Is EB the best mod for any game of all time?

[vartan]

Stating the obvious here, but there is a categorical difference between what you like or appreciate, and the objective measure of how a video game mod performs in terms of gameplay, replayability, reward/punishment, balance, etc.

[Frtigern]

There's no other game that stimulates both my mind and my emotions. I enjoy the strategy of exploiting certain regions, building armies, and attacking enemies for specific goals just as much as I enjoy to see the fruits of my labor actualized on the battlefield up close and personal. It makes me care about a single company of soldiers making it through the fight, whether they be levies or the general's own cavalry. I enjoy the variety and the uses of every unit for different jobs. I enjoy that as I move to new lands, new and unique kinds of warriors with different weapons and formations can be recruited, and this is true of their mercenaries too, unlike vanilla RTW where units seemed so generic and simple, and where differences between faction units were superficial. I am and will always enjoy the company level (or cohort) style of combat and I am not bothered that I can only bring 20 of them, or ~3000 per battle. I realize that computers and game engines have limits, especially from 2006. I enjoy seeing generals mature and develop and am always surprised by the traits and ancillaries they pick up. I am not bothered that I don't have control of it. Sometimes it makes me want to foster those traits that I didn't expect or want and make them become what they were destined to be. If they are truly awful I let destiny show them their course as they bravely charge at a stronger enemy, falling in the process. That's why I think EB is the best TW mod out there.

[Blxz]

Stating the obvious here, but there is a categorical difference between what you like or appreciate, and the objective measure of how a video game mod performs in terms of gameplay, replayability, reward/punishment, balance, etc.

Were you replying to me?

If so, then I don't think that EB can rank as the 'best' if it is possible to even determine that. To be honest, I love EB. Second only to Europa Universalis mods, EB is the game I have played the most and enjoyed the most in my life. I still don't agree with I_damian's assessment that EB is just 'innately good' and that the fact can be appreciated by anyone even if they don't like these kinds of things.

In regards to the criteria you set I think EB would rate even worse. EB is based to be as historically accurate as possible within the engine's limits so things like balance are fairly poor. While this works in-game it is worth nothing that many units are almost required to be re-costed for multiplayer not to mention the in-ability to control the AI and its crazy recruitment of elites. Then of course there are considerable instability issues with persistent crashes on many systems.

I don't mean to unduly criticise EB and I understand what can be controlled by the modders and what can't but I want to be as honest as possible here. We on this forum love the game but I think comparing the mod to Elvis or Citizen kane or anything else out there is insane.

EDIT: I didn't even want to get drawn into this thread. While I think the whole point of it is stupid I can still appreciate that it is just some fans having a good time. I don't mean to come and try and shit on your parade. Also, for the record I think elvis is rubbish compared to EB but that's only an opinion influenced by my upbringing and interests.

[Grimmy]

I'm holding my vote until I get to try Europa Barbarorum 3 for Rome Total War 2, which should be released in about 15 years if current production pace holds true.

[stratigos vasilios]

IMO yes. Well, until EBII comes out it is.

[mlc82]

I could not have said it better than Frtigern above.

It is my personal favorite game mod to date. I was a die-hard Medieval Total War (original) player, and HATED Rome when it first came out due to it having mainly generic and underpowered factions (besides Rome and Carthage) with silly units, battles in fast-forward (kill rates and movement increased to where infantry became roid-raging berzerkers on speed, and any sort of heavy cavalry just steamrolled everyone else on the battlefield), and of course, RTW's omission of any sort of AI at all, unlike Medieval 1's which wasn't brilliant but required you pay attention and would actively try to beat you in battles (by using units to their strengths- I still play with it today, so I don't think this is just nostalgia speaking).

EB drove my already strong interest in ancient history to a new level by bringing it to life, and the aspects of the game that irritate me are the fault of the Rome engine itself (still awful AI in general that needs to be baby-sat with money and unit cheats, nonexistant diplomacy on any campaign difficulty over "medium", etc), and not anything to blame on or caused by EB itself- the mod has turned what I found to be an awful game into an "ancient era toybox" that brings my imagination to life unlike many games ever have. I've been playing EB regularly since it was v0.8 or so, and won't stop til EB2 arrives, functioning AI (surely, all the better Medieval 2 mods have one) and all.

To sum things up: For me EB is amazingly impressive as is, but for it to have turned what I saw as an abysmal and disgraceful sequel to one of my favorite games, into yet another of my favorite games, really says something. To claim it is the "best" mod is of course subjective, but to me it is.

[Power2the1]

Well, as an EB member, I have a bias of course j/k, but I could not read this thread and not give a nod to The Grey Wolves 3 (GWX 3) for Silent Hunter 3.

What EB is to the ancient world genre in PC gaming, Grey Wolves is to the submarine genre. Besides that, I cannot think of any other mods I've personally tried out that I would include in this, except perhaps the Utrapack/Dark Blue World mod for IL-2 Sturmovik 1946.

There are so few mods that satisfy the need for depth, learning, and history out there. If you enjoy experiencing true history as it was meant to be, get those games (they are very cheap) and try those mods out - I can guarantee you'll not be disappointed as they truly are of EB quality!

[Jive]

Best mod? Well, let's see:

First time I played it (as Romanii) the 1.2 patches weren't properly installed so after countless hours replaying battles I gave up on it. But somehow I couldn't shake the EB "bug" and the second time I completed the Romanii campaign despite all the crashes and giant trees. For good measure, I completed a Baktrian campaign (mercifully fewer CTD's) as well. Alas, a subsequent Lusotanni effort didn't prosper so it was retirement time again.

Finally I installed the patches properly and had another go with the Lusotanni. It was smooth as silk at first, but as the campaign lengthened end-of-turn crashes began to appear more and more frequently, until replaying several times from two years before couldn't correct the problem (Summer, 175 BCE). This was truly exasperating, and I vowed to give up EB forever. In a fit of pique I uninstalled and deleted everything EB.

That was two months ago (RL-wise). Yet now I find myself downloading EB again, with the intention of using the BI execute to enable amphibious AI landings and cut down (drastically, I hope) on the CTD's.

Moral of the story? There isn't a single game--let alone mod--I've played for which I've gone to so much trouble. Either I'm a masochist or the EB team have done such a terrific job that anyone interested in ancient history, outstanding simulation, and a lust for combat will find it irresistible. In short, EB rocks.

Update EB fans: Incredible news! The Lusotanni campaign wasn't lost after all (it pays sometimes to be a digital ignoramus, eh?), and now it's 174 BCE--could it be the terminal CTD has been overcome? After a single turn-ending CTD and a rash of battle crashes it's been fine. Plus the AI is doing amphibious invasions, as promised. Life is wonderful.