Really, it's all your fault . . .

[The Shadow One]

You know, I actually did it backwards. I found Rome Total War on the 'net and dashed out to buy it at CompUsa. Wouldn't run on my laptop. That sucked.

When I was returning the game to the store, I discovered MTW with VEP. Bought it, played it, loved it.

Then last week I'm dragging through, of all places, Fred Meyers. Lo and behold, there in the bargain rack of the computer game file for $9.99 is Shogun Total War - Warlord Edition.

I hesitated. I thought about it. I mean, I have yearned for a really great wargame set in Medieval Japan. I have longed to be a Warlord. But I was careful, I came home, I made inquiries.

You told me to buy and I did.

And I got, oh, two hours of sleep last night.

Is it just me or is this the BETTER of the three games. Okay, I admit I haven't played RTW, but does it really beat STW? There are somethings I don't like about MTW (for example, it takes a year to raise and train sixty men, etc.) But STW is a visual and a gameplay masterpiece.

Man, I love this game. I won't sleep for a week.

And it will be your fault. You told me to buy it.



The Shadow One

[Shambles]

Sorry for ruining your sleep Lol.
But Welcome to my world =)

Ive said its the best for AGES.

im glad to see i am not alone :)

However RTW really has some potential behind it if they ever get the feel of the game back to how battles in STW felt,
and of cours they fix all the bugs,

Even with the RTR (total realism) patch Rome does not compare to the battles in shogun,
The campaing map has more features in rome,
But unfortunaltly Its no where near enough to chalange the feel of Shogun.
and with the load save bug It actualy prety much renders the campaingn mode in rome useless.

So yes in my eyes its better than Rome,

Only way rome is better than STW is with its Gfx ,
And that Is no way to make a better game,

Hope you enjoy this game as much as i do :)

And hope you configure your self for online play soon,

"there are plenty of topics telling you how"


Have fun :)
and do try to get some sleep

ShambleS

[Wilbo]

I love Shogun too :)

Something I really like in Rome though, that would be cool in Shogun, is the way that charges have such a huge effect. Having Heavy Cav charge into the flanks of Ashigaru would be truly amazing! Also just seeing the way formations break as they charge, for instance a loose group of No Dachi wheeling and charging the flanks of an Ashi semi-phalanx would be just great :)

[Lord Hornburg]

If they just updated the graphics and thats all. The ultimate game would be unleased upon the whole wide planet we call Earth.

[Togakure]

Well my computer won't run RTW so I have no idea what it's like, but Shogun is by far my favorite computer game of all time. I have MTW/VI, and I like it, but sometimes the excessive details get very tedious. I like to micromanage, but geez ... MTW can be ridiculous if you're not one to use the automated "governor" functions. MTW doesn't have mini-movies. MTW's music just doesn't compare. MTW's atmospherics don't compare. MTW doesn't have fog (AFAIK). I think Shogun's "lack" of MTW's details makes for a more streamlined game. The term "shibumi" comes to mind. Just like rock 'n roll albums, the first is often the best, and as far as I'm concerned, Shogun is the original masterpiece.

Congrats, and have a whole lotta fun .

[ichi]

LOL

Remember this?

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have

i recommend the complete install, turn the movies on

Did I neglect ot mention that the cost would be $9.99 plus your life? Hope you arent at any critical points in any relationships or work or school.

My current obsession is the STW mod for VI. It's like STW but you get to assign titles.

Sleep when you're dead!!!

ichi

[Gregoshi]

Welcome Japan The Shadow One.

STW has very immersive atmosphere - a sense of place, time and culture that pulls you into the game. Things like seasons, the videos, the throne room, the music(!), the voice acting (except for the Mongols), the weather (fog! lightning! heavy rain! heavy snow!), classic battle maps, "The enemy diamyo is running like a vipped dog...", and even the message window illustrations add to the incredible character of this game. The battles are the best of the series. They are a beauty to behold and fun to fight. You may find the campaign limiting and the end game disappointing (nuttin' but rebels or the Hojo Horde), but it is the battles and all the little immersive-making features that keeps the game as the crown jewel of the series.

[barocca]

Shogun has always been my favourite

once you have tried all the campaigns that came supplied i suggest you grab some of the extra campaigns available for download from the Org

and I hate to plug my own work but Iron Man (historical edition) remains my absolute favourite campaign
:-)
Try playing Iron Man as aggressively as possible (and on hard setting) for maximum effect - it will have you biting your nails with the intense tension while waiting for the AI to make it's moves...
(you will be heavily outnumbered so often you will soon have Elite Battle Hardened Yari Ashigaru capable of withstanding almost anything...)



and did i mention Atmospheric Ambience?
NOTHING beats the sheer terror af facing a Takeda cavalry charge in pea-soup fog - or watching yari cavalry comes streaming out of the mist BEHIND your lines...
The ability to outmanouver using the weather and terrain in Shogun has never been matched by MTW or RTW
(ask Gregoshi about that - remember the charge into your rear by my Nagi Cav Gregoshi?)

Another thing Shogun was very good at (and MTW was dismal at) was detatchments - if a group of your units begin the battle a distance away from your General they are not affected by his demise...
Many is the time opponents have thought me beaten when my General and the bulk of my army fled the field only to find my heavily armoured and highly experienced detatchemnt take them apart from the rear...
Some around here can tell you how hard it is to fight an opponent who fields not one army of 16 units, but two armies of 8 - which group is the decoy??
(If you see him around ask Yabusama about that little trick)


Supporting units providing decent morale bonus's is another thing that MTW seems to have "lost" in the translation - keep your army together in Shogun and it will be harder to break,
uncommited yari cav on each flank and your gunners or archers right up behind the main mellee will do wonders...

B.