First Impressions?

[easytarget]

There are buildings that can be built that increase your modernization. If you just want to focus the military side you will have to plan your production to make up for the lost modernization on the civil side.

I usually focus on the other side, and for whatever reason the game I just re-started let me get to 2nd level of the tree w/o forcing me to do military development first, so I'm guessing upgrading the cities or something else must of allowed it.

Like I said, need someone to come along and explain what's up with economy now. W/O trade nodes to spam, got to get a handle on what are the new keys to running economy. I mean I know upgrading ports and that side of tech tree, but what else? And is there a road option to improve? Because this map spreads out, and allies box you requiring a long hike many times. Further, it also seems like many of the upgrades are pretty expensive.

[Voigtkampf]

Besides roads and trade nodes disappearing, there is not much difference from before. Suffice to say I don't pay much attention to economy, that thing levels itself out. I'd say the most important thing is establishing as many trade agreements at the very beginning of your campaign and picking out the most profitable trading partner is essential.

Oh, and yes, no roads, but you will get the railroad eventually, which should speed up the troop and agent movements.

What is the deal with the ninja movies and the likes? They seem to be gone now, is there a possibility to turn them back on?

[SalmonSoil]

I have played more of a campaign as Satsuma and feel I can give a proper impression now.

The map is larger and it seems to take ages to move anything anywhere. I think this is meant to be alleviated by railways but if I'm right railways are part of the telegraph chain, which there are none of on Kyushu so being Satsuma kind of sucks. The map itself is really nice with routes between provinces and a different art style making it feel really fresh. I intend to play a clan closer to Hokkaido next campaign to let me play up there. I also like that the value of koku has decreased. At the moment economy is tough but I think its because I don't yet understand what to build. Also monitoring your provinces modernization and happiness can be really tough.

I actually like the increased casualty rates of land battles, makes it feel quite accurate. I too wish the American adviser would shut up. It kind of breaks my immersion unless there happens to be an American foreign veteran in my army. And yes the soldiers should return to Japanese, the only excuse I can take on this issue is that CA couldn't afford Japanese voice actors.

Naval battles are interesting. I like the actual look of the boats. The battles seem very low casualty. I hardly ever seem to lose cannons or crew, however ships still seem to waver quick enough and I've seen a few ships explode/sink. The monotony of cannons is a bit boring but I think mostly due to the fact that I have only had low tech sea battles so far. Torpedo boats should spice things up, and ramming is really fun. Played a multiplayer battle which finished with a game of chicken between our two command boats. I wanted to see what would happen if two boats rammed each others front, but he started veering to the side so we broadsided each other and then I rammed the back of his ship, causing the back half to sink. Basically what I'm trying to say is sea battle can seem boring, but can sometimes be really tense and also cinematic.

[easytarget]

I agree, it takes ages to get around, or at least it feels like it, which is why I asked about roads, I need some way to speed this up besides railroads, which in my opinion are just in the game as a hook you never get to use while it matters because it develops too late or you can't connect it all to where you need to get to. But whatever.

I keep coming back to this thread just to discuss more things as I find them. The latest thing puzzling me, where's the province specialty info? I looked at my own province last night where I had a mine or something, I forget what, and the province tab is now blank showing no specialties?! So, with the fog of war covering it all up rather nicely, is this a game of concentration now where I just have to know by staring at a blank map where stuff I want to grab is located? I must be missing something here, because I can't for the life of me understand why you would take one of the strategic considerations out of the players hands, yet leave it in the game? Because the specializations are still there. You want the player to have more strategic options to consider not fewer, give him or her the info and let them decide what to prioritize in the battle plans of their campaign. I regularly in S2 and ROTS consider what's available to be developed in making my decisions on what to attack next.

In short, someone help me make sense of this intensely ugly manure colored map so I can plan my campaign with resources as part of it.

[Grin]

The specialties are still marked on the map, the icons are just really bizarre.

[easytarget]

Yeah, i see they are there, or at least I assumed that's what they were, but I can't make heads or tails out of what they represent.

[Graphic]

"The wealthy invest their wealth to create more wealth. Riches are no longer only taken from the land, but from dark factories and foundries, new ideas given solid form. The workers labour to survive, working to live another day or week. Capital must have its profits to reward the wealthy and invest anew. The peasant may leave the fields, but his new master puts a new foot on his neck."

I love the depressing descriptions of modern technologies. It really makes you feel like Japan is losing her soul.