Best Guess On Release Date

**Tomisama** · 08-04-2010, 01:56

Has anyone got any clue as to when we might see this game?

I mean the engine was already there (if I am correct), and these guys are getting very good at putting theses things together.

Any rumors on a target date, or a best guess?

**Monk** · 08-04-2010, 02:04

It'll be a while yet, most sources i've seen estimate some time next year. SEGA's press site claims a very vague "2011"

**Gregoshi** · 08-04-2010, 02:06

Perhaps the two biggest must-get-rights are the AI and multi-player and so far CA has indicated their importance but have provided no details on them yet. I'd hope CA hammers these out until they are right. A Blizzard-like "when they are ready" release date would be welcome - but tough to wait for.

**pevergreen** · 08-04-2010, 03:37

Originally Posted by Tomisama

I mean the engine was already there (if I am correct), and these guys are getting very good at putting theses things together.

What engine? You mean the one that they said they are not using, since they're creating a new one?

I'd put a guess for either just over a year from now (mid August) or mid Feb again.

**drone** · 08-04-2010, 04:02

As long as they don't try to rush it out for the holidays...

**Cecil XIX** · 08-04-2010, 15:47

Originally Posted by drone

As long as they don't try to rush it out for the holidays...

Indeed, I'm hoping it's later rather than sooner so they can get things right.

**Skullheadhq** · 08-05-2010, 15:56

They should take their time,Q1 2012 sounds like a good date

**caravel** · 08-05-2010, 16:03

Originally Posted by pevergreen

What engine? You mean the one that they said they are not using, since they're creating a new one?

Link?

**pevergreen** · 08-05-2010, 16:41

Originally Posted by pevergreen

Originally Posted by Monsieur Alphonse

A very short translation: The game was demonstrated on the same computer as NTW. The game is pre alpha and without optimization. Also the game will be playable on older computers because it is very scalable. CA claims that It should be possible to play on the same computer as the original Shogun [sic]. Lets hope that this is true.

I can't read dutch unfortunately, so I'm going purely off this translation here (I trust you more than any online translator)

That does not mean it is on the same engine, that simply means than an unoptimised version of the game can play on the same specs.

Going back, take a look at this:

Originally Posted by pevergreen

Its no being released for 6 months...

The simple fact that they have improved so much so quickly makes me sad. This should have been E:TW.

Regardless, if they are releasing their evolution so quickly, their next revolution must not be that far off... Think 2011/2012 for...Shogun and Rome 2?

My evidence for why this is a new engine:

Napoleon Total War will build on the engine and framework of Empire Total War, but will add a whole host of new features and extra touches that the developers didn't have time to include in the first game. Kieran Brigden, Communications Manager at Creative Assembly, explains: "The way that Total War development works is we do a kind of evolution-revolution cycle. We create revolutionary technology for one title - in this case Empire, which had a brand new engine written from the ground up - and all new AI. Then, for the next game, we take that technology and evolve it - in this case with Napoleon. We've taken everything we've achieved with Empire and Empire's engine and just pushed it to the limit. Napoleon is essentially the culmination of what we wanted to do with Empire, given the time to take it further."

source: http://au.pc.ign.com/articles/101/1014877p1.html

I've not seen them say its the same engine, and I don't see why they would change their business model now, after stressing it so many times in interviews.

**caravel** · 08-05-2010, 17:23

Thanks pevergreen. I'm wondering when this revolution-evolution spiel first manifested itself? I remember that prior to M2TW's release, nothing was said about it not being a new engine. I seem to remember a lot of people at the .com thinking it was a new "from the ground up" release. These kind of myths are often propogated by clever marketing (the reader/viewer makes an assumption) and before you know it, everyone is parroting it.

I also doubt that ETW was entirely built from scratch on a whole new engine as they claim. I understand that compiled binaries and other data files are strored differently, but I have a little bit of trouble believing a developer would bin millions of lines of code and start again from the beginning to rebuild what is essentially the same game with a makeover and a few more bells and whistles twice (TW comprises of no less than two game engines - three if you include the naval battles).

**pevergreen** · 08-06-2010, 02:57

True, but I do think they exhaust the limit of what they can do with the current engine. I'm sure much of the code can be reused, but the base platform perhaps is changed. I'm not knowledgeable about game engines, so...