A multiplayer campaign.

[Manstein]

This thread is not to ask whether or not a multiplayer campaign will added this time, but rather to ask why everyone actually wants a multiplayer campaign. I just don't get why people would want one. Sure, it'll add an entirely new dimension into the game, and gets rid of shoddy AI and other issues that pop up when playing with the computer.

Firstly, if an MP campaign is even to be implemented, due to the depth of most of the Total War games, it'll have to incredibly simplified to cut down on time issues and such. Such simplification takes away what the Total War series were all about and makes the entire game a simple, one dimensional game. For instance, one can take away almost of the diplomacy, (only relegating diplomacy to alliances, neutrality and state-of-war sort of options.) Also, the turn system will have to removed to remove a time constraint, thus turning the game into a possible clickfest in an attempt to build up armies and cities. This takes away the slow pacing often seen in Total War games. I can elaborate further, but we all get the idea.

A multiplayer campaign, if ever to be implemented, will be dumbed down so much that it isn't even Total War anymore. It'll probably simply resemble something like Risk, a game that can be played online effectively, and is indeed quite a fun wargame, but Risk only covers world domination compared to Total War.

If CA can think of a wonderful way to implement a fun online campaign game in the next Total War game without "dumbing it down", I'll be much less pessimistic about the prospect of such.

[ShadesWolf]

The implementation of a multi player concept would be hard - accepted.

But the idea is what most people want. For online battles to actually mean somethink. For a ruler or general to have to fight a battle with what units he has and not what money he has been allocated to build his best army.

The idea of having a map, and placing your defending army on a hill that cannot be passed and then making the invading army attack you.

Being able to invade enemy lands and capture the lands resources.

This is what most people think about when they talk about multiplayer campaigns.

A team of 4 or 5 people (or a clan) playing every Friday etc for a set number of turns against another clan or clans..... To capture territory etc....

[Mooks]

err no it wont? Do like what empire earth did, give the ability to save the game. Then when your with your buddy(s) all you have to do it load it back up... You may think its dumb, but facing a retarded computer over and over again is dumb also.

I can beat the comp in RTW half asleep, with a fever, and with broken hands.

[Avicenna]

If you have just one tedious micromanager who also happens to fight out every battle with his 56k connection and primitive graphics card which often causes his armies to suddenly stop because his screen suddenly stops showing him information.. the whole campaign can collapse.

[drone]

I would like a multiplayer campaign. Not going to happen, but I can hope, can't I?

The campaign map from Rome would not work very well, since the player could move, fight, then move armies again all before ending the turn. The map would have to work like Medieval, with all moves planned, then actually occurring during the end turn phase.

Combat would need to be pause-free (even with player v AI matches). The combat phase would be the most troublesome, since it would take the longest to do and the non-involved players would need to be entertained somehow while it goes on (maybe spectator cameras, hell, maybe allow them control of the AI units). If possible, the game should handle multiple battles at a time to speed this up, as long as there wasn't a common player.

TBS games work with multiplayer. Games like MoO2 and 3 and BotF worked fairly well, the only difference would be the possibly epic combat phases which these other games didn't really have.

Regarding connection speed, you could always play with friends on a LAN. It's better that way anyway, you can rag on the slow players and trashtalk during fights. But this is probably too much of a niche market.

[Zawath]

1vs1 or 2vs2 multiplayer campaign shouldn't be too hard to make. Just create a smaller campaign map, add the option to remove AI factions and there you go. Lots of intense action for couple players and definately more interesting than basic multiplayer battles.