CA I beseech you! (With poll)

[USS Providence 1972]

That video clip begins with two square-rigged fleets approaching each other head-on. Think about that for a minute. Where's the wind? If it's abeam (coming from the side) then this might be possible, but then why aren't the sails showing that? Each fleet's sails are showing that they're being blown and filled out from astern, but that can't be possible. Okay, maybe the sails don't show wind direction... I can live with that. But it gets worse...

At the 2:00 mark, a ship is shown being selected and making a fairly quick turn to starboard. It's doing that with every sail reefed (not deployed) except for very small sails at the bow and stern. Why is that ship fighting with its sails furled, when other ships in view are showing full sail? This might be due to damage, if we're coming in at the middle of a battle. That would be fine, but you still can't maneuver a sailing ship like this, when it isn't using sails as the "engine." These aren't rowboats.

At 2:49, that same ship is shown deploying full sails, in less than one second. It shouldn't work like that. It looks like the game is allowing very rapid furling of sails to minimize damage, and then deploying full sail again, all with no real effect on the ship's movement or turning rate.

At 2:56 you can see exactly the kind of circular tail chase, with no regard to wind direction, that I've been worried about. They're driving around like powerboats.

I couldn't watch more than five minutes of it. The battle looked completely haphazard, with ships sailing in any direction, not being forced to maneuver with (or against) the wind. That's the whole point of combat under sail, the reason it's tactically interesting... unless you just want to watch pretty pictures of cannon fire and ships sinking.

I understand what you are saying. The devs responded to the review which complained about naval battles being too complicated by saying they were doing things to make them more fun. I'm not sure whether this video is before or after that change. Perhaps there will be a mod available to make the sailing more realistic?

Either way I'm looking forward to fighting the naval battles and adjusting to whatever realism level there is. It sure beats the RTW way of simming all naval battles.

[Buckwallis]

What's the past tense of beseeched? Besought? I wonder if CA has ever been besought.

No delay...let's have at it already. It can always be patched....

[Crazed Rabbit]

No, it's likely way too late already anyway. It's almost gone on sale - DVDs have been written, boxes made, logistics arranged.

If you had asked half a year ago or more, I'd say - take the time to make it good. Hopefully they've done that, seeing as they have delayed once.

CR

[Polemists]

Yes at this point it's what, 17 days until release 18 if your sleeping as I type this, but still 17 when you wake up

I mean at this point they have orders shipped and items pre ordered, so it would actually cost them more to delay it again then just releasing it.

As others have said, they already took one delay, they know what they are doing. If they said they needed one month, then that's what they needed.

The game looks good and I think it will be fun, no need to push it to june or something ridilucous just to add in random features that were never intended for release anyway.

[ThePianist]

CA should have had people evaluate some of it first. From the author of the post, yes they should take one more month or two months. Fans will always be there (no one is dying anytime soon, especially not the gaming population). I think if CA tries to rush it, it's out of fear that banks will not always be there, and they are correct on that one. Depending on whether the government of the United States admits the wrongdoing of its spies and many other things, I wouldn't be surprised if the future history textbooks mention, among other things, the Greater Depression, in early 21st century.

Anyway, really agree with signature. It would help sell it much more as well, not to mention lengthen its playability with added or improved features by feedback (though Total War games are very replayable by default).

[Polemists]

CA has a variety of reason to release it. The first and foremost is the game is DONE.


Secondly, they do have financial obligations. Sega has cut a company recently, and stated that they are tired of companies making delays and not getting out products. They want effiecent companies are not afraid to cut ones that don't do it and put no ones in there place.

Sega owns CA, so at end of the day it's Sega's call.

Either way the game looks done, but I don't worry about it.