FAQ Message from the Shogun

[Epistolary Richard]

Yes, we've already got answers to some of these, I'll try and dig them out. If these are satisfactory or you want further clarification then please ask your question again.

ChaosLord
Q: Will any of the hardcoded modding limits (such as faction limit) be removed in BI or future expansions?

Q. Which things that are currently hardcoded do you plan on changing (e.g. number of men per unit, faction limit, number of factions that are controlled by the Senate?)
A.None. The way factions are managed is more flexible now, but that's something that most people won't notice. Actually, the Senate is gone in BI; by the late 300s they were no longer a significant force in Roman politics, so they won't be 'controlling' anyone.

Q: Is there any plans for a built-in mod management function with BI or future expansions?(Switching/unistalling mods and the like)

I'll handle this one, this already exists in vanilla RTW by using the -mymod command line, alternatively if you don't like that there's Vercingetorix's RMOD ModSwitcher which will switch between and combine compatible mods

BobTheTerrible, sik1977 & Uesugi Kenshin
Q: Will there be any additions to the vanilla campaign? i.e. Viking Invasion introduced new units etc, will there be anything of the sort for RTW?

1. Will any of the missing features from RTW, such as the Egyptian and Greek Walls (which are partially there in the data files), will be added back (or activated) in the original campaign?

2. (Related question) What improvements, if any, are planned for RTW main campaign, such as additional features and units, bug fixes (such as fixing the huge list of issues and bugs listed in the Ludus Magna Thread), which will act as an added insentive for buying BI (e.g. VI added the reinforcements to the original campaign as well and was the main reason, for me, to get VI)?

Q: Will BI allow mods to add more factions to vanilla RTW or just another campaign similar to what RTR did?

Again, I'll handle this one, this expansion pack isn't just adding a few things onto the vanilla campaign - it's changing the time period to the late Roman Empire. You can find more details about it here.

The Shogun _has_ however announced that there may be another patch for RTW in the works that may be released some time after the expansion pack.

A. Much I want to say this is now sorted and carved in stone, I can't. Please remember that expansion pack is in development and there is still much going on at the moment that I can't talk about for various reasons. I am prepared to say that it is certainly our intention to address the load/save issue in the expansion pack. "And what about a patch?" I hear you ask. Again I can't say this is set in stone but we hope to bring out a patch at roughly the same time as the expansion pack (in reality it will probably be few weeks later).
That's the state of play at the moment. When I know more, I'll make sure that you know more.

mfberg
Will there be battle replays/campaign reviews?

Q. Will we be able to save the replays for campaign battles again?
A. No. The underlying game code will not support this feature.

Uesugi Kenshin
Q: How will religion and loyalty be represented in BI? It has been mentioned that they will be included, but will they be included a la MTW or in a new way?

Q. . Is religion going to change at all? Since it will be a Christian Rome now, will they get new religious agents/ buildings?
A. Yes. Religion will be an important factor in BI. In 363 when the game starts Rome is techincally not Christian, by the way, as Julian the Apostate spent his reign suppressing the Christians and returning to pagan ways. His successors did re-establish Christianity as an official religion, but there's no absolute requirement for a player to do so. The technology tree alllows for pagan and Christian structures to be built, and even allows for different religious policies in different parts of your empire, if you wish.

Q. Will there be civil wars?
A. Yes. The rebellion mechanisms have changed to allow for rebellions to spread, and to allow for disloyal generals making a stab for ultimate power themselves.

Q. In addition to barbarian invasions, will we see signs of internal strife in the western empire with break-away empires such as the Imperium Galliarum.
A. Yes. And no. There are mechanisms in place to allow for rebellions to flare up into civil wars. We also have taken account of the rival Emperors that appeared from time to time, so a Roman faction may split and have more than one Emperor in being. The Gallic Empire is 100 years before the period of BI, so you won't see that happening. You might find that there is a breakaway faction in that area, though, if you don't keep an eye on the internal order of Rome as well as defending the borders.

Little Legioner
Q. Do you plan on having an option of making the battlefields bigger for campaign battles? Will there be an option for it? Big / huge or or your preferred term for usage?

Q. Will the battle model be :Fast battles, flat grounds, high kill rates, close armies, small map(with red line-Current RTW style) or: Long battles, non-flat grounds, slow kill rates, far armies, bigger map (without red line-old TW series style).
A.The basic battle game won't change that much; this is an expansion, not a re-imagining of RTW.

Myrddraal
1. Will we be able to add more factions (as in VI)?

Q. Which things that are currently hardcoded do you plan on changing (e.g. number of men per unit, faction limit, number of factions that are controlled by the Senate?)
A.None. The way factions are managed is more flexible now, but that's something that most people won't notice. Actually, the Senate is gone in BI; by the late 300s they were no longer a significant force in Roman politics, so they won't be 'controlling' anyone.

2. Will you be releasing your campaign map editor? (We know you have one)

Q. Will CA include Campaign Map Editor in expansion?
A. No. According to the bloke who wrote the campaign map editor, there are tools out there already that are actually jolly good.