Hattori Clan and blood pack DLC, also new patch available

[frogbeastegg]

Good afternoon,

Hot off the back of yesterday’s announcement of the Fall of the Samurai standalone expansion, we are thrilled to announce more brand new Downloadable Content for Total War: Shogun 2.

For years, fans have been requesting blood and gore in our games. We’ve decided to rise to that challenge. We’re therefore today announcing the Blood Pack for Shogun 2 – an exhibition of cinematic blood and gore - bringing decapitations, limb-removal and all kinds of splatters to the battlefield. We’ve put a lot of effort into new particle effects, unit animations and visual tweaks to introduce a really visceral experience.



We’re not fans of doing things by half-measures so we’ve gone all-out in our depiction of battlefield violence. Expect to see buckets of the red stuff!

Please note, that this content has a higher age rating than Total War: Shogun 2. In PEGI regions, it’s 18+ and rated M in North America. Unfortunately the Blood Pack is not available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

We’re also thrilled to announce the release of the Hattori Clan for Shogun 2. Originally available as part of the Limited Edition, we’ve taken the decision to release this clan to a wider audience in response to keen customer demand.



If you opt to purchase the Hattori pack, you’ll get the most powerful battlefield ninja available, an extra historical battle scenario, extra armour and an XP injection for your Avatar. The Hattori Clan can be played in single and multiplayer campaigns and in online battles.

That’s not everything as far as Shogun 2 goes, either. We’re expecting to be able to bring you some more news soon about what we’re working on next. All I can say is this: you won’t be disappointed.
The content is available on Steam right now from the following links:

Blood Pack
Hattori Clan DLC

Enjoy!
The Creative Assembly

****

We’re also releasing a title update for Total War: Shogun 2 alongside this DLC, tweaking both the core game and the Rise of the Samurai downloadable campaign:

Rise of the Samurai

• Fixed forum issue enabling players to exceed the maximum veteran slot limit
• Fixed bug where Chosokabe Daikyu Samurai could be recruited
• Fixed bug where Realism mode wasn’t being saved
• Fixed bug where players had to add an extra unit to ready up after a classic MP battle
• Fixed bug where replay battle type didn’t update correctly when switching between types
• Fixed issue with Invite Friends and Weather tickboxes
• Fixed bug where duplicate experienced and veteran units displayed incorrect cost
• State Academy entry in Encylopaedia now displays correctly
• Fixed bug where remaining funds did not update when player switches sides in a siege battle
• Fixed crash bug when starting a 1v3 on a 2v2 map
• Fixed bug where grouped units could not be given orders after rallying from a rout
• Fixed issue where players with a full unit roster could still click ‘add to army’
• Fixed bug where the cutscene after the Nagashino historical battle caused a lockup
• Fixed bug where clearing then loading an army containing Hero units prevented Hero units from appearing as selectable units on the unit selection group

Retainers

• Infantry officer: retainer’s effect is +2 instead of +1
• Yari master: Reduce spear defence from 3 to 2
• Unabalanced spears: reduced effect from -3 to -2 (the counter to yari master)
• Stricken unholy forge: tweaked to affect all monk units
• World weary: morale penalty removed
• European gun smith: Tweaked to affect reload
• Way of the Ikko-Ikki: +10% now affects monks and ashigaru, with +2 melee defence rather than +3
• Rennyo’s teachings: Morale boost now +1 rather than +2 and +3 melee defence rather than +4

Unit categories

Spear and naginata units are now distinct so that spear retainers do not benefit naginata units. This affects a number of overpowered army/retainer combinations to reduce their effectiveness.

Units

• Samurai Archers reduced in cost by 50 koku
• Great Guard cap raised to 2
• Matchlocks reduced in cost as they are now less effective with previous friendly fire fixes
• Naginata Warrior Monk Cavalry capped to 3 max to reduce potency

Original announcement plus pictures can be found here.

[Nowake]

Hmm, already had access to the Hattori, thus I only have the Blood Pack to toy with.
I play with everything on Ultra currently, so now I worry the blood spatters might be the type of resource hog to finally cause me to adjust here and there hmpff; that's not CA's fault in any way though and they do allow us to adjust it of course.
In fact, eventhough you can hardly call it content, this feature becoming available is a pretty important milestone, definitely merits /Applause

Spear and naginata units are now distinct so that spear retainers do not benefit naginata units. This affects a number of overpowered army/retainer combinations to reduce their effectiveness.

This particular bit hits the spot. Bravo!

[Hamata]

the idea of blood in a total war game scares me although i've bought the limited addition so i all ready can play as the hattori. but anyways thanks for the patch.

[KLAssurbanipal]

CA's Blog:

http://blogs.sega.com/totalwar/2011/...lood-pack-dlc/

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YMos621dGQ

Steam:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/201272/

[Sp4]

Rofl, this blood thing is bloody hilarious =p

[frogbeastegg]

While I already have the Hattori and am not bothered about adding blood, it's nice to see them as options. A lot of people have been requesting them for a long time. It's particularly good that everyone now has the same range of campaign clan options.

The main part of interest for me is this: "That’s not everything as far as Shogun 2 goes, either. We’re expecting to be able to bring you some more news soon about what we’re working on next. All I can say is this: you won’t be disappointed." I do hope that's not a bit of timing gone awry, and it refers to Monday's announcement of FotS. More feudal era singleplayer content would be great.

[Sp4]

Didn't M2TW have blood already? Granted, not on this level lol. I just watched some battle replays with the new blood effects and it is uhm.. messy.

[Graphic]

I love the way they handled the blood. They could have went with a boring realistic approach, but thankfully they opted for the stylized samurai movie approach.

[frogbeastegg]

Didn't M2TW have blood already? Granted, not on this level lol. I just watched some battle replays with the new blood effects and it is uhm.. messy.

Yes. Men got covered with blood during combat, although you never saw any blood fly or spill on the ground. STW's sprites had little pools of blood around dead men. None of the other games featured any blood IIRC.

[Quickening]

The only blood that has been in a Total War game before now came from modders. I'm liking the blood mod. Nice little touch. Would have bought the other one as well if only I'd been ******* paid today.

I have to say Creative Assembly have really won me round again with this whole Shogun 2 saga. I gave up with the awfulness of Empire and the subsequent support, but I think they've done everything right this time.

Here's hoping for Rome 2 soon.

[Sp4]

As far as I know, there used to be little splashes of blood when missiles hit infantry but that was it.

In M2TW*

[Veho Nex]

As far as I know, there used to be little splashes of blood when missiles hit infantry but that was it.

In M2TW*

It was kinda silly to see Cannons tearing units to shreds with no blood in ETW.

[Hamata]

I like the trailer when the samurai says "it is said that victory can be obtained without shedding blood...HAHA! yeah right!"

[Xehh II]

Wait, so we have to pay for blood? I would like this blood but making us pay for it is stupid

[easytarget]

It's a buck fity, i mean really...

[Sp4]

It is nothing, yes but it is stupid. Shows you the direction in which the whole industry is going. Just wait until you have to pay to change your resolution. =p

[easytarget]

I suppose, but in the scheme of things, I tend to pick my battles.

And when I compare the DLC trend to the morons with guns (read MW series and its influence) I view the latter as a MUCH bigger problem, one that sucks the ogygen out of the room and apparently destroys all creative brain cells that ever lurked in any game developers head across the world, resulting in waves of games that all look like MW.

As I was commenting in another thread about NOLF, there's more originality in the credits of that game than anyone will ever witness in all of MW.

[feelotraveller]

They just don't want the whole game to cop a higher classification rating.

Got to blame the authorities for this one - killing people is fine but showing blood isn't.

[Sp4]

I couldn't even buy the blood pack in this country (Germany). I had to ask a friend of mine who lives in England to give it to me as a Steam present lol.

[feelotraveller]

I suspect it is banned in Australia too. Doesn't mean we won't get hold of it though.

Thank goodness it is a separate download or the entire game would be illegal here.

[Graphic]

I suspect it is banned in Australia too. Doesn't mean we won't get hold of it though.

Thank goodness it is a separate download or the entire game would be illegal here.

Which I'm 95% sure is the reason it's DLC and not part of a free patch, something the kids at TWC can't seem to comprehend (or choose not to; hating CA is a way of life for some people there).

[A Nerd]

The blood DLC is pretty neat. Needs more dismemberments though. Otherwise it is fun to watch. Blood spatters on the camera lense are a nice touch.

[Sp4]

I actually find the blood splatters on the camera annoying, everything else is well worth it though lol.

[Nelson]

The blood looks over the top to me. If it came with a patch for free I'd be looking to turn it off just like I get rid of the giant throbbing unit ID banners.

Cool beans for those who dig it, though. Giving it to fans who have wanted it for a long time was responsive and smart.

[Sp4]

I think it was supposed to be over the top =p Go look at the trailer. If anything, the huge amount of blood spewing out of people's necks after their heads are cut off and all that really does make me laugh sometimes. Reminds me of Kill Bill 1 xD

[A Nerd]

I just wish besides heads, arms and legs could be cut off as well. I haven't noticed yet, but do blood pools that form on the ground remain, or dissappear? I keep forgetting to check.

I like these over the top type mods, liven the game up a bit after you have played awhile. :)

[Sp4]

They stay yeah. Hands can get cut off, I think arms too. Haven't seen legs yet.

[A Nerd]

I did notice some hands in my last play thru. Not arms yet though. Fun to see dem heads roll though!

[Jungle Rhino]

The blood pack is a great idea, and I love watching my generals decapitating all the helpless ashigaru as they run down fleeing troops :)

Wait, so we have to pay for blood? I would like this blood but making us pay for it is stupid

The reason you have to pay for it is simply that it is a very easy way to verify the age of the purchaser, to my knowlege Steam accounts must have a credit card ergo the purchaser is of appropriate age or has the cardholders permission. If it were free kids would get it and it would warp their fragile little mind :P

Great way to keep the rating of the game low to help sales but giving those of us with a vicious streak a little hilarity factor :D

[Forward Observer]

Which I'm 95% sure is the reason it's DLC and not part of a free patch, something the kids at TWC can't seem to comprehend (or choose not to; hating CA is a way of life for some people there).

Amen, brother!. Sometimes, I think many of the threads at the other site make the letters appear to be short for Troll & Wanker Central.

Craig and Jack Lusted have both explained why they had to charge for the blood pack.

1. because of the maturity level ratings change issue.
2. they claim that it actually did represent substantial programming work with the addition of new animations--plus testing.

I find this perfectly reasonable, but it seems that most of the seemingly self-entitled, self-indulgent, petulant, and socialistic paranoid rabid fans at the other site are in a complete uproar about it. (we sometimes forget that "fan" is short for fanatic)

One dolt went so far as to post a totally vacuous poll asking whether people thought they should get the blood pack for free or if they thought they should have to pay for it. Duh!

His next poll was going to ask if one would rather eat a cookie or be whacked on the head with a stick.

Amazingly 45% still answered that they should pay for it. I just wonder how many of this same group would vote for getting whacked with that stick? I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I was one of those who voted to pay.

I actually visit that site daily just for the entertainment value of all the idiotic posts and threads in the Shogun 2 general discussion section. I rarely post there--simply because I wouldn't know where to begin to try to respond to the overwhelming load of self indulged biased pretzel logic. I can only hope most of the wrong-headed goofballs who post there will keep it up for two main reasons.

1. My continued entertainment pleasure.
2. They will have less time to possibly reproduce

Cheers

P.S. I'll get ready for my stick whacking in a minute. Luckily, I think it is still free.