CA: What we're up to update (Q&A thread)

[CraigTW]

But perhaps they`re just waiting for a big pile of questions first.

Sorry chaps, just me on these and I've been out of the office - just got back Monday and we had the Fall of the Samurai announce yesterday, so I'm rather on the busy side.. But we'll be getting some answers back to you guys today tomorrow.

[vermicious knid]

In terms of what we’re up to here at CA, we’re currently very busy. As well as the patch we’re working on, we’re actually busy with lots of other things too. We’ll start revealing some of that stuff soon. What I can say is that one of the things we’re working on is something that’s been requested for a long time

Any news on the patch update or what you were referring to in the above statement?

Edit: A record response time, posted question at 9:07 and answered at 9:09.

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Any news on the patch update or what you were referring to in the above statement?

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=498122

[Luis Daoiz y Velarde]

Its been quite some time without any updates about shogun 2... any news of the patch that was being developed?
And most important, seeing you are going to move soon if nto allready to the standalone expansion:
Can we expect any improvements in shogun 2 naval battles? I dont knwo why nobody asked this, they are quite bugged and unplayable, maybe just by raising overall ships morale it could be improved a bit.

[CraigTW]

Its been quite some time without any updates about shogun 2... any news of the patch that was being developed?
And most important, seeing you are going to move soon if nto allready to the standalone expansion:
Can we expect any improvements in shogun 2 naval battles? I dont knwo why nobody asked this, they are quite bugged and unplayable, maybe just by raising overall ships morale it could be improved a bit.

Hopefully my posts in the last couple of days have filled those gaps:

Fall of the Samurai announced
Blood Pack released
Hattori DLC released
Patch released

It's all been pretty intense since I got back into this week, with lots of stuff happening at once - I've been writing forum posts, blogs, Facebook updates, Twitter updates... all kinds of stuff! Usual hectic week in the office. Hopefully you guys feel like you've got the info you've been after.

Tomorrow morning I'll update the thread with a batch of answers, as I promised.

[PROMETHEUS ts]

Can we have an answer on a terrain editor for custom maps please? We really woudl need something like that to make new maps for MP , the actual ones are becoming boring ...

Terrain editor?
Modding tools?

[Luis Daoiz y Velarde]

Great Improvements for MP in the patch!!!

[CraigTW]

OK, here's a load of answers for you guys. If your question hasn't been answered, I'm really sorry - some of them were quite long and in fact multiple questions, but we tried to cover as many as possible.

Enjoy!


Q: Will there be any TW games released in 2012?

Fall of the Samurai is out in March (obvious plug is obvious), which we’re keen to make a massively meaty slice of Total War.

Q : Will the graphics keep improving or are we at a standstill with the hefty Shogun. I don't want to have to buy a super-computer for every TW game.

If you look back on our previous releases (Medieval vs Rome, Medieval 2 vs Empire), there's definitely been a few graphical leaps in the past. Right now we're at a nice place with the modular engine where we can refine and upgrade the graphics without having to throw out the bathwater. So we're certainly going to keep improving graphical fidelity and working to be the best looking game out there, but not to the extent where we're blocking half of the market from playing Total War.

Q : Still steam-only?

Yes. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's really what we see as being the best thing for the game at the moment. I spoke quite frankly about our approach in a couple of threads, laying out what our thought processes are about that. If our stance changes in future, I'll make sure the community are the first to know.

Q: Can you make an update about the modding situation ? Because since S2 was released we haven't seen anything about that aspect (no offense). Thanks

Understandable that you're frustrated about the silence. Believe me when I say that's about getting it right and ensuring that you hear something of substance rather than fobbing you off with platitudes.

Q: It has recently been discovered that the banzai special ability is not functioning as it should, is there any way you guys can fix that and maybe even improve it a bit since it's kind of limp wristed as it is when compared to stealth or hold-firm. I mean these blokes are frenzied and violent they should be beast while in banzai.

I'll absolutely make sure that gets passed on to our QA team and the guys take a look at what's going on there. What I will say is we have made a few changes recently.

Q2 Will you make the campaign map a little more modable?

The campaign map is without a doubt the trickiest thing to mod, because all of the pathfinding data is baked into it. We're thinking about these considerations for future titles, though, and you can bet your bottom dollar that the thoughts and needs of the community are right up there in terms of our considerations.

Q: The power in the total war games is the great offer of much unique units. Tough there where less units (22 or something?) on the last tw game; Shogun2. Can we expect more different units in the next total war game?

It has to be what suits the game. Shogun 2 was all about the "zen" of Total War - paring down the number of units emphasising the rock, paper, scissors gameplay mechanics in a very Sun Tzu rules-based way, so it fit the timeframe. We've released other games that have taken a slightly different approach, so we're definitely open to it. Also, with Shogun 2 we've added a number of units since release for those who want a bit of extra content.

Q: Are you guys actually working on the next ''big'' project or are you still thinking about DLC's?

Fall of the Samurai is our current "big" project - and as a standalone expansion it's definitely more akin to a traditional "big" expansion to the Shogun 2 universe than DLC. We're working on other stuff too, but all of that will be revealed in time…

Q: I want to ask if you guys will still be using Warscape on the next game, even though I dont think I will get a reply.

We've been using "Warscape" in some form since day one, so it's fair to say we subscribe to the idea of continous evolution (not at the expense of revolutionary gameplay updates and leaps in tech).

Q: Can we anticipate significant changes to seige mechanics (in the next game, or soon even as an update for this one), such as the return of seige towers/ladders and their active use? Not being able to knock down a tower full of fellows in the last three releases titles has made me . And do you think you'll ever add an "Oldschool mode" back, and by that I mean have a little checkbox that brings darthmod like mechanics (such as slower, better paced battles) to the game. I don't think it can be that hard to impliment, simply having a set array of values available to change to in the tables that control unit stats?

In Fall of the Samurai you'll definitely see a few changes on the siege mechanics side of things. We'l go into a lot more detail in the coming months on that, we're still tweaking things in the meantime. Regarding the oldschool mode, that's a good idea. I believe the team have discussed it previously, so I wouldn't rule it out - but it has to be right for the game.

Q: are we ever going to see the return of generic animations, such as those seen in M2TW and RTW, or are we going to be seeing motion captured for a while now (it'd be nice to have best of both of course, but that'd probably be resource costly)

We have an awesome mo-cap setup at the studio now, which allows us to create really realistic animations. There is still an element of hand-animation for certain things, but we're pushing more and more for realism in the way units move and act. We're actually talking about setting up a whole new dedicated mo-cap facility in the town which will take things up another notch.

Q: Do CA employees such as yourself play fantastic mods like Third Age: Total War and Stainless Steel?

Yes! I've played both and I've recently been checking out mods like Hyrule: Total War (which is incredibly clever and totally weird)! I know that others in the studio play a lot of the mods that are out there too, and enjoy what the community come up with.

Q. Will you come back to answer question about XML modding?

I hope we'll be able to get back in there soon with another round of answers. I know we've been a bit quiet in there recently, but that's mostly due to the team being extremely busy working on Total War. I'll keep pushing!

Q. Would you consider releasing non compiled lua files for UI modding for NTW, as you released the XML files?

I've talked to the team about this, so they're aware that the community are keen for more stuff. I'll keep you up to date with any movement on that front.

Q. Instead of giving a map editor, would you consider making a DLC just with an updated campaign map with more regions if you get enough demand?

As with any type of business, demand makes the world go round - so if enough people wanted it we’d be fools to not consider it.

Q: Will we ever get the feature to reset veteran upgrades in avatar mode? this means getting back our clan tokens too so we can reapply them etc.

That's something we're considering, and will likely be debating on an ongoing basis.

Q: Why won't you allow modders to modify the Rome TW exe?

That's a very complicated question, and involves a lot of parties. So I won't be able to give you a straight answer there, but the short response is: officially it's a legal thing. We can't come out and say "please modify our exe", as it then makes it sound like we're OK with piracy.

Q: When will modders be allowed to change the Empire map?

When they work out how! We'd love to see what the community can come up with. Modding the campaign map will not be an easy challenge though (not by design, but by consequence).

Q: Will there be more historic battles or even a historic battle editior ?

I'm sure there will be more historical battles. An editor would be great, so it's something we're definitely thinking about.

Q. Can we expect a new place to get E:TW multiplayer campaign beta? (as far as I know, only way was true SEGA's website but you still can't get it )

Sadly we're no longer able to support the Empire Multiplayer Beta. The SEGA pass system is down, so we don't have the mechanism to support it. It was a beta, and all good things do come to an end…

Q. My thought was this. if there were 2 capturable flags (capture either to acheive a win) at opposite ends of the castle (or on different levels) it would make for more interesting and varied seige battles.

Thanks for the thought, sounds like a nice idea.

Q. what game engine will be used for the next game, a new one?

As I said earlier, Warscape has existed in some form since time began.

Q: Will there ever be DLC for DLC ( for Rots) ?

That's a bit Inception! I don't think we've ever thought about it, but it's possible I suppose. The problem from a business standpoint is that you're subdividing a subdivide of your userbase… which it gets hard to make a case for.

Q: But have you guys thought about making units more accurate in dress?

We're always keen to strive for accuracy. From a gameplay perspective, you may have a timeframe that spans across several dress types, though. So it's finding the right balance between accuracy and portraying the general feel of a faction.

Q: Ok can you tell me next update will be big?

FotS will be big, yes.

Q: I'm not asking you to do anything super difficult. But if it would be relatively easy, I'd like to see a change in the way reinforcement works.

Thanks for the thoughts. The battle team are always looking at ways of refining the Total War experience, but there are a number of considerations involved… I'll keep you posted.

Q: On Total War titles, I am still perplexed as to why CA switched from a Risk style format campaign to the “Civilization” one we have today. The former, in my opinion, was the better game. As this decision has impacted the series in many and most significant ways, was there ever a debate about its adoption?

There are constant debates about just about every element in the game here at CA. There's almost always a meeting room full of passionate, enthusiastic Total War fans (the designers) talking about why we do things one way and not another. So yes, I'm sure there was a debate, and we wouldn't want that to stop!

Q: Will sieges be better and more realistic, where proper real-world tactics can be used,at least to MTW2 levels?

The battle guys are really keen to make sieges as realistic as they can be, but they do also have to be fun - so they're keen to find the right balance. They do that by testing thoroughly with a wide variety of gamer types, and they respond to feedback. They're also keen to keep listening to community feedback, so I would encourage you to always bang any drum you feel passionate about.

Q: Will CAI and army AI be improved so as to include character-driven battles? Actual character traits affect how AI fights? Not just added extra stars.

It's an interesting idea. Maybe down the line it would fit into some sort of uber-realism mode. We've certainly attempted to accommodate the hardcore realism fans with recent updates, and we'd like to keep that up.

Q: 3. Will there be a uniform editor for offline SP and the ability to change unit names?

Who knows! We're not going to promise anything for obvious reasons!

Q. 4. Will diplomacy be enhanced without taking away something else. Will we finally get a diplomacy where ANYTHING is tradeable, as in historical reality.

Diplomacy is something that really engages the community, and we've been dutifully noting suggestions, so don't rule anything out.

Q. 5. Blood. Will you guys have actual blood in these games (like MTW2). What is your problem with blood, is it really just to get more gamers, or are you guys just sqeamish? Which would be weird for a game based on constant violence. We've ruled it out in the past. Will we keep ruling it out?

Check out the Blood Pack

Q. When WarRoom will open for register? its down for year…

The War Room was tied into the SEGA pass signups, so we're not able to acitively support it at the moment I'm afraid. Hopefully we'll get some sort of replacement in place at some point, as it's a nice feature.

[Steph]

Q: When will modders be allowed to change the Empire map?

When they work out how! We'd love to see what the community can come up with. Modding the campaign map will not be an easy challenge though (not by design, but by consequence).

Sorry Craig, but frankly this is a strange attitude... Do you expect modders to make the next TW title for you while you are a it?
I understand that you don't want to spend time finalizing an editor for modders, but if you really want them to make an editor, you could at least have the decency to provide more information or an embryo of your own editor to get started.
Give documentation about how your campaign map is structured, and I'm sure modders could come out with something. Just letting them have to second guess what strange idea you may have come with to code your map is not very fair, and not supportive AT ALL.

[Huberto]

Sorry Craig, but frankly this is a strange attitude... Do you expect modders to make the next TW title for you while you are a it?
I understand that you don't want to spend time finalizing an editor for modders, but if you really want them to make an editor, you could at least have the decency to provide more information or an embryo of your own editor to get started.
Give documentation about how your campaign map is structured, and I'm sure modders could come out with something. Just letting them have to second guess what strange idea you may have come with to code your map is not very fair, and not supportive AT ALL.

This.

[Steph]

Q. Instead of giving a map editor, would you consider making a DLC just with an updated campaign map with more regions if you get enough demand?

As with any type of business, demand makes the world go round - so if enough people wanted it we’d be fools to not consider it.

Does several demands from the same guy count ?
More seriously, why don't you create a poll to check the interest here of this kind of things? Honestly, your NTW or ETW campaign map is the biggest flaw in the game, especially in Europe. You would greatly increase the lifespan of the game with a new map, and revive the games. Well, perhaps you don't really want it?
I'm sure you could find a group of modders to help easily if you need workforce.

[Nelduin]

That's no really clear answers. Will see what will be effectively done in the near future.

[Cozur]

On the whole business/demand thing. I imagine that there would be a lot of outcry if modding tools for, say Empire, were released as a DLC, but I know that I would still buy it.

[last_name_left]

Modding the campaign map will not be an easy challenge (not by design, but by consequence).

No, it is by design: poor design.

[Luis Daoiz y Velarde]

I know its the ugly chick nobody wants to talk about but:
Q: Is there going to be any improvements or balancing in naval battles? morale is chaotic, and RoTS ships are way better than the old ones for less kokus... Making victory imposible for non RoTS users...

[renegade765]

Awesome thanks Craig! Anything you guys can do to help modders mess around with world map as people mentioned earlier would be nice.

Mods are the reason I bought Empire day 1. (Though I bought Shogun knowing the limitations.)

[IGdood]

Hey Craig,

Is it possible to see reimplementation of the giving units names like in Empire Total War and Napoleon Total War? It's a very nice feature.
Thanks.

[Steph]

No, it is by design: poor design.

Let's make a compromise. It's by consequence of a poor design.
Honnestly Craig, when we see how many tables/columns in the DB are filled with information but actually not used since the startpos overwrite them... And we see the many information in startpos that are redundant...
Don't tell me your design is the cleanest in the world.

[CraigTW]

[B]
Sorry Craig, but frankly this is a strange attitude... Do you expect modders to make the next TW title for you while you are a it?
I understand that you don't want to spend time finalizing an editor for modders, but if you really want them to make an editor, you could at least have the decency to provide more information or an embryo of your own editor to get started.
Give documentation about how your campaign map is structured, and I'm sure modders could come out with something. Just letting them have to second guess what strange idea you may have come with to code your map is not very fair, and not supportive AT ALL.

What you have to understand is that documentation has to be done by the people who coded the game in the first place, and that takes time away from making the game as good as it can be.

That said, I'm banging the drum about this stuff all the time in the studio, so your requests aren't going un-noted. We are actively talking about and making progress with new ways of sharing information with you guys, as I feel we're behind where we should be on that front.

[Steph]

A thread has been created here for a petition for a new map.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...9#post10678739

I think if we make a reasonnable demand (no new units, new gameplay feature, but just an improved mpa with more region), perhaps CA could consider it won't demande too much resources and could be worth making a DLC for that.

What you have to understand is that documentation has to be done by the people who coded the game in the first place, and that takes time away from making the game as good as it can be.

I'm sure you understand that a good rule of programming is to write documentation BEFORE coding something (specification? Design document?) and to keep it updated as you develop. Since CA is a serious company, I'm sure you are applying the top of the art project management practice, and you already have the documentation, so it shouldn't take any time away.
If that's not the case... Well perhaps it would explain why the making the game as good as it should be may be difficult?

Even if the documentation wasn't designed to be extremly clear for someone outside of the company, I can't believe you don't have something already. Just release it as it is, and let the modders figure out what's needed from that if it's a little messy.

I invite you to relay this line of reasonning to the rest of your team, and see what is damaging to your reputation, and how helping us would be beneficial to it.