What do you expect/want to see in FotS

[Peasant Phill]

Now that the release date is coming quickly, what are you hoping for that FotS will include?

For me I hope it captures the atmosphere of the period it portrays and that it's noticible in all/most aspects.
Secondly, I hope the AI can handle all the new units like torpedo boats and can also counter them.

[Graphic]

I'm hoping for an ability to switch the unit voices back to Japanese from the terrible Engrish heard in one of the gameplay videos.

Sounds like I'm joking but not really. I don't know how long I'll be able to take hearing "at da daburrr" from my guys.

[Vladimir]

Good battles? I could write a few haikus between each TWS load time and felt really disappointed by the, movement, feel, and interface of the battles. The strategic map was simple which made it work and diplomacy, etc on the strategic side are impressive. I expect naval combat to be the highlight of this game but expect the field battles, especially sieges, to be a letdown.

I'm still excited though. What I really want is to see how CA model and represent this dynamic time in Japanese history.

[frogbeastegg]

Good AI. First, foremost, and always. Since I'm not interested in the setting or gun-based battles, this is the clincher for me. I can overlook a lot of things if a game has smart AI.

My other main hope is that it manages to do a good job in capturing the feeling of a dramatically changing world. I find watching the world sprint towards modernity strangely addictive in Victoria II, despite hating the setting. I don't expect the same level of social and economic depth from FotS, obviously, yet I think the game should be able to portray the rapid shift in technology levels, ideas, and social structure. One of the previews mentioned social tension and resistance to change and I hope that means something more engaging than rebel stacks spawning.

After that ... just give me a worthy continuation of Shogun 2. Tight design, meaningful strategic choices, atmosphere.

Faster load times would be a bonus.

[Graphic]

Faster load times would be a bonus.

Definitely. I can deal with the current load times getting in and out of battle, but the minute-and-a-half sitting on the splash screen is brutal.

[Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout]

The historical accuracy. They must at least retain some , what else... I hope the trains can move as they are supposed to, the AI should be bloody excellent, and more changes to dipolmacy, for me, this has been the weakest of all Total war, it should be so refined that you can use your allies armies as well. And reinforcements should come in full strength.

[andrewt]

I'm hoping for an ability to switch the unit voices back to Japanese from the terrible Engrish heard in one of the gameplay videos.

Sounds like I'm joking but not really. I don't know how long I'll be able to take hearing "at da daburrr" from my guys.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shogun 1's heavily, somewhat comedic, Japanese-accented English.

I'm hoping for better naval battles and more field instead of siege battles.

I also want better optimization. I have a new, good video card but there's still no reason this game takes up more system resources than FPS games.