking you to answer the following questions. Three of the questions utilise a numeric answer system to aid with coding and analysing responses, however feel free to leave comments with these questions if you wish to. All forum users who choose to take part will remain anonymous unless you express your wish to be named in the results:
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Once again, thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this modification, and thank you for taking part in this survey and sharing your thoughts. And remember,
Quisque est Barbarus Alio.
Brennus
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus
01-09-2015, 20:02
Would you prefer the answers as replies in the thread, or as PMs? Which is easier for you to track and correlate?
I_damian
01-09-2015, 22:16
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
(5) Strongly increases. I'm probably biased in this answer because I'm crazy about history (especially ancient history of this period) and I also love games (or modifications thereof) with a slow pace. EB has the slow pace and it definitely has the history. It's probably the only game I've ever played where I frequently spend several hours at a time not actually doing anything, as in, I spend several hours listening to the beautiful music and reading the beautifully crafted descriptions of units, buildings, wonders, province history, character biographies... pretty much every piece of text in the game. It's all so perfectly crafted that I get completely and utterly immersed in it and it paints a vivid picture in my mind of what it was like back then.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
(1) Yes x 1,000,000. It's difficult to describe how horrified I was when I watched the movie 300. I will frequently turn off a documentary if I see Romans wearing segmented armour at battles which took place in 200 BC. The more accurate a movie/documentary is the more I enjoy it, the more focused I am on it, the more I absorb and retain what I see and hear.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Europa Barbarorum lit a fire within me that can't be put out. I had no idea I was so fascinated by this period until I played it. Since then I've spent thousands of hours playing the game and thousands of pounds on books from this period (and slightly before and slightly after the period, but mostly within it).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Both, greatly. Before playing EB I was, unfortunately, a victim of ancient Roman and Greek propaganda. I thought everybody north and west of Italy and Greece were disgusting, barbaric, hairy, shirtless, smelly savages who, from waking up in the morning to going to sleep at night, spent the whole day grunting and looking for decent, civilized Roman and Greek women to rape. (I may be exaggerating this a little, but only a little).
Furthermore it has opened my eyes (or rather my mind) to civilizations I never knew even existed. Civilizations that played an enormous role in history but are barely ever mentioned, if at all. Like the Seleukids, Ptolemies, Carthage and others. Until EB I had no idea the Greeks ever stepped foot in Egypt. I guess I just imagined they had the whole Pharaoh thing until eventually converting to Islam. I'm actually ashamed to admit this.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
I'd say its greatest strength for me is, as I mentioned earlier, its unrivaled ability to take me back in time and show me an authentic experience of the ancient world in this period (or as authentic as a game can be). If it has any weaknesses it's that it doesn't appeal to the broadest of audiences because it doesn't pander to stereotypes (people love their stereotypes) and doesn't aim for action packed, fast paced gameplay. But this isn't a weakness to me, it's a strength. Pandering to stereotypes and trying to appeal to the broadest audience possible has destroyed the gaming and movie industry in my opinion.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
(5) It makes it appealing to me. I saw the thread where they were asking for help with development a few days ago and I felt genuine, honest to god sadness that I don't have the skills to help. I've actually volunteered to help do some grunt work (like going through the files and correcting spelling and grammar errors for building and unit descriptions and such) because I love the mod so much and want to help in any way I can.
I hope my answers have been of help! Don't care about the anonymity thing.
I Damian, thank you for this. Would you mind adding the numbers which relate to your answers (just makes it easier to analyse).
I_damian
01-09-2015, 23:21
I Damian, thank you for this. Would you mind adding the numbers which relate to your answers (just makes it easier to analyse).
Like that? (edited my post)
The Gypsy
01-10-2015, 05:14
1. Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
The historical accuracy of this mod really adds to the game, the addition of different government types and “culture” makes the game more interesting strategically. EB makes me want to read things the length of research essays with gusto and then go and look for more, only to find I've spend 30 minutes on this turn end. Definitely a 5, this strongly increases my enjoyment.
5
2. As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
As a direct result of Europa Barbarorum I have decided to study Archaeology at university and it has opened my eyes to the subtleties of history. Before this mod I had always thought I “knew it all” about the Romans and the Greeks. “They had aqueducts and invented democracy and had one of the world’s largest empires , “ said I. This mod introduced me to the possibilities of Archaeology and how nothing is that simple. I read that first building description of EB and was hooked. Thank you so much, this mod is truly something special.
3. Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
I would, I feel the stereotypes of ‘Barbarians’ vs ‘civilized ‘Romans’ really holds back Archaeology and its study because people believe there isn't anything more to find out. That we have somehow reached an endpoint in understanding and that nothing more is required. The idea that ‘bar bar Barbarians’ are not interesting could not be more wrong and anything that goes to remove this perception would be really good for Archaeology and everybody’s understanding of the past. Yes, 1.
1
4. Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Simply speaking, beyond all recognition. Europa Barbarorum has taught me many things about this period and inspired me to find out more about it myself, chief among them how it spell ‘Barbarorum’.
5. As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The greatest strength of this mod is its writing and research, without this it would not be what it is. But on a side note, the unit balancing in EB was incredibly good, the best I have ever seen in any game ever! While EB2 isn’t quite that stage it is still beautiful.
6. Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
A great deal more appealing, you guys put your heart and soul into this for no material reward. That is something special in itself. A 5 for sure.
5
PS: Brennus showed me how cool Archaeologists could be :verycool: , so kudos for that!
Arsaces II
01-10-2015, 10:34
A.
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
B.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
YES!
C.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
YES, I would like.
D.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Playing EB improved my knowledge of other nations and allowed me to see greater picture of that period. Also, I've not met any book of history which would give me such a large picture of the period and of the area(from Ireland to India), this is where that EB is exceptional.
E.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
It's not getting old, as the history itself, limitations of the game engine.
F.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
A: Strongly Increases (5). - I like to know the lore behind a game, it gives me a certain "know it all" pleasure* and it enables Roleplaying thus I dislike generic fantasy settings popping up all over the place. Also it means reading a description is not totally wasted time :D
*as in: Lets see if my spartan hoplites fare as good as they did at thermoplyai. Or "oh so these are the guys that Herodotus describes as ..."
B: Certainly!
C: Yes (1).
D: I can very well say so! Not only that but it perpetuated my own research.
E: Greatest strength: Unrivaled Historical Accuracy. Greatest weakness: The bindings of the Total war engine :D, well and most people giving a shit about it's greatest strength.
F: It makes it strongly appealing (5). But I used to mod myself so this is not that representive of peoples opinion.
QuintusSertorius
01-10-2015, 13:55
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5 - it's what distinguishes EB from the other mods out there. That focus on historical accuracy is a strong differentiator.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I've always been interested in history and the past, EB has focused my interests on antiquity generally and the Hellenistic period in particular.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes, though unfortunately I think the market for it is generally pretty small. Most people are ignorant of the history, and don't really care anyway.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Definitely, it's deepened my knowledge of the period, and prompted me to do lots of my own reading.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
I'd say the greatest strength is the historical accuracy, and the way the team apply that in interesting ways to the game. Greatest weakness are the myriad flaws, omissions and foibles of the engine CA created.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Obviously a 5 for me, given I joined the team! :laugh4:
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5 - Even before I got into reading history I always found accuracy and historicity appealing. Whenever I'd find an interesting historical connection in whatever media, it made me more curious and interested in learning more of such events...
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Pretty much so, even more playing EB has changed me a lot! Primary and middle education had pretty much frustrated any academic interest of mine. Now I'm just enthralled by reading about the past, joined the EB project, started attending university partly to learn languages that would allow me to read foreign scholarly texts and it has become an objective of mine to one day pursue a second degree in ancient history. One could say that EB has played a major role in shaping my life...
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
1 - As I mentioned it is something I've always felt attracted to and honestly I've noticed similar preferences with most people I talk to. It is also funny that successful programmes, more often than not, retell historical events or are inspired by them. Also when reading about certain figures or historical periods I would ask myself: "Why isn't this in a movie?!?" XD
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Improved does not even come close to define what happened, in general I think that EB most importantly brought me closer to the humanity of history and taught me the importance of keeping eveything in context and connected with the "parallel" realities.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Its strength is that it was not scared/detrimented by the daunting task of bringing historical accuracy to life, which has become EB's success. As others have mentioned even if on an older and outdated medium/software, it still peaks the interest in many people, something almost unheard of in this age. As for weaknesses in the project I cannot think of any, it is accomplishing its goals...
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
5 - EB itself is the result of volunteers and fans, who decided to make a reality what they were hoping to see one day in the TW franchise...
Bovarius
01-10-2015, 20:29
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5 . It may be a personal opinion, but the more realistic a game feels, the more you can feel you are really living in it, and that is part of the fun of it, escaping this world and going to another.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes, I was a First year college student when i first played this game, and because of it, i started focusing on the Ancient Periods
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
1. Everything that gives more historical accuracy is very important, indirect it gives everybody an education that nothing is Black or white and simplistic.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes it has. I was a college student with a mayor in History when i first heard of this game. The best thing is that you learn stuff will playing, so it doesn't feel as studying. A lot of the stuff i picked up in the game was not know to my professors. The amount of detail and information is just incredible.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Its greatest strength is also its weakness. The historical accuracy makes it so deep and interesting, but at the same time making the game more exotic or challenging can be halted because of the same historical accuracy ( no war pigs, no hun's and no Lorica segmentata )
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
5. Because the game is made by volunteers, much more time and debate goes around before a decision about for instance a type of unit is made. The fact that everybody can join in through the forum, it give more of a feeling of being part of something. You also learn much more because of each other, everybody has his specialty.
Arkkataka
01-10-2015, 21:32
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Increases (4)
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
This is hard to say, I read a lot on the forums about the time period largely because I was already interested in history and the like. Whether or not that has increased is difficult to know. Learning about what archaeology can tell us and how it is that history is constructed certainly increased my interest in those fields, and I was no small comfort to find out just how many people enjoy history to such a degree. That certainly plays a role in me choosing to spend more time reading about history.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1)
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes, tremendously. I find it difficult to read much academic work on history (although I can also excuse many books from this), the scope of EB II is unique in my reading of history in that I can just click and read about almost any random thing I am curious about and get an accurate, sufficient concise description of it.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Essentially what everyone else has already said about it: the depth of research put into making the game historically accurate. On a side note, if you ever wanted to post a link about how you decided to reconstruct dead languages like the Punic and the Celts spoke, I'd read that in a heartbeat. The limitations of the game, and more specifically an AI that relies on artificial boosts (king's purse) to be competitive is the greatest weakness, but not one I really blame the EB team much for. Creative Assembly designed the engine and chose not to devote resources to making a more competitive AI.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Adalingum
01-10-2015, 23:40
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Increases strongly (5): Immersion is everything for me in a game based on a historical setting and historical accuracy makes it a lot easier for me to get in the right frame of mind, so to speak.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
EB 1 and 2 have shown me that these things can be a lot deeper and more complex than I'd had imagined before. I've always had an interest in history, but I previously had always seen it as an 'easier' subject than, for example, physics (blasphemy, I know). I'd always pictured myself as a biologist or a palaeontologist, nothing directly related to human history (yes, yes, evolution, but you get what I mean :wall:). And look at me now: I'm in my last year of high school and I'm considering studying History as the next step of my educational career.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). Can't look at movies like Gladiator the same way, now that I know that their depiction of 'barbarians' and Romans is way too oversimplified and stereotypical.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14?
Most certainly. I had some familiarity with Romans and Greeks in antiquity before, due to taking both Latin and Greek courses in high school, but apart from that, most of Eurasia in this time period was a fog-shrouded wilderness to me. Thanks to EB, I've learned of quite a few interesting peoples, cultures and events I otherwise would've probably not heard about (examples being the Saka, the La Tène culture and Pyrrhic wars.)
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
To me the main strength of EB lies in it's complex and deep game-play. Having to manage an empire by setting government structure certainly beats simply conquering a few regions (R:TW style) for me. In my opinion the greatest weakness of EB lies in the limits set by the game engine. The maximum number of factions or units, for example.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or no?
It makes it strongly appealing to me (5). For me it says a lot about dedication and attention to detail that a team of volunteers has put so much effort in recreating the ancient world, whilst the lack of monetary objectives increases my perceived level of reliability.
I assume this has been though of beforehand, but it seems to me that this enquiry can hardly be called unbiased, seeing as it is posted in what essentially amounts to a subforum dedicated to either fandom or development of the mod. While my own words above give an example of the perception of history being changed, I don't think someone with no interest in history whatsoever would linger here long enough to answer these questions. I can't really think of a way to 'improve' this situation, but I thought I'd just mention it just in case. If the issue has been though of before, this can be safely disregarded of course.
Lastly, is there any chance of a transcript of your paper being posted here or on the TWC? I'd be interested to read what you're going to say about the subject. I don't know if the university of Leicester has any restrictions on the accessibility of papers written by those affiliated to it, but I can't think of a reason as to why it would be impossible at the moment (I'm not really familiar with the workings of university research of course).
Regards,
Adalingum / Cohors_Evocata
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5. The game becomes more immersive and you become more aware of changes and the reasons for those changes, be it in armour design or cultural. Also you don't have to deal with flaming pig units
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
No, but it has supported my interest and add more layers of detail and understanding. The quality, tone and level of detail in the writing is very, very good and should be in a book.....or at least a pdf us old codgers can print off and read in the comfort of our favourite armchair, wearing our best dressing gown and slippers, while smoking a pipe and sipping a nice claret.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
3. Do not feel this can be controlled but feel the mark of quality in EB1+2 and other non commercial mods have put professional game makers to shame
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes. The detail in the information contents wrapped around the game has not only changed my understanding but added layers of detail around the thought processes of the civilisations and how their collective mind worked to a degree.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The team behind the mod answers both
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
5. A community project always appeals as you can be sure that the aim will not be slewed by Mammon
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I was always interested in this period of our past.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1)
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
It has greatly improved my understanding of the many "barbarian" and eastern factions and kingdoms of this period.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The greatest strength is the historical accuracy combined with the further improvement of an already great game. There was no weakness for me in EB1. In EB2 it would be that it's not complete yet.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
5.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes (we all agreed to read more history, havent we?:book2: ~;))
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
1, and I cannot stress it strongly enough.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes, definitely.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest Strengths: unprecedented accuracy and depth.
Greatest Weaknesses: its voluntary nature, members turnover. perhaps too spread out, geographically too ambitious. I would prefer it to focus on a smaller area but add more depth to it still (though I understand the limitations posed by the engine).
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
4. It makes it appealing (it is also the project's weakness, see above) but not because it is open to volunteers and contributors but because these folks share the same vision and are driven by the same passion. in a word, free nature of the project isnt panacea - contributors need to be able to match the spirit of the project and its goals. not every willing contributor can leave the desired impact on the project. for the marvel that the EB is, you need the 'right' sort of contributors and volunteers, not just any volunteers.
Fluvius Camillus
01-11-2015, 17:04
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength:
The amount of in-depth work that has been put in the mod. Making it an incredibly immersive and authentic mod. If I would ever reach the stage where I would finish every campaign. Older campaigns would become appealing to me again. Within the limitations that have been set by the engine and other prerequisites, the team has made the best thing possible from it.
Greatest weakness:
The greatest weakness is that the game has to made by well-willing individuals who sacrifice their free time to invest in an enourmous project. The mod's survival and progress, is dependant on the free time and motivation of individuals who will not be rewarded for their effort accordingly, apart from the personal fulfillment of doing an excellent job. Making it hard for the modding to progress and finalize.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Have fun at the conference!
~Fluvius
Vilkku92
01-12-2015, 00:22
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Increases (4). The more accurate a game is, the less time I have to spend on gawking at the more glaring errors and making up house rules so that playing it wouldn't feel "wrong" or "cheating". It also makes the general immersion far easier. However, it isn't really required for me to enjoy playing, nor will it save poor games from their flaws.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes. I've always been interested in history, but EB ramped it up.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes (1). Not only would it give people more accurate view of their own past, it could actually make for more appealing stories, visuals and styles. To me, the first EB actually showed how much more interesting the actual people, events, societies and rest were than the generic anachronisms of Hollywood and game industry. In fact, I nowadays find them to be cooler than most aspects of common fantasy worlds - and they tend to have fireballs! But again, historical accuracy isn't a necessity.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Quite surprisingly, I find the general gameplay to be Europa Barabarorum's greatest strength. The calm, slow pace of playing alongside with the depth and sheer variety of options for building your empire, cities and armies is something one wouldn't expect for a game this easy to get a hang of, and when combined with the outstanding, unrivaled concept of Total War - built inside Total War itself, no less - it's hard not to like.
Greatest weakness, on the other hand, is the same as with any other large scale modding project: it's a constant work-in-progress, something that always seems to be missing something, rife with technical problems that take years to patch out and features that don't feel like they work the way they should be, either because of the base game not being suited to it or because of lack of time, energy or expertise on part of the modders. Good thing EB isn't nearly as bad as some others.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Strongly appealing (5). Money isn't talking, so people are free to follow their vision, and since it's open to fans and volunteers there's nothing stopping either the team or the players from using what works best. And since volunteers are free to come and go as they like, there shouldn't be any reason for people to work against their will, meaning no one should have any reason to half-ass it out of frustration.
Fabio Scevola
01-13-2015, 07:05
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
The increased historical accuracy greatly increases the enjoyment of the game for me, being able to restart campaigns and still have some description to read or different government approaches, etc also add greatly to the replayability also. (5)
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Absolutely yes, I have always have interest for history, not just this period, but the enjoyment EB1 gave me just skyrocket the interest to the point that as for now I have a monthly budget in time and money to read a historic book or historic novel... not just this period but this is thanks to EB.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes (1), specially more computer games with more emphasis on historical accuracy, also TV shows and movies.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Absolutely yes, not even the best documentaries, game, tv show, book ever gave me this scope and the idea of complexity in every aspect of live in antiquity and this period specifically.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength: Historical accuracy, which leads to game depth, been able to just spend some time reading or conquering the next province, capability for roleplaying characters thanks mainly to the trait system, a great deal of unique units...
greatest weakness: the pass of time, the more time pases less MTW players, and so less mod fans, less people with the capability to help in development, some people like me even had left the game (I mean EB, never really played MTW2 until less than a year ago) and came back, I'm even teaching myself how to mod the game to be able to help finish the game.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
The most appealing thing about the mod is the quality it has even as a beta mod, but the fact that it is fan made gives more merit to it. So I will answer (4).
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Increases (4). When developers take the time to study history, it adds more flavour and realism to a game. That said: historical accuracy may make a good game great, but it won't make a bad game good.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
No: I started following EB because of my interest in history, not the other way round.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes (1).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes, definitely.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Strength: realism, historical flavour, attention to detail.
Weakness: the slow development.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
No real effect (3). I am more tolerant of flaws in fan/volunteer projects than in commercial ones, but it isn't a recommendation by itself.
joshmahurin
01-13-2015, 22:32
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes!
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Definitely improved and altered in an indescribably brilliant way!
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength is the accurate portrayal of a cross section of time and space in a fun and interactive way, thus increasing the learnability by more people. Greatest weakness is the platform they are working on.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Perturabo
01-15-2015, 08:03
https://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad252/Commios/EB2_zpsbaa9aee6.png (https://s941.photobucket.com/user/Commios/media/EB2_zpsbaa9aee6.png.html)
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Once again, thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this modification, and thank you for taking part in this survey and sharing your thoughts. And remember,
Quisque est Barbarus Alio.
Brennus
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5)
5
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I have always been a fan of history however EB broadened it considerably from the Mesopotamia and Med to many other areas! EB1 was incredible. I have been a fan of history from very early on in school, however there was an amazing amount of info I learnt in EB that I had no clue existed. A huge amount of my enjoyment with the various factions was simply reading the history and looking at the units.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
1
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength is the accurate background information and massive map with an endless amount of room. In most ways it is a sandpit environment which helps considerably.
Greatest weakness - probably the unmodifiable parts of EB1 such as AI (particularly diplomacy) and some of the economic parts, basically resulting in insane total war scenarios that are completely unrealistic towards the end game.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
A much stronger understanding. The basics I knew however EB filled in many gaps.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Difficult to answer. The biggest fans of history often work in the field anyway. Realistically for me as long as the info is good I'll go with 3
Antoniety
01-15-2015, 12:12
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5. Europa Barbarorum has dropped my tolerance to historical unaccuracy to the point I'm unable to play others historical games/mods.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes, I have. Specially in the Central Asia History (Baktria, Pahlava, Saka, Takshila, Yuezhi, etc...) and the Diadochi.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes? Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
YES!!
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes, it has.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
In my opinion, the greatest strength is the historicity that impregn all the game, from the factions to the buildings. The greatest weakness is the engine and its limitations (diplomacy, recruitment system, etc...).
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
4
Tyrfingr
01-15-2015, 17:58
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
(5)
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
In the words of Dan Carlin, I'm a fan of history and not an historian. EB however made my thirst for history even worse.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes? Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
YES (1) As a matter of fact, I have come to appreciate and look for historical accuracy even more in other visual media because of EB.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
My understanding and appreciation of the period has been greatly expanded, from being almost entirely focused on "sexy" romans in lorica segmentata. It's a shame that the celtic and germanic socities are not commonly known.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The historical accuracy is the greatest strength of the game, because the accuracy is on a whole other level compared to other games. EB has the feel of a BBC documentary, while other nameless games have the feeling of a "loosely based on the legends that has derived from a biased source describing a historical event".
The historical accuracy could also be argued as EBs greatest weakness. Because it's not sexy things like romans in LS, Mummy Returns-egyptians and flaming pigs that can attract big money game-developers only interested in profit, the time and resources spent on the project will be limited and we/the fanbase will have to wait patiently to quench our hunger for new material and updates.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5)
(5)
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
(5). Many parts of history translate surpisingly well to a good game. I used to wonder why people were so bothered about historical accuracy in games, until I played the first Europa Barbarorum and found it far more to my liking due to the increased immersion of its historical mechanics.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength: Its ability to teach history through interacting with game mechanics, as opposed to simply reading it in a book or having it dictated to you. This greatly increases both interest in the time period and retention of knowledge as compared to more traditional teaching methods.
Greatest weakness: Sometimes, historical mechanics don't translate very well into gameplay given the shortcomings of the Medieval 2 engine. The issues surrounding Consuls leading armies, for example, or the low loyalty of most characters.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
(3).
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Strongly Increases (5) Definitely that's the Main Reason i became addicted to this Mod since EB1.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes, until then i was only interested in some of the Cultures of Antiquity. ..mainly the Greeks. (not much interested in History since the Christians took over though) But since playing EB (since EB1) of course i tried other Factions as well. And this always inspires to research for more information regarding these chosen Cultures.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes (1) Definitely - it almost hurts physically when "forced" to see unhistorical movie scenes or the like just to appear more to today's liking. ..and or or to get more Viewers/money. (not to mention whole movies which are created in this way but appear for the mainstream of consumers as historical) ..in my opinion bad example: "300"
..good examples (with some trade off's) Oliver Stones "Alexander" or the TV-Series "Rome" from 2005.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes, since i never just play for the thrill without being interested in those cultures. With all the historical Background information within the mod and besides that: this inspires to research for more. ...something never really happened with vanilla RTW.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength in my opinion is to inspire for research in history. And that done with a thrilling game in which one can really dive into...and which is so thrilling because it feels right or realistic and not like in a fantasy game. (like Gladiator army-units or the Mummy-return Egyptians in RTW)
Greatest weakness - hmm.. well maybe some sort of time-conditioned exhaustion. I really admire you people working on this project - and unfortunately i cannot contribute in ways of modding/skinning or any really needed skills in creating such a mod. ..all i can do is to participate in this forum.
But what i meant with this exhaustion - i wondered that just after some weeks after this great EB2.01 mod was released - the participation here somehow ceased. ..i thought for sure it will increase - at least it would be like back then some years ago with EB1. ...so i really sometimes worry about if this project will go on and you people of the team will not give up in consideration of this indifference here. (on the other hand i hope that's only some kind of selective perception by my side)
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
strongly appealing (5) ..at least according to how i understood the question: not controlled by, for instance a company which is mainly interested in commercial benefits of a game.
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
When I first found EB I was a huge Rome fan, but had a very limited konwledge of other cultures of the period (well maybe except Greece). EB opened my eyes on them and sparked an interest to finde out more about them, so definitely Yes.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes (1)
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Yes, and a lot :).
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Strength - every detail is based on research and can be supported by scientific evidence. The only weakness I can think of is the limitations of the engine that force the dev's to compromise between historical accuracy/realism and playability.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
It makes it strongly appealing (5)
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5. The learning of new things adds depth to the game play, while historical conditions (such as different historical cultures or institutions) can shape the gameplay itself. Sandbox games are great fun, but they soon start to seem empty of new things to explore.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I have always had a great interest in history and archaeology, but Europa Barbarorum has considerably opened my interest in the Hellenistic period that the game depicts. In particular the first historical glimpses of Rome, before Roman society adopts much Greek culture, the successor states and the development of the Parthian empire. Things I was aware of, but did not know much about.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
1. Yes. I think that society in general takes more of it's ideas about the past from media designed as entertainment than we would like to admit. So producers of art could help by being a little more responsible about that. I also think that this is an opportunity for creativity, since it gives a challenge that is more sophisticated than "you can show what you want" fantasy.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Most definitely. It has broadened my awareness of the period and given depth to what I did know. With my subsequent reading, it can be a little hard to identify things that purely came from EB, but I can confidently list; Indo-Greek Kingdoms, the politics of Gaul in the 1st century BC (a bit, the existence of the Arverni and Aedui for example) and the wide variety of cultures across what can broadly be termed iron age Europe.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
EB's greatest strength has been the persistence of its vision. For more than a decade now, a team of volunteers has been working to create a game using the Rome:Total War and then the Medieval 2: Total War engines to create as accurate and fair a portrayal of this period as possible. Real life has meant that members of that team have come and gone, but the persistance of that idea and its results have been remarkable.
The greatest weakness of this game and things like it is the voluntary nature of the team. It causes great challenges to attract people with the skills the team needs and retain them in the face of real life distractions (like raising families and earning a wage!). This slows development and sometimes limits options about what could be done.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
4. I considered whether I would be attracted by EB if it had appeared on the shelves as the product of a closed team. I think I would love it. But there is an attachment that grows from being able to see a project develop and to be able to talk to the people who made these things. The enthusiasm of volunteers who are doing something they have a passion for can be a pleasure to experience in itself.
You can use my name on the responses if you wish. Let us know what the responses from the audience are, I would be very interested to hear.
Good luck!
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5 - Although it depends on why the player chooses to play such games. Videogamers seeking "playability" might get bored with what they see as a "slow" game. In my case the answer is a 5 because I feel the EB period deserves to be represented with as much historical accuracy as possible, and that in no way detracts from the pleasure to be found in the game, it simply imposes other requirements in terms of gameplay, which also have a didactic function, and that's a good thing: you learn as you play.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Oh, absolutely. I've always been very interested in history, but the game has deepened my interest in many respects.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
1 - Yes, but the entertainment industry lives under its own constraints, and historical accuracy is often the first victim in that regard. Having said that, the success of series such as "Rome" has shown that some attention to historical detail does not necessarily mean a drop in audience figures, so perhaps people should take not of that.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Very much so. An increased respect for and interest in the cultures outside the Greco-Roman spere; a steadily growing interest in the cultures of the Iberian Peninsula. An example would be the discovery of the Celts as a far more complex and advanced culture than I thought prior to joining EB.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Strengths: i) The tremendous care and attention paid to details and to guaranteeing that everything that appears has a basis in historical fact; ii) the feeling that what you see on the screen in a battle is very likely what you would have seen at that time. Weaknesses: i) The fact that so much care and attention can sometimes slow game development down (making a group of academics agree on just about anything is at times wearing), ii) turnover of contributors due to external issues such as work, family, etc. That's a sad fact of life in EB.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
5 - Definitely the highest mark. There are no wage earners on EB, and that means everyone involved has a intellectual and emotional investment in the game, the period in question, the cultures of the period, and history in general. And that's unbelievably infectious. Thanks to that enthusiasm, I have learnt a great deal more about the ancient cultures where I currently live (Spain), which has opened my eyes to the people whose land I live in, even to the landscape they occupy. And the feeling of working on something where financial interests are not a priority is a very rewarding experience.
Please feel free to name me in the results...
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Vicious Circle (Interest leads to EB. EB leads to more interest... and so on)
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Absolutely Yes (1)
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Improved.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Strength: Immersion in the era Weakness: AI (Strat and Tactical)
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Shadowwalker
01-21-2015, 16:01
Interesting questions. :)
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Strongly increases. It definitely adds a lot to a strategy game dealing with the past if that past is depicted (as) accurately (as possible).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes. EB was the sort of game I always hoped TW Vanilla (which I played all parts of from Shogun I to Medieval II) would be, just because I have been interested in history since I was able to read. And after the first hours with EB I began to realize how much I didn't know about this part of our past. So EB made me spend more money on books, for example.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes. Definitely. (I don't watch TV at all, though.)
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Both, actually. Before EB - just as an example - I had neglected the ancient (south) arabian history. The Sab'yn appearance in EB changed that. Another example is the history of Carthage. Before EB my knowledge was solely based on the opinions (or prejudices, rather) the Romans and Greeks had about them. After my first EB Qart'Hadasht campaign I began searching around and - while still being far from having a "real"/solid knowledge - have definitely improved in that part. ("Carthage must be destroyed" is a definite read for everyone interested in the history of that city, by the way. Can't say that often enough. A brilliant overview over several hundred years of struggle.)
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Greatest strength: The immersion, achieved through a love for (even tiny) details, I haven't seen or heard of often in the history of computer games. And due to the immersion, a very satisfying gameplay.
Greatest weakness: The engine limitations, ranging from the rather simplified, restricted and sometimes outrageously unrealistic diplomacy (although that has much improved in EB II, especially with Grantos work) to the hardcoded limits like max number of units or factions or provinces or religions etc.
Although those limits serve for a greater good, too. I don't even want to imagine an EB team trying to research/model/skin/script 250 factions, 1000 provinces, endless units etc. If there weren't such strict limits there would perhaps never have been an EB 2.01 ...
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Strongly appealing. Both EB appearances are in their respective boundaries (see "greatest weakness") among the best strategy games I ever played.* The fact that both iterations are based on vanilla games (R:TW/MII:TW) that were "okay" or "nice" and that they rose to such a quality level by the work of a group of unpaid volunteers who sacrificed their spare time .... "strongly appealing" is not really the term that comes to my mind, to be honest. I'd rather use words like "unbelievable" or "utterly fantastic" to describe what I feel about both projects.
* EB II has the potential to become - in my personal universe at least - the best strategy game. Even in it's currently unfinished state it surpasses EB I already (just because of the better scripting possiblilities and the by far better diplomacy), though.
If When it's finished, it will be better than my other "strategy game sanctuaries", Jagged Alliance II and Civilization II, I'm sure about that. :)
metsikhovne
01-24-2015, 18:14
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Totally improved
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Its buildings, units and voices of course, the atmosphere it has.
the weakness is the game engine itself,(limitid factions etc..) you guys have really great ideas, I wish more games were made by people like you who look not at the revenue the game will make but the atmosphere itself.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
75Antons
01-31-2015, 15:17
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
For me, as I assume for most of us that play or have played both EBI and EBII the historical accuracy is a massive bonus and (5) strongly increases the enjoyment of the game. It gives a certain credence to the game that is woefully missing in the vanilla versions of the source games.
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
As I have always had a major interest in history, I will be honest and say it hasn't made much difference, although, it has added to my knowledge which can only be a good thing.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
(1) By the Gods yes. Too many "historical" movies/programs disregard historical accuracy. Braveheart anyone?
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Simply. Yes.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The depth and the play-ability of all the factions is a true strength and a testament to the work put into the mod by the team. I must admit to dismay with random CTD's. But I guess I am not alone in that.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
I makes it appealing (4). It would be a (5) if I could be of any use. For you guys, it's a pity my "missus" doesn't play TW as she would be able to help. (Doctorate in cognitive computing)
I assume this has been though of beforehand, but it seems to me that this enquiry can hardly be called unbiased, seeing as it is posted in what essentially amounts to a subforum dedicated to either fandom or development of the mod. While my own words above give an example of the perception of history being changed, I don't think someone with no interest in history whatsoever would linger here long enough to answer these questions. I can't really think of a way to 'improve' this situation, but I thought I'd just mention it just in case. If the issue has been though of before, this can be safely disregarded of course.
Lastly, is there any chance of a transcript of your paper being posted here or on the TWC? I'd be interested to read what you're going to say about the subject. I don't know if the university of Leicester has any restrictions on the accessibility of papers written by those affiliated to it, but I can't think of a reason as to why it would be impossible at the moment (I'm not really familiar with the workings of university research of course).
Sorry for taking so long to respond (damn you Microsoft Access.... and that methodology I was using for cremation burials... that wasn't working. I will fix it) I am thinking about trying to set up a control sample of surveyants at Leicester in order to offset the bias which this sample group undoubtedly has (and thank you!).
I have checked with the conference and unfortunately they are not producing proceedings. However, I intend to try and use this data to write a paper for one of the academic journals which focuses on computer games, as there are already quite a few interesting papers out there which discuss issues of narrative and representations of the past in computer and video games. Assuming my paper is approved for publication, and depending on the rules governing publication, I will happily share it here and TWC.... after all, none of this is possible without you guys.
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
(5) Strongly increases!
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I would say it was always there for me, but for lack of a better word, a game makes history "come alive" in a way that I don't think any other medium can. It has definitely increased my interest in tactics and weapons.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
(1) Absolutely yes!
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Definitely improved. I wouldn't say there was any earth-shattering revelations about it for me, but perhaps the best thing I can say is that it made that period feel more alive, real and immediate for me than any other medium has before.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Its strengths and weaknesses are the exact same thing - the sheer amount of detail, slow pace, often-unforgiving realism are something that is a huge draw for people like myself, but I think they also deter many people, because the game suddenly feels daunting, or doesn't satisfy what they expect a game with epic battles is supposed to feel like.
It does have some technical weaknesses of course, like AI problems, but those are mostly inherited from TW itself.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
It does to me! But I've always been a big advocate of remix and collaboration culture. I think EB is one of the best examples of it in gaming history, and it's a real success story thanks to this active community. As a long-time modder and simulation fan, I can't say enough how much a dynamic, open, fan-driven community makes a difference. It's a testament to the strength of the team's work that it's still very much active after some 10 years of work. The longevity, openness and scope of the project lends it a kind of ethos few things in gaming have.
Thanks again for your work and all the best at the conference :yes:
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
5
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes. Im already an amateur history student (helps with my profession of scriptwriter) and games/mods like EB1-2 just give extra incentive and enjoyment in learning a bit more about history.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
1
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14?
Yes. Enourmously. Playing the game also drives me to study more by myself in order to compare my achievements with the historcial progress of the faction im playing.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The greatest strenght of the game is the immersion that it offers to the player. In my opinion its greatest weakness are the limitations of the total war engine. I just cant see weaknesses in EB design alone, everything seems to be made with uncanny detail.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
2. I just found out about EB2 (played the first one for years) so i cant comment on this. Opening up to volunteers makes the project more alive i guess.
Here is my contribution, if it is still applicable. My replies in bold.
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I was already interested in history. What EB did was to unravel the Hellenistic Age and shift my interest for ancient history to that time period.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Definitely! My knowledge of the Hellenistic age was very shallow and confined to the important states of Rome and eastern Mediterranean.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
The greatest strength would be immersion and of course EB's deeply knowledgeable members.
The greatest weakness could be the perceived complexity that may deter many people from contributing in crucial technical matters.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
It makes it strongly appealing (5).
STuNTz2023
02-19-2015, 03:06
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
Strongly Increases (5).
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
I have always been interested in this time period, but EB integrated history in depth into game play. You can't help but learn while you play this amazing transformation of a mod.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
Yes (1) Knowing the effort and amount of depth of history the EB team put into this mod makes it all the more rewarding to play. I only wish that could be said about more games. It was a refreshing change.
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Improved without question. I learned more about this time period from EB than I ever had in school. It even sparked my interest in reading books about the subject.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Strength: The ability to recreate an amazing time period with depth and accurately while still being without doubt, one of my favorite mod/game of all time. I started playing EB shortly after its release quite a few years ago, and it continues to entertain and teach me to this very day. Weakness: I don't believe it has a weakness. Easily the best designed game/mod I have ever played.
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
It makes it strongly appealing (5).
Mouzafphaerre
02-27-2015, 02:25
Do you feel that increased historical accuracy detracts from or increases the excitement/enjoyment of such games?
Strongly Detracts (1). Detracts (2). Has no real effect (3). Increases (4). Strongly Increases (5).
(5) Strongly increases
As a result of playing Europa Barbarorum have you developed a greater interest in history, archaeology or the past in general?
Yes. EB has been the most elemental force in driving me to study Classics.
Would you prefer to see more historical accuracy in other games, or other forms of visual media such as films or television programmes?
Yes (1). No (2). Indifferent (3).
(1) Yes, absolutely!
Has playing Europa Barbarorum improved or altered your understanding of the period 272BC – AD14.
Definitely improved.
As a game, what is the greatest strength of Europa Barbarorum and what is perhaps its greatest weakness?
Strength: Immersion
Weakness: The vanilla game it's based on; a polished up pac-man ~:(
Does the fact that Europa Barbarorum is open to volunteers and fan contributions make its work more appealing or not.
It makes it very unappealing (1). It is not appealing (2). No real effect (3). It makes it appealing (4). It makes it strongly appealing (5).
(5) Strongly appealing
Once again, thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this modification, and thank you for taking part in this survey and sharing your thoughts. And remember,
Quisque est Barbarus Alio.
Barbarus sum. Nihil Barbaricus mihi alienum. :ave:
Mouzafphaerre
Sorry for taking so long to respond (damn you Microsoft Access.... and that methodology I was using for cremation burials... that wasn't working. I will fix it) I am thinking about trying to set up a control sample of surveyants at Leicester in order to offset the bias which this sample group undoubtedly has (and thank you!).
I have checked with the conference and unfortunately they are not producing proceedings. However, I intend to try and use this data to write a paper for one of the academic journals which focuses on computer games, as there are already quite a few interesting papers out there which discuss issues of narrative and representations of the past in computer and video games. Assuming my paper is approved for publication, and depending on the rules governing publication, I will happily share it here and TWC.... after all, none of this is possible without you guys.
Brennus in light of recent events, I've come to the conclusion that the total war gaming system lends itself better to shorter "Campaign" scenarios, limited in scale and scope, rather than addressing regional military and political develop over an extended period.
Adalingum
04-07-2015, 20:20
Sorry for taking so long to respond (damn you Microsoft Access.... and that methodology I was using for cremation burials... that wasn't working. I will fix it) I am thinking about trying to set up a control sample of surveyants at Leicester in order to offset the bias which this sample group undoubtedly has (and thank you!).
I have checked with the conference and unfortunately they are not producing proceedings. However, I intend to try and use this data to write a paper for one of the academic journals which focuses on computer games, as there are already quite a few interesting papers out there which discuss issues of narrative and representations of the past in computer and video games. Assuming my paper is approved for publication, and depending on the rules governing publication, I will happily share it here and TWC.... after all, none of this is possible without you guys.
Any news on this? :)
Sorry for the delayed reply.
So I attended the conference and represented the team. The talk was well received (even if I did manage to slightly forget the order of my slides, but that is what happens when you present without notes). Anyway, I am hoping to use the data gathered from the questionaires from the Org, TWC and the EB Facebook page to prepare an article over the summer to be submitted to one of the academic journals which deals with electronic media.
Once again thank you to everyone who contributed, if I have any success with publication I shall let you know.
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