Leipzig Update

[sapi]

Citadel thread merged

[icek]

Someone mention here that ca some time ago registered trademark empire: total war. when i say empire: total war i see japan and china.

[TinCow]

When I think Empire, I think of the Colonial Era, roughly corresponding to 1500 to 1900. This would imply a very large map and mainly gunpowder combat though, things that the current and previous TW engines do not excel at. We should know for sure in a few days.

[IrishArmenian]

Hmmm. A new Total War, you say?
I am interested!

[Gimli]

So.......... We are all guessing and hoping our heads off.... But... When do we get to KNOW?!!?!?!?

[TinCow]

Thursday.

Hi guys,

I am excited to announce that The Creative Assembly will be at Leipzig on August 23rd with some HUGE news - and it won't be about revisiting Rome...

Take care,

Mark O'Connell
(aka SenseiTW)

Link

Link to original post.

[BoyarPunk]

When I think Empire, I think of the Colonial Era, roughly corresponding to 1500 to 1900. This would imply a very large map and mainly gunpowder combat though, things that the current and previous TW engines do not excel at. We should know for sure in a few days.

I was actually just thinking about that.

Maybe CA's new TW will be an extension of where M2TW leaves off....that is - conquering the New World by creating an empire out of Old World powers (like Ages of Empires III and numerous other RTS titles).

A plausible new direction for CA, methinks, although I (like many) have doubts about how well a mostly gunpowder and artillery combat system would translate into a TW game.

[TinCow]

Well, M2TW is the second game on the RTW engine. The previous engine also had two games on it (STW and MTW). So, it is possible that this could be the first game of the third generation TW engine, which would open up the possibility for changes that would make gunpowder combat more sensible.

[phred]

Some of the very early previews of RTW had me thinking that it was going to be completely real time with the battle and strategy maps combined into one giant world/map. I can still remember a preview that talked about zooming all the way out from the strategy map down to where you could actually watch your troops marching along the road.

Obviously that didn't happen with RTW, but I wouldn't be surprised if their new engine went in that direction. Perhaps something like an EUII real-time interface with a 3D map where you could zoom down to the battle field without having a battle map load. I'd hate to see the specs for that kind of engine, but it's fun to speculate.

[sapi]

Well, M2TW is the second game on the RTW engine. The previous engine also had two games on it (STW and MTW). So, it is possible that this could be the first game of the third generation TW engine, which would open up the possibility for changes that would make gunpowder combat more sensible.

It is.

CA always goes revolutionary/evolutionary, and these days appear to have things set up so that CA UK does the revolutionary work (ie new engine), and CA OZ the evolutionary improvements to that

[SaFe]

http://www.gamecaptain.de/PC/Infos/4...Total_War.html


riddle is solved.

For those who like it...
I'm dissapointed, Sea battles over all...

Muskets and cannons, where are my beloved swords and spears?

a few things from the german article
-game takes place during the 18th century.
-featuring america's way into independence an the race to the eastern trade routes.
-gunpowder is important, so tactical changes should be made during battles.
-board enemy ships and battle to victory through melee.
-improved diplomacy, trade and espionage on campaign map.
-you can control single ships or navies.(sounds a little bit arcade for my taste)

[Crian]

Muskets and artillery ... doesn't excite me that much but I'm sure I will still buy it ... after upgrading my comp first... judging from those screenshots my current rig is woefully inadequate.

[Monarch]

For those not liking the era, this time last year I like "what so you just line up n shoot?" but then I played the napoleonic mod and its the best tw experience I've had, the mod was awesome. Really excited, picked the perfect era.

[Swoosh So]

Not sure i can get into such an era, my totalwar experience will most likely stop with kingdoms, unless its something special mp which i doubt it will be.

[Intrepid Sidekick]

unless its something special mp which i doubt it will be.

I can guarantee MP will be something special. We have a MP feedback thread here: http://shoguntotalwar.yuku.com/topic/16495

Post there if you have a problem and preferably a solution that needs attention

The ENTIRE game from head to toe has and still is being rebuilt and improved. This IS our next revolutionary title.

It is not the ROME or MED2 engine. It is completely brand new.

I really hope you give it the time and play it. Otherwise you will miss out on sooooooooooo much.

I can understand your scepticism but I truly believe it is misplaced.

[Swoosh So]

Well look at it from my point of view, the current totalwar games are worse MP than the previous releases, with less features in the foyer and worse foyer design not to mention the lag problems that arent being fixed in the expansion pack, we seem to lose more features the more totalwar games are released like the online ladder and tournament/chat rooms.

I just dont know much about the era i guess which is why im abit dissapointed in the news, im sure for many others that have an interest in the gunpowder eras the news will come as a breath of fresh air.

Guess ill wait till i see what happens in the community upon release, but an era im not interested in with another tacked on multiplayer just isent what im looking for tbh, but thats just me i dont know much about the 1700s and gun warfare and all that, id play kingdoms as i have an interest in that kind of wargame melee and all that (even with the lack of effort in many aspects of the multiplayer game) just because theres simply nothing better out there that covers these eras.

[Swoosh So]

Well its a nice thread with some nice ideas perhaps you would be so kind as to check out the org members ideas in this thread also:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=89245

One of the recurring issues that always comes up when were talking about improvements is the very basic foyer we have at the moment, its a tool for the community to communicate and at the moment (since the release of rome) its been very poor compared even with the foyers EA provided for shogun and mtw1 as they had online ladders for compeditive play chat rooms and tournament rooms which many players want back.

I hope ca do embrace the ideas put forward by the community, very simple changes can make a big difference even in the foyer, perhaps when i learn more about the era it will become more interesting for me, with a little attention the totalwar games MP always had the potential to be something special.

[Trax]

perhaps when i learn more about the era it will become more interesting for me

I know people who have started to love the era after a little research.

[SaFe]

I agree with Swoosh.
It is definately not the era i'm interested in.
Melee is Total War for me,
cannons and muskets is... - don't know, but i'm not so sure i'm buying this one.
Not that i think it is bad or has mayor faults - just because of the the era!

[Intrepid Sidekick]

OK. Then we look forward to swaying you like a palm tree of scepticism caught in a hurricane of realised change and improvement.

I will drop in on your thread but the MP feedback thread we set up on our forum is there so that we don't have to deal with multiplication of suggestions and discussion.

At present I can do no more than assure you that MP is being given far more attention than has been previously possible. To quote myself from May this year:

Hi guys

Thanks for all the feedback. Keep it up, but keep it constructive. If you can, describe clearly what the issue is and why.

As others on this thread have so clearly and concisely said: the more specific, coherent and defined the feedback is, the more likely we can evaluate it properly.

We are aware there are technical issues with MP that need addressing and although I can't answer for CA-OZ (I'm sure the OZ guys are doing work for Kingdoms), we here at CA-UK are most definitely looking at trying to resolve as many issues as we can, as a matter of course, for the next big TW title. We are actually at this time working on the next (full) TW title and we're rebuilding the MP section from the foundations up. There were a number of unfortunate limitations that the Rome and Med2 engines placed on us that should, fingers crossed, be less of an issue this time around. How well much we manage to fit in is still subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous games development, but we really are going for it.

As I mentioned to Toxic elsewhere, we have a very, very big list of new features, bug fixes and game improvements. Anyway to quote myself and save my fingers for work:

"Unfortunately, despite us having an amazing bunch of people working long and hard on producing a world class game, there just aren't enough hours in the day or the infinite amount of time we would like to do all the work we would like. This has meant that inevitably some game features have, in the past, had to take a back seat to others. image This isn't what we want or ever have ever intended, but game software development has a terrible capacity to throw curveballs out of left field. Often, they hit you on the back of the head when you're looking the other way. "

So guys please don't despair but be aware that rebuilding code isnt a "quick fix". It takes time. But we hope you will think it's worth it. "Total War: Fast As A Shark 2 - Yeah Baby!" will blow your minds.

As you now know FAAS2YB is "Empire: Total War"

[Swoosh So]

My best guess is a new engine perhaps with naval combat included, after all mike simpson the Studio Director of CA UK said WHEN we impliment naval combat not IF we impliment naval combat we want to get it right in an interview when rome came out.

Still its all guesswork, guess ill have to try to bite my tongue abit and just wait and find out.

We also know from these interviews that they said -

In what ways are new technologies such as multiple core processors and advanced graphics and physics cards going to effect the strategy title?

It's certainly going to be interesting to see how these new technologies impact on the games we play. Obviously in terms of graphics, PC Gaming has always been advancing rapidly so this is nothing new. DirectX 10 on Vista offers a major advance for us, removing some of the big limitations on the graphics engine and opening the door towards more detailed men and environments. The role that multiple core processors can play, in areas such as AI for example, is definitely intriguing. Ultimately they'll also make it possible for troops on the battlefield to behave much more realistically, although the technology will take time to mature. Physics on hardware presents some interesting opportunities - it will definitely make the explosions look better, but going beyond that and having it affect gameplay probably isn't going to happen until the cards become common.

Can you tell us five things we should look out for in strategy games of the near future?

Away from what we're creating here at Creative Assembly I think there are some general trends we'll see in the future for the strategy game. Inevitably we'll see the effects of improved graphics technology. The advent of multi-core processors will also allow strategy games to create deeper and more complex AI routines that will create a greater challenge for the player. Away from technology, I think we'll continue to see strategy games making more of online, not only with regards to getting gamers playing online but also in terms of making more content available via digital download. Finally I think we'll see more strategy developers attempt to blend their games with other genres - not only by combing real-time and turn-based strategy genres, but also other genres such as the FPS and third-person action.

So many things this news could be about from advanced ai to more realistic fighting of the men perhaps even some ingame moviecam, and if were really lucky a game designed to take full advantage of the possibilities of multiplayer ;)

Ah well at least i was on the right track :D

[edyzmedieval]

I will only buy E:TW for the mods. I totally dislike the musket fight era and ships and cannons and... so, it won't be for me.

[Swoosh So]

Its definately a big shift from what we have been playing all these years will be interesting to see if they pull it off.

[Swoosh So]

Quote from the .com "A brand new multiplayer component will include player rankings, leagues and ladders and completely new gameplay modes."

[SaFe]

Well, if they not implement multiplayer campaigns i don't know what to say...
I can understand that campaigns are difficult because the're time-consuming, but as example small 2 or 4 players campaigns are manageable via lan.

If the new multiplayer modes are just new ladder systems or similar pure battle-multiplayer leagues it would be a major dissapointment.

[Martok]

I agree that having an actual multiplayer campaign would be awesome, but I understand CA's reasons for not implementing one. Doing so would require a significant amount of resources....possibly more resources than it would be worth. I'm disappointed too, but not fatally so.

My bigger beef is simply the time period CA chose. However, I can't really fault them for acquiescing to the wishes of the fans -- I know the majority of TW players wanted a game set in the colonial/gunpowder era. I'm just not a fan of the period myself.

[SaFe]

My bigger beef is simply the time period CA chose. However, I can't really
fault them for acquiescing to the wishes of the fans -- I know the majority of TW players wanted a game set in the colonial/gunpowder era. I'm just not a fan of the period myself.

To be honest, the majority of the fans wanted a Rome2 consideriung the vote on Totalwar.com.

[Caerfanan]

"All sails ho!!! To unknown lands!!!"
"Aye Captain"

Naval Battle, and powder. Excited. Need big computer, now....

[Martok]

Hey Caerfanan! Long time, no see.

To be honest, the majority of the fans wanted a Rome2 consideriung the vote on Totalwar.com.

Well first off, the people on the .com forums aren't the only TW fans around. Second, even if Rome 2 was the preference of the majority of the *entire* fanbase, I seriously doubt CA would've made another direct sequel right after having just done Medieval 2.

[ChaosLord]

I'm still hoping(against hope) that they do a China: Total War sometime. If there was any period perfectly suited to the total war gameplay its the Three Kingdoms period. I'm in the same camp alot of the others go as far as muskets and artillery go, never been a fan of it. Only thing that might make me try it is if they actually devote time to improved AI, but that hasn't happened with other revolutionary titles so i'm probably hoping for too much.