View Full Version : Creative Assembly First reports suggest...
DarknScaly
08-22-2002, 21:55
Well I've been doing some trawling of BBS's etc to see what folks think of MTW (those who ahve it) and its looking pretty good tbh.
Which kind of gives me a little fuzzy warm feeling as it means im not totally weird and the only person who might have liked it (and hopefully means my preview isnt too far off the mark!)
Im really interested to hear what folks think about the campaign game side of things and how much "more" (or less) of a game it feels compared to Shogun...and especially whether you quickly get the impression of the size, depth and length of a campaign. Is it too complex, daunting, daunting yet fun...have you slept since you installed it... that sort of stuff.
I havent seen too many tech issues: what may be some issues with the cd copy-protection on installs and the inevitable video card problems on some cards (especially any voodoo's still out there) - and looks like one batch of manuals was sent out completed hash'd up by the printers (pages loose or out of order or missing) - but on the whole it looks like a pretty smooth release.
Im going to be doing a review of the game over the next few weeks and any first impressions and feedback appreciated..even if its just "Aint got time to type - im playing!"
No need to list techy issues as im pulling those off the tech forums here and elsewhere, gameplay stuff (good and bad) i'd love to hear about - oh and whether the manual (which ive never seen) is any good. Favourite things (factions, units etc), hated things, dissapointments, GUI issues - anything really.
Especially from the old STW players: Just how much different does it "feel" and "play"... does it really feel like a seperate game or "just a sequel set in a different place".
(Note to MODs: If this isnt appropriate here guys I apologise and please delete/move)
Pachinko
08-22-2002, 23:12
The depth is awesome!! WOW!
And daunting...you got that right. All that prince and princess plus Lord that and Lord this its daunting(I love that word...daunting)..But yes, it is FUN FUN FUN!
The AI is better..But not the best..
The manual ...ahh it good. Not the best. The Tech-tree it is AWESOME! Its big.
Btw DD/DarknScaly you are the best manual!! Really, I think so. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
P.
Pachinko
08-22-2002, 23:14
BTW the manual has about 72 pages..
P.
I have already responded to this on .com but I wanted to add something that I just recalled whilst sitting at work wishing I was playing the game. The little things in the game are even great... IE. If you move your curser to the edge of the map....it looks likes its on an old oak table, much like the maps of antiquity. Like I said its the little things that get me.
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Through eternal aeons lie time will come when death may die
Quote Originally posted by Pachinko:
BTW the manual has about 72 pages..
P.[/QUOTE]
That's excellent. Certainly bigger than we've had before. Now I really can't wait to get it!
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"Everything Shiro said sounds good to me."
-Solypsist
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"Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense"
-Order of the Garter Motto
Dionysus9
08-22-2002, 23:57
The strategy map is friggin huge. I started as the Brits (out of respect for our brothers across the pond who are pining for their release). I played the early period and quickly claimed Scotland and Wales. I started with holdings on the continent, mainly normandy and parts of eastern France, but for some reason you cant transfer troops from England to Normandy without ships--but you can move into Flanders, so I had to take Flanders from the French.
That started a nice war up, and after much campaigning and a little help from the Germans and anti-French rebels, I've managed to relegate the Frogs to southern France. Now they are squashed between me, the Germans, and the Almohads in Spain. It won't be long until the French are gone.
I've already been excommunicated by the Pope, and when he asked me to stop bothering the French I took it as a sign of French weakness and attacked. (result above).
Overall the singleplayer gameplay is excellent, somewhat daunting, but immersive and engaging. It may threaten my marraige and employment.
just kidding, but its incredible.
Gregoshi
08-23-2002, 00:13
It is actually kind of funny watching the strategic map and the "end turn". There are princess and emissaries flying all over the place. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
My first campaign as the Holy Roman Empire has been peaceful. I finally opened up a war with France and the Pope jumps in and tell me to give the nice Catholic French their lands back and not to attack them for another 10 years. Just who does this Pope guy think he is? http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif
I'm still loving it.
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Gregoshi
A Member of Clan Doragon
Gregoshi
08-23-2002, 00:15
LOL Dionysus9, I just re-read your above post a little closer. Sounds like the Pope is being a little harder on you. I think he's playing favourites with the French. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
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Gregoshi
A Member of Clan Doragon
DarknScaly
08-23-2002, 00:22
The French and the Pope have some sort of built in love affair - I've sworn that the Pope "always" takes their side - as i understand it though this is fairly historically accurate mind you...so maybe it is happening and not jsut my imagination!
he's also always seems to side against HRE whenever it seems "fun" to do so...again possibly a designed aspect and not my imagination.
72 page manual sounds good also - cant wait to see it and really dig into it to judge quality/accuracy.
I got 1000 gold from the Pope each of the first 2 turns for helping Catholicism. Is this normal?
DarknScaly
08-23-2002, 00:37
Ive seen it a few times - never worked out why the Pope donates money though. Ive had it happen later in the game also - but again not sure what triggers it.
I thought it might be a combination of piety and conquering pagan provinces - but im no closer to working it out sorry...so its remains a mystery to me.
Comes in handy though.
RageMonsta
08-23-2002, 00:38
Everybody who posted here who is having fun and enjoying the game is mark for death by nasty 'fish slapping to face and head'.... a week we have to endure this wave of.....ooo look at my MTW....payment is due..and cash wont help ya....
"Krast fetch the soup bowls....oh and the rusty leg detachers"
Funky Phantom
08-23-2002, 00:45
Yeah, all these threads about how great MTW is dont really help ease the annoyance of us non-US types who wont have the game for at least another week, if not longer..
DarknScaly
08-23-2002, 00:47
Quote Originally posted by RageMonsta:
Everybody who posted here who is having fun and enjoying the game is mark for death by nasty 'fish slapping to face and head'.... a week we have to endure this wave of.....ooo look at my MTW....payment is due..and cash wont help ya....
"Krast fetch the soup bowls....oh and the rusty leg detachers"[/QUOTE]
Hehe - well my preview code has now expired - so i am also "gameless" until UK release date... i've got withdrawal symptoms allready.
The Scourge
08-23-2002, 01:47
You only have to wait a week?
You lucky lucky bastards.
The Daimyo
08-23-2002, 02:34
Man that's really sad that you guys in Europe have to wait so friggin long to get the game. My condolences.
Now, I need to go install it since I just got it today and I'd like to know what this hub-bub is all about. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif
redfirestone
08-23-2002, 03:33
I think the documentation really sucks. There is no unit stat table. So there is no way to tell how the units match against other units. Someone posted some thing about unit attributes, but it looks more like code than an easy to read table.
I got 10000 gold from France when I captured their king. I guess that really is a king's ransom.
RageMonsta
08-23-2002, 06:43
only a week they say....ok then put your copy of the game away for a week and dont play it...go on I dares ya....thought so....pah!
deejayvee
08-23-2002, 08:49
So the Pope orders you to give the French their land back? How does that work? Do you just abandon the province, or what?
Papewaio
08-23-2002, 09:09
Well it seems the Pope's orders are going to act like a bit of a red flag to a bull for the STW vets.
Pope 'Stop attacking the French'
STW Vet 'Ah the old Pope on a Rope Bluff!
*Thinking* That only happens when the enemy faction is weak. Attack!
Pope 'I excommunicate you'
STW Vet 'I execute you'
*Searching giant map* Now where is that inquistor assassin got to?
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Pape you're a disgrace. - NinjaKilla
Pape has the right idea. - Sir Kuma of The Org
Papewaio is right on the money. - Nelson
[This message has been edited by Papewaio (edited 08-23-2002).]
One of my most amusing experiences was when I (as Byzantines) moved against hungary and captured the province of Serbia. What I was accustomed to when I declare war is that many of my allies terminate my alliance because they have joint alliances with my new enemy as well.... However, my emperor has a huge influence rating and an impressive battle record to boot- so I found that instead of terminating my alliance 3 of 4 factions instead terminated their alliances with the Hungarians (not unlike rats abandoning a sinking ship I imagine) http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Next step, take Rome and unite east and west once again. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Nobunaga0611
08-23-2002, 13:05
Quote Originally posted by Xiahou:
One of my most amusing experiences was when I (as Byzantines) moved against hungary and captured the province of Serbia. What I was accustomed to when I declare war is that many of my allies terminate my alliance because they have joint alliances with my new enemy as well.... However, my emperor has a huge influence rating and an impressive battle record to boot- so I found that instead of terminating my alliance 3 of 4 factions instead terminated their alliances with the Hungarians (not unlike rats abandoning a sinking ship I imagine) http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Next step, take Rome and unite east and west once again. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif[/QUOTE]
Yup. This has happened to me too, up to as many as 6 factions siding with me in 1 turn. It kinda makes you feel good to know that you demand that kind of respect.
I don't really have any issues with the game as of yet, except that, you can infer more from looking at the tech. tree than the manual actually tells you in some instances. The game is engaging though...I got it on the 21st, and played it 10 hours straight (Not kidding). It didn't even seem like 2 hours though.
[This message has been edited by Nobunaga0611 (edited 08-23-2002).]
There are a few things wrong in the tech tree, though. You can get mine complexes, farmland, dockyard and a few other buildings much earlier than the tech tree lists, at least on normal difficulty.
ShingiOnimushi
08-23-2002, 18:08
is true that i heard that if ur had an allience with a neighbour u can march though the allies land with out causing a war?
i am not sure that the person i heard about was correct
GilJaysmith
08-23-2002, 18:28
Quote Originally posted by andrewt:
There are a few things wrong in the tech tree, though. You can get mine complexes, farmland, dockyard and a few other buildings much earlier than the tech tree lists, at least on normal difficulty.[/QUOTE]
This isn't the case... it's a problem of how to design a clear layout for the Medieval tech tree which will still fit on a sensible size of paper. A quick glance at the tech tree could suggest that these buildings are associated with a castle upgrade which appears above them, but there's no actual dependency, which is why you can build them that early.
Gil ~ CA
GilJaysmith
08-23-2002, 18:30
Quote Originally posted by ShingiOnimushi:
is true that i heard that if ur had an allience with a neighbour u can march though the allies land with out causing a war?
[/QUOTE]
You can move a crusade through someone else's regions if they let you, but not a regular army.
Gil ~ CA
Quote Originally posted by Xiahou:
One of my most amusing experiences was when I (as Byzantines) moved against hungary and captured the province of Serbia. What I was accustomed to when I declare war is that many of my allies terminate my alliance because they have joint alliances with my new enemy as well.... However, my emperor has a huge influence rating and an impressive battle record to boot- so I found that instead of terminating my alliance 3 of 4 factions instead terminated their alliances with the Hungarians (not unlike rats abandoning a sinking ship I imagine) http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
[/QUOTE]
Shame on these covardly factions!!!! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif Go, Hungary, go!!!! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Is there anyway to un excommunicate yourself? I was excommunicated and couldn't undo it with an emmisary, bishop or princess...then all of a sudden I was a good catholic again...I don't know if it was because it wore off or because I attacked a muslim nation...also I did one crusade...it was fun but the army was very wimpy! I had Templars run from arab spearman...I love to lose in this game too!
DarknScaly
08-24-2002, 03:40
un-exco yourself when the pope dies or your king dies...
so kill either one of them ;-)
GAH!
1. What happens if you attack and conquer the Papal States...
a) ... as a Catholic?
b) ... as a Muslim?
2. When moving a crusade through another faction's territory...
a) ... do they have to be an ally? Can they be neutral?
b) ... do you just plop the icon on their lands, and a dialog pops up with their answer? Or, do you need to clear it with an emmissary first somehow? If so, how?
GAH!
Oh man, and I don't even have a computer right now! [begins weeping and gnashing teeth]
Stephen Hummell
08-24-2002, 08:41
Great in two days i've probably spent 15 hours on the game. (Iwould spend more on it but school, stupid school)
Kraellin
08-24-2002, 09:14
vanya,
when you initiate a crusade it's with a special 'unit' you buy for 1000 florins. though i havent done one yet, i assume that this special unit doesnt need to ask in allied or neutral territory because it's already known about. when you plop it down in someone else's territory they already know what it's for and where it's going and simply let it pass.
K.
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The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
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