1. For any readers who might be unfamiliar with you, can you provide a brief description of yourself and your work here on Total War Center?
bourboncream: I am pretty new to TWCenter, bought here to post mainly because of ROME 2 but I have lurked around previously as I also own Napoleon TW. As a TW player I suppose I fall into the casual category, I dont believe that I am particularly that good at the game and will hold my hands up to not having the historical knowledge of many on here... however I have been able to learn significantly and due to the game have delved even further into Roman history. With regards to my work, well I tried and failed earlier just after release with a Roman diary, a patch corrupted my save and as such ended the campaign. However after waiting for a few more patches and practicing in between, I have come back to have another go at conquering with the Romans! My writing style probably is off the 'norm' as such, because rather than telling a story, I post updates with images and focus mainly on how my Romans are doing.
Lugotorix: I'm Lugotorix, and I go by Lug, or Lugo to the community. I've completed or am in the process of completing three AARs in Rome II. One focuses on the mid to late game politics of the 'Carthaginian Empire' on H, another which was really enjoyable as Scipio and the Roman Republic in the 2nd Punic war, in HatG on VH, and one as a self challenge as the Odrysian Kingdom on H, since it was so easy to steamroll the map in Rome I vanilla as them and they were less fleshed out. I like to participate in the site contests. I'm a writer for for the Eagle Standard as well.
Chirugeon: I have been a member of TWC for about 8 years. I joined during the time of RTW1. I started dabbling around with AAR writing with vanilla RTW and then I discovered EB which basically changed everything. It was engaging and realistic. I did some beta testing with some of the EB versions and wrote several AARs. One was with Carthage, then Iberia, Rome, and Ptolemies. I also wrote some stories with Skyrim and posted them in the Non total war AAR section. Currently working on an AAR with Massalia.
2. Before the release of Rome 2, there was obviously a lot of excitement. However, the game came under heavy criticism from all corners shortly after its release. In light of this, what inspired you to embark upon and continue penning a Rome 2 AAR?
bourboncream: Personally I am still excited by Rome 2. I could debate the good and bad of this or any other game, but when I look at what Rome 2 allows me to do in the game and then with my imagination, there is nothing better than being able to watch Romans (albeit graphical sprites) going into combat in all their pomp and glory. I can also add that as I am not a huge veteran of TW games, I dont necessarily look to compare or look for problems.... I play what I have been given and its fun and to enhance that I like to write about my campaign as it keeps things fresh in my memory and hopefully people enjoy what I am sharing.
Lugotorix: I've found that in the early stages of incessant criticism, it was better to avoid the forums and enjoy the game, as just being around such a prevailing negative sentiment made me more pessimistic about the things I felt the game got wrong, such as reinforcement range exploits by the AI. I was inspired to write my first AAR, The Bastard Son of Hannibal Barca, because I was lucky enough to not only have Hannibal Barca become a major faction leader character in my campaign, but the political actions that came out of the campaign were intriguing and made some sense, as opposed to the chaos everyone was saying Politics were at the time.
Chirugeon: I went ahead and starting writing an AAR for Epirus and found Radious's mod. Unfortunately the game was being patched so often that it made playing a long campaign difficult. I decided to wait till the game got more stable. So essentially I tried but with all the rapid patches coming out and Radious's epic effort with his massive mod it seemed I was always working with an outdated version. So many things you had to start a new campaign to see the effect of.
3. The writing community in particular has been very vocal in its criticism of the game’s lack of ‘roleplaying features’ – noting specifically the absence of a family free system and fewer skill traits to personalize characters. Do feel that these are obstacles to writing a Rome 2 AAR and, if so, how do you work around them?
bourboncream: Well this is probably where my AAR comes in differently and although I would love a family tree etc, my update style of writing is not overly affected by the lack of this. I do try and bring across my feelings for my Generals as in game with the way I play, I often get attached to them and as per my writing a certain General will often come to the fore in certain 'in game campaigns' like my effort against the Gauls with Papus, or in Britannia and Iberia. Im sure more of these will occur in my game and as I say I have to use my own imagination to bring that out, so it would be nice for additional features but even without them, I am able to write in my style and not get disappointed or lose motivation.
Lugotorix: Absolutely I feel they're both impediments to RP. One has to give examples of characters acting their parts, rather than the traits themselves just entering the flow of the game [disloyalty or a higher rebellion risk] You're given more liberties in historical fiction to give the characters family structure and personality, and that's actually a project I have arranged for The Black-Hearted Lords of Thrace, where I'll actually map out how I viewed the family tree (based on naming conventions) but for the main part It's a lot easier to tell the story from a one sided historical chronology of the faction and it's actors.
Chirugeon: This is quite true. Lack of a family tree is a real issue for AAR writers. However there are some rather clever and creative modders out there. The mod Talents, Traits, and Toadies gave new life to characters and allowed them to specialize their skills. Also their ancillaries for the mod are quite good and useful. It was definitely an obstacle till I found that mod.
4. How much have the Rome 2 DLC releases impacted on your AARtistry? Do you feel they’ve been sufficient in opening up new avenues for the writer and aiding the Rome 2 AAR scene? Or are they perhaps largely irrelevant?
bourboncream: I like the DLCs because I like more units and I love the Blood! As such I have invested in all of them but not the 'Ladies DLC' just because it dosent hold well with me, although im no historian and woman could well be vital to this period of time. So the impact it has had for me is; more Roman units, more choice as a Roman campaigner and also more variety in enemy units such as Lusitania, the Arveni and so on. With an overall take on things, im sure that all AAR writers would love to have more units available to them and even the option of the smaller campaigns such as Hannibal or Gaul. Variety is the spice of life after all!
Lugotorix: I wouldn't have been able to tell two of my three AARs without DLC content. I really liked Hannibal at the Gates and completed two campaigns, but I felt in order to have an identifiable antagonist at the head of each faction, that the Better Characters for HatG was a necessary add-on so the faction leaders wouldn't die. I also felt that a roster expansion was necessary for Pirates and Raiders because OK was rather unpolished and one-faceted at release. I still don't think the 'By Toutatis, Nemossos must be defended or liberated.' bug has been fixed.
Chirugeon: I dont particularly like the focused DLCs. I prefer the grand campaign. So the DLCs that were really great were of course the Greek States, and Empire Edition. The EE was a gamechanger in that it breathed new life into the AI. One day I may visit one of the DLCs like HATG. Only because I have a real love of Iberia and Carthage.
5. Over the past year, do you feel that mods have made a difference to how you approach Rome 2 AARs? Are there any mods in particular that have had a significant impact on the storytelling aspect of the game?
bourboncream: I’d have to pass on this one, mainly as I don't use mods. Now that may sound crazy and in the future I probably will dabble, but the only mod I tried which was to enhance the graphics ended up causing me more problems than it was worth. So I have stuck with Vanilla and the DLCs. From an outside perspective, mods will always offer a writer something new to work with and that is always a good thing to stretch the life of the game and the community.
Lugotorix: The mod's I'm using are Sebidee's Balkan unit roster expansion and Better characters for HatG. I'll probably wait until an overhaul that incorporates Emperor Edition and BI II to use a major game-changing mod, as I wasn't altogether unhappy with vanilla's mechanics, although I feel they've improved a ton through patches. I'm looking forward to Rome II: Total Realism, and of course the Spartacus and other historical overhauls for HatG are great additions.
Chirugeon: Well as I previously mentioned the Talents Traits and Toadies mod is really important for me to roleplay. Radious's complete mod is an absolute must in my opinion. Having a good mod where you can control the camera more so than in vanilla is important also. Anything that helps make pictures a bit more crisp and having unit variety keeps the story interesting. I also change army stacks to 40 to make the battles that much more epic
6. If there was one thing you could add to or change about the game, in order to make it more accessible to the AARtist, what would it be?
bourboncream: Replays to be alot better, easier to control and getting better camera angles for all events. For some images might not be important, but for me it helps convey what has happened in my campaign and at times the replay function is a pain. A lack of rewind causes me problems, especially when trying to find that key event from a battle. I would add to that the camera angles at times just not working, walls and cities often get in the way, there is clipping and sometimes a close up is harder to get than it should be.
Lugotorix: A family tree, and names for the characters wives. This is something that can be fixed in an expansion.
Chirugeon: I think that adding a family tree would be invaluable. That is the one thing that is missing. Also don't make it like Mtw2 where you could not pick your successor! I have no idea whose terrible idea it was to put a family tree in the game and then have no control over who took over. Sorry just had to vent.
7. On the other hand, what features does Rome 2 already have that make it more interesting to write about compared to other titles? Are there any features you couldn’t live without?
bourboncream: Just being set in Rome makes it interesting for me. The feeling of marching a Legion into battle is second to none and the way the game looks when you have over 2000 men, sometimes double that all lined up ready to fight is just magnificent. The battles are what make this game and combined with the ability to dominate the world (as such) it hits the spot for me. I think the variety in land, regions, factions and units gives the AAR writer alot of ammo to work with... not just being Rome, but taking on Egpyt or rebuilding the Macedonians... maybe taking on Carthage to change the world or even the Britons and leaving their island home to conquer foe... the options are limitless and if you have a good imagination what can’t be done with Rome, pales in comparison to what can be.
Lugotorix: More provinces and the provincial system gives you the ability to have Kings of regions as the Hellenistic and Barbarian factions without modding in titles such as Chivalry or Stainless Steel, where the administrator can be a clear character. Also the added number of factions adds to realism and immersion. The choice in retinues also helps role-playing a bit. Politics in the Emperor Edition is quite fun.
Chirugeon: The quality of the graphics, the unit variety, the variety of the men of the unit, the blood, the lighting, and the overall polished look of the game after 15 patches. Also I can say that the AI is much less predictable and the game is actually challenging.
8. The original Rome Total War, alongside Medieval 2, still has a flourishing AAR scene, whereas later titles have always suffered in terms of popularity and activity. Do you think Rome 2 AARs have a bright future?
bourboncream: Definitely. The game has received alot of support and yes people will argue it should have been in a better state at release, but 15 patches, free DLC and other DLC available, seriously with the way some games come out and are just left, we have been lucky that CA are still with us and trying to put right some wrongs. That said, gaming communities are more fluid now than they were... people are always looking for the next thing to play, Rome 2 may be on peoples radars for just 6 months because 'x' has been released etc and we are in a age where there is so much more choice now. Rome 2 has alot of the ingredients to allow people to tell a story, share their campaign and offer a reader something to enjoy. With that, there should be a bright future and I hope there is.
Lugotorix: Yes. I think Emperor Edition will bring a lot of people to the scene who haven't previously considered it, and further expansions will make the game more on par in detail and micro-management to Medieval 2 and it's modifications.
Chirugeon: Part of this comes down to the fact that the AAR section seems quite neglected. The explosion of live streams, Machimas(spelling), and other fancy video productions with lots of editing have eroded AARs. I think that people would rather watch something then read it...sadly. I do not see a bright future for AAR writing if this trend continues. One way to stem the tide might be to feature and AAR on the main page every once in a while. For example Radious is going to allow me to post my AAR on his forum.
9. So, it’s been a year since release, how do you feel this year has been for Rome 2 writing in general? Has it lived up to expectations? Improved as it’s gone along? Any defining moments? Or are you just looking forward to 2015?
bourboncream: Obviously it would be nice to have more AARs to read, but the ones on TWCenter are fantastic and I will apologise to fellow writers right now as I am the worst person for posting a comment in threads :o However be assured I do read any that are updated and maintained such as Lugotorix and Teanon. Lets be honest, it could and should be busier, but it is what it is and with the game improving all the time, more DLCs, the potential with the new Emperor DLC to add family trees etc, im sure that the rest of 2014 and beyond will be a success for all those involved in Rome 2 and the AAR community.
Lugotorix: Well, in the Writing study, we've had a couple of MAARC winners, with some even taking first place so that's good news. In terms of my formatting I've deviated from a pulp approach to writing AARs to editing each photo and a more novelistic style.
Chirugeon: I will be honest and say that compared to other titles especially the original RTW it is quite barren. The writers that have contributed have been pretty good however people tend to start an AAR and then stop. There are dozens of AARs on the forum for RTW2 that are only one page. I think that we will continue to see a downward slide in views and comments because so many people are watching live streams and what not. I am not critiquing that format and I love the Machimas(spelling) like Rise of The North, but without a family tree and stuff like that it is going to be hard to pull in people to role play. Who knows maybe typing out of AARs will be like vinyl records and make a return!
10. Thank you all for participating in this! Do you have any closing thoughts? Any tips or advice for anyone wanting to begin a Rome 2 AAR perhaps?
bourboncream: Firstly enjoy the game, nothing else matters. If you enjoy it and then want to share that, go for it. It dosent have to be a marathon of posts or writing, my AAR is probably the least content in terms of 'storyline' there is, but I enjoy what I do and I hope those who read it can share in that with me. The game has stacks of potential and with a bit of imagination so does an AAR...
Thanks to everyone who has read and commented on my AAR to date, thanks to TWCenter for hosting such forums for us to express ourselves and thanks to Hitai and the Critics Quill for inviting me to do this interview, im humbled and thoroughly enjoyed sharing my answers.
Lugotorix: No problem. My advice would be not to give up on your campaigns. You never know when something interesting and worth sharing will happen, or when you'll have to opportunity to do so yourself in Rome II.
Chirugeon: We have to work hard to push to get our work in more locations or to have a featured AAR on the main page as a sticky or something. This is big website and most people visit the main page and then some will go other places. Catch them at the front door to maximize the product. If you are going to have an AAR have an original idea and be ready for a fair amount of dedication. Do not let game play exceed your writing. In other words don't play 30 turns past your last chapter and expect to be able to remember details. There are tons of other things I could help with regarding tips but for now that about sums it up!
The Critic's Quill: Issue 44
saut dans le vide
His Dudeness of TWC
Sugar free
I'll leave you to your sleep now but when you wake up I want a response.
Frothy Goodness
Originally Posted by m_1512
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