Shogun 2 Total War silly questions

[Ibrahim]

There is no "if" at Sega, they won't let the CA to release a moddable game. Btw, there won't be EB3, that was announced by the team a few months ago now. Chill, there will be EB2.

and of course, the silly *persons* at CA won't even release a sourcode for their older games. so that avenue is also blocked-bigtime. honestly, what's with their paranoia about allowing their newer programs to be modded, or releasing source codes for older games?

I do recall an attempt to petition CA for a medieval:total war source code (sice the game is older-much older-than 5 years), to which I was involved, and put in good reasons for providing such a thing (incentivise for buying vanilla, greater appreciation for product, it doesn't hurt the company financially (just ask ID-they released source codes for the first 3 quakes)), etc, etc).

alas, it came to naught as far as I can tell

[Intranetusa]

The developers at CA will realize that EB1 is better than the original RTW game, and EB2 is better than MTW2, so they will hire the entire EB team to make a historically accurate TW game...

One can dream... :D

[Hannibal Khan the Great]

and of course, the silly *persons* at CA won't even release a sourcode for their older games. so that avenue is also blocked-bigtime. honestly, what's with their paranoia about allowing their newer programs to be modded, or releasing source codes for older games?

I do recall an attempt to petition CA for a medieval:total war source code (sice the game is older-much older-than 5 years), to which I was involved, and put in good reasons for providing such a thing (incentivise for buying vanilla, greater appreciation for product, it doesn't hurt the company financially (just ask ID-they released source codes for the first 3 quakes)), etc, etc).

alas, it came to naught as far as I can tell

I'm actually thinking Sega, and not CA, is behind this. Notice how after Rome - after CA switched from Activision to Sega - the modding capability has decreased drastically. Even Medieval 2 was not very moddable without the unpacker supplied in the files. And with Empire and Nap, it's gone into the abyss.

[Ludens]

I'm actually thinking Sega, and not CA, is behind this. Notice how after Rome - after CA switched from Activision to Sega - the modding capability has decreased drastically. Even Medieval 2 was not very moddable without the unpacker supplied in the files. And with Empire and Nap, it's gone into the abyss.

I think part of the reason is that CA ditched their own unpackers for third-party tools, which they do not own and can therefor not release to the public. AFAIK that is the reason why the promised modding tools for M2:TW did not materialize (the obvious question being why CA promised this in the first place).

[Fluvius Camillus]

Over here... I want to ask a silly Shogun question (as the title implies)!

Will there be Lorica Segmentata?

~Fluvius

[Ibrahim]

I think part of the reason is that CA ditched their own unpackers for third-party tools, which they do not own and can therefor not release to the public. AFAIK that is the reason why the promised modding tools for M2:TW did not materialize (the obvious question being why CA promised this in the first place).

they didn't think that Sega would be run by *****? if what Hannibal up there says (which, in light of CA's business history, is most certainly true), then it is evident that their new leaders essentially scrapped their packers, in favor of their ulra paranoid locks and packs, sometime after the buyout of CA to Sega. in other words, against CA's will?

I'm still dubious that it was against CA's will though...ID still helps on and off with modding the quake series, even after their own buyout last year.

[Foot]

It wasn't sega and it wasn't against CA's will (for MTW2 at least). Developing new file formats that hold the full information required for the engine to show the game world as it is meant to be is difficult to do, and CA used third-party software to achieve this. They had thought that they could release convertors to the public, however there was apparently some issues surrounding the release of what are essentially property of another country. I imagine that there would have been a licensing fee that, at the end of the day, could not be paid and so CA were unable to release the appropriate tools as they originally said.

I don't know the reasons behind Empire's unmoddability, but speculation based on flawed and biased views of how a game is created is hardly worthy of posting. CA and/or SEGA bashing isn't really required here. Get back on topic or move we'll move it elsewhere.

Foot

[Ludens]

I don't know the reasons behind Empire's unmoddability, but speculation based on flawed and biased views of how a game is created is hardly worthy of posting. CA and/or SEGA bashing isn't really required here. Get back on topic or move we'll move it elsewhere.

What he said. I only want to add that the adoption of third-party software is not SEGA's decision, nor would it come from a desire to frustrate modders. Modders aren't a threat to the gaming industry; quite the opposite in fact.

[Krusader]

What he said. I only want to add that the adoption of third-party software is not SEGA's decision, nor would it come from a desire to frustrate modders. Modders aren't a threat to the gaming industry; quite the opposite in fact.

Some hold this view, but others do not. I read an interview some years ago (can't find it anymore) where an Activision rep said they really did not want people playing older games, as they would rather see gamers move on to new releases. (In my opinion that just showed that many of the higher-ups in games industry don't understand gamers, seemingly comparing them to moviegoers.
On a similar note, some higher-ups most likely view mods as a threat to DLC profits too.

[Ibrahim]

What he said. I only want to add that the adoption of third-party software is not SEGA's decision, nor would it come from a desire to frustrate modders. Modders aren't a threat to the gaming industry; quite the opposite in fact.

well, if you all put it that way, I'm convinced.