Next Total War game?

[Martok]

Well of course CA will make an expansion for Medieval 2, but beyond that....

I'm personally hoping for Spring & Autumn Total War--unite the lands that will someday be known as China, and become its emperor!

There's between 6-10 powerful kingdoms, including Chu, Wu, Chin, Ch'in, and Yueh; along with a myriad number of smaller kingdoms (all of whom could be used as pawns amongst the great powers). It would have troops and tactics that differed from that of medieval Japan (chariots, early crossbows, etc.), but still have that wonderfully exotic locale. There would be great variations of terrain: open fields, rugged mountains, thick forests, etc. Ah, I'm salivating just thinking about it!

(That said, I certainly wouldn't have a problem with Shogun 2. )

Of course, my real dream is a Fantasy Total War, but I know that's considered blasphemous to even mention such a thing here.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and having a TW game set in North America is absolutely the last thing I would ever want to see. Pretty much all of the major wars that have taken place here were between only 2 powers, so such a game would be incredibly boring.

[CaesarAugustus]

I voted Rome 2: Total war, just because the Roman Period is so awesome!

However, Napoleonic Total war wpuld definently be fun, too.

In fact, I really dont care what time period CA does next as long as the map extens to the Far East. China and India have been left out of every total war game so far. Its time that I am allowed to conquer all of Europe and Asia!

Plus a Chinese faction would be really, really fun and different to play. (Martok has some great ideas.)

Of course, my real dream is a Fantasy Total War.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and having a TW game set in North America is absolutely the last thing I would ever want to see. Pretty much all of the major wars that have taken place here were between only 2 powers, so such a game would be incredibly boring.

Agreed on both points.

[Comrade Alexeo]

While I dream of a World War One game by Creative Assembly (I'm only half-joking on the dream part), and even though I love the Roman period (that I'm a reenactor might explain why...), I'd still like to see a Shogun 2, if only because I imagine it would be amazing on whatever engine CA is cooking up for their "revolutionary" game (individual samurai!), and because it's an understudied period.

What I don't want to see is a M3TW, at least not for quite a while, because frankly how many times can they do the medieval period (and same for the other games too - how many times do we really need to fight phalanxes, as glorious as it might become on future engines)? If CA keeps doing "reruns", the series will very quickly stagnate; it works for EA and its sports games (no matter how often they may suck) because 1) EA's Board of Directors long since sold their souls to the Devil and 2) because sports are a vastly more popular subject that Rome/medieval Europe/medieval Japan could ever be. I think what seems to be CA's new strategic plan - new engine, new game, rerun of oldest at that point, new engine, new game, rerun of now oldest at that point - could work quite well, so long as the engines can continue developing enough to the point that M3TW would be as different from M2TW as it is to MTW.

Hell, who am I kidding - I just want more!

[IrishArmenian]

Personally I would like to first get an expansion which covers the Dark Ages - the period between M2TW and Barbarian Invasion. I see no reason why it should be left out, as though nothing happened during these few centuries.

Agreed! I know I would be impressed when I saw how CA pulled of Feudalism and that the Irish states would be:
The big repository of knowledge/ civilisaton
The last Bastion of Catholicism in North Western Europe.

[caravel]

Well of course CA will make an expansion for Medieval 2, but beyond that....

The expansion will probably be next, I'm sure of that, but as to what game is next I don't know. Did anyone expect that they would do Medieval 2? I didn't.

Of course, my real dream is a Fantasy Total War, but I know that's considered blasphemous to even mention such a thing here.

**restrains himself from making any jokes**

Well I do think that despite it being unpopular, an LOTR based TW would be a hit.

[Grimmy]

I'm betting there'll be an expansion to M2:TW first but I dont count that as "the next" TW, only a finish to this current one.

I have no clue what "the next" will be but I'd like to see something along the lines of "Global: TW". By that, I mean a TW that starts at around the beginning of recorded history and covers the globe as a start. For a unified start, some history would have to be infered or possibily even invented where there's no record available but it could be worked out in a playable game sort of way by guessing backwards from where the record starts.

Then the expansions could come in a series that build upon that base. Each major period of history could be its own expansion, up to and including the Napolionic wars and the USA civil war and expansion to the western coast.

After that, the concept of formation warfare starts to end and the unit organization of the current game engine might not work for the battles.

In a few years, the "baseline" computer system will be capable of handling the processor load necessary to make TW a global geography, rather than location specific. And at each major period of history, there's lots going on in places other than those popular to western culture and history.

[Warluster]

I would think they will follow in the footsteps of the old one and reproduce Viking Invasion, it would be great but I would seriously prefer WW1TW even though World war 1 and world war 2 would take years to with all the modern weapons and stuff.

[Talbot]

I voted for a Napoleonic Total War game. Although an expansion for M2TW will definitely be next.

Was half thinking to vote for 'Word War', but I'm not quite sure what that would entail. Would it be Scrabble: Total War? Moving powerful letters into place and watching out for a flanking X.

[Warluster]

Ha!

[geala]

1.
I would like to have an expansion "European Invasion", a colonial setting in the 15th/16th, where you can play African, American and Asian factions; in the end the Europeans come. Later on you can also play european forces. I pray for a bit more diversion.

But more realistically we will get an expansion similar to VI, maybe the crusades? I didn't like VI and I would not like something like that because of the small timeframe and the not so very interesting troops connected with it.

2.
For the next big TW game I would prefer the time from 1590 till 1815. I wouldn't like the napoleonic time alone: far to less change, no development of troops, too few unit diversification. NP times should be the crowning goal of the campaign.

The game should start after the military revolution caused by the great Dutch-German war school in the end of the 16th century. Nothing was the same after it (exaggaration) and the 30-years-war was the first great scenario it was put into action. That was also the first time since Roman times that fighting in TW-style with independently moving single units would be realistic.

[PseRamesses]

1. Bronze age 1600-1100bc
2. Age of exploration, 1492-1814?, play on a worldmap, explore and colonize like in EUII.

[Orb]

I think WWIII:Total War.
Imagine The USA declaring the war to the rest of the world.That can be a really total War game.

One small problem. That wouldn't be a particularly long and interesting war.

The US wouldn't stand a chance.

Edit - now, for a real game

England takes on the rest of the world!

Of course, the inevitable defeat for playing any other faction might make it less approved of...

[Caius]

Then Rome 2 Total War(if someone create a mod called that way i will have it)

[Lorenzo_H]

I wonder what the M2TW expansion will entail, since we have decided there is probably going to be one.

[KARTLOS]

I'm betting there'll be an expansion to M2:TW first but I dont count that as "the next" TW, only a finish to this current one.

I have no clue what "the next" will be but I'd like to see something along the lines of "Global: TW". By that, I mean a TW that starts at around the beginning of recorded history and covers the globe as a start. For a unified start, some history would have to be infered or possibily even invented where there's no record available but it could be worked out in a playable game sort of way by guessing backwards from where the record starts.

Then the expansions could come in a series that build upon that base. Each major period of history could be its own expansion, up to and including the Napolionic wars and the USA civil war and expansion to the western coast.

After that, the concept of formation warfare starts to end and the unit organization of the current game engine might not work for the battles.

In a few years, the "baseline" computer system will be capable of handling the processor load necessary to make TW a global geography, rather than location specific. And at each major period of history, there's lots going on in places other than those popular to western culture and history.

the drawback of something like that is that with the benefit of hindsight we know that the europeans are far in advance of places like africa, and you would end up with a serioulsy ahistorical situation where the europeans conquer africa years in advance.

[naut]

Well of course CA will make an expansion for Medieval 2, but beyond that....

I'm personally hoping for Spring & Autumn Total War--unite the lands that will someday be known as China, and become its emperor!

There's between 6-10 powerful kingdoms, including Chu, Wu, Chin, Ch'in, and Yueh; along with a myriad number of smaller kingdoms (all of whom could be used as pawns amongst the great powers). It would have troops and tactics that differed from that of medieval Japan (chariots, early crossbows, etc.), but still have that wonderfully exotic locale. There would be great variations of terrain: open fields, rugged mountains, thick forests, etc. Ah, I'm salivating just thinking about it!

Oh my yes! Don't tease me.

(That said, I certainly wouldn't have a problem with Shogun 2. )

I'd have no problem with it either.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and having a TW game set in North America is absolutely the last thing I would ever want to see. Pretty much all of the major wars that have taken place here were between only 2 powers, so such a game would be incredibly boring.

Couldn't agree more!

Personally I would detest a Napoleonic : Total War, because a) I don't really care much for the era b) No offence but CA would get it wrong.

I would like a Pike and Musket though

However, I would say that it will be an expansion for M2TW.

5

[Mazoch]

Personally I'd like to see a game focused on the colonial period. Some one put it as:
Age of exploration, 1492-1814?, play on a worldmap, explore and colonize like in EUII.

It would require a full world map and probably an enlarged number of different cultures / units, but I think it would create a very interesting setting that would, on one hand allow for an interesting historical setting but also allow for many interesting opportunities for re-writing history (for example playing China or India).

[Bellum]

I'm still waiting for VI2. That's the next logical step, I think. Worry about the next game after the expansion comes out.

[Laman]

Songhai Total War (northwest Africa during the rise of Songhai). Imagine playing Songhai, Mali, Mossi, Hausa, Oyo, Benin etc. And expansion is quite given, Moroccan Invasion

Or India Total War set to begin around 480, when the Huna breaks through the defenses of the Gupta Empire. Once could play with Gupta, Huna, Vakatakas, Kadambas, Vishnukundins, Pallavas etc. With lots of Elephants

[Raz]

Of course CA would make an expansion to the latest release. Afterwards I believe that they should however, revive Shogun:Total War. After which they could make an entirely new era. Hopefully something in the Ancient and Hellenistic time period. When Greece ruled, and if there were to be an expansion, maybe rewind the clock a bit and add the Egyptians into the fray.

Also, many of you (Not pointing the finger) are just thinking of the RTS aspect of the game, you got to remember that there has to be a Turn-Based part as well. An invasion of the Americas would be fine but think about the Strategic Map! It would stretch across all of the Pacific Ocean.

Plus, the one feature I'd like to see, is a tabbed army. Think of web browser tabs. If you were to get reinforcements, the new army should come up as a tab along the UI. Click on the tab to look at your reinforcing army from the UI, and click on the other to go back. This would also be good in multiplayer to look at your allies' units and it wouldn't be crowding your unit panel thinking to yourself, is this unit in my first army or what?

[Spart]

I would like to see a WW 1/2 TW, but I would Also like to see the TW series venture out of Japan and Europe and make a Total War game featuring Africa as the place to conquer, One day hopefully maybe the world will be the target. Though I would like to state that African History up until late 1900s is boring, so maybe a South American Total war is in order or an Asian Total War, Though ultimately it is up to the G-ds of The Total War series.

[The Foolish Horseman]

i am too optimistic in thinking they would do a WW2 Total War, but a Napoleonic one would be good, Especially if they included the battle Of Waterloo.


Also I am being a bit immature in reckoning they could do a Sharpe: Total War, but that would be good fun But it would be too hard to make as the books are detailed, but not nescessarily Historically Accurate

[Luthiena]

I'd love for them to do an Ancient Greek one... or something with Amazons.

[Orb]

Songhai Total War (northwest Africa during the rise of Songhai). Imagine playing Songhai, Mali, Mossi, Hausa, Oyo, Benin etc. And expansion is quite given, Moroccan Invasion

Or India Total War set to begin around 480, when the Huna breaks through the defenses of the Gupta Empire. Once could play with Gupta, Huna, Vakatakas, Kadambas, Vishnukundins, Pallavas etc. With lots of Elephants

Or better still.

England FTW:TW



We could be like the RTW Romans. Destined for victory. Incredibly Overpowered. :D

[A. Smith]

I voted for an expension for M2TW, but i thought it was about what you THINK is gonna be the next game... i'm pretty sure there is gonna be an expansion, but what i would REALLY like to see is a WWxTW. x being 1 or 2, obviously. why? think of the possibilities! there are loads of types of troops compared to what they once had... possible types: light and heavy infantry, motorized infantry, ligh and heavy tanks, AA gun/vehicles and fighters, fighter-bombers and bombers. obviously you would need more then20 units per army :)

[Lorenzo_H]

I'd love for them to do an Ancient Greek one... or something with Amazons.

well there is Rome Total War and Alexander.

If I am not mistaken, Amazons are a unit in RTW.

[Innocentius]

Pike and Musket II: Total War
Just like the mod for MTW, only it's an official game by CA and not a mod. I voted Napoleonic as it said "or similar". The game should span somewhere between 1492-1792 (just like Europa Universalis). Mud, gunpowder, smoke, filth, starvation and loud and clumsy weapons...Playing a battle where the LOS drops to 10 yards after the first volley sounds really nice. The game would feature many interesting appearances (like the Swiss in MTW), for example Prussia, and the reformation would be an interesting thing to play with. What if Spain suddenly went protestant on their Italian allies etc.

Yup, that one gets my vote.

[IsItStillThere]

I voted for "other".

Although I wouldnt mind seeing shogun 2, or a napoleonic era game, I think CA should go for a more focused, compact (ie. less epic) game next.

U.S. Civil War. Simple, just two sides and not that many different units. But still a very interesting struggle. This would allow them to finally attempt to implement multiplayer campaigns (instead of just battles), without the complexity of multiple sides since they'd all be head-to-head. Not all the total war games have to be huge bloated games of great complexity, right? Besides, complicated doesn't necessarily equal fun. It would allow CA to really refine the combat AI for gunpowder units. The rock/paper/scissors in this one woule be infantry/cavalry/artillery. Diplomacy (always a weak part of the AI) would hardly be a factor. And there wouldn't be a lot of random characters wandering around the campaign map either!

jeff

[TheFluff]

STW2. I would never want a mondern TW series, its played out. N or would NTW be any good because it is based to much off of "line up, shoot" and who ever has the longest range musker/rifle/cannon wins. The TW engine would go to waste, there would be little close combat, and the CC you had would be extreamly repetive. I would leave a NTW2 to the NTW mod team, but i wouldent want it as an offical product. STW2 would offer alot and could be sold as an expansion or a full game with contental asia included.

[Marius Dynamite]

Finally, the Napoleonic era is just absolutely perfect for a Total War game:

Strategically - you have about seven or so major powers, with lots of scope for "flexible" dipomacy and conquest. Often "conquering the map" is crazily ahistorical in history, but with Napoleon's ambitions, it becomes a pretty good representation of his historical goals. And often in history, there are strong alliances that divide up the world, Cold War style, but with Napoleon, only the enmity between Britain and France seems to have been fixed. Russia, Austria, Spain and Prussia chopped and changed with the weather.

Tactically - with the three arms of cannon, cavalry and infantry you have lots of chances for real rock-paper-scissors interactions (or even better, combined arms tactics). Personally, I hope they keep it simple like STW and not create lots of artificial distinctions like "swords vs spears" - e.g. between heavy and light infantry etc. (a man with a musket is basically a man with a musket, whatever you put as his epaulette, and Napoleonic infantry differed more in quality than in functional role).

Napoleonic Era would be awesome but the game would have to be made much bigger campaign wise. The world should be chopped into sections and you can view each section on a different screen with each screen being like a M2 map. Europe, North America, South America, South Africa etc. Then, each of these maps would have to be bigger to allow more army-moving tactic. Maybe Attrition could make a real debut. If you don't stick to roads and camp in winter, you lose men. Armies taking supplies and supply lines could also be included with some clever thought.
Other things would be important as well. Things like More units under your control. More Soldiers on the field.. Larger battlefields. It should take a very long time to cross the field and you should be open to tactics like splitting you army into several groups to accomplish certain tasks.

I doubt all those things would be included if CA made a Napoleonic Total war but.. hey, I can dream right?