Modded Or Unmodded?

[Martok]

My experience has been varied. I played -- and still play -- Shogun completely vanilla. Of course, STW was also probably the least moddable title out of the whole series (ironically enough), so that's probably the main reason why.

I played MTW/VI (which remains my favorite) with just the vanilla version for a long time. I then started getting into the mods about -- 4, maybe 5 years ago? -- having primarily played XL, Asai Nagamasa's Pocket Mod, Samurai Warlords, and a bit of both HTW and Redux. (I've still gotta get around to playing OmarPacha's Hyborian mod, although I do have it installed.) Now, I can barely imagine playing MTW unmodded, although I definitely don't regret the time I've spent doing so.

I can't really comment on the other games. I was utterly disgusted by my experience with Rome (gave up on it after just a couple months), and subsequently wasn't much interested in Medieval 2 (since it was based on the same engine). Similarly, I haven't been able to bring myself to play Empire that much -- at least until a patch/update comes out that fixes/improves the strategic AI to the point where factions are no longer insane/suicidal -- and so haven't had the desire to try any of the mods for it. In regards to both RTW and ETW, I see little point in trying mods if the underlying core game is broken.

Who coined the phrase 'Gah!' anyway? I've been reading it for years...

You can thank an old (and by now, rather legendary) Orgah named Vanya for that. I don't know if he was the one who first actually coined "Gah!", but he's certainly the one most responsible for having caused it to become widespread.

[Madoushi]

Vanilla Rome was pretty flawed, but with Europa Barbarorum it's easily one of the best in the series, and after playing Medieval II, I'm not sure if I could go back to playing MI.

Heck, I hated vanilla Rome, and even after playing it I could barely go back to MI.

Edit: Not to rag on Medieval I. It was the first one I played in the series, and I loved it, I just prefer the newer engines a lot.

[Cute Wolf]

Why are a lot of you hate Vanilla Rome? Without them, there will be no EB forever.....

And yes, the best things come with Vanilla Rome are Fire and Forget missiles on four legs.... known as dogs...

[Thermal]

Vanilla rome was always so predictable...

The Seleucid's are always bested, egypt & rome always steamroll, gaul and greek factions always eventually die out...

Which is why I mod the game to create variety whilst keeping the vanilla-ness mostly in tact.

[Paltmull]

Europa Barbarorum.

Seconded.

Thirded

[Hooahguy]

my first TW game was rome. i played that for a year or so before i found the glory that is
EUROPA BARBARORUM

and now i play no game unmodded. except of the FPS genre.
last summer i got ETW, which i played with Darthmod (it was a must, the AI was so bad in vanilla) until last month.

very recently, i started up EUROPA BARBARORUM again.
and i dont regret one minute of it. in fact i even made an AAR about my campaign as the Casse- see link in my sig, [/shameless advertising].

[Thermal]

my first TW game was rome. i played that for a year or so before i found the glory that is
EUROPA BARBARORUM

and now i play no game unmodded. except of the FPS genre.
last summer i got ETW, which i played with Darthmod (it was a must, the AI was so bad in vanilla) until last month.

very recently, i started up EUROPA BARBARORUM again.
and i dont regret one minute of it. in fact i even made an AAR about my campaign as the Casse- see link in my sig, [/shameless advertising].

I'll take a look, I may even review it...

Though I notice you put humorous, many 'comedy' AAR's aren't funny at all, but if you pull it off just right, they can be the most entertaining.

I shall be reading.

Also, Hooahguy, do you have a TWC account?

[Hooahguy]

I'll take a look, I may even review it...

Though I notice you put humorous, many 'comedy' AAR's aren't funny at all, but if you pull it off just right, they can be the most entertaining.

I shall be reading.

cant tell if this is an insult or not, but if it makes you feel any better, Hax likes my AAR.... to quote him, "simply excellent."

Also, Hooahguy, do you have a TWC account?

yup.

[Thermal]

cant tell if this is an insult or not, but if it makes you feel any better, Hax likes my AAR.... to quote him, "simply excellent."



yup.

Not an insult, just saying a lot of TWC comedy AAR's are horrid, Having read yours I beg to differ, its a fine read.

I asked if you had a TWC account because I wondered if you had posted your AAR in the writers study there? You should if you haven't, then I can review it and put it into the Critic's Quill, if you like.

[Reenk Roink]

The vanilla play of Shogun was very very good (also not many mods for that game for obvious reasons) and there was something about the vanilla feel about Rome that I loved, even more than the EB feel (UIs and such) although EB improved on about just every area, the gameplay was at times a bit too realistic (so expensive to and time consuming to build grand things and armies - gotta love the cheats ).