MTW question

[Caius]

Hey all MTW players, Caius Flaminius here.

Im not a MTW player, so thats why I dont take a look here.
I came here to ask, whats different between Rome and Medieval?
Are there good mods for Medieval?
Is it worth buying?

Cheers from Rome (Joke)

Caivs Flaminivs

[Roman_Man#3]

MTW is an awesome game. Gameplay is much more solid than RTW, the AI isn't nearly as bad. It does play like a risk game though, you can move your troops to adjacent regions, not like the movement in RTW.

I would suggest getting it.

RM3

[Martok]

Hey Caius! It's a pleasant surprise to see you here in this neck of the woods.

I came here to ask, whats different between Rome and Medieval?

Oh boy, where does one start?

Well as Roman_Man#3 said, army/navy/agent movement works differently on the campaign map in MTW. Since the map isn't 3D, you simply move things from one region to another. It's not as realistic, of course, but the AI can handle it much better.

On a somewhat-related subject: Obviously the graphics aren't going to be anywhere near as "pretty" as Rome's are. They were pretty decent at the time MTW first came out, but they're definitely showing their age now. I'm sure you're already aware of that, but it bears repeating, as some people just can't get past the games older graphics and battle engine.

AI: While it's certainly not perfect, the AI in MTW is still far, far better than in Rome. Whether you're talking about the campaign AI or the combat AI, either way it's much more competent. It does still make stupid mistakes, however, and certain things are somewhat broken. As is typical for all TW games, diplomacy is mostly non-sensical and counter-intuitive; and the computer-controlled factions don't use agents very effectively, particularly spies and assassins.

In battle, however, the AI can actually be quite cunning. It will use advanced maneuvers (ambushses, feigned retreats, etc.) against you, especially on the higher difficulty levels. It's not very good at assaulting bridges and castles, sadly; but on an open field, the computer is a fairly dangerous opponent.

Factions can have civil wars, which is kind of fun. If you have a crappy king with sons that aren't any better and you want to get rid of them, you can even trigger a civil war on purpose -- either by assassinating your own king (yes, you can do that in MTW!), or by forcing down the loyalty of one of your highest-ranking generals. Then you can choose to back the "Rebels" and oust your own king off the throne!

Of course, religion plays a more significant factor in MTW than in Rome. Dealing with the Pope, calling Crusades & Jihads on the infedel, using one of your Inquisitors to try that enemy general for heresy....it's all good bloody fun. Generals in command of a Crusade/Jihad often gain traits that increase their piety and/or zeal, which is a nice little touch.

I think that's enough for the moment. I could really fill out an entire thread on the differences between Rome and MTW. The only other thing I'll add for the moment is that MTW just seems to have more flavor and atmosphere than Rome. I don't know if there's any one thing that can explain why that is, but I do find the game to be much more immersive than its descendant. MTW feels more like its own world, whereas Rome always felt a little more "gamey" to me.

Are there good mods for Medieval?

Tons!

The most popular "expansion" mods are BKB, XL, and Wes' MedMod. These mods keep the same medieval setting, mostly focusing on adding content (new factions, units, buildings, etc.). The most popular "total conversion" mods are Hellas Total War, Pike & Musket, and Samurai Wars. These convert the game to another period/area entirely (Hellas TW focuses on ancient Greece, Samurai Wars is basically a Shogun mod, etc.).

All these mods are highly regarded, and add tremendously to the game's replayability. There are mumerous other mods available as well, such as Caravel's Pocket Mod. (That's the one I intend to play once I have my new PC up and running.) The mods alone practically make MTW/VI worth getting.

Is it worth buying?

Without a doubt, yes. Given that you can usually find MTW/VI for around $20.00 (U.S.), it's already pretty reasonably priced. When you factor in all the wonderful mods that are available as well, its value is greatly increased.

So run, don't walk, to your nearest game store or Amazon website and get this terrific game! You'll be glad you did.

[Roark]

$0.02:

- Plainer graphics, yet more immersive.
- Tougher, smarter AI.
- VI campaign is a whole new map and style of play
- XL mod dominates. Period. There's 3-4 other really good mods, which Martok has outlined above.

Buy it, dude. You'll love it. I haven't played another computer game for any serious length of time since I purchased MTW.

[Caius]

Wow, Im thinking about the fact if im going to buy it or no.
Shamefully, I dont have all the money.

VI is Viking Invasion?
Is there a 'combo' with both?

And, at least, some screenies of mods?

Thank you

Caius

[Roman_Man#3]

You can get MTW/VI invasion gold, which has both games. or you can get eras, which has every Total War game with expansions, except M2TW. For some screens, I would suggest looking at the hosted mods sections.


Cheers
RM3

[Glyndwr in the Soke]

I am still struggling with my disappointment regarding RTW and MTW2. Some of the things I really liked about MTW and STW cannot be found in RTW or MTW2, even if I like a lot about both. As far as gameplay goes: Well, buying those two basically made me want play MTW again, which I had stopped for a long time, whereas I stopped RTW only a few weeks after getting it, and I am still struggling to find the motivation to finish my initial campaign with MTW2.

!That's how good I believe MTW, especially with VI, is!