FYI - GamesRadar.com hands on preview

[Zenicetus]

About tacking, why not make a setting that removes the ability to sail upwind? that way everyone wins?

Im looking forward to this, but unrealistic sailing would be a huge gamebreaking experience for me, given my naval background.

An optional setting to go either way would be ideal, but maybe not practical. Something like that would probably require two different sets of AI routines, and would definitely require two different rounds of testing and debugging by the in-house testing group (since CA doesn't use outside alpha and beta testers, AFAIK). From what I've seen of game design over the years, it's the second factor that often limits the number of options offered to players.

User modding is sometimes a way around that. It worked pretty well to beef up the realism of the game and the performance of the AI in the recent Silent Hunter III/IV sub games. But if the AI doesn't have any pre-existing routines for dealing with "forbidden" sailing angles, it won't work. It would just be a player exploit.

[Jack Lusted]

As I said on the first page the AI does know how to tack.

[Sir Beane]

As I said on the first page the AI does know how to tack.

Excellent! With all of these replies from CA members you can tell the dev team obviously cares a lot about the naval combat and also about pleasing the fans. I have every confidence that when we finally get to control a navy of our own, both hardcore realism fans and inexperienced new players will be pleased with the game.

Since CA seem keen to reply to posts in this thread I would like to ask a question about how different ship types will be affected by wind.

Will lateen rigged ships such as Galleys and Xebecs be able to sail closer to the wind than square riggers? And, in case of a battle with little to no wind, will some ship types be able to use oars as an alternate method of propulsion?

I really hope Jack or Intrepid Sidekick can give us an answer, but I understand if the information can't be released right now. Keep up the good work guys

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Jack Lusted..

Could you say more about the diplomatic abilities? Will we get the "Get out of my land or else..." option finally? Or those 'new' diplomatic offer options are 'secret' yet?

[Jack Lusted]

Well in Empire you will not be able to go onto another factions lands unless you are at war or have military access. More than that I cannot really talk about the diplomacy side of things at the moment.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Thank you!

Finally I don't see those small Captain led two unit AI armies just sitting next to my Capital for 30-40 turns and then attack for some reason although I have almost full stack of units stationed in it!

Ok.. I understand why you can't talk about diplomacy yet. But what you just said makes a me want to get ETW even more!

[sassbarman]

Well in Empire you will not be able to go onto another factions lands unless you are at war or have military access. More than that I cannot really talk about the diplomacy side of things at the moment.

wow this is fairly significant. I have wanted this back since rome.

[ThePianist]

O wow! Whoever has the most prestige is declared the winner! It's almost like 21st century wars. What geniuses at Creative Assembly! This is definitely going to be the best Total War of the series, something unseen from all the previous games.

[Celtic_Punk]

thats pretty much like Hearts of Iron... with the victor being whomever holds the most victory points at the end of 1953

[SpencerH]

It certainly looks like CA has put a great deal of effort into the game. My severe caution level has moved up a notch.