Another RTW Expansion!

[shifty157]

Official site:
http://www.totalwar.com/community/alex2.htm

Gamespot mention:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/...der/index.html

ROME: Total War - Alexander

This has just been announced by sega. Its set for release next month.

Why sega is spending time and money making yet another expansion for a more or less dying game that it could be spending on MTW2 i have no idea. Way to have priorities sega.

[Woad Warrior]

Where did that come from? Released next month and I've never heard of it! Off to totalwar.com...

[shifty157]

Yeah really. They just announced it today.

[edyzmedieval]

Check the Official thread in the Colosseum guys...

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Indian naked female archers

They aren't even trying to make convincing units any more.

[shifty157]

Yeah there isnt too much research that went into this one. After more looking into the game it seems as if Philip and Alexander have a kind loving relationship which of course was about as far from the truth as possible. Its believed by some that Alexander was behind the murder of his father and it is known by all that Philip did not like Alexander in the least.

[econ21]

Why sega is spending time and money making yet another expansion for a more or less dying game that it could be spending on MTW2 i have no idea. Way to have priorities sega.

It's not a zero-sum game. If Alexander makes money, that will repay Sega's investment. I interpret it as providing CA with more resources to make more games, which is a good thing, IMO.

And from a players' point of view, I don't think you can regard RTW as dying. I'm still having a blast with BI. Mods like RTR and EB are just getting into their stride - they have not got up to 1.5 yet - and probably will endure for many years. MTW2 in some ways is just a glorified RTW mod, showing the core engine is still very strong.

Personally, I'm looking forward to this Alexander. It's hard to get a more epic campaign to focus on. And in terms of gameplay, it sounds like it will provide a change of pace from the usual TW game (just as BI did). Recreating Alexander's conquests will require a very focussed, blitzkrieg campaign - presumably with better troops, but limited chances for replacements.

Anyway, I'm going to move this over to the Colosseum, as it's a little off-topic here.

[professorspatula]

Check the Official thread in the Colosseum guys...

What you mean the one you started after there was already one?

Actually I'm surprised how many people were unaware of the expansion. It's been mentioned a few times on the forums before as early previews were in PC magazines a couple of months or so ago and the occasional gaming site picked up on it.

I'd say the expansion is a bit of a cynical money making exercise to get a bit more cash out of the cow before it's udders dry up. There's still the budget release of RTW to come further down the line which will renew the game's lifespan a little further, so the expansion will have plenty of opportunities to sell to the RTW fanbase. Of course, then there's the RTW Platinum edition with both expansion packs.....

[Zenicetus]

Personally, I'm looking forward to this Alexander. It's hard to get a more epic campaign to focus on. And in terms of gameplay, it sounds like it will provide a change of pace from the usual TW game (just as BI did). Recreating Alexander's conquests will require a very focussed, blitzkrieg campaign - presumably with better troops, but limited chances for replacements.

That's one of the main reason I'm looking forward to it. I really enjoy blitz-type campaigns.... balancing on that knife-edge between maintaining enough forward momentum vs. not being too over-extended. Usually I err on the side of over-extension and then I get myself into trouble. But it's still fun. I'm not much of a slow development or turtling style strategy gamer.

Also I just finished reading "A War Like No Other - How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War" by Victor Davis Hanson (good book!), so I'm psyched for some mixed phalanx and cav warfare. The timing is good too... not much else out there right now in strategy games that interests me, and I can use a break from GalCiv2.

OK, yeah... the tactical AI probably won't be wonderful, but it didn't stop me from enjoying RTW/BI. I guess I'm just not that picky, and I like playing in this historical era. I actually wish they had done something else in the ancient world instead of MTW2 as the next major game.

[shifty157]

Personally, I'm looking forward to this Alexander. It's hard to get a more epic campaign to focus on. And in terms of gameplay, it sounds like it will provide a change of pace from the usual TW game (just as BI did). Recreating Alexander's conquests will require a very focussed, blitzkrieg campaign - presumably with better troops, but limited chances for replacements.

After looking at the screens and videos and such posted on the official site i cant say that it looks very good. In fact it looks to me more disappointing than anything else. I feel the time taken to develope this less than appealing expansion could have been much better spent getting MTW2 that much farther along. I mean sega isnt even bothering to publish a hard copy of the game. Theyre only releasing it as a download. This to me says that they either they didnt put enough effort into the game to deserve its own box or they dont think itll make enough money to offset the costs of cd production and distribution. In my opinion its both and either way that isnt very encouraging in the least.

Even the shots of the campaign map seemed rather primitive. Indeed they would have had a better campaign map had they taken the relevant portion of the RTW map than throwing together what they did. And the new units seem like basic redoings of the old ones. All 60 of them.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Shouldn't the three threads on this topic be merged?

[Divinus Arma]

Wow. I am shocked at how utterly apathetic I am towards this. I have no excitement. None. I think I will even skip this one. I mean, what is the point?

Now, if they had done a hegemonia style ancient greece expansion, I would be jumping up and down! But the Alexandarian Era? Gee. Just another steamroller game. Sorry to be so negative, but that is my feelings on the matter.

To the backroom, and awaaaaayyyyyy...!

[Zalmoxis]

Is it free?

[shifty157]

Is it free?

No it isnt. It will probably cost around 20$ or so. That is my guess considering the overall quality and time spent on it (which i doubt is very much in either case). As well games made for download are generally in that price range.

[BHCWarman88]

if it not Free,I will not Buy it. I aslo agree with Arma. I am not Excited.Not one bit.


or Mabye they too worry about me Jacking it at Best Buy or something,lol..


But come on,only reson why they made this is too keep RTW SOMEWHAT on MP,since they know they kill off MP,mabye making this will bring back RTW fans,they thought so anyhow..

[player1]

if it not Free,I will not Buy it.

And if it is Free you won't buy it neither.
You can't buy something that's free.

EDIT:
Fixed spelling mistake.

[Strappy Horse]

Well, I like it. I've had, and still have a couple of great games with Rome and Barbarian invasion, and I'd like to have go at Alexander.
I also like the fact that this comes as a complete surprise and I think it also shows that Sega is really enthousiastic about this game.
(But I already have excellent experiences with Sega's handling of Football Manager)

All in all Good Points, in my opinion.

[x-dANGEr]

I think you mean "You can't buy something that's free", Player1.

[Grumfoss]

Well I'm gonna buy it and play it.

Another expansion is great, The words of Brian Blessed are well worth the fee.
who can forget him as Vultan in Flash Gordon " Gordons alive" hehehe

I can't understand why people are complaining. It might not be what "You" want then its simple don't buy it and please stop whining about it.

I've played many games in the past that when the game is over you know that an expansion would be great... but no the developers decide to cash in and create a new game ( for the full retail price). I think that CA and Sega should be congratulated for continuing their development of a game that personally i'm really enjoying.

Also I find it quite annoying, no change that... really annoying that people are trying to find fault in something that they haven't played. Chill out.

[TinCow]

Bah, even if it's as poor as some of you have suggested, I would happily give $20 to ensure that CA keeps pumping out TW games.

[Divinus Arma]

Bah, even if it's as poor as some of you have suggested, I would happily give $20 to ensure that CA keeps pumping out TW games.

Why reward misbehavior? A mod-quality "expansion" is misbehavior IMHO.

I love TW. And I am grateful for CA's work. However, it is a matter of marginal benefits over cost. If the marginal benefits do not meet the cost, then CA will have to increase costs for development in order to ensure a marginal profit.

I am not basing my decision on this, however. And in fact, I am glad that CA is experimenting with multiple expansion packs.

I just won't buy it because it lloks like a poor effort. There is no real improvement and it is a small change in the game without a change in gameplay.

If CA wants to go fully greek, then give me Pelopponesian:Total War. And improve the AI handling of the phalanx while your at it. Phalanx armies that don't stay in a line formation as an army? *shutters* That just makes me sad.

[Vanya]

GAH!

Vanya sees a Greek salad before Him!

Are those olives? Ah, no... just silly enemy Persian pig-dogs running from that which is inevitable!

GAH!