Imperial Glory: AKA TW Wannabe

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

The pace of the action, though, is very different [from RTW]. Imperial Glory's battles proceed at a breakneck rate. You can't give orders while paused, and there's no accelerate time feature either, so you're either tapping your fingers waiting for your troops to plod round the map or frantically issuing orders in the thick of battle.

This makes larger fights essentially unmanageable -- the opening moves in a big fight take place in a matter of a few seconds, and by the time you can issue new orders, your units are already committed to combat. The interface isn't a great deal of help, missing a few crucial functions; for example, you can't withdraw cavalry from a melee, which seriously hurts their usefulness.

The .ORG has thoroghly killed any chance of me getting the game. But I would like to share this quote from the review. It struck me as... funny/sad.

Ignore the fact that the first paragraph contradicts itself. It is implied that the battles in RTW are not breakneck - hah. They sound just like combat in IG is described.

Professional reviewers suck.

[/RANT]

[econ21]

It is implied that the battles in RTW are not breakneck - hah. They sound just like combat in IG is described.

Professional reviewers suck.

[/RANT]

I think you're being a little harsh here. I guess it all depends on how much you use the pause button. For some Total War players who abjure the pause button (multiplayer vets?), RTWs fast speed was a big issue. For others like myself, who frequently hit pause to control battles, it was not such a biggie. To me, games like Total War when you can pause and issue orders are miles away from standard RTS click fests.

I also suspect the decision over whether to have a "pause and order" option embodies a crucial difference in game design philosophy - is the player supposed to be able to mull over tactical decisions (in which case there has to be important tactical decisions worth mulling over, eg over facing, formation, terrain, mode of attack, timing, coordination etc)? Or is the player supposed to get their kicks from making fast decisions under pressure (where AI speed and numbers substitute for more cerebral challenges).

[bodidley]

I don't think attacking the originality of the game on the grounds that it is similar to Total War is particularly productive. The campaign map is similar to MTW? Newsflash, it's a freakin' risk board RTW's style of campaign map is what Slitherine's campaign maps have been for years (there are some 3-D related differences of course). Europe and north Africa too? World War II games (including board games) have had that map for decades. CA definately won points for originality with Shogun: Total War, since then they've made some fun new details, and there are great new aspects to RTW, but if anyone else beats them at their own game then I'm all for it. Of course, I don't think IG has beaten TW at it's own game. I played the demo, and I have to say that while RTW battles suffer balance problems, IG battles suffer serious balance problems. Not $50 worth if you ask me, but it'll be in the cheap bin soon enough.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

I think you're being a little harsh here. I guess it all depends on how much you use the pause button. For some Total War players who abjure the pause button (multiplayer vets?), RTWs fast speed was a big issue. For others like myself, who frequently hit pause to control battles, it was not such a biggie. To me, games like Total War when you can pause and issue orders are miles away from standard RTS click fests.

I also suspect the decision over whether to have a "pause and order" option embodies a crucial difference in game design philosophy - is the player supposed to be able to mull over tactical decisions (in which case there has to be important tactical decisions worth mulling over, eg over facing, formation, terrain, mode of attack, timing, coordination etc)? Or is the player supposed to get their kicks from making fast decisions under pressure (where AI speed and numbers substitute for more cerebral challenges).

Well, I guess you have a point. Though it would be nice to mull over decisions without the pause button.

But RTW infantry are still the fastest things on two legs.

[CBR]

Well I still prefer a realtime game that can be played without pause and still no clickfest. RTW and IG is way too fast for me to enjoy it.


CBR

[Strongsword]

The game is terrible to play. I bought it, slogged through some painfully slow construction turns, and then uninstalled and threw it away. What a waste of money.

My hope is that CA officiallyh takes on the Napoleanic Period.

[Mongoose]

That would make a good game.