Any interest in a Third Age Total War hotseat?

[Zim]

I've been thinking about starting a hotseat using the Third Age: Total War mod. It's a total conversion mod set in Middle Earth and one of those most polished, entertaining MTW2 mods I've played and I think it would be interesting to have a game in a non-historical setting. You can find it here. Previous versions played very well as hotseats and according to the FAQ the current version stil works in hotseat mode (something I'll be testing shortly).

Would anyone be interested in a hotseat for that mod? We'd need to work a few things out. The mod team helpfully provides simple directions to remove the garrison script (I could do it myself then upload the file for everyone). I'm thinking it would work best as a team game with maybe the "good" guys having an extra player (Mordor is very powerful).

Anyone else think this would be fun?

Players so far:
Myth
Thanatos Eclipse
Nightbringer
Slysnake
Zim

[Myth]

Don't remove the garrison script - it triggers only for the AI anyway. Plus it's too bothersome to mod and re-mod all my games whenever i want to play SP alongside a hotseat.

[Zim]

So play factions won't get garrison scripts? I remember way back with the first BC hotseat here the scripts seemed to treat player factions as being AI controlled between turns, so scripted armies meant to help the AI would appear. I didn't know if there was a similar problem for scripted garrisons.

[Thanatos Eclipse]

I'd be up for it :)

[Nightbringer]

I'd give it a try!

[Zim]

Glad to have you guys in.

So far I was thinking that once we have enough players we'd split into teams (Mordor and its allies versus the free peoples), attacking player fights the battles, and maybe unique victory conditions. Plus the usual hotseat rules, of course.

I'll be putting in a lot of hours the next couple nights trying the current version out. For those that have played it, how do you find the faction balance? From the version I played I recall the biggest issues are that some factions are very small, and that Mordor has a huge power advantages over any other single faction (both in production and troop types). The former seems pretty likely to fix itself (I assume the major players will be the first to be picked) but the latter could cause some problems. What do you guys think of Team Mordor having a handicap in the form of being a player shorter versus the other side?

Edit: Also, does anyone have a preferred unit size? Been playing a bit and noticed that although my current computer is better in just about every way than the last one I owned the frame rate still dips pretty badly on huge (or even large with some of the units in TATW with very big units of troops, like the Orc factions). If we're going large or huge I might ask to take one of the Elf factions to make things a bit easier for my computer.

[Myth]

I've only played as the elves, the ones closer to the action. They seem to have excellent generals who get to 10 stars in about a couple of battles, plus they get unique ancilliaries. Overall they seem to mop the floor with the orcs, but mainly because the AI doesn't know how to charge at a bunch of archers effectively. Their lands are very defensible, but the biggest problem is money.

I haven't started with any other faction. let alone the evil ones. Unit wise though I'm uncertain they have an advantage.

My PC is good enough to play on whatever size we choose.

[Zim]

My computer should be able to handle games like MTW2 and RTW on the highest settings, but always has some problems in larger battles on huge settings (one reason I may go for an elven faction, unit sizes for them are similar on huge to my favorite Misty Mountains faction on normal...). I'll defrag my computer and try a couple other things but I wonder if some of it is that the older games don't take advantage of the quad core processor...

[Myth]

To check if M2TW is using your processors, run the game, then press ctrl alt del and bring up the task manager. Right click, "set affinity". Each checkbox means one processor.

[Zim]

4 check boxes, but I go down to 10 fps or so on low graphics settings in large battles, while a friend with a similar setup runs everything on the highest setting with no problems.

[Myth]

What's your video card and how much memory does it have?
How much RAM do you have and how fast does it run?
How fast does your motherboard run?
Do you have sufficient ventilation and cooling for your box?

[Zim]

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q8300 @ 2.50GHz
RAM: 8.00 GB
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
More than adequate ventilation.

The graphics card may be the weak spot, although I would expect it to do ok on older games like MTW2 (amusingly, ETW plays fine on much higher settings than either MTW2 or RTW).

[Nightbringer]

I am pretty sure M2TW can only actually run using one processor, in which case that woyuld be your problem. You have a quad core, which is very powerful, but at 2.5GHZ the single core this game is able to use is not particularly powerful on its own.

It makes sense that ETW would run better because it is able to utilize more processors.

As for me, I am fine with huge settings.

for faction balance, Mordor has lower quality units, but it is able to produce an ungodly amount of them. Other evil factions have a similar advantage. Nearly all good factions have very little money to work with.

So I think it could be fair to have one less evil side player.

[Myth]

I have an I-7 quad core processor, the latest chipset. The game runs just fine, though my rig is lightyears ahead of what is needed for M2TW. Zim is correct to assume the graphics card is the problem. The motherboard's BUS speed might be a bottleneck as well.

I'd suggest getting an Nvidia GTX 570 and a motheboard from the same manufacturer, one running at 1333 mhz or more. You'll experience a dramatic improvement in performance.

As for TATW I have far too little expereince to be a judge on balance. I just know the Elves are dirt poor at the start.

[Zim]

Just found out the motherboard I have.

IPIEL-LA3 (Eureka3) motherboard
BUS speed:1333/1066/800 MHz

I don't really have the money to buy a new graphics card right now.

[Myth]

1333 is great. 800 is way too low. Wihch one does it run atm? Your BIOS should tell you that. You might even be able to change it.

[Zim]

I may need some directions on doing that. Shall we move it to pm?

[slysnake]

I'm up for this. Also, I'd like 'huge' unit size, but it's not a big deal if we choose to have something lower ^___^

[Nightbringer]

I have an I-7 quad core processor, the latest chipset. The game runs just fine, though my rig is lightyears ahead of what is needed for M2TW. Zim is correct to assume the graphics card is the problem. The motherboard's BUS speed might be a bottleneck as well.

I'd suggest getting an Nvidia GTX 570 and a motheboard from the same manufacturer, one running at 1333 mhz or more. You'll experience a dramatic improvement in performance.

As for TATW I have far too little expereince to be a judge on balance. I just know the Elves are dirt poor at the start.

What is the speed on your processor, in GHZ, I am almost certain M2TW is only able to utilize one processor so it is the speed of the cores that matters.

[Zim]

Welcome. Huge shouldn't be a problem. I'll just go for a lower unit size faction. I even had a Haradrim game some time back that went ok onn huge unit size. It was mostly a problem in battles where both sides had lots of large units (like Snagas).

I'm up for this. Also, I'd like 'huge' unit size, but it's not a big deal if we choose to have something lower ^___^

[Myth]

My processors are 3.2 each I think. Zim, best google "how can I change my bus speed trough BIOS" or some thing. I do not want to mislead you. Might not even be possible with your particular motherboard.

[Nightbringer]

My processors are 3.2 each I think. Zim, best google "how can I change my bus speed trough BIOS" or some thing. I do not want to mislead you. Might not even be possible with your particular motherboard.

Ya, that is a pretty good speed, and should run M2TW off one core no problem.

[Zim]

Ideally I was thinking of hacing about 6 or 7 players. If we don't get any more takers in the next day or so would a 3 vs 2 (with the 2 including Mordor) be acceptable?

Also, just a little addition to the "Zim's computer" subtopic , I'm trying out a demo for new new fps game with astounding (to this guy who started with Star Craft all those years ago) graphics. Plays perfectly.

[Myth]

Lol I started with either Warcraft II or Doom II, can't remember. But the demo for Starcraft... that was some epic stuff! I've spent most of my 8th grade hours after school, and sometimes during it, playing 4v4 Starcraft Brood War :D

"GUYS GUYS 30mn. NO RUSH SO I CAN GET CARRIERS!"

btw if we don't get enough players for a TATW game right now, would you guys be willing to test a hotseat with The Last Kingdom (on the new patch)?

[slysnake]

Lol I started with either Warcraft II or Doom II, can't remember. But the demo for Starcraft... that was some epic stuff! I've spent most of my 8th grade hours after school, and sometimes during it, playing 4v4 Starcraft Brood War :D

"GUYS GUYS 30mn. NO RUSH SO I CAN GET CARRIERS!"

btw if we don't get enough players for a TATW game right now, would you guys be willing to test a hotseat with The Last Kingdom (on the new patch)?

Sure, I think those two total-conversion mods are my favorite right now, so to be quite frank, I wouldn't mind which we went with ^^

[phonicsmonkey]

Not to go too far off topic but while my first gaming experiences were on the Atari 2600, I'm pretty sure my first PC game was Dune 2.

[Myth]

Dune 2 was awesome. "Harkonen out" Have you managed to kill a worm?

[phonicsmonkey]

Dune 2 was awesome. "Harkonen out" Have you managed to kill a worm?

I have no idea! It was soooo long ago I can barely remember it.

[Myth]

Anyway, let's get back to TATW and the awesomness that is the mod.

[Nightbringer]

Sure, I think those two total-conversion mods are my favorite right now, so to be quite frank, I wouldn't mind which we went with ^^

I personally would go with the Warcraft 2 total conversion over the Diablo 2 one, but I could live with either.