Countdown to Open Beta - Features and Gameplay

[therother]

If it's not classified, what's the movement rate of armies? Is it similar to the old speed, or can armies march across more realistic distances now?

Well, one thing that is certainly declassified is that EB are using a 4 turn per year script. One advantage of this is that movement rates per year can be substantially increased whilst still allowing opposing armies to intercept any invaders. So I think it's fair to say that the movements rates per year (but not per turn of course) will be roughly double that of vanilla. Like it says above, the exact movement rates used in EB will vary depending on a number of in game factors, and that is something that will no doubt need to be balanced by testing.

[Samurai Waki]

well at least we now know it's actually going to be a completely new gaming expirience

[Geoffrey S]

BTW, the first Parthian message is rather amusing due to a small typo.

[Bartix]

If can do all that...
Too good!!!!
Like someone said, you may make RTW what I hope for at first!!!!

[O_Stratigos]

Talk about "thinking outside the box"! Remarkable preview indeed, congrats all around!!

O_Stratigos

[Conqueror]

The only thing I dislike in this preview is the victory conditions, which seem even more restrictive than the standard RTW goal of capturing Rome.

[Malrubius]

The game doesn't have to end when the victory conditions are achieved.

[Dago]

Oh man, i can`t believe in this. It is to beautiful to be true, you are making a completely new game.

[Conqueror]

The game doesn't have to end when the victory conditions are achieved.

I know that, I was just thinking that I might not want to capture all the required territories, instead expanding to a different direction. And then one of the AI controlled factions on the other side of the world map reaches it's own victory conditions and "wins".

[Birka Viking]

Wonderfull.....easily the best preview so far......Can't wait for the open beta..

[Mr Jones]

i really don't know wat to say. this is the happiest day of my life thus far.

[masp_82]

You make my dream of RTW come true

I really like the victory conditions for each faction. Personal Iam bored when my only task is to conquer as much provinces as i can. I like different strategic goals with a detailed background and some kind of a "reward" when i archieve such a goal (a nice message, short video clip etc.). Such things motivate me to play a campaign.

Also iam very happy with the implementation of many new events. They really add atmosphere to the game and give me the feeling of a living ancient world. Maybe you can trigger some random events that their appearing depends on what the player does in his campaign. For example if he is very successful, then a event could be appear that a region of him declares independence and so the player has to fight first the rebellion before he can continue his conquests. This events should help to keep the campaign interesting and challenging through all the years. Even when i have conquered complete western europe, it should then not be sure that i win the campaign. There should always be the danger to lose something you have conquered or even to get complete defeated. Winning the campaing or completing all victory conditions of the faction should be a real challenge.

I fully believe that you guys can make RTW what it should be !

[The Stranger]

If can do all that...
Too good!!!!
Like someone said, you may make RTW what I hope for at first!!!!

i tottally agree

[Greek_fire19]

Will someone explain how this whole 'allying with rebels' thing works? Because the screenshot with the messanger is a little frustrating- it cuts off the important bit.

'If you send a competent general North....' what happens? Do they automatically become yours? Or do they just not attack you, and then become yours after you have won?

Also, the messangers message looked like it was written specifically for Pontus. Does this mean that it is simply an 'event' that takes place at a certain date and will happen every time you play the game? Or will it be a random event that might or might not happen?
Also, when chersonesos is attacked, (for example) does it actually go and look for someone to ally with to protect them? Or is it a cause=effect that if the sarmatians attack chersonesos the rebels in chersonesos will send a message to pontus and become part of pontus' empire?

Annyhow, yep, I was sceptical before this preview about how much of RTW could actually be changed apart from superficial things, given the restrictions, but...well yeah, I'v changed my mind.

[hoom]

Wow

[Han]

hmm ya I always wondered if the AI will break the alliance without any reason? unless its war that is and nice preview!

[Epistolary Richard]

Will someone explain how this whole 'allying with rebels' thing works? Because the screenshot with the messanger is a little frustrating- it cuts off the important bit.

'If you send a competent general North....' what happens? Do they automatically become yours? Or do they just not attack you, and then become yours after you have won?

Also, the messangers message looked like it was written specifically for Pontus. Does this mean that it is simply an 'event' that takes place at a certain date and will happen every time you play the game? Or will it be a random event that might or might not happen?
Also, when chersonesos is attacked, (for example) does it actually go and look for someone to ally with to protect them? Or is it a cause=effect that if the sarmatians attack chersonesos the rebels in chersonesos will send a message to pontus and become part of pontus' empire?

Ah, I afraid you're confusing two different features there. There was no screenshot for the alliances with Independent Cities, the Pontos screenshot was for an entirely different event - specific to Pontos. It's an event that may happen or may not, depending on how the game develops and the actions of other factions.

The alliances with independent cities run completely independently of the diplomatic engine - they represent the fact that many nations had close cultural, trading and societal bonds with their neighbours - and also that aggressive action by other factions against nearby cities cannot be ignored. So you're no longer able to expand and swallow up independent settlements without considering the consequences on the nearby factions. They're there to give a more authentic version of the political world at the start date and will gradually fade away, allowing you complete control over how your relationships with other factions (well, as much control as you might expect to have). LorDBulA handled a lot of the work behind this and brought a lot of his experience from his Siegemod.

[Moros]

-------
O me god!

[the_handsome_viking]

it appears that the advice woman has been replaced with some bearded dude.

have you got a voice actor to read out all his text?

that would be pretty cool.

[UglyandHasty]

Great job gents ! Its the best update yet.

I have a small question, i look around and couldnt find my answer. Will EB reduce move and kill speed ?

[Greek_fire19]

Thanks Epistolary Richard! that cleared a lot of things up, and it sounds fantastic. Does this mean that individual Rebel states can be more aggressive and launch attacks on your cities?

[Divinus Arma]

I thought EB was just a map/unit mod, which would have been fine... but dear God!

You shocked the hell out of me when you announced types of governments...


And now this? This is amazing. You guys aren't just changing the cabinets in the kitchen, you're breaking down the walls and rebuilding the house!

Every now and again a game comes along that is nearly infinitely replayable. You know the type. These are the ones we can stay up playing during all-nighters, and can't wait to get on when you wake up. These are the games that you can play anytime after purchase and still be hooked all over agin. The type of game you play when the novelty of the newest game is over. These are the classics, the old stand-bys.

RTW had the potential to be that game. Now we see that potential fulfilled. This really is an incredible feat. An amazing accomplishment. EB is everything that this game could possibly be. I think I am going to cry.

Is there anything you have left untouched?

[Epistolary Richard]

The rebels will be as aggressive as they ever are - possibly more so as the team has put effort into rounding them out into proper sub-kingdoms rather than just being a simple bump in the road to empire.

The 'alliance' between a faction and a nearby independent city is primarily in place to influence how the faction reacts to other factions that may endanger their own interests in that area. While there are trading relations and cultural affinity, that has never historically prevented warfare erupting!

So, conflicts between yourself and your 'allied' city can certainly happen without invalidating your overriding interests in the area. Even if Rome is having difficulty with the Sicilians for example, they still wouldn't be prepared to allow Carthage to take the island - it would be too much of a threat to their homeland security.

Equally, should you choose to impose your control over the city more directly by invasion you can expect them to defend their homes vigorously.

Ideally we would have had myriad different factions to represent all these societies and your diplomatic relations could be as complex as with any other faction - alas there are limitations that simply prevent that. We can simulate some aspects of it in other ways, which is what we're doing. You should always remember that the open beta is only going to be able to include a prototype version of some of these new game features. There'll be lots more exciting work and development to do once the open beta has been released before a final version - and then beyond that - in other mods that choose to pick up these ideas and focus on them more.

[tzinacan]

again
I WANT TO HELP !!!

Organizin data and writing dec sounds good to me

let me know

[Steppe Merc]

I hope that we wont have to manually start the various scripts every time we load a game however. Did you manage to get around this?

I think you just have to press like Escape or something... I'm not sure which key, but you do have to do something.

[vizigothe]

cant wait for this to come out

[Epistolary Richard]

I think you just have to press like Escape or something... I'm not sure which key, but you do have to do something.

What we've done is try to integrate the activation as seamlessly into the game as possible, some player involvement will be involved unfortunately (they'll have to click a button, maybe two) but from our internal beta testing we reckon that players will quickly get used to it once they get the hang of things.

[SaFe]

it appears that the advice woman has been replaced with some bearded dude.

have you got a voice actor to read out all his text?

that would be pretty cool.

Different advisors for different cultures
But as usual ER is the best person to describe it.

[Epistolary Richard]

Yes, SaFe is quite correct, we have different advisors for different cultures (a couple of whom you may recognise ). We're using placeholders at the moment, which we're hoping to change to better artwork - probably not unitl after the beta though. No speech for them yet, unfortunately either, again, it's a low priority.

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

I have a small question, i look around and couldnt find my answer. Will EB reduce move and kill speed ?

Done. And still tweaking it.