Graphics engine

[Antagonist]

The engine used for Medieval 2 is completely unrecognizable compared to Rome's engine. We stripped it down and totally refurbished it to include major enhancements. There's a complete upgrade of the battlefield rendering system, new methods for building and rendering cities and the combat animation system has also been heavily revised.

IGN Interview

Seems like it's somewhere in between your second and third hypotheses.

Antagonist

[Monarch]

I read it was the same one with one heck of a polish.

[Rilder]

I hope my lil ol computer can run the beast

[ajaxfetish]

I know mine won't be able to. I might not be in the first wave of buyers as a result, but eventually I'll have enough put aside to get a new machine, and then I'll certainly be getting it (unless I hear horror stories from those who already have it, which I am fervently hoping I don't).

Ajax

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, if it's the same engine I'm sure it will be very scaleable within itself. And I doubt that every unit in the battle will be fully rendered at once anyway. I hope that my new system can run it, and I'd be a bit surprised if the final version was much different to the screens they are showing now in terms of detail. Total War games have never really lead the charge in system requirements, and I think MII:TW will be no different.

[SirGrotius]

I think it's a great engine. It seems to have been programmed very well; I can only imagine that the latest iteration will only be better and perhaps even more stable.

[Rilder]

i wonder what the system requerments will be compaired to umm Civilization IV or something if its equal to or slightly more then Civilzation 4 i'm in the clear course my computer will be over a year old by the time its released i bet though so i may award its birthday with a new graphics card... maby a new processor too