Another end of a TW era?

[Guy]

Rome: Total War was released on September 22, 2004. It was one of the most successful strategy games on the market. Then in 2005 The Creative Assembly released the expansion pack for this Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion. But has this all come to an end now since the release of Medieval Total War 2 and this other new TW game that I can't remember what it's called. Is this the end of RTW...

[gargarensi]

I pretty sure the game you're talking about is Empire Total War and no, as long as fans like us keep playing, Rome Total War will live forever

[sumaznguy]

M2TW is better graphically and gameplay wise. BUT. I love the setting of RTW much better. Lots of diverse units and Phalanx!!!!!!. Well RTW makes it easier to make an all foot army and win many battles, while in M2TW, the enemy has so much cavalry, and spearmen are vastly inferior to Phalanx.

[The Good]

It is not the end of Rome: Total War for me! I am using two modifications currently, Rome: Total Realism Gold Edition (on my laptop), and Europa Barbarorum 8.01 on my main computer (It is a little laggier than RTR though). I think these modifications, especially the more well known ones, will offer plenty for the lifespan of Rome: Total War.

-Lucius Julius


P.S. I love Medieval II: Total War as much as the next guy here, I even have the Kingdoms Expansion pack, but lately, I have been a little more into playing Rome: Total War, with mods.

[Scutarii]

RTW all the way!!! RTW will never die! Rome=the eternal city+the eternal game.

[marine513]

would be great if they made a RTW 2 with medieval type of graphics and engine, but kept the same old roman feel to the game

im reinstalling Rome right now as a matter of fact. i do own mtw2 and kingdoms, but Rome just seems to be dying to be played.

[Garbarsardar]

Well, by looking at the RTW modding community I don't exactly get that feeling. Just look at the viewers in the forum index (at the time of this post there are 99 viewing RTW and 79 viewing M2TW). RTW has retained its popularity much more than anyone would have expected.

There are many factors that contributed to this:

• Excellent mods that in many cases made a TotalNew game...
• The greater appeal of the ancient era regarding military tactics
• The greater appeal of the ancient era deriving from our relatively better knowledge about it (as pop culture goes)
• The unsolved problems of the M2TW battle map (cavalry charge-sieges-unit cohesion)
• The initial inability to unpack needed files for general overhaul in M2TW
• The greater complexity of M2TW modding
• The greater demands (hardware-wise) of this game

Can you really compare Gladiator to Kingdom of Heaven?

[Roman_Man#3]

Well, by looking at the RTW modding community I don't exactly get that feeling. Just look at the viewers in the forum index (at the time of this post there are 99 viewing RTW and 79 viewing M2TW). RTW has retained its popularity much more than anyone would have expected.

There are many factors that contributed to this:

• Excellent mods that in many cases made a TotalNew game...
• The greater appeal of the ancient era regarding military tactics
• The greater appeal of the ancient era deriving from our relatively better knowledge about it (as pop culture goes)
• The unsolved problems of the M2TW battle map (cavalry charge-sieges-unit cohesion)
• The initial inability to unpack needed files for general overhaul in M2TW
• The greater complexity of M2TW modding
• The greater demands (hardware-wise) of this game

Exactly. I have no worries about the future of Rome Total War.

Can you really compare Gladiator to Kingdom of Heaven?

Of course I can, but we won't get into that.

[Garbarsardar]

Exactly. I have no worries about the future of Rome Total War.



Of course I can, but we won't get into that.

And why not?

[Professor420]

When will you buy Empire TW?
I've already bought it! 13%
Pre-Order! 12%
Day of Release If there are any! 27%
One Week After 7%
One Month After 8%
I'm Still Playing Rome! 34%

[drak10687]

When will you buy Empire TW?
I've already bought it! 13%
Pre-Order! 12%
Day of Release If there are any! 27%
One Week After 7%
One Month After 8%
I'm Still Playing Rome! 34%

You do have to consider however, that about 1000 votes in, the "day of release" and "I'm still playing rome" options were about even, iirc (as I always enter the forums through the front page, I notice). If we recall back to our stats. math course, I believe that a random sample of any population, only needs about 33 individuals in order to get results that will be within 1-2% or what you would get if you were to conduct a survey of the ENTIRE population. However, as the votes have been going up, the "I'm still playing Rome" option has been getting more and more.

Well, I know I click it every time I go onto the site from a different computer, or for some reason my cookies were cleared and I can vote again... so I think the fans of RTW constantly do the same thing, while the "day of release" option doesn't get those RE-votes simply because a game that has not been released yet doesn't have those dedicated fans...

Now, this could also be used to argue that R:TW is still very popular, and I completely agree, however, I just wanted to point out that the numbers may not be so accurate...

[Centurion1981]

With the success of Greek related films such as Alexander,Troy and 300, I'm surprised they have not made a Greek expansion or an all new Greek Total War game. I doubt this game will die anytime soon. There are too many people like myself who are fascinated with these times.

There is also that new title that Sega has in the works. The game's new engine will allow players to fight actual naval battles. There is supposedly many new features with new technology. That new technology could be huge for future RTW based mods.

[Selifator]

I've played every TW game and I can say that Rome is by far my favourite.
M2 is enjoyable but starting catholic factions are all the same, spearmen, foot archers and mailed knights. Rome, because of the different cultures(which are not historically correct but that's beside the point), makes for far more fun. First turns of a game make it or break it for me.
Having the same units over and over again, or having factions with unique units(exept the standard units and Romans) fighting each other.

And I don't even want to mention Kingdoms. I do NOT enjoy that game.
Too few factions, boring units, not many new units and it just doesn't do it for me. I played Scots to the end, and only because I spammed armies with money cheat. In the end I played only for fun, not because I was having a good time with the game.
Rome will always stand at the top for me. So I hope that will use a new game engine for R2TW.

[sumaznguy]

I've played every TW game and I can say that Rome is by far my favourite.
M2 is enjoyable but starting catholic factions are all the same, spearmen, foot archers and mailed knights. Rome, because of the different cultures(which are not historically correct but that's beside the point), makes for far more fun. First turns of a game make it or break it for me.
Having the same units over and over again, or having factions with unique units(exept the standard units and Romans) fighting each other.

That's exactly what I am talking about. RTW has a more diverse unit selection, while the unit selection in M2TW is very generic compared to RTW.

[Metellus]

Although I enjoy M2TW a lot, RTW still gets my Total Vote. I started with TW with Rome and IMHO its the best theatre for a TW game. A budding empire destined for greatness and for conquering the whole world. There is no faction in M2 with this poised-ness (if you like), which is just waiting to be led to greatness. Freakin' awesome! I also don't play the non-Roman factions much, even in EB; I struggle to get into them, they seem to be like sideshows, while Rome (whatever the period, RTW or BI) always beckons most convincingly!

[Domitius]

I think that RTW will never die, cause it's a more interesting period than Medieval is. I like the roman period, like many others, and there are more famous personalities there. The legend of rome is, to smiplify everything, more exciting!

[Wanted]

I've been playing rome almost everyday since it came out in 2004, and up to this point, i havent been bored once!

[Emperor Leo]

With the success of Greek related films such as Alexander,Troy and 300, I'm surprised they have not made a Greek expansion or an all new Greek Total War game.

I, too, wondered that. I suppose we got the Alexander expansion, but I would've liked to have seen a full blown expansion where you got to choose your faction (i.e. Sparta, Athens, Persia, India, etc). Like Barbarian Invasion in terms of gameplay, yet based in the East.

Anyway, I only discovered the joys of Rome TW this year. After a year of the game sitting on my shelf, I decided to give it a whirl. So glad I did! Still playing it. Also own Medieval 2, but I won't be starting it until I've got Alexander finished off.

[The Sundance Kid]

I, too, wondered that. I suppose we got the Alexander expansion, but I would've liked to have seen a full blown expansion where you got to choose your faction (i.e. Sparta, Athens, Persia, India, etc). Like Barbarian Invasion in terms of gameplay, yet based in the East.

Anyway, I only discovered the joys of Rome TW this year. After a year of the game sitting on my shelf, I decided to give it a whirl. So glad I did! Still playing it. Also own Medieval 2, but I won't be starting it until I've got Alexander finished off.

Rise of Persia is definately the mod you're looking for then, thats almost it in a nutshell, and its a great, fun mod too.

Like everyone up there has said *points wildly in an upwards direction* RTW will never go out of fashion with people like us because there's so many decent mods out there, so even if you tire of one, theres bout a hundred others ready to be played. Some mods are just phenomenal, almost an entirely new game, and the only thing I can possibly see setting RTW back is its inferior engine and certain features compared to Medieval and (soon) Empire. I love the ancient setting though, and choosing your faction heir is the one thing I severely miss in Medieval

[Steel of Fury]

I wouldn't mind if it's the end. It's one of the best games in the market and can be played with pleasure way into the future.