So how did you discover (and/or come to play) MTW?

[Martok]

I just realized that for as much as we talk about the game, I've rarely seen any discussion over how we initially discovered it and/or came to start playing it in the first place. (At least not since before I was a senior member -- if there *have* been extensive discussions about this particular topic, it's been so long ago that I myself must have been a relative newbie at the time!) Anyway, I'm curious as to how everyone here found out about MTW.

For myself, it was the simple fact that I'd already owned (and had been playing quite extensively) its predecessor Shogun. Until STW, I'd never really played another game like it, and I was utterly enthralled by it. And given that I've long had a fascination with the medieval period, you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that CA was working on a sequel that took place during the Crusades! I got Medieval as a Christmas gift (in 2002), and it's stayed on the hard drive of my computer ever since.

[Knight of the Rose]

What an excellent topic, and quite nostalgic too!

One of my friends had a brand new, I think it was 400 Mhz processor computer back in 1999 and I saw him play Shogun. I was utterly amazed. Both strategy and battles, while not quite new (Master of Orion, Heroes and a lot others), but in 3d was an eyeopener for me.

So back then I was a poor student, just enrolled at Uni. after serving in the Army, and all my savings spend on moving in with my girlfriend in our new flat. So I started reading about building your computer yourself from different parts bought here and there, and so in the beginning of 2000 I bought a 800 mhz processor and a graphics card (not all computers had graphic cards then), a monitor, keyboard and mouse. I actually didn't buy a soundcard, as that would enable me to buy the beast one month early.

So I fire up Shogun, which was the only game I had having bought it previously, on the rig that was purchased solely to run it and I get an error message! Shogun *needs* a soundcard! I had never heard of such a thing before, it actually needed a soundcard!

So off I went, down on my bike and laid my hands on the cheapest soundcard in the galaxy (no, I didn't steal it!!!), back to the flat, opened up the computer once more and with dire anticipation I started Shogun again...

And it worked, and I was swept into something I never got out of.

Then, just as I was getting familiar to S:TW, M:TW hit the stores. I had been playing 'Castles' a lot on the Amiga and I imidiately bought it. It was both familiar and strange. My first campaign was with the Danes, foolishly enough, as I didn't understand the trading system, nor the most basic rules of the strategy campaign. I had no idea what excommunication was, nor what to do with the agents. IIRC I turtled along getting just a province here and there until somebody else won the campaign.

Since then I've gotten to know the game better, but I still find I can get challanges and new situations from it. CIV4 that I have also played feels a little artificial once you've found out how to calculate and play the numbers, but M:TW still has the feel of actually beeing there. I'm still dissapointed when another faction has the happiest people! I want the happiets people in my kingdom!!

Well, you asked for it, and there it was...

/KotR

[seireikhaan]

My story isn't all that terribly exciting. Basically, I was in Target, looking through the bargain 9.99 games, saw MTW(no VI) and thought it looked pretty cool. Fired it up in the next couple days, and the rest is history.

[I of the Storm]

My boy, I remember many years ago, a friend telling me that there was this new strategy game called Medieval: Total War, and that it had these huge battles in 3d, and in real landscapes with lots of soldiers and that morale was an important factor and that a friend had told him that you sometimes even can have Jeanne d'Arc routing from the battlefield and that it was supposed to be pretty cool.
Then I finally got it maybe two years later when it was on budget sale and liked it a lot. Shortly after RTW came out and lured me away from MTW but I soon realised that both the strategical and tactical depth of MTW was superior.

But that was long ago, son.

[gaijinalways]

I'm trying to remember when I first bought MTW, though I have an European version bought in England, so I know I bought it on one of my summer trips. I had been playing STW already for perhaps a year or so. I think it might have been 2004-2005 as I know it wasn't completely new at the time, but it wasn't dirt cheap either. I know I was also in a Warcraft phase and playing the BG series I and II prior to buying it, so when I moved to MTW it was something very different.

Fantastic game, love to fire it up whenever I have a chance.

[Tony Furze]

A June Saturday in 2005. I'd just bought a laptop, an IBM notebook. (I'd sworn I'd never go near a computer) The only game I'd come across was with a boy I was tutoring. He had a Compaq and played a liittle game about an Eastern guy running through corridors, drinking potions. It was, of course, "Prince of Persia". That was way back in the 90 s.

Sheffield - a big music megastore. Tucked away in one corner were these mysterious looking DVD type boxes.

"Are there any good games I can play on my laptop?" I casually ask my younger brother, over from Ireland to see me.

"Ummmm," he strolls off to the aforesaid corner and browses. I browsed through some DVD films, meanwhile.

"You want something with thousands of soldiers getting slaughtered?" my brother asks, holding the old three disc box of MTW/VI in his hand, closely examining the back.

I ummm and ahhhh for a while - it usually takes me ages to decide on a purchase.

"Yep," my brother says finally."This should run. Activision's a reliable company."

So bought it. 19.99 pounds. (I've just had M2TW Kingdoms sent to me for the same price)

Well, I couldn't play it immediately, as there I was in England, while my laptop was over here in Karachi.I kept taking out the discs, examining them, then pouring over the manual...it was like being a kid again, strange/nice feeling.

It was my first time to see the actual installation of a game when I got back. I was fascinated by the loading bar and all the mystic loading codes streaming past.

Well, the tutorial was amazing- never experienced anything like it!

[Ciaran]

Through the .org here.
I had just bought RTW and was looking for some guidance in my path, and I came across the Frog Goddess´ MTW unit guide. I was intrigued, I bought it and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

[Scurvy]

I bought Shogun after a friend reccomended it to me. Really enjoyed it, and so got when Medieval was released, I got it.

[nzd07]

Mine is similar to Shinseikhaan's. I was about 10 and me and my brother had just beaten Age of Empires 2 and my dad had agreed that we could go get a new game. So I was browsing along the "PC Game Isle" in target and i found this other game I forgot what it was but it was around $40. Too much. So my brother said come look at this game. At first glance I knew it was the one!

[Martok]

I was about 10

Once again, I find myself amazed -- and I'm certain it won't be for the last time, either -- at the wide age range of people that play this game. That MTW would appeal to relatively older gamers (especially 18 and up) is no less than what I'd expect. But that so many folks started playing it when they still would've been in elementary/middle school continues to (pleasantly) surprise me. Heck, we've had at least a couple members who started playing back when they were 6-7! Simply astounding....but in a good way.

I still recall from several years ago a girl who I believe was about 10-11 at the time: She started a thread on how she was playing LAN matches against her dad (!), and had requested advice on how to counter his "Uruk-Hai" Byzantine Infantry. While her experience with MTW was still limited at the time (I believe she and her father had only been playing a couple weeks), she grasped many of the game mechanics far better than *I* would've had I been her age.

[bamff]

For myself, the story is much the same as some others have noted. I was killing time by rummaging through the "discount titles" bin at a computer games outlet, saw MTW, thought that it looked pretty cool, and was even cooler at $9.95 less 25%....

Then I found the org, learned of VI, which I bought online for around $10 from memory (I remember being both pleased to have found it and miffed that it cost slightly more than the "base" game).

So for less than $20, I have now had almost 3 years of entertainment....

[drone]

A friend of mine had it sitting on his shelf. I had been playing a lot of turn-based strategy games at the time, and I'm always looking for medieval style combat games, so I loaded it up and started playing. Didn't really know what I was doing, but it was a blast and was exactly the type of game I was looking for. I went out and bought the game and expansion for myself very soon after.

[gaijinalways]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nzd07
I was about 10

Martok is right, I feel deprived. I know the first games I was playing were Pool of Raidiance on a Commodore 64/128. It was a fun D & D role-playing game, the predecessor to the BG series. Iwas already some 25 at the time! But then again, when I was 6 the idea of a PC didn't exist, so were no computer games to play.

I'm almost 50, and yes it does boggle the mind that some 10 year olds are playing this game. I hope they'll make great managers one day, or even better yet great PC game designers.

[Ironside]

Started out with STW (bought on that the conecpt sounded interesting). As the mediveal age is more interesting than Sengoku Jidai Japan for me, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

Missed about religious buildings giving morale bonueses, until a very embarrasing chain rout with an elite army (arbs, halbs and CMMA) with a rookie general.

Been around computers for quite a while, the first one had a nice 25 mb harddrive.

[Jxrc]

I discovered MTW on 21st August 2002 to be specific (the morning after a friend's birthday party). Had kind of a "sore brain" and a few hours of train ahead of me and was looking for something not too serious (or difficult) for a read.

Bought some english-speaking computer magazine (PC Gaming, PC Game, can't remember) and there was a hilarious review of game by someone totally nuts who claimed to be the King of Spain. The review ended with a note of caution like "After playing this game for a while, you will start thinking that you are the king of Spain. Just remember that you are not. I am."

Bought the game the next week.

[Martok]

I'm almost 50, and yes it does boggle the mind that some 10 year olds are playing this game. I hope they'll make great manager one day, or even better yet great PC game designers.

Indeed. Of course, you've also highlighted (albeit indirectly) how these games tend to attract gamers from the higher end of the age range as well. Despite being in your 40's, you're still probably in the mid-range of folks who play; I know we've got at least a few guys in their 70's who have one or more TW games on their computer. I cannot express how very cool I find that to be.

I discovered MTW on 21st August 2002 to be specific (the morning after a friend's birthday party). Had kind of a "sore brain" and a few hours of train ahead of me and was looking for something not too serious (or difficult) for a read.

Bought some english-speaking computer magazine (PC Gaming, PC Game, can't remember) and there was a hilarious review of game by someone totally nuts who claimed to be the King of Spain. The review ended with a note of caution like "After playing this game for a while, you will start thinking that you are the king of Spain. Just remember that you are not. I am."

Bought the game the next week.

Wow. I suddenly wish I'd read that review as well now. Great little story, Jxrc.



By the by, I also meant to ask: How many people -- if any -- have you yourself subsequently gotten into Medieval (or other Total War games)? To date, I know at least 4 of my friends who've purchased MTW for themselves, at least partially due to my influence (3 of them were also old roommates of mine, which I'm sure was a large factor).

I'm still trying to turn my dad (who just turned 61) onto the game, but no luck yet. He clearly has some interest, but I suspect he's reluctant to give it a try because he views PC games as being a "young man's pastime"....

[seireikhaan]

Martok- my number is currently at two.

[Caliburn]

I saw a friend playin Shogun, and was impressed by how it combined the two levels, and how immersive the battles were. I later borrowed it, and when Medieval hit the shelves I bought the game, and I've been hooked ever since. I was in my teens at the time. Medieval European armies seemed more interesting at the moment, and the strategic complexity was more appealing than the simpler rules of Shogun. These days I find Shogun's relative simplicity a bonus, although I still return to Medieval more often.

I've converted only one person. Sometimes I'm sorry I did, since the game (and other TW games) is so addictive that sometimes it can be hard to get some real world stuff done...

[Axalon]

I bought Shogun after a friend reccomended it to me. Really enjoyed it, and so got when Medieval was released, I got it.

Goes for me too...

[dragula42]

I bought Shogun when it first came out and I let my older brother play it,
He liked it so much that he went out and purchased MTW a few years later, because I had let him play Shogun he let me play MTW.

Shortly after he moved out.

I liked the game so much I bought Total War Eras
that version of the game I can't get to work though...

[Csargo]

I found STW at Big Lots for 10 dollars in '02-03 and my step-mom bought it for me. I was around 13 at the time and the only computer game I had ever played was Age of Empires. I was amazed by the battles, strategy, etc. in it, so I told a friend about it and he told me about MTW(He's also the person who told me about this site ) . It wasn't until after RTW came out that I actually bought MTW and started playing it. I played MTW for the longest time before I started playing other strategy games.

[Raz]

I played the demo of Rome: Total War first, but I could never find it in stores. So instead, I settled for a MTW: Gold Edition. I eventually found RTW a several weeks later, but by that stage I was far too caught up with my MTW to care about petty romans.

[Ironsword]

^^ Similar. I bought MTW and never played it at first. I had Later, a friend gave me RTW to try out.

I thought, best to start with the ealier one, so I installed MTW and never looked back. I still have the dusty old copy of RTW, it's as good as new, but my MTW disc has virtually worn down to a thin film...

[oz_wwjd]

I switched over from Civ3 to MTW,as I read a review about it in a magazine and thought it sounded just what I had been looking for. So far I've been through 3 MTW discs,which says exactly how much I play it,or used to. I'm trying to cut my time playing as it can be a bit TOO addicitive sometimes...

[Martok]

I switched over from Civ3 to MTW,as I read a review about it in a magazine and thought it sounded just what I had been looking for. So far I've been through 3 MTW discs,which says exactly how much I play it,or used to. I'm trying to cut my time playing as it can be a bit TOO addicitive sometimes...

You went through *three* disks?? Wow; I am in awe, sir.

[gaijinalways]

Originally Posted by oz_wwjd
I switched over from Civ3 to MTW,as I read a review about it in a magazine and thought it sounded just what I had been looking for. So far I've been through 3 MTW discs,which says exactly how much I play it,or used to. I'm trying to cut my time playing as it can be a bit TOO addicitive sometimes...

Me too, I have only destroyed one CD with Thief II, and Max Payne tore apart quickly, though I think it was more a quality issue than a usage issue.

[Knight of the Rose]

My first M:TW broke a year and a half ago, and the current disc is now showing a small crack... Which means I'll be buying "eras" soon to get M:TW, as I recon I won't be able to copy the disc even for my own use...

/KotR

[Mithrandir]

I went from Shogun MI to MTW, only recently bought RTW so I guess I have some catching up to do...