Replayability...

[TheKingSpartan]

I've played every faction through to long campaign victory on VH/VH. I'm not saying it is easy, because it certainly is not, but the only faction I've played twice is Gondor. Now I just can't find the motivation to play the game as any faction anymore and when I try I get bored after about 30 turns. What I'm trying to say here is that, for me, the replayability just isn't there as it is in other mods like Stainless Steel. I'm not quite sure yet why that is, maybe it is the small number of factions and tiny map.

Don't get me wrong though, the mod is a brilliant work of art, and I call it a work of art because what the modders of Third Age Total War do is indeed art. The one thing they have failed to do is add the simple thing that vanilla mtw2 has, replayability. Maybe this is because of the whole "LOTR" factor, like, because the mod is based on LOTR, a linear story, it loses that replayability. But anyway, I would like to know what the opinion of the general population of Third Age Total War player's is on the replayability of the mod. Do you agree with me that it lacks replayability compared to vanilla mtw2 and Stainless Steel? (which has remarkable replayability). Or do you find it entertaining to do the same old LOTR stuff over and over again?

Hopefully with your opinions we can give the modders some general ideas on where it lacks replayability so they can, somehow, give the mod players a better gaming experience and enhance their skills of modding.

No flames or trolls please

[Wolfsblut]

Or do you find it entertaining to do the same old LOTR stuff over and over again?

yes

No flames or trolls please

i know, that is usually your job

[Shocked]

Many different factions have many different playing styles, not all of the factions are the same..

[Morph85]

I see what you are getting at, and agree with you to a point, but if you play any game or do anything so much that you have completed every possible option available it will, by definition, be 'completed'. I imagine if you put more hours into the other examples you give, eventually you will say they have lost their replayability as you will have exhausted every 'replayable' option.

If you want more options, download a mod with more factions or different dynamics. I must say I think I'm close to exhausting the game myself (but only because I've spent more time than I would like to admit publicly playing it), so I'm eagerly (as is everyone else) anticipating 1.5 to give new dynamics and add 'replayability'.

My advice, take it or leave it, is find a new game (or mod) to fill your needs until 1.5.

[Seether]

I agree with the OP

[Draziel]

Sure .. every game gets boring after a while. Whether you played it through, wont experience some difficulty when playing it or seen every detail already, the game starts to bore you.
For me TATW's replayability isnt worse than other mods, i think its even better. Other mods about medieval stuff bore me faster than tolkien stuff does (well fantasy is medieval too but there's some difference i guess ...). Most mods are about medieval periods (well the game itself is about it :p), so i get bored faster cause its all quite similar.
But since i didnt prolly play as much TATW than you did we're not on the same level of boredom about it ;p
Maybe install a sub mod or a new ai to add a change to gameplay. worked for me when i installed frome and xai which both are great.

[Mikail Mengsk]

I think it's pretty much a personal belief.

I mean, i like Rhùn, i'm playing a long campaign with them. This time i'v betrayed the dark lord and i'm trying to replace him in world domination. If i decide to start another campaign, i could re-play Rhùn, this time maybe focusing only against good factions. Or maybe betray again the Dark Lord, but later in the game, or even earlier.

EVERY race could be played in different ways. You could break the usual "good vs evil" scheme, or just try other strategies. With Gondor for example you could try to attack straight toward Barad-Dùr, or to invade Harad first and then invade Mordor from the East while keeping the Anduin line.

Sure the "little" map and the whole "good vs evil" concept limits his replayability, but it's not SO bad.

Anyway, OP, if you have completed the long campaign with ALL factions, as you said, you have played this mod a lot

[SinerAthin]

When I played High Elves, I only fought a few two or three battles against Isengard. All the other battles were fought against good factions.

My main intention was to go to Mordor to invade it. I did. But at the same time I pretty much carved a bloody path all the way to it xD

[Morph85]

I pretty much carved a bloody wall all the way to it xD

This will be the death of the hobbits!

Sad times.

[Smaug]

I lost count how many times you said 'replayability' there.

[Shocked]

I lost count how many times you said 'replayability' there.

lolololol, replayability..

[Jean=A=Luc]

If you've had time to finish a campaign with every faction and also have a propensity for playing the same faction multiple times in SS than I'd say it's more of an issue of you needing a break from TW. But who knows...

[Muffer Nl]

+rep

[MDT]

I think there is a problem with replayability for players like me who can't get away from "lore" especially when I play good factions (I can't bring myself to attack onother good faction and was never backtstabbed by one).
But it's the timeframe that is a limit here nothing wrong with the mod itself. If the mod took place earlier in TA there could be civil wars etc as not every good guy was united against sauron because he wasn't a obvious danger for everyone back then and the evil guy weren't tht united too.

[MonkeyChief]

Lol Muffer - I love the hat! +rep

[Ozzmosis]

I think this is true, but I think (hope) that this will be fixed with 1.5 and Arnor. (for a while at least) For me, what I'm really waiting for is DaC 4.0.
1 - It will give a whole new feel to the entire thing
2 - it will have lots of scripts that give new flavour
3 - new events and videos (as will 1.5)
4 - New units, heroes, map features etc.
I think that the fact that there aren't very many units (apart from for Gondor and mordor) and the fact that there are only one or two general strategies for each faction limit the replayability, but with 1.5, or new mods, the limits will be extended.

[Vayze]

what I'm really waiting for is DaC 4.0.

[Lioncross]

"Yo Dawg, I heard you like Gondor, so we put Osgiliath next to Osgiliath, so you can protect it while you seige it!"

I've played Gondor 4 times and the other good factions once, except Rohan/Dwarfts. Haven't played any bad factions.

The MOD kicks ass and I really don't know how you can get bored quickly.

[Ozzmosis]

"Yo Dawg, I heard you like Gondor, so we put Osgiliath next to Osgiliath, so you can protect it while you seige it!"

I've played Gondor 4 times and the other good factions once, except Rohan/Dwarfts. Haven't played any bad factions.

The MOD kicks ass and I really don't know how you can get bored quickly.

I played almost non-stop for about 5 months, realised I wasn't having fun with it any more, and moved on to CoW. But now, after a break of a few months, I am back, and holding my breath for 1.5 and DaC.

[RyuAzai]

I enjoy replaying it, but it is also because after a "run" for a few hours I might not get back to it for a week or a few days and I like to start fresh.

Also, if two good factions start a war with me... It kinda ruins it, so I try to get an alliance with everyone, but the Dwarves and High Elves always frigging go at it. (I mostly play Silvan or Rohan)

And I also can't bring myself to Mordor, Isen, or Orcs of the Misties, because it is LOTRs. I can play off Harad and Rhun because I attack Mordor as quickly as possible.

But I think some factors of less replay, would be not as many rebel settlements compared to vanilla MT2(What I like is that everyone starts on 'equal' footing) And not as many factions.

Though what I like about MT2 is also what I wouldn't want for Third Age. Mordor is suppose to be powerful. Gondor is suppose to struggle a bit, along with Rohan. And the other factions have lots of their own problems.