Visit to M2TW Dev studio - post your must-know questions here!

[Epistolary Richard]

As previously announced:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=70183

I've been invited to visit the M2TW development studio in about a week's time, meet some of the team behind the new game and get an 'under the hood' look at the game itself.

The primary purpose of the visit will be to have a look at the moddability of the new game, but there should be a chance to play around with the full, final version of the game and ask questions direct to the developers.

This is a chance to ask questions directly to the men who made the game - so fire away with what you want to know!

[Chad]

Can there be Queens

[Little Legioner]

First off kudos to CA for their community support. I hope your visit be useful for modder community.

1- I'm wondering that how is gonna be kill rate & movement speed moddability of the game.
2- Will there be any modding tools by CA such Bethesda's TES Construction set.
3- Will there be empty faction slots for further mod developments in Mtw 2?
4- Will there be any contest between modder teams such as Epic's "make something unreal"

Have a good trip Episto

[Prince of the Poodles]

If you could pass on how much enjoyment so many get out of their game, it would really be appreciated...

Also, has morale been upped, or are routs on impact to be expected? Thats what I would ask.

[JR-]

all of Soulflames modding questions that were never answered. :)

[Little Legioner]

all of Soulflames modding questions that were never answered. :)

Where is it?

[Furious Mental]

What are all the unit special abilities (besides putting stakes in the ground)?

[spong]

I only have one question but its not related to modding.

Have the combat animations including the special kills been better synchronised and ironed out since the demo? Are we still going to see soldiers stabbing at nothing or in the wrong direction?

Ok so thats kinda two questions but they are the same thing :D.

[maestro]

I'd just like you to say thanks to the team for many, many fine years of enjoyable gaming (even if MTW was too easy )

[JR-]

this would do for a start:
> max # of provinces
> max # of factions
> max # of unit types
> max size of map
> how christian/muslim reformation/schism events can be accomodated
> can we force linear multi-part year progression

:D

[|Heerbann|_Di3Hard]

2 things:

Very important - How many Units can the engine handle on an up to date computer.

The maps... Are they small and ugly like RTW or big and tactical interesting like MTW Vi?

Thank you.

Best Regards
Heerbann_Di3Hard

[TB666]

The maps... Are they small and ugly like RTW or big and tactical interesting like MTW Vi?

Big and tactical
CA already confirmed that.

[Soulflame]

Note that these aren't real questions, but rather keywords to invite a conversation (I don't like making premade questions and just reading them, this way I'll have more interaction).

Modding:
1. Harcoded Limits. Which removed, altered etc.
2. Faction Limits (21? 30?)
3. In-game map/campaign/battle editor?
4. AI moddable? In which fashion?
5. Any mod tools planned? (editors, import/export etc)
6. Playermade cutscenes? Tools?
7. 3d format same as RTW? How about the individuality of soldiers?
8. Fatigue moddable?
9. Movement speed per unit moddable? Chance to hit? (killrate)
10. Example(s) of something that wasn’t moddable in RTW, but is in Med2

Those are the questions from my original thread, which are still somewhere in the CA pipeline ;).

[Little Legioner]

The maps... Are they small and ugly like RTW or big and tactical interesting like MTW Vi?

Map's are gonna be same size with RTW, at least if we get reference the screenshots. But i hope i've been mistaken. Because i'm a small map hater too

*Edit*
TB666@
Is there any official info about bigger camp battlefields?

[TB666]

*Edit*
TB666@
Is there any official info about bigger camp battlefields?

Well CA has said in interviews that the maps are bigger and offer more tactics from the terrain.
Mean, just look at one of those huge castles, those things are the same size as the maps in RTW. If the maps were just as small then there would be no room for the attacking army.

Edit: Well I found this so far
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/...ml?sid=6156383

[Little Legioner]

Well CA has said in interviews that the maps are bigger and offer more tactics from the terrain.
Mean, just look at one of those huge castles, those things are the same size as the maps in RTW. If the maps were just as small then there would be no room for the attacking army.

Well, i mean camp battles not camp siege battles. I've seen many screenshots and map seen smaller same as RTW. Just take a look at them.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Will a Map Editior Be Included?

[TB666]

Well, i mean camp battles not camp siege battles. I've seen many screenshots and map seen smaller same as RTW. Just take a look at them.

Interesting but as you can see the link I provided it clearly states larger battlefields.
Still searching for more links.

[LadyAnn]

I would like to know:
Modding related:
- Can we load/save preset armies from/to ASCII-readable files

MP only:
- Do we still use gamespy as MP hosts
- Does Ignore work on MP foyer
- Can we be more renaissance in fonts and be pleasant to the eyes (instead of nintendo-esque TV-resolution)

[Hanny]

can we have a range of hieghts generated for the models, its rather pointles haveing them graphical look different only to spoil that effort by haveing them all the same 5" 8 men, can we have like Massive did in LOTR, have a range of model hieghts incorporated so as to enhance the visual apparence still further in terms of reality for a unit.

[The Blind Samurai]

will you be able to mod the sound file

[Zatoichi]

OK - so these aren't modding questions, but I'd still like to get answers!

How is retraining handled in M2TW - same as RTW or will there be limits like STW and MTW?

Will the AI retrain units after battles where possible (ie after winning a siege as either attacker or defender)?

Will the AI coordinate its armies better on the campaign map rather than sending small leaderless stacks? (There was some improvement in BI over RTW in this respect, so I'm quite hopeful).

Is there any room for me in your rucksack? I'd quite like a trip to the CA develpoment studio as well...

[Faenaris]

I'm just repeating some points:

1) Faction limit, is it 20 or 30?
2) Provinces limit?
3) Unit limits? Model limits?
4) Scripting is the same as in RTW?
5) Are there gonna be official modding tools? If so, which ones?
6) Will the full game be "packed" like the demo? Or is it more open?

That's about it for modding questions. Now, some other questions:

1) How much has the "protectorate" option been improved?
2) Changing cities to castles: Can a large city (a fully built one) be converted back to a castle? If so, will it start as a "lowly" castle again or will it be a higher tier castle to represent the upgraded status of the city?
3) How much time has been put in AI programming?
4) How much does M2TW resemble MTW? Some "small things" (like civil wars) appear to be cut. Is this true?

[King Noob the Stupid]

Not modding related and I donÄt know if it's been said yet, but:
Can factions re-emerge?

[Martok]

Not modding related and I donÄt know if it's been said yet, but:
Can factions re-emerge?

I second this question as well. Related to that, I also second Faenaris in asking if civil wars are in or out.

Finally, will we see hero generals show up as in MTW (i.e., El Cid, William Wallace, Joan of Arc, etc.)?

[Dutch_guy]

I would like to know if campaing battles replays are in. CA staff said that at one time they were in, but were taken out again. Any news on this would be great Richard

[Tempiic]

I really would love to know if you can now 'withdraw' from battle when being a defender too when on the battlefield during the campaign. In RTW, you could withdraw units from battle when attacking, but you simply could not when you were the defending side. This really annoyed me.

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

-Does the "Rebel" faction remains a faction like the others in it's habilities or is it something more vast without unit or model limitations, like the ability to have several different culture types for Generals (read family members) and Lesser Generals (read captains).

-What is the unit and model limit?

-What characteristics have the 3dmodel and texture files:

• 3d models - concerning character rigging, UV mapping, etc...
• Textures - concerning alpha channels, normal mapping, etc...

-What is the implementation alllowing non-clone armies? 3d model and/or texture database or data library? Or another method?

[Lord_Phan]

Can assasins kill there own factions generals?

and Most importantly find out what is up with the turns. If it's as the rumours say it is, it'd be a major dealbreaker and could turn most people off the game including me. I want a longer game not a shorter one! A more realistic longer game!

[Monarch]

I used to be against turns. But then I thought, Medieval 1 (1 turn = a year) really doesn't make sense. One year to recruit some peasants? Now wheres thw historical accuracy in that. Also, they can't do 4tpy or even 2tpy due to the huuuuge timespan the game covers.

I am very much looking forward the campaign, can't wait, especialyl if the ais good =D