Don't forget about animations...
The Total War series is looking better and better with each iteration but one thing that has really been bugging me since Rome are the minor improvements in animation. You can make the units, buildings, etc. look as realistic as possible but if they don't animate well... well that significantly affects the immersion and the fun of the game.
The current engine animates by stringing together CAS files which is all well and good in general while marching but the trouble begins when combat starts. Combat... well, you'll really have to use your imagination to make the combat exciting and not lethargic. Units stand around doing nothing, standing side by side enemy units staring at each other... it's something that's been there since Rome and in Medieval 2 which is tolerable but with the advancements in technology, it would be interesting to know what possible improvements CA could apply on the animations... If not in Empire: Total War, then the next game.
The line about using ragdoll physics in the Empire: Total War announcement sparked my interest in particular. At what extent will this system be used in the game? Will it only apply when units are "swept off their feet" such as in cavalry charges and artillery explosions? Or will it apply in melee as well? Ragdoll animations as a result of explosions are already present in other games and is not hard to imagine... but how about in melee combat? Will it extend to, oh let's say for example: Two soldiers standing face to face in melee combat (er, something like that), let's say a rifleman and a cuirrasier (sorry for the wrong spelling). Anyway, the cavalryman begins a swinging attack animation from the side and swings his sabre right at the rifleman. The rifleman then executes his block animation at that direction with his rifle and the two weapons make contact.
NOW in the current engine, once this happens, there's usually a sort off "recoil" animation for both units and they bounce off since the attack was deflected. BUT for the new game, what if... a simple physics system is put in place which allows for more dynamic-looking and feeling battles? What if a "force" value is given to the cavalryman's swing... no fancy algorithms to save on CPU power, maybe a simple add or multiply by a certain value if he was charging... etc. The "force" value of this attack is then compared against the force value of the rifleman's block determined by a fixed number multiplied, subtracted on or divided or whatever by his fatigue, his movement, his remaining HP, etc. Several results could happen! Once the two weapons make contact and the engine registers this, the physics kick in. If... say the attack force is roughly equal to the block then they could bounce off as dictated by the ragdoll physics instead of the usual CAS animation or something like that. Or, say the block force is so much higher that the cavalryman's arm swings violently backward almost dropping him from his horse! OR... the attack force is so high that the sabre cuts the rifle in half (Yes! Yes! I know it's Hollywoodish and unrealistic) and plunges right through the rifleman's chest!
Anyway this post has become too long for it's own good. I'd just like to know how animations will be handled. Even if they're not revolutionary in this game, I guess there's still a lot more time in the future for something like that to be put into place... eventually I hope.
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