Planned Version 0.01 of VEM

[pevergreen]

Changelog to do:
Make all factions playable.
Extend number of turns.
Rebalance ships (build time/cost upkeep)

Suggestions welcome, it looks really bad and small right now.

[Fisherking]

Just a question to get you started.

Do you plan to extend the number of turns by increasing the number of turns per year, or extending the time of the game?

Both seem desirable to me, but the second might prove a bit harder…only wondering.

[pevergreen]

To start with, the actual time of the game. 100 years just does not seem right to me.

Most likely until 1820-1850. Something that works. 2 turns a year gives you 300 turns or so. With the increased province count coming with the map, hopefully you'll need it.

[Meneldil]

Given that most countries are represented by between 1 and 3 provinces, I'm not sure the province count will be that much higher than in RTW/M2TW, even while counting in India and the Americas.

[Sir Beane]

I wonder how moddable the technology tree will be?

Because if it you are able it might be nice to incrase the number of technologies in the game. I'm sure people here at the Org can dig up loads of interesting historical tech to include.

It would also make the extra fifty years you plan to add on more interesting.

Perhaps you could also add more 'naval only' trade theatres into areas if you extend the map.

[pevergreen]

There certainly is a lot to do, but not much I can do without the game.

Keep the ideas coming!

[woad&fangs]

Changing it to 4 seasons per year would be a welcome addition. I'm not sure if that was what you meant by extend # of turns.

[peacemaker]

what about the little things in the campaign map? Like landbridges or mountains or stuff where the AI seems stuck. Oh and possibly unit stat rebalancing?

[pevergreen]

Changing it to 4 seasons per year would be a welcome addition. I'm not sure if that was what you meant by extend # of turns.

That too, is an option.

Map work may be a little too indepth, in terms of redoing mountains and such, but freeing up chokepoints is a good idea. As for landbridges, I think only in a few places, as the emphasis is still on your navy.

[Megas Methuselah]

Are any sort of landbridges neccesary? We should see how the AI does with naval invasions in the game first. Just a thought.

[pevergreen]

Well, up in Denmark area from M2TW, it makes sense to just have those as landbridges. just some places like that, methinks.

[ULC]

Considering this will be using topographical data of the earth surface, actually redoing the physical appearance will likely not be necessary.

What in general I'd like to see is to see more personalization per faction. For instance, the "Rake" is a more English definition of a scoundrel, so why not have say the Russian or Austrian equivalent for their "scoundrels"?

[pevergreen]

AS gave me an idea. Possibly extending the amount of time it takes to fight, so lowering damage. Not lowering speed, as firing lots is fun, but perhaps just having less casualties on each volley.

[Sir Beane]

AS gave me an idea. Possibly extending the amount of time it takes to fight, so lowering damage. Not lowering speed, as firing lots is fun, but perhaps just having less casualties on each volley.

Looking at the videos so far this might not be needed, volleys already seem to kill few people.

If you lower damage too much guns may become pointless and the game might end up devolving into Medieval 2 with rifle butts. In-depth testing of this particular idea would be required I think.

[pevergreen]

As always, testing is the key. I'm not going to rush in and demand nerfs.

[Sir Beane]

As always, testing is the key. I'm not going to rush in and demand nerfs.

Good good. Just felt like pointing it out since ineffective guns is actually one of my worries about ETW.

Making suggestions will be so much easier when a game or a demo has come out.

[Fisherking]

I wanted to point this out to you. It doesn’t sound like the best of news. But there may be some other way around…

I do have some additional facts, gentleman. Taken from a german preview and "total war zone":

Campaign map:
Founding of new cities isn't possible. You can play as long as you wish after the game ends. But without new tasks or technologies.

Modding:
New file system. There is no longer a "descr_strat.txt". More options for modding, but not easier: I idn't really understand thamis answer - i think it was meant this way, his answer was imprecisely on purpose.

Mange tak to Thamis, "Total War Zone" forums and 4players.de

What do you think?

[pevergreen]

I will figure out how to mod it, never fear.

The new cities stuff, I already knew. It simply means you cannot make a province/city in game. So you can't go found New York or whatever.

[Skullheadhq]

Voicemods?

[pevergreen]

Hrmmm that could be a very very good idea. I could grab my new voice artists from the .org!

That would be awesome!

[Sir Beane]

Hrmmm that could be a very very good idea. I could grab my new voice artists from the .org!

That would be awesome!

That would be a lot of fun!

It would also help satisfy some of the fans asking for realistic accents for all factions. And it would allow factions that may have decent accents (like Britain) to have a bit of variety.

I'll volunteer if you ever need someone to do English accents.

[Monk]

I would offer my voice to a voicemod, however all i could manage is something that is decidedly American.

[The Holy Pilgrim]

Make all factions playable.

By Make all factions playable, do you mean for both custom battles and the campaign, or just the campaign?

[pevergreen]

As of now, doing either will be very very hard.

Most likely just for campaign, but we will see.

[Crian]

Am I the only one who finds everything as too fast? The infantry run like horses, and the cavalry are as fast as race cars!

Please, the speed...

[pevergreen]

I havent found issue with it, when they run, they run, but they tire fast.

Its more realistic than RTW, thats for sure.

[Mailman653]

Am I the only one who finds everything as too fast? The infantry run like horses, and the cavalry are as fast as race cars!

Please, the speed...

IMO, the Native American's run like horses. I understand they don't carry much but sometimes it seems as if they can out run my cavalry. And even if they do tire out quick they still fight with quite a ferocity.

[richyg13]

They do seem a little fast on the whole, more so when you consider they're trying to keep formation...

I think they need to be moved to around 80% to 90% of their current speed.

[Crian]

Take a closer look, on normal terrain the infantry already seem to slide a little even when just marching. It's only when they're on snow that the speed seems "normal", but still a tad too fast IMO. I think the snow default speed minus ~15% should be the default speed for grass, while the present snow speed should be even slower.

Of course, just my opinion... but really look closely! It's like they're on fast forward especially the cavalry!

[Beskar]

There is no problem with the speed, just slow the game down on the speed thing, if you want them to move slower. Just like how you can make them faster as well.

Though one of the map changes I would like to see, is Switzerland being added to the game.