So I Played Empire Total War Last Night

[Pontius Pilate]

Yeah, sequels almost never turn out well. Can anyone give me an example of a sequel to a game that was better than the original??

EB II to EB

[Ibrahim]

Oh yes, commendable use of adjective there. Yes, I was always a pessimistic, cynical skeptic myself.

Sooo, back on topic?

Yeah, sequels almost never turn out well. Can anyone give me an example of a sequel to a game that was better than the original??

the Halo series and quake series (at least till quake III) IMHO, but they are both FOS games.

[Decimus]

the Halo series

except for the single player getting worse from Halo 1 to Halo 2.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Alright. I am sorry to have asked that question. I already answered it myself. The first game of the series one usually tries is the one they like the best. AoE III was crap. Most old-time RTS players will say that.

Not necessarily that the sequels are bad but rather that once you have played the first game, a second, similar one does not have as many new things to be interested in. Basically a repetition with a dash of new features plus better graphics. It is always like that, right?

RTW has good graphics and gameplay. MTW has only one of the two: good gameplay. So why choose MTW? No, the AI is not any better; it is worse. Think of all the exploits in that game. No, the AI seems better because it has far less options. Just like chess, where the options are relatively severely restricted compared to something as complex as an RTT game, which is why chess computers are so good. This can be observed even more so with Shogun.


Anyone else agree?

[Pontius Pilate]

except for the single player getting worse from Halo 1 to Halo 2.

I'm really trying hard to not get way off topic here, but I actually think the single player improved in Halo 2. I really liked the inclusion of the Arbiter's storyline. gave a different perspective to what would have been your typical: humans v. aliens game.

[A Very Super Market]

... I didn't follow that.

Basically, you're saying that you like the first game because it is more familiar?

[Pontius Pilate]

[QUOTE=Aemilius Paulus;2159460]Alright. I am sorry to have asked that question.QUOTE]

it's okay. I think we all might have went overboard when naming like 50+ games though.

[Cyclops]

I found the battle AI seemed cannier in MTW than RTW, and I never noticed generals suiciding in MTW.

I think you have hit the nail on the head regarding campaign AI in MTW. The simple area-based movement channeled the AI into fairly simple options, so its easier to hardwire good and bad moves. It also suited the narrative really well.

I loved Warlords on the old Amiga, it was superior to the more complex (and moddable) Warlords 2 and the promising but ultimately worthless Warlords 3.

[V.T. Marvin]

Just for the old-timers: Dune II - a "sequel" far better, more complex, and in all relevant respect a wholly new game compared to its predecessor Dune (I). If all sequels would be like that, it would be like heaven on Earth

As regards Elder Scrolls - Morrowind was far better game than Oblivion if vanillas are compared. Fortunately there are excellent mods for Oblivion (see tesnexus for the best collection of them) that make it even better than Morrowind once was (Oscuros Oblivion Overhaul, or OOO, is a must because it get you rid of the stupid vanilla levelling system).

I just hope that the moddability of Empires would allow the modders to make it a excellent game, even if vanilla proves itself to be not so good. But it is far far away. Now I am concerned only and solely about EB and EB II.

[Vulg]

Well it installed it always likes to launch steam infact steam seems to be the only way to play it.

I set the graphics to medium for everthing and in fairness it ran quite well. The AI in the battle was quite smart in that he sent his cavarly to flank my artillery and then charged my general. I was thinking it was the same TW games just with muskets but he actually used a bit of tactical cunning which I applauded. Though I did just turn my infantry around and gun them all down. Artillery seems to bite holes in my infantry and its a case of getting the cavalry there as soon as possible. I like the fact I can turn the flags and markers off so it looks as though I am playing Mel Gibsons Patriot.

Overall I am quite impressed, not sure how the campaign map will play out as the game enables a 3 front war, Europe map (as we are familiar with), India and America.

I can see a turn taking a while to make. I am not being suckered in because I will never sacrifice my EB as I will never sacrifice my Full Roman Armour set ;)

[lenin96]

Artillery seems to bite holes in my infantry and its a case of getting the cavalry there as soon as possible.

Yes the sniper cannons are quite strange.

[Irenaeus]

With Empire Total War being on Steam, I'm another one who's not buying it. I'll wait 8 years until it goes ino the Sold-Out bargain range (or something similar). Steam doesn't get on too well with my 64-bit Windows and I can wait out the DRM - and if it never comes out in Budget, then I'll just play more RTW!

[delablake]

The flaming demo doesn't work on my 2 GB/invidia HD2400/AMD 64x dual core/vista machine, it's all choppy and unmanageable
-and I am NOT going to buy extra RAM for 100 Euro on top of the 50 Euro for the game.
Instead, as my EB 1.2 doesn't run anymore (), I will patiently wait for EB II on MTW II and play mahjongg solitaire in the meantime.
Plus the "modern" era of the game isn't really my cup of tea...

[Starforge]

Despite the fact that elder scrolls auto fails because of the linear storyline based gameplay.

Morrowind is better then Oblivion.

And Daggerfall was better than Morrowind (unless, of course, you just happen to like the wierd alien landscapes which oddly enough seems to be a major selling point in MW's favor - then again, some people color their hair purple )

Looking forward to ETW and even if it stinks I've gotten so much use out of RTW (with EB mostly) that I won't find the money ill-spent.

[Ibrahim]

except for the single player getting worse from Halo 1 to Halo 2.

true that, but the multiplayer compensates, so its not all that bad.

[Subotan]

Age of Empires III versus I and II (which was basically I but in a different era setting).

SWEET ZOMBIE JESUS
AoE III was shocking! It was a mighty fail compared to AoE II Conquerors.

EB was and still is a great game, but don't let it blind you from enjoying other games.

I'd agree. I like a spot of Civilisation now and then. Sadly, they always fail at combat.

No matter how much I love TW, I'm not going to let them force me to use steam. (Actually the problems isn't that I would have to use Steam but that I would have to use Stream.)

THIS THIS THIS

I already use it, and it pisses me off, but not enough to stop me buying it, which I have already done.

I think regardless of what everyone says, I think the way E: TW works could revolutionise EB (If we get that far [Please?]). Because the AI will certainly be improved, as it appears it has, we could finally get the AI we deserve.Also, opening trade routes in India and China would be fun... Hey! We may even be able to include India and China! *Head asplode*

[Decimus]

E:TW would defiantly bring more to the table for EB More factions, regions, units , naval combat, actual AI, ...

If only E:TW would finish downloading

[Mjolnir]

Wait, do you HAVE to use Steam to play ETW single-player? That's one of the main reasons I haven't gotten Dawn of War II yet, I just don't want to be forced to use something like Steam.

[Tiberius Claudius Marcellus]

Graphics aside, how does it compare gameplay wise to "Cossacks" or "Empire Earth" ?

[DaciaJC]

SWEET ZOMBIE JESUS
AoE III was shocking! It was a mighty fail compared to AoE II Conquerors.

To each their own. I played I and II but not Conquerors. II seemed to me like a rehash of I with a different setting. III brought a lot more to the table, especially in the combat department.

[Decimus]

Wait, do you HAVE to use Steam to play ETW single-player?

you can buy it just like any other game, but you have to update or authenticicate (something like that) through steam. I just didn't want to leave my computer or wait for it in the mail.

[Sdragon]

I MIGHT reconsider. Check this out.
https://g.imagehost.org/0672/OVER9000.jpg
9001 men in one unit.

[Subotan]

WHAT NINE THOUSAND?

[Chirurgeon]

I am not sure when the timeline for ETW is over but if it stops before the 1800s there is a lot of good fighting to be had before the invention of nasty things like machine guns and rifles. I can foresee either an expansion or new game based on Napoleon, American Civil War, Mexican American war, etc. The American Civil war had some serious tactics. I personally loved studying the civil war and have been itching to find a good game that lets you feel the combat with the campaign mode of the TW series. My guess is there would be an expansion that includes the major conflicst of the 1800s

[Chirurgeon]

I MIGHT reconsider. Check this out.
https://g.imagehost.org/0672/OVER9000.jpg
9001 men in one unit.

Now that is a friggin army!!

[Lucio Domicio Aureliano]

I MIGHT reconsider. Check this out.
https://g.imagehost.org/0672/OVER9000.jpg
9001 men in one unit.

Is that right? if so

[desert]

Morrowind? Better than Oblivion?

Haha. It is to laugh.

[Cyclops]

Morrowind? Better than Oblivion?

Haha. It is to laugh.

Oblivion is a dumbed down version of MW for the attention-poor console interface generation. Sure its prettier, but they reduced intellectual and technological texture (eg no spears, no pauldrons and no detailed spell making) in favour of a square/triangle/circle mindset.

However the mods for Oblivion are excellent, as pointed out. People haven't given up on the franchise and a lot of the loyalty comes from Morrowind.

[desert]

Oblivion is a dumbed down version of MW for the attention-poor console interface generation. Sure its prettier, but they reduced intellectual and technological texture (eg no spears, no pauldrons and no detailed spell making) in favour of a square/triangle/circle mindset.

However the mods for Oblivion are excellent, as pointed out. People haven't given up on the franchise and a lot of the loyalty comes from Morrowind.

Nein.

[the man with no name]

Can i get a link to the demo plz?