Where is the game going?

[Fisherking]

There do seem to be people who like the game as it is now, but I just don’t see it.

All of the challenge is in obtaining enough income to slaughter the weak pathetic masses.

Once you have a stack and a half not relegated to garrison duties you can conquer the world.

The biggest challenge the AI mounts is all the little subterfuges it mounts from a god like position to deprive the player of money. All the world works in concert to cut your income…not one faction at a time, but all the world in background.

I say this because there is no good reason why trade partners allow them selves to be blockaded, go to war with out cause, or hope, and why common enemies are now left alone to harass the sea lanes.

The individual AI factions are weaker and more impotent than ever, in any TW game. Even rebel cities in previous games would challenge them.

In fact the current trend from CA is to make everything weaker. I think it is a mistake.

Despite the criticism I am leveling at them, I think CA is doing a good job. They are trying to bring the players the game they think that they want. In the face of conflicting viewpoints they are doing what is easiest. And who can blame them for that?

The original was loaded with subtleties and depth even if it was a bit easy to raise money. You had some feeling of 18th century to it. Now except for muskets it is more like the early iron age, the player vs. everyone and nothing is to be relied upon.

I liked the deep complexities of the first and not just a slug-fest with everyone near and far.

Not everything was working right, but you could see it coming along.

I for one liked the depth and complexities.

I also like some of the changes. That allies don’t blindly jump into every conflict, but they should have reasons to fallow or fall out.

I am not sure that the balance changes are justified, however. The Austrian Jaegers didn’t upset the balance. Mortar range was not exploited in single player to the extent it needed to be changed. Halving the range of steamships has made them only a prestige unit and nothing of value.

When the game was released there were two camps. Those who loved what they saw and its potential, and those who hated it. I loved it. But now I find my self in an increasingly critical role.

Total War is about a blending of infrastructure, production, government, diplomacy, and war. As of now it is seriously slanted toward war, to the neglect or even near exclusion of some of the others.

We hear about proposed changes or new code but we have no idea how it will play out. We don’t know why some needs changed or what the finished product is intended to be like.

It would not hurt to know some of the philosophy behind the changes.

We all want an enjoyable game. And I for one would like to be a supporter of CA’s efforts…

I just don’t know what direction it is going and with the little I know I find my self in opposition to a lot of it.

[Hooahguy]

i think that TW is starting to lean towards the folks who dont like to think about economy and diplomacy and only like to fight battles.
but i will say that with the latest change with unit cost and upkeep, its a lot harder to maintain armies, thus the outcry of the people to remove that change because they can no longer afford huge and powerful armeis to roll across the map with.

[Fisherking]

I have to disagree, in part. The upkeep costs may prevent the play from fielding huge armies, but at the same time it prevents the AI factions from fielding much of an army to defend its self with. The AI much more than the player is dependent on numbers and quality of troops.

Even a fairly new player can manage to defeat a force 1 and a 3rd to 1 and a half his army’s size. Without the extra cash the AI is particularly impotent.

[Hooahguy]

didnt realize the up in costs also affected the AI. i think CA needs to implement soemthing which the EB team put in place: every faction thats controlled by the AI gets a huge monetary bonus every turn. it works for EB, and i am usually fighting huge AI armies. what they lack in skill they make up in number.

[Fisherking]

I don’t actually favor AI cheats to beat the player. The AI generalship needs to be better at almost every level of play. It could use more cash so perhaps removing administrative costs for the AI factions, up to a certain level would be best, (say around 15 to 20 regions). The MC might prove the exception as they seem to have little trouble raising armies and cash.

The random DoWs should stop and go back to the diplomacy model we started with. Once at war however, the Campaign AI needs to be more aggressive and not sit and wait to be attacked.

Each AI faction should have some kind of self preservations built in. Refusing offers until eliminated for most factions is unreasonable. There should of course be exceptions, and mad rulers who can surprise you without the whole game conspiring to disrupt your campaign.

I don’t think anyone would complain if blocked ports resulted in a marked percentage drop in trade rather than its complete secession. At the same time AI factions should place a priority on keeping its own ports free of blockade. I think this has been used as a cheep trick to deprive the player of revenue rather than the AI’s inability to cope with the enemy.

It may not prove as challenging is some respects, but it doesn’t make the AI look so foolish and incompetent, which is a major problem for a lot of people.

[Dayve]

Can't give the AI financial bonuses, it would be impossible to get started. It's difficult as it is, with the AI being programmed to destroy the player at all cost and not accept peace ever, but you can handle it because once you destroy their army they can't make another for a while... but neither can you, you're as bankrupt as they are for quite a while.

If they got bonuses then they could just pump out army after army while you are a sitting duck.

[GFX707]

didnt realize the up in costs also affected the AI. i think CA needs to implement soemthing which the EB team put in place: every faction thats controlled by the AI gets a huge monetary bonus every turn.

What's the point in playing a game if all the other players don't have to follow the rules? It's CA's system, if they can't code the AI to work within that system why does the player get punished?