How are u going to do with the Diplomacy problem?

[Goatsong]

This is why I love EB....despite being a keen history fan there is always something new to learn. "Hammer Troops" sounds like pure Conan yet the team can back them up with sources and now details of celtic economics!!

Please tell me that this knowledge is going to be factored into the mod. I still find in the vanilla game that Rome and the Hellenic nations can practically pull money off the trees and as money = troops = troop upgrades they can advance faster to better units.

Maybe I am just rubbish at playing the "barbarian" (excuse the term) nations, but with the vanilla economic system I have to cut every corner to field a small number of german spearmen + the occasional axeman, spending every turn keeping just out of debt, whilst playing as a "civilized" faction once the first two ports are built you are making money like a bandit!

[Ranika]

I believe we're moving away from basing the economy and structures in general on city size; we're moving more toward "Do you have the time and money to do it?". That's the true factor in development of anything. The number of people is helpful, but if you have the money to blow on expansion, you can just bring in people to work. This also allows lower tier cities (since it's hardcoded that barbarians can only reach 'minor city' in development) to develop effective trade networks; not every trade hub had to be massive (though most did grow somewhat large, but being 'huge' wasn't really a necessity; that's in reverse, a place was a trade hub and THEN grew, usually).

[Goatsong]

Good to know that you guys are on the case.

The new skins, map and buildings look outstanding, likewise the detailed research behind them. I was keen to know what thought had gone into upgrading the actual gameplay...at least as much as you can within the constraints of hard coding.

I stopped playing RTW some while back and dusted off MTW, waiting until EB is finished. I look at Vanilla RTW as a beautiful looking animated screensaver...superb battle/siege graphics & lovingly created detail on the campaign map, but too much concession to arcade gamers has crept in since MTW.

My hope is that EB has given the same high standard of thought to game mechanics that you have to the graphics and historical accuracy.

Keep up the good work.