Medieval II: Total War Official Thread

[ajaxfetish]

Wow.









That looks amazing. I've got zero complaints about going back to my favorite historical period except that I might not be playing for a couple years (gotta save up for a new machine).

hmmm . . . a few observations

--The differentiation of the units looks fantastic, especially the unique-looking officer, not to mention the beauty of the scenery and buildings and everything else.

--From the IGN interview: weapon and armour upgrades will be visible on your troops=supercool.

--The 21 playable factions (nothing to say there aren't other nonplayable ones as well!) are for the multiplayer system. They haven't finalized the factions for the campaign game. However, of those listed for multiplayer, they cover all playable factions in the original game (with the exception of the Aragonese who were only playable after the expansion), and they include some that were unplayable (Mongols and Pope), Some that were only available in expansions (Scotland, Portugal, and a 2nd Italian faction were in XL, not sure about Supermod and Medmod's extra factions), and the Tumurids and Aztecs, completely new as far as I know.

Possible gripes (of course the AI, diplomacy, etc. are much more important than either of these but I haven't heard enough yet to comment)

--In the trebuchet pictures, what's keeping the rocks in those slings as they're fired? Shouldn't the other end of the rope still be attached to the end of the throwing arm??

--Swordsmen performing spin moves to finish their enemies sounds a lot more like Hollywood than medieval combat. grrr.

Ajax

[Kraxis]

Am still inclined to be sceptical about this, because originally RTW was shown to
have a more advanced version.

You can see in these:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

As TB666 said...

The shots are from a promotional video, I believe an online version for when Rome had no real ingame movies. They quickly came and presented the game in the proper fashion with hardly a change. Those shots are not intended to give an impression of how the game would look.

There were no non-clone ingame shots of Rome...

[Louis VI the Fat]

*starts saving for a new ubersystem*

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Did anyone else read the part in the IGN interview about setting up puppet popes?

I'm going to go on an excom frenzy, exorcise those papacy demons from MTW.

[CrownOfSwords]

Yes i remember that also... I was really bummed out that arrows didnt stick in the guys I thought that would be an awesome feature hopefully they will implement that into this game. These screenshots appear more to be taken from the game and not from a promotional video, I think they know their mistake lasttime which pissed alot of us off. I love the individual characters! What Ive always wanted out of this game. The blood thing is pretty cool to same with dirt, possibly in the rain they will get all muddy and it will be gruesome ha. It would nice to see weapons get bloodied also. I really hope that it is true also to be able to build castles, and upgrade them too hopefully. But i guess my dream still cant be completed unless some modder takes it onto himself once the game is released to be able to march my armies to china and do battle there. Im not sure about the whole America thing, the Aztecs were terrified of the Spaniards at first by never seeing horses and believing them gods, which may be the only real reason the Spaniards stood a chance in the battle. Also id like to see SHIP BATTLES!!! if we ever get them.. great though this has made my day. -CoS

[Wikingus]

You never has a much time as you do when you're in college !

I can vouch for that.

[scotchedpommes]

As TB666 said...

The shots are from a promotional video, I believe an online version for when Rome had no real ingame movies. They quickly came and presented the game in the proper fashion with hardly a change. Those shots are not intended to give an impression of how the game would look.

There were no non-clone ingame shots of Rome...

[Took those shots from the video included on the VI disc. Even despite the
differences, it does appear similar to the game engine, enough so for me to
think it was an early engine, as opposed to simply being a rendered sequence.]

In any case, I doubt my current system will be capable of handling this new
game. Have enough problems running RTW as it is.

[Divinus Arma]

Okay. I am excited, but I shall be a neighsayer. neigh!neigh!

I am a little dissapointed that CA decided to go with MTW2 rather than a NTW...

That said, I think it was correctly pointed out here that CA may likely choose to do the NTW with the next "revolution" engine rather than the "evolution" engine. To that Orgah: Well articulated and argued my friend. I only hope that you are correct.


Now for my self-important analysis:

I see some blood on that armor. Is this an effect that will occur in battle? If so, we are seeing a major departure from the previous "bloodless" battle policy of the past. It is my impression that CA and Sega are testing the waters. They seem to desire a more graphically engaging product through accurate bloodshed, but desire a measure of consumer and critical response before moving on to decapitations, disembowelments, and limb-launching. I fully support this decision and I hope that they continue in this direction in an accurate way; a portrayal that does not shirk from the brutality, but does not show anime-style 40ft high blood fountains either. Press on CA, you will not be dissapointed in reviews or profits.


The models appear to be either (a) random generation in-unit based on extremities and attachments, or (b) pre-determined whole skins. Either of these choices is very intriguing.

I'm concerned about the Americas. Azteks? Incas? Within the time period covered? I'm not at all pleased about this if it is merely an extension of the campaign map. I know there are some who are enthusiastic, but I am not.


CA and SEGA: PLEASE invest the resources into a superior soundtrack. Culture specific with epic and diverse music. I for one do not want to hear the same song every 20 minutes. Each culture, or faction for that matter, should have 3 or more hours of unique music. I beg you. For me personally, I do not view the "evolution" product as worth purchasing a new computer over unless the music score is as award winningly beautiful as your graphics.

From Totalwar.com: Individual units...

...string together deadly combo attacks and finishing moves...

Uhm... I am a little concerned with this one too. I shall wait and see before making a judgment. It could be realistic and engaging... or it could be Sonic the uber-knight-hog. I do admit concern.

Diplomacy. Diplomacy diplomacy diplomacy. I'm not seeing too much yet. Hopefully a generous CA staffer will be kind enough to offer some talking points on changes. To say that the community has been dissapointed with the diplomatic engine so far is somewhat of an understatement. But I have hope.


So, Orgahs. What is on your wish list here?

Edit: When were stirrups invented? I thought they had stirrups in Europe by now?

[Ice]

http://www.sega-europe.com/en/Game/262.htm

The release date says winter 2006... is that typo?

[TB666]

http://www.sega-europe.com/en/Game/262.htm

The release date says winter 2006... is that typo?

Doubt it.
It seems CA have been working on this for quite some time.

[Ice]

Doubt it.
It seems CA have been working on this for quite some time.

*dances*. Yes! I can still play it before going off to college.

[TB666]

But I do hope the date isn't set on stone.

[doc_bean]

*dances*. Yes! I can still play it before going off to college.

I assume they mean Christmas season 2006

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

I am already concerned about the historical accuracy of this game.

11th century 18thcentury Highland clansmen, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, sounds suspect to me.

I was REALLy hoping for Scotland in this.
I sadly doubt that they'll portray it well.
They are going to do a Braveheart aren't they?

I hope for one of the stronger Welsh kingdoms too, but I doubt they'll do that.

[boastj]

i just read this
"Fire dead animals into besieged towns to spread disease." well yey plague

quick question haw do you quote from external pages

[Ice]

I assume they mean Christmas season 2006

GAH NO! That isn't cool Doc Bean...Let me live in my illusion

[King Noob the Stupid]

If so, I hope that they won't do it for Vista, I don't really think Vista will be available in Europe or anywhere else by then ;)...
PS:Will the game be released everywhere at the same time or do they need extra time for translated versions?

[RabidGibbon]

I was a bit disappointed by Rome, but I'm definetly going to run out and get this on release day, because I'm, well you know, a chump.

Originally posted by Totalwar.com

Global Crusades
Win favour with the Pope and round up your armies for global crusades at his request. Players can even prompt the Pope to commission crusades as Catholicism wages a spiritual battle against the Muslim, Orthodox and Pagan religions.

I wonder what they mean by "Global Crusades"? What would be cool is when the pope calls for one everybody picks what troops (if any) they want to send and all they all auto move to converge en route to the objective. You could command just your contingent (with the foriegners being AI allies) or the General with the best rating could get command over the whole lot. That would be pretty nifty.

Probably not going to happen like that, but I do wonder how the crusades will be implemented.

Anyone heard any mention of civil wars yet?

[Crazed Rabbit]

Screen of officer/general...
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/800/80...g_3334170.html

If I was commanding a bunch of metal-clad, 12 foot lance weilding knights, I'd want a beret and a pointy stick too.

I wonder what they mean by "Global Crusades"?

Anyone want to convert the Aztecs? It would be nice if the possibility of crusades reflected their past (ingame) successes.

What I'd really like to see is real cool sieges. Not just big city sieges, but sieges with rooms inside of the walls, with traps in the gatehouse, murder holes, wooden planking on the walls of keeps, catapults on towers, fire arrows, lime, and a system where the most used way into the castle is the gatehouse and siege towers for a runner up, and not catapults that destroy a wall in (relatively) the blink of an eye.

Crazed Rabbit

[Martok]

Did anyone else read the part in the IGN interview about setting up puppet popes?

I'm going to go on an excom frenzy, exorcise those papacy demons from MTW.

Oh yeah, baby! I'm going to have His Holiness dancing to whichever way I pull his strings!

*dances*. Yes! I can still play it before going off to college.

I know I saw on at least one of the other gamesites that it won't be released til 4th Quarter of 2006, which would be consistent with CA's release schedule from the last 6 years. Sorry, Ghost, but it looks like Medieval II probably isn't going to be released until just in time for mid-terms....

[Ice]

Oh yeah, baby! I'm going to have His Holiness dancing to whichever way I pull his strings!





I know I saw on at least one of the other gamesites that it won't be released til 4th Quarter of 2006, which would be consistent with CA's release schedule from the last 6 years. Sorry, Ghost, but it looks like Medieval II probably isn't going to be released until just in time for mid-terms....

I'm mad because I'm not taking my PC to Unversity. I'm getting a laptop. This isn't cool.. at all.

[Kraxis]

If I was commanding a bunch of metal-clad, 12 foot lance weilding knights, I'd want a beret and a pointy stick too.

I think the trouble is that, that was how the nobles of the late 1400s to early 1500s dressed...

The Global Crusades certainly sound like they are a race, rather than a leech (like in MTW). And that is going to be interesting, I'm not going to say it will be better, but certainly interesting.

[Beirut]

Give me Agincourt in hi-res and I will give you all my money.

"Deal!"

[Crazed Rabbit]

I think the trouble is that, that was how the nobles of the late 1400s to early 1500s dressed...

The dress I'm not that surprised at, but I still don't know about the captain's weapon. Wouldn't they rather have a sword?

Crazed Rabbit

[Divinus Arma]

The dress I'm not that surprised at, but I still don't know about the captain's weapon. Wouldn't they rather have a sword?

Crazed Rabbit

I found the little bitsy spear to be odd too.

I'm sure that will change.... (I hope)

[Doug-Thompson]

Give me Agincourt in hi-res and I will give you all my money.

"Deal!"

I think that's what CA is counting on.

I'm pleased. This is a good move, both for game development and business. It shows Sega is truly committed to the franchise.

[Mooks]

Im not a history fanatic ...Well maybe I am. The spanish conquered the aztec's with 300..I repeat THREE HUNDRED, theres noway this game (If it includes aztec-spanish) isnt going to be way off historically accurate, the spanish slaughtered the aztics, and the aztecs thought there gold was mere fancy decoration. So they would have to invent some system of coin for the aztec natives.

[Quietus]

Great graphics!

But will battles last more than 5 minutes?

Advanced Combat System
Zoom to the frontline and witness the fast, visceral melee combat enhanced by new spectacular battlefield animations. Troops block and parry attack moves and string together deadly combo attacks and finishing moves before scanning the battlefield for their next kill.

[Ravenloch]

All they need now is authenic smells!!!!
Will their be ground troops stepping in Horse crap if following behing the Cav units..?

[caspian]

I hope they add a blood option even if its hidden from the menu. If we're talking about historical accuracy, we have to see the mass of dead over the battlefield lying in pools of blood.