Thorondor Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Unless you've been living under that proverbial rock, you should already know this: the hugely anticipated Total War: Shogun 2 has been released to the jostling masses of katana-wielding PC strategy gamers the world over through conventional and digital retail outlets. From the official site:Shogun 2 is the ultimate refinement of the original formula with a new, cutting-edge AI, more polish and online functionality than ever before. The result is the perfect mix of real-time and turn-based strategy gaming that invites both veterans of Total War and new players to experience the enjoyment and depth of the series.One more for the hermits: a demo is also available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 :Mutters something about Steam and no buy: EDIT:Also this is becoming soooo usual for CA... Pay and get half of the game now, a quarter later and last quarter never. They never fixed Empires, bloody bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireWarrior Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Is already en route to my apartment thanks to Amazon, gonna be nice to get back to the old Shogun style of warfare. Also, why bother getting upset about AA? Honestly, the demo looked sharp enough, even with most options turned off by scripting. Total Wars main feature has never been graphics, nor should it be. Can't say I approve of them delaying it, but honestly if you cancel pre-orders as some people are threatening with due to this, then you really need to reassess your priorities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Is already en route to my apartment thanks to Amazon, gonna be nice to get back to the old Shogun style of warfare. Also, why bother getting upset about AA? Honestly, the demo looked sharp enough, even with most options turned off by scripting. Total Wars main feature has never been graphics, nor should it be. Can't say I approve of them delaying it, but honestly if you cancel pre-orders as some people are threatening with due to this, then you really need to reassess your priorities.I'm not really upset about AA or DX10 or 11, I'm upset about CA promising to deliver and never living up to it. And patching is not really that bothersome but some of their games remained half finished. As I already wrote, Empires has such AI problems everybody has given up on it after CA declared there will be no more patches. I'm definitely not buying any of their products until- they are fully patched and players say it's good enough- they are not Steam exclusive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knan Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 As I already wrote, Empires has such AI problems everybody has given up on it after CA declared there will be no more patches.Wouldn't say that. According to steam statistics, more people are playing it than Napoleon. Is Napoleon worse? - they are not Steam exclusive.Silly, IMO. Steam is moderately sane, and miles better than Ubi's DRM disaster. I'll be getting Shogun 2, no question about that. Enjoyed the hell out of Shogun way back when. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireWarrior Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I still play Empire every once in a while, with a friend in campaign co-op. If everyone has given up on it, does that mean I don't exist? Ok, silly jokes aside I do understand the position, it has been a increasing issue for years now, half-finished games being put out with vague promises of "We'll patch it up" and then getting nowhere. Don't really bother following CA history on the matter though, I just enjoy the scope of the games. Plus I'm weird, I found the sail-and-wind sea battles in empire an absolute blast, far far more amusing than land battles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Silly, IMO. Steam is moderately sane, and miles better than Ubi's DRM disaster.I don't doubt Steam's usefulness for an average player of games. Things get patched up by themselves etc etc, sounds great. I get nausea just from thinking that for playing a game I need to install something big-brother-like and keep it on my comp. If I just needed Steam for installation I'd be ok with it. I understand the wish of game companies to verify the bough product, than please leave me and my game alone. I still play Empire every once in a while, with a friend in campaign co-op. If everyone has given up on it, does that mean I don't exist? ARGH. You have a point though. My opinion is based on TotalWar Centre people and they moan and moan about the AI being worse than in Shogun1... Plus I'm weird, I found the sail-and-wind sea battles in empire an absolute blast, far far more amusing than land battles Why is that weird? That is the only element of Empires that made me want to buy it, otherwise the time period is completely unappealing to me. Napoleon even less. Funny enough, Shogun2 has sea battles "dumbed down" as Japanese of the period didn't use sails (at least on the battleships). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I would not even think about writing about Shogun2 in more detail than Dragooon at Total War Center, so I'll just link his review. I admit I'm tempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Ehm, I'm flip flopping like nobody's business. This discussion is also something to keep in mind. It seems all clans are mostly the same and the game, while being good, severely lacks diversity. An explanation; in Rome:TW, M2:TW etc. etc. you have a variety of very different factions. You are forced to make the best use of what that faction has and that means VERY different style of play (meaning building cities, training units and fighting battles) and art. Playing with Ottoman empire is COMPLETELY different from playing as Scots. In S2:TW that seems to be missing. That is most likely also somewhat historically true but I'm sure CA should be able to get some diversity also backed by historical facts. Sometimes you just need to blow a fact a bit out of real proportions and (ab)use it to add to gameplay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 From what I've read so far, SV, I think one thing is pretty indisputable: that Shogun 2 does have the production values to match its pedigree (if not the hype). Strategic competence coupled with an assortment of neat additions all wrapped to the hilt in eye-popping visuals makes this sequel almost a no-brainer purchase for fans. It has its imperfections to be sure, yet they hardly outshine its merits. Still, as I've pointed out once before speaking of games in general: waiting a few months will both improve the experience out of the gate (due to patching/balancing) and the price will drop, making it a much better value-for-money proposition overall... :: Will SV manage to resist the lure, though? Watch this space for the following episodes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Will SV manage to resist the lure, though? Watch this space for the following episodes... I wouldn't... But Steam makes it a 99% no buy. I'll leave a 1% chance of me stumbling, but if I managed with Empires and Napoleon... I will most likely resist it now, too. My TW appetites are sated with incredible M2TW mods and will remain such for the foreseeable future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knan Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 *crinkling of shrinkwrap* You'll stumble. It's fun. When the coop campaign works well in a patch or two, you won''t be able to resist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 He he he... Nope, I'm sure I'll resist. Absolutely sure. Shogun2:TW AI is "officially" crap. Strategic AI is completely unable to run an empire. And CA knew that, so the game spawns whole armies just out of your sight to stay competitive. There is already a mod to remove the spawning but that leaves the AI defenceless and ruins the game. This does not happen on harder difficulties, it happens at all levels. This is just SO funny, especially when you see the price of the game. I'm so not sorry for not buying this piece of shit. I don't even care if the game is still fun to play or not, after all TW games CA should know better. Sorry for going ballistic but this is a HUGE disappointment. CA is a disgrace to its own past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireWarrior Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Because the AI in total war was waaay better back in the day... Is it silly? Yes. Are CA douchebags for hiding it? Yeah. Does it, in any way, shape or form, damage the gameplay experience as such? No, you just get more battles. Don't see any reason to get all up in arms about it. It's a developer, of course they are lying their asses off about their game, it's standard practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Does it, in any way, shape or form, damage the gameplay experience as such? No, you just get more battles. To me it would. Come on... Spamming armies?! In 7th iteration of the game?! ARGH! Perhaps it is time to admit they are unable to do a decent AI and just kill the franchise before it dies on its own. Ok ok, I admit you're most likely the voice of reason and I'm the reason of voice but still... 7th iteration and this?!?!?!?! DAMN that is a step backwards beyond all roots. First TW game to spam armies. I'd be happier for a shot in the head of TW series (meaning quitting it altogether) than this slow injection of lethal drugs. PAINFUL lethal drugs. First Steam only, than Empires AI, than nothing new with Napoleon, now AI being handed armies so that it doesn't need to manage an empire. Ahhhhh... Don't mind me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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