Compiled Question List (raw)

[Tamur]

Compiled a list of ALL questions posed in the QA thread. These are completely unedited for yes/no questions. Questions that have been answered by developers (as far as I've read) were removed.

sdrga suggested that the three folks with the highest post count (as determined by admins) be requested to pick the top five from all available. I think we do need some sort of divine intervention here --- this is NOT a spot where popular democracy is going to work.

If there are no admins to jump on this, then Roxy ought to be allowed to pick five and go with it. I'm certainly not going to claim the authority to choose the top five!!

edit: quite a number of these had 2+ questions involved. I've tried to put a very obvious -and- marker on these, but I may have missed a couple.

[Tamur]

SUPPORT

Have the CD serial numbers all been double-checked and prepared for activation? (KukriKhan)

Is GameSpy playing host to MultiPlayer again? Is there any advantage to game buyers purchasing GameSpy memberships vs their free products? (KukriKhan)

Are we getting hard-copy documentation, or will it all be on disc? (KukriKhan)

What have been the installation problems encountered by CA staff or testers? If there were any, how were they resolved? (KukriKhan)




EXPANSIONS/PATCHES

what kind of support (how many patches) will we receive for R:TW?

After sales support is a good one. How many patches are planned ? (Nigel)

Are there plans to release historical battles after the game hits the shelves? Like a monthly new map release akin to some RTS's, which release new maps to battle upon every few weeks or so? (Soulflame)

What is planned for the inevitable expansion? (Plaxx)




INTERFACE

Why is the "Total War Cam" not truly the Total War Cam?

Will [the Total War Cam] be fixed from demo to full release? (Colovion)

Why do the soldiers in MTW speak Latin, but the Romans in RTW speak English? (metatron)

Why did you fix things that weren't broken? I'm asking in regarding to the Interface. (ToranagaSama)

Will we be able to hide the interface in much the same way as we did in MTW with the F keys? (The_Emperor)

Do we have an (Alt-click in MTW) function where we can order the whole army to move in formation without having to make a group of the whole army? (The_Emperor)

Please tell us that the camera controls/left click & drag/unit grouping etc will all be back to MTW standard for the full game (hoom)

Is R:TW '-ian -able' ? (KukriKhan)




MP

In what ways is multi-player different in Rome TW from Medieval TW/Viking Invasion? (Agravain of Orkney)

Can you load/host historical battles or preset custom battles for mp play? (d6veteran)

is there a multplayer campaign included in the release? (kraellin)
-and-
if not, is there any planned for r:tw, perhaps as an extra release or part of an expansion pack? (kraellin)

Are there any considerations at CA to ever try a MP campaign, or have they given up on that concept completely? (Nigel)

As the killing-speed-question is important to many players and for MP battles cannot be solved by a player made mod (reasons are outlined in various threads) could CA include a "MP-mod" in a patch or in the expansion which can be activated for players who like more time for tactics in their battles? (or does CA see another way to keep both worlds happy?) (Nigel)

How is Multiplayer different in RTW from MTW? (d6veteran)
-and -
For instance will you be able to host historical or custom battles for online play? (d6veteran)

How has multiplayer been changed from MTW/VI? (e.g. new options/features/game types) (Encaitar)

Will there ever be multiplayer campaigns for any total war game ever? (Silver Rusher)

Cooperative multiplayer - i.e. 2 or more friends teaming up against the AI - is very popular with other strategy games. Has this been considered by CA, if not for this release, then perhaps for the expansion? (Nigel)




MODS

can give some example of how moddable rtw will be? (saundersag)

TW is very mod-friendly. Would the inclusion of modding tools be an idea considered for future titles (or perhaps the expansion)? (Nigel)

The aforementioned one about modding (Armchair Athlete)

How will we be able to mod the campaign map (since obviously it will be nothing like modding it in MTW/STW)? Will there be a 'campaign map editor'? (Encaitar)

Will it be possible to *marry* Rome's Campaign Map to the Shogun/Medieval Battle Engine? (ToranagaSama)




PERFORMANCE

Also, has the game gone through any more optimization since the demo? (Mr. Juice)



SP CAMPAIGN

Land Based Trade - ... In MTW the trading was almost entirely sea based and if you wanted to build a trade empire without ships it was an oxymoron. I seem to remember the Silk Road bringing in many goods throughout this timeframe and bringing the trade from the East certainly brought a greater economic benefit to the European based factions which were able to exploit this trade. Will Land Based Trade be improved at all? (Colovion)
- and -
is trade in general being revamped in any way? (Colovion)

I know that farming is a big income feature - but fishing used to also be a big part of revenue and sustinance for folks back in Roman times. Does the game reflect this? (Colovion)

Will you be able to take soldiers/generals/royalty prisoners and torture them to give you information you need about their faction's armies, ships, cities etc? (Colovion)

We've been told about the diplomacy system. Can you post a list of things which can be asked for of another faction as well as the list of things which can be given in return? (Colovion)

In the single player game, what will determine if you fight a battle at night or during the day? (d6veteran)

I've heard conflicting reports about whether you can "win" without completely obliterating all other factions. What's the story on this? (Tamur)

What's the average gameplay time (in turns) of the testers who have taken the campaign from start to finish? (Tamur)

How can you influence whether you can fight in day or night? (Armchair Athlete)

Will faction re-emergences still be in like they were in MTW (tied to loyalty of province etc) and will they re-emerge with good quality troops? (Armchair Athlete)

What does land based trade involve? (Armchair Athlete)
- and -
Is it just as profitable as sea based trade? (Armchair Athlete)

With army movement on the campaign map, do different units have different 'movement points'? i.e. can an army with just cavalry in it move further in one turn than an army with just light infantry, which can in turn move further than an army with heavy infantry? (Encaitar)

How can you influence whether you fight during the day or at night? (Encaitar)

Will faction re-emergences still be in like they were in MTW (tied to loyalty of province etc) and will they re-emerge with good quality troops? (Encaitar)

How will logistics be handed in RTW? Will it be like in MTW, where armies could get cut off and it wouldn't matter? Or will we be encouraged to maintain lines of supply? (discovery1)

Is there any provision for the Roman habit of building a fort everytime they camped for the night? Ie. If a Roman army is attacked in the campaign map - will it have fortifications to fight from? (Somebody Else)

Will it be possible to upgrade units to different classes? Say if a legionnary happens to show an aptitude for command - and end up leading an army - would he stay in his legionnary unit, or would he be transferred to a general unit? Taking Sertorius as an example. (Somebody Else)
- and -
If so, how will it work? (Somebody Else)

How far can an army move in one turn on the campaign map? (Somebody Else)

To load a full stack army into ships will you need a full stack navy? (lars573)

Can you only build forts in specific places or can you plunk one down anywhere that strikes your fancy? (lars573)

Has the mercenary system been changed at all? (lars573)

How many surgeons, spies, priests can you have in a generals retinue? (lars573)

How far can an army go in one turn? (lars573)

When you build buildings like palaces and barracks these building appear in your towns and citys on the game maps. How do the province improvements appear though? The mines and roads, etc? (Bob the Insane)

Additionally are the constuction of roads done on a per sqaure basis or are they built between defined locations?? (Bob the Insane)




DEMO RESPONSE

There was a notable response to the demo from Orgites and i was wondering if any (most) of the concerns were addressed? (Colovion)

Considering the feedback CA has received regarding the Demo, what changes have been made to the Final Release? (ToranagaSama)

killing speed (Simon Appleton)

May I suggest a question about KILLING SPEED? (Mr. Juice)



GAME BALANCE & HISTORICAL ACCURACY

...will the default unit size provide not only historically accurate Century size units to maneuvar on the battlefield, but will I be throwing these Centuries at (for example) barbarian formations that are larger in size to account for the greater man power it took to be at even odds with a disciplined Roman unit/Century? (d6veteran)

Which was more important in deciding movement allotments -- geographic reality, or gameplay necessity? (Tamur)

Why did CA choose not to use more historical titles for ranks? For example why is a Barbian Leader a 'Captain' and not say a 'Chieftan', or why is a Roman General not a 'Prefect' or 'Legate'? (d6veteran)



TESTING PROCESS

What guidelines does CA give their employees about game testing hours? Ensemble Studios had a 10-hours-a-week from everyone after alpha (including reception staff) requirement at one point, thus the question. (Tamur)



AMUSING BUT...

If we at the .org were to ask for advanced copies of RTW would your answer be the same as the answer to this question? (haha this one will get 'em!) (Armchair Athlete)

do i still get my normal 100 free copies for being a moderator here? (kraellin)

Can Wardogs climb ladders during siege? (Quietus)

[Lord of the Isles]

Wonderful work Tamur. But I can't help thinking that we're now so close to the release date that "wait and see" is the best policy. We can let CA have some well deserved beers, until next week when they can answer the list of questions we have once we've seen the game (or at least, once those of you outside Europe have seen the game ).

[Colovion]

what happened to the "Units Captured"/"Execute Prisonsers" button?

[Plaxx]

Great job, Tamur! Posters like you is why this is one of only two boards I will post at!

[sdrga]

It's getting pretty close to the start of the workday in UK, are we going to let CA pick 'em? If they do, how about asking them to answer the ones with the most interesting answers?

Anyway, whoever does, thanks for the hard work in compiling all the questions, Tamur.