should i bother coming back?

[Duke John]

Don't do it, you might sucked in again by the pretty graphics if you download EB. But after a while you will start noticing the many flaws in the AI. And that was for me reason enough to finally abandon TW for good.

[Muska Burnt]

i never stoped play rtw since i got it (first christmas it came out) because im 14 and kinda 14 like so when i see a "bug" i just think uh lets work around that to myself and i didn't notice a fraction of the bugs listed in the readmes for the patches so i would say play some more why not

[Reenk Roink]

Don't do it, you might sucked in again by the pretty graphics if you download EB. But after a while you will start noticing the many flaws in the AI. And that was for me reason enough to finally abandon TW for good.

The AI is significantly better in EB...

[Intrepid Sidekick]

The AI is significantly better in EB...

This is highly unlikely considering that the AI is hardcoded and therefore not modable.
You may however prefer the unit balance and campaign map perhaps?

[player1]

AI formations can be moded.
Good improvement in this area can significantly increase battle AI.

[Duke John]

This is highly unlikely considering that the AI is hardcoded and therefore not modable.

But EB are the HaXoRz!!!111!


I know...

[JeromeGrasdyke]

This is highly unlikely considering that the AI is hardcoded and therefore not modable.

Ahum... true, but it is possible to influence the AI's behaviour through the unit strength and production balance (and a few other things). That is probably what has happened here - ain't it great when you have lots of time to balance things after the game is finished

[Zatoichi]

I haven't tried the EB beta yet, as I'm reluctant to go back to 1.2 and the issues around it. However, I can recommend getting BI, as it does improve gameplay all round. Sure, there are still minor niggles, but it is a much more rounded experience in my opinion. Admittedly, I still find the unit movement too fast for my personal taste, but editing one text file to reduce this is not exactly a major strain.

[Gen_Lee]

Can someone clarify Me?
I had Rtw since 1st day but after a few days trying to get used to hwat at the time seems to Me a stupid behavor on the battles (2 fast to enjoy them properly) and 2d strategic map that I didnt had the time to figure or to enjoy I unistaled it.
Now, after more then a year as I saw the RTR gold version avaiable I decided to give it another try.
Already got everyhting working but didnt had time to try any battle nor any save.
So My questions are:
Are the battles more like on Mtw, where any can have a little time to watch and think before they ended?
Are any pbls while doing saves on the strategic map (As I never save while on battles, already big pbls with Mtw, seems same with Rtw)?

[tai4ji2x]

heehee, i actually got CA staff to notice my post.

well, at least maybe that's a good sign things have improved, if ever so slightly.

in the meantime, yeah, i think i'm going to wait until the 1.5/6 ports of the mods start to get fleshed out. i just can't see myself ever going back to vanilla. again, i only hope i'll still be interested when the time comes.

[Ludens]

Ahum... true, but it is possible to influence the AI's behaviour through the unit strength and production balance (and a few other things). That is probably what has happened here - ain't it great when you have lots of time to balance things after the game is finished

To be honest, I thought EB's battle A.I. was actually less good then that of R:TW 1.5. However, the slower battles and different unit battles helped it a lot so the battles were more equal. There was also no sign of the promised historical formations. However, I admit I didn't play it that much, so perhaps I overlooked it. Maybe I ought to install the DarthFormations mod to see what happens.

[TB666]

To be honest, I thought EB's battle A.I. was actually less good then that of R:TW 1.5.

While the AI behave better in EB(but even more in Darthmod) but they have just balanced out the stats so that you have a tougher time but the AI still suffer from the same flaws such as they rarely try to flank.
This was improved in 1.5.
So EB can't beat the AI in 1.5 no matter how hard they try.
EB with 1.5 will be a deadly combination however

[slackker]

While the AI behave better in EB(but even more in Darthmod) but they have just balanced out the stats so that you have a tougher time but the AI still suffer from the same flaws such as they rarely try to flank.
This was improved in 1.5.
So EB can't beat the AI in 1.5 no matter how hard they try.
EB with 1.5 will be a deadly combination however

EB plus a host of other mods like darth's and SPQR WITH 1.5 is almost highly anticipated across here and TWC i reckon ;) but rite now i'm playing 1.5 vanilla with the bug fixer by player1 and i say its definitely better than 1.2 although my roman neighbours like me, seem to be steamrolling whoever they meet ^_^
so while the AI has improved, holding the line beta, flanking, trying to out-manuvere sometimes, i still manage to beat it pretty convincingly and i'm ain't no tactical genius

but the reason why i came back is cos CA has actually patched it and release standalones for RTW without the need for BI. so we certainly have come a long way...esp from the past fiasco
hopefully the support keeps on improving!

so to sum it up, a better experience but as always, the mods will make it much better and so i do recommend u kick off with vanilla, perhaps to re-familiarise with the RTW controls and gameplay ;)

Cheers

[PSYCHO V]

Don't do it, you might sucked in again by the pretty graphics if you download EB. But after a while you will start noticing the many flaws in the AI. And that was for me reason enough to finally abandon TW for good.

lol...Duke, you tried the beta?..or are you basing that judgement on the bits of EB you saw months ago whilst an EB member... for those couple of minutes.

If you haven't already..give it a whirl.

my2bob

[tai4ji2x]

well, it looks like i should still wait until the mods have migrated to 1.5/6 or later before making a more conclusive judgement. until then, i suppose i'll try to retain interest and also hope that CA does indeed continue to better support its product.

in the meantime, there's always civ4...

[Duke John]

lol...Duke, you tried the beta?..or are you basing that judgement on the bits of EB you saw months ago whilst an EB member... for those couple of minutes.

If only I were a member for more than just a few minutes...


But no, I did not try the current beta since in my opinion no matter how good R:TW can look its AI will always spoil the game.

[fallen851]

If only I were a member for more than just a few minutes...


But no, I did not try the current beta since in my opinion no matter how good R:TW can look its AI will always spoil the game.

Duke what are those trees from? Are those from EB or some other mod?

Or from BI?

I'm dying to know!

[Ludens]

Duke what are those trees from? Are those from EB or some other mod? Or from BI?

They aren't from EB, or if they are then they haven't been implemented in the open beta. They might be from the abandoned Sengoku Jidai modification (as I know Duke John worked on that one), but the BI units and banners suggest a later date.

[IceTorque]

The old AI debate, which motivated me to begin my mod which has now progressed to WarMap II for BI.

Just a few simple tweaks, unit balancing, removing the weaker units from the equation and using deeper unit ranks to give the AI a more solid battle line and more maneuverable units.

Sure the AI still has some issues, but with the above tweaks I am having the most consistently challenging battles I have had with any of the TW games.
Which leaves me in no doubt that RTW and BI are head and shoulders above the previous TW games not just in the graphics but especially in the much improved AI.

p.s. Is there any chance I can use the battlefield terrain in the above screen shots for my WarMap mod ?

[fallen851]

I need to get my hands on trees like that, where can I get them?

Is there a variety of "tree mods" out there?

[Ludens]

Which leaves me in no doubt that RTW and BI are head and shoulders above the previous TW games not just in the graphics but especially in the much improved AI.

The R:TW A.I. frontally attacks strong units with weaker units, runs its troops back and forth exhausting them quickly, has little sense of terrain advantage, does not know how to set a tactical ambush, ignores hidden troops even when it saw them go into hiding; all things the M:TW A.I. did not do. Unless BI has improved on these matters, I do wonder on your assertion of R:TW's superiority.