podcast 5 : battlefield

[hoetje]

Hi,

Ca has released podcast number 5.In this edition, a Ca-member is talking about the battlefield experience.More important,you hear CA talking about the improved AI! So,all go check at http://www.totalwar.com/index.html?p...medieval2/3/3/

[Spino]

I have my mp3 headphones jacked into my monitor here at work and am listening to the podcast now. Wow, lots of discussion regarding the AI; this is the most detailed and in-depth response regarding AI I have ever heard from a CA employee.

Here are some select passages regarding the AI...

Battle AI has developed incrementally since Rome. Example: Cavalry will now behave more logically. They will make more flanking maneuvers and better analyze the enemy army composition and select targets for maximum effect. This also applies to heavy infantry & archers.

- Overall expect better unit target selection and army cohesion (units sticking together as a whole).

- Crossing defense (bridge battles & river crossings) - AI will analyze its army composition and strength and that of your army along with the number of crossing points and plan its defense or assault accordingly.

- Missile heavy armies (or those with a decided advantage in missile units over the enemy) will delay melee combat as long as possible so as to take advantage of its missile troops.

- Missile poor armies (or those with a decided disadvantage) will attempt to engage in melee combat much more quickly.

- Siege AI has also undergone radical changes. Street fighting, wall defense, unit selection and placement and multi-ring logic (i.e. the 'rings' of walls surrounding a castle or city) have all been improved. Example: If a player's artillery begins pounding a specific tower then the AI will anticipate an attack in that area and will remove archers from the walls and replace them with infantry. Regarding street fighting the AI will determine choke points and dispatch heavy infantry to defend them. With multi-ring castles the AI will determine when is the best time to deploy back and guard the next ring to maximize the damage inflicted on the player.

[TB666]

Oh the AI sounds great.
Also the guy that gets interviewed is hilarious

[Little Legioner]

Oh the AI sounds great.
Also the guy that gets interviewed is hilarious

He was so excited I supposed that he'll attack to interviewer for several times.

By the way podcast was good on AI but overall battle speed never spoken

[Dooz]

Wow, if all that is true, I think we got ourselves a game here. As for unit speeds, this video might give a better idea of how that's coming along.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=122

Personally, I thought it looks pretty decent. Didn't notice any overly fast units or anything that would piss me off. Maybe M2TW is gonna be something special afterall?

[Lord Adherbal]

well this certainly was the most interesting podcast so far, and probably the most interesting bit of information about MTW2 we got so far. Obviously we'll still have to see it in action, but they mensioned a lot of improvements that we asked for (army cohesion, proper use of missile weapons, picking reasonable target for each unit). The only thing they didn't mension is suicidal generals :P

now lets hope the battle speed as acceptable too, because if it isn't then I don't think those improvements will have much actual effect. But atleast mods would benefit from it.

[Monarch]

"Did I hear you say ROOOOOCKKEETT LAUNCHERS!!!!"

"FOR KING AND COUNTRY!"



God, this is pure comedy gold, the interview and the, shall I say, enthusiastic? CA dude.

Oh, but the game does sound great

[TB666]

When he did his grunt or what ever when he talked about how the battles feel I was rolling on the floor laughing.

[parcelt]

I am at work and can't listen to it. Any other interesting details in there somebody would like to share?

Thanks!