Life after RTW

No, im not done, ha! after reading frog's guide (fantastic) and all the tactical suggestions, I realise I've barely scratched the surface.

However, in those dark hours when I've played too much and my eyes are aching, and I keep thinking why my advance stalled, I get the desire to try a different scenery.

So: Do I go backwards? RTW is my first foray into this world of stratagy so there are the early editions, but backwards is not my usual tactic.

Or: Mods? I've seen some very tempting options out there by my more talented tacticians

Or: Is having 2 or more of these games running a bad bad idea and I should just be a good little roman and subdue the world for our future of Toga's and grapes??

:juggle2:

All advice is welcome.

As you´ve just started, I´d not exactly recommend jumping to mods, because, as a tendency, mods are harder than the vanilla game.
If you want a different scenario and don´t mind somewhat dated graphics, try and get a decent copy of MTW (try to avoid the one that has een warned about here in the forum, there should be a sort of Bargain Bin version of MTW+VI about, I believe that´s what I´ve got, and that´s about all you can ask for. Try ebay or something if need be). It plays decidedly different from RTW (in my opinion it´s harder, and I think I´m not the only one to think that). Finally, you could also try another faction in RTW, they play very different to each other. If you don´t have a Roman campaign finished you´ll have to unlock the other playable factions first, but that info is in the guide of the Frog Goddess :bow:
In the end, the choice is yours.

MTW and STW give you a whole different feel - less glitzy maybe, but IMHO superior gameplay. MTW in particular has LOADS of playable mods (I currently have Hellenic, Napoleonic, Samurai, & Pike and Musket, for lots of variety in eras and tactics). It's only going "backwards" in terms of release date, and arguably eye-candy, but I got bored with RTW & BI pretty quickly depsite the graphics. Admittedly I didn't try any RTW mods, and I've heard good things about RTR and the like, which supposedly improve RTW playability and realism.

Really it depends what you're looking for, but don't overlook the older games just because of their age.

Technically there may be issues with your video card, though, in which case check out the apothecary, as there are many threads dealing with these. In my case I got a GeForce5200 to play RTW, but have to roll back the drivers to play MTW with it, and use recent ones to play RTW. Hence my machine is in either "RTW config" or "MTW config". (It's been back in MTW mode longer than it was in RTW mode already....)

It's hard to go back to STW and MTW. At the time, they were IMO better games than vanilla RTW. But once you have played RTW, they are a major step down in terms of graphics and, IMO, the Risk-style campaign maps.

I would recommend you try some RTW mods first. The one I would recommend right now is Rome Total Realism Platinum. This has the same setting as vanilla RTW, so you will feel right at home. But it is a major reworking of both the combat model (slower movement, lower kill rates; cavalry and archers are downgraded) and the historical aspects (faction starting positions and unit rosters are more authentic).

After you are done with that, I would keep an eye out for the release of 0.8 of Europa Barbarorum, as that has very similar aims to RTR and in some ways is more ambitious.

Both the above mods look absolutely gorgeous, IMO, but also get close to the classic gameplay of MTW.

All that said, you might think about the new collection of all the TW games (is it Total War Eras)? It seems to have a very good price and if you only have RTW vanilla, it would be a no-brainer.

Yes, I guess TW: Eras is a goood choice. I have got R: TW & M: TW and I will still buy Eras....but you should definitely check out the various mods...they are brilliant....I enjoyed RTR & right now I am playing the Sweboz in EB....Hell Yeah, one of the most thrilling campaigns I ever played in TW....

Not to mention hoggy`s & freinds "Blue Lotus Mod".....still gotta check that out....

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Originally Posted by econ21

It's hard to go back to STW and MTW. At the time, they were IMO better games than vanilla RTW. But once you have played RTW, they are a major step down in terms of graphics and, IMO, the Risk-style campaign maps.

I would recommend you try some RTW mods first. The one I would recommend right now is Rome Total Realism Platinum.

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I agree. I wish i had started the totalwar series at STW or MTW, but i didn't. I really would like to try them, but going back to old grafic and missing in-game options just isn't that interresting.

I think HoMM 3 is the best in the series, but i would never go back to playing it again, or recommed anyone else did.

I would also recommend going RTR instead, and wait for MTW2, i know i am :)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, great responses; Ive played each roman faction but not gone out into the other factions just yet.
I like a few of the Mod options you guys suggested, and have to admit that Medievel sounds cool too.

Oh decisions decisions.
:idea2:
I know, destroy a civilisation now, decide later !

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I know, destroy a civilisation now, decide later !

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:laugh4:

That's the spirit!

If you're considering installing a mod(s), here are a few links that you should check out, if you haven't already done so:

ORG's Hosted Mods

ORG's Additional Mods

TWC's Major & Minor Hosted Mods

As you'll see, there's literally hundreds of mods to choose from ~D

I haven't downloaded mods yet, as im nervous about doing so.
I'm not technical when it comes to software manipulation and whilst not so simple as to change the name of the windows directory (again :laugh4: ) I would hate to lose all my current semi-successes with a game crash.

Can us mod illiterates mod safely ?

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Can us mod illiterates mod safely ?

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The really big mods tend to come with auto-installers which take the pain out of it, and if you managed to install the game, you'll be okay with the mod! The easy way is to start with a clean copy of the basic game, copy it to a new directory and install the mod on the copy, renaming the directory to match the mod. Put up a new short-cut on your desktop and away you go.

If you do stumble into the woods, there's lots of help and guidance available in the hosted mods sub-forum, so no need to worry - it's what the :help: smiley was invented for.

Thanks Macsen and everyone,

ahh the lovely lovely :help: icon.
I need to hold it close, like the knife under my pillow, or the chariot under the window of my latest conquest (incase of early husband arrival).

When it all goes horribly wrong and my computer ends up like a gang of AI equites running headlong into a phalanx, I shall be back here :help: icon at the ready.

To be continued i am sure....

"All right ... all right ... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order ... what HAVE the Romans ever done for US?"

Ahh, I love the Life of Brian. Great movie, if you can get past the often quiet dialogue. Typically brilliant Monty Python dialogue, though.

I myself am a member of the Popular People's Front. Those splitters.

oh, its all gone horribly wrong...

Dont worry I havent done anything stupid with the mod's...yet, I'll destroy my programming at a later date.
Nope my laptop (where I play TW) has died a heroic death. The power connector has detached itself and my laptop fought the good fight, losing power but still killing those damn Egyptians when ..
The last breath of Toshiba...

Because I could not stop for Death --
He kindly stopped for me --
The Carriage held but just Ourselves --
And Immortality...

E. Dickenson

Hmmm, I wonder if I can sneak RTW here to my work computer.. If my boss spots me I'll tell him its a screensaver :laugh4:

Modding for Idiots (me) shall be investigated if operation is successful and Tosh is revived.

Roman Tombstone:
Do not pass by my epitaph, traveler.
But having stopped, listen and learn, then go your way.
There is no boat in Hades, no ferryman Charon,
No caretaker Aiakos, no dog Cerberus.
All we who are dead below
Have become bones and ashes, but nothing else.
I have spoken to you honestly, go on, traveler,
Lest even while dead I seem loquacious to you.


P.S. Good taste Danfda, good taste.