A REALLY Interesting Preview Of M2TW

**Lucjan** · 07-13-2006, 14:12

Just a thought, because we haven't actually seen a screen shot of these 'spikes.' They may be concealed behind shrubbery or potentially hidden like a tiger trap. Infantry who thought they were just running through a hedge of shrubs accidentally impaling themselves on spears they couldn't see or falling into covered spike pits isn't, too out there as far as feasibility goes.

Though I'll admit, it's stretching it a little.

**magnum** · 07-13-2006, 15:37

Check Gamespot for an image of archers using the spike ability.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/...ex.html?page=3

Image #58 (3rd image for Mar 17, 2006.) I agree that the spikes should only slow infantry down. It'd be hard to imagine an infantryman impaling themself on one of those spikes.

**B-Wing** · 07-13-2006, 19:03

Originally Posted by the preview

What's more, once your medieval empire becomes overwhelmingly powerful, you'll quickly find your rivals rallying together to oppose your expanding kingdom, a feature which the team hopes will make the game challenging from beginning to end.

Most of you have been skeptical about this note, for good reason. Its one thing for the AI factions to declare alliances and refuse alliances with you. Its another thing entirely for them to actually work together to bring you down. Its not a very impressive or effective AI that will, upon the player obtaining a certain number of provinces, no longer accept alliances with him and more easily accept alliances with your enemies. A much more exciting and dangerous AI is one that will actually cooperate with its allies, support them financially, grant rights of passage, defend one another from invasion, and launch joint invasions on their mutual enemies. I haven't personally experienced that in any TW games I've played.

We're making the campaign map AI far more proactive than before. You'll find that your homeland will be attacked a lot more. Your enemies may stick a large army on a fleet and come and attack you at your main city.

I'm really happy to hear that. I think the naval AI was overall the weakest aspect of RTW. Enemy navies were certainly aggressive and numerous, but hardly intelligent. I remember many occassions in which an enemy faction would "lodge" large numbers of troops, including generals, inside their boats, which would sit idly on their shores for multiple turns, often without any other fleets nearby to protect them. Sinking one of these ships, and thereby destroying all the units inside, was far too simple.

**Lucjan** · 07-13-2006, 21:51

Has anybody played Knights of Honor?

The diplomacy system in that game is absolutely beautiful as far as what I would like and expect from a medieval game. If only CA would take a page from their book.

**Ignoramus** · 07-13-2006, 23:46

Yes, I have played Knights of Honour. The diplomacy is amazing, but the campaign and battle AI have a lot to be desired.

**Aquitaine** · 07-14-2006, 06:14

Infantry, even tightly-packed, heavily-armored infantry, are unlikely to impale themselves on anything. The idea of using a wall of stakes against footmen is pretty ridiculous, such that it would even look ridiculous in a computer game (raaaaaahhhh *splat*).

The whole point is that a horse is running at full tilt and can't turn quickly (have you ever tried to turn a horse? sometimes they just won't turn quickly if it's Tuesday, even if they're not at full tilt), and even then a lot of horses were smart enough to go 'hey, i don't want to impale myself, i think i'll rear up and stop really fast and throw my rider!' So they were a dodgy proposition even when they were used against cavalry.

**Ilsamir Lord** · 07-20-2006, 04:36

I hope weak game reviews from half wits do not have more impact on game design than the hardcore fans

Of course they do. Hardcore fans are a minority whereas these so-called "falf-wits" are representing the likely reaction of the disinterested general public. I think it's a little unfortuneate to call reviewers half-wits when they are merely expressing their opinions. It continually puzzles me that the most hardcore of fans are usually the most critical. Surely they should be happy that a series they like gets popular support. To succeed commercially you can't rely on a small cult following, you have to appeal to the masses.

**screwtype** · 07-12-2006, 16:16

Originally Posted by Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett

Does anyone with any historical knowledge know how these things actually worked? From my uninformed perspective I imagined that if a force of infantry had no other option than to move through an area guarded by these spikes, then rather than just charge through as normal they'd instead move really slowly suffering only a few losses but arriving at the otherside piecemeal and voulnerable to attack. I suppose this would depend on the density of the spikes, but I just can't see a armoured person willingly charging a wooden spike with enough momentum to pierce his armour.

English bowmen didn't use spikes to stop infantry, they used spikes to stop cavalry. Wooden spikes should have next to no effect on infantry, so I don't know what this reviewer is talking about when he says the French inf. show "tactical naivete" to march up to the spikes.

**snevets** · 07-22-2006, 05:51

Originally Posted by Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett

Does anyone with any historical knowledge know how these things actually worked? From my uninformed perspective I imagined that if a force of infantry had no other option than to move through an area guarded by these spikes, then rather than just charge through as normal they'd instead move really slowly suffering only a few losses but arriving at the otherside piecemeal and voulnerable to attack. I suppose this would depend on the density of the spikes, but I just can't see a armoured person willingly charging a wooden spike with enough momentum to pierce his armour.

To be fair to CA this might be how it happens in game, and the kebab comment might of just been the journalist embelishing what he saw. Either way it's difficult to assess whether or not this was a viable strategy from the perspective of the AI unless we know exactly what kind of obstacle these spikes represent and what kind of losses can be expected when forced to move through them.

Unless I'm much mistaken they're evolved versions of roman lilies. Ever had a kid leave jacks out on the floor then walked through the room with bare feet later that night? Yeah, ouch, that infinately worse.

**Lusted** · 07-22-2006, 13:09

and lo, Lusted doth read the articles on M2TW, and produceth thus these quotes on thee fair M2TW: (more related to campaign map ai, but still related to ai)

In Medieval II, the AI will not only remember previous dealings you've had with it but your dealings with other factions, too. It'll then base its stance towards you on all of those factors.

We're making the campaign map AI far more proactive than before. You'll find that your homeland will be attacked a lot more.

What's more, once your medieval empire becomes overwhelmingly powerful, you'll quickly find your rivals rallying together to oppose your expanding kingdom, a feature which the team hopes will make the game challenging from beginning to end

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...42571&skip=yes

Talking of the campaign map, there are new agents, improved diplomacy, and improved trade, as well as a host of new buildings added to the tech tree; new sabotage and espionage options,

http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/m...4512&page=2&q=

The diplomacy system has been improved. We're going to give the player a lot more information about how the artificial intelligence feels both about them and about the offer on the table. However, at the same time the AI will take offence at insulting offers and will have a better memory of past dealings. You should be able to trust your allies, but only up to a point.

We're definitely committed to improving the AI on both the campaign map and battlefield and plan to make a significant step forward from Rome.

http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/m...ml?sid=6146146

We've also introduced a new recruitment system, a new enhanced system for the treatment of religion, enhanced diplomacy, new trade options, improved missions, improved sabotage and espionage, improved AI, new tech tree buildings and new agent characters.

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/699/699515p1.html