Why is this mod the most active?

[Boris]

Recently I went back to playing RTW again, and started playing EB, assuming thats the best mode ever created for RTW......

But scrolling these forums I noticed this mod has much more ppl playing it? Why? What makes this mod better than EB? Can someone tell me in a concise manner?

Thanks!

[algorath]

I dont remember EB well, back when i played both i enjoyed RS much more, so i sticked with it
Why is this forum more active? Most likely because of the RSII developement

[tone]

Basically a lot of people liked RS1.5 because of these main things....
1) the game dynamics are different - it's a somewhat faster paced game than EB
2) Roman legions
3) larger scale map
Those are probably the main reasons. EB is a great mod too - more historically accurate than RS1.5, loads of enhancements like language changes, huge amounts of work going into optimising the experience that each culture brings, and so on.

[Rick]

In my opinion RS looks better; the campaign map is bigger and brighter, the battles (with the new 1.6) are nicer looking not to mention the battle AI seems to be improved. Picture wise, EB was rather dull. Although I have to admit, EB's mechanics were exceptional.

[cherryfunk]

You're asking the wrong question, Boris.

The correct question is: Why is this mod the most awesome?

[Boris]

Why is this mod the most AWESOME?

[cherryfunk]

Why is this mod the most AWESOME?

[Theoroshia]

^ A picture is worth a thousand words.

[Boris]

Im sorry if I insult years of hard work but I dont see the uber awesomeness.... The landscape certainly looks good, spread of trees and such but what is trick? Is it the landscapes that make RS awesome?

[florin80]

Lol. I`m sorry cherryfunk, but you sorta deserve the twist of events. You`re one of the senior devs of this team. You can`t make statements like "this mod [is] the most awesome" even if you, understandably, believe it. Any parent loves his child. If the rtw modding section would not be so depopulated right now you could have got into a very long "discussion" with fanboys of other mods. The most/best part imo is strictly relative to the player. As in "the mod that suits one best". Personally whenever I had mod powers I stopped any discussion trying to publicly/objectively conclude which mod is the best, not only because it`s an argument that can`t be won, but because by its very competitive nature is bound to be offensive to some and I`d rather see mods cooperate than compete.

But scrolling these forums I noticed this mod has much more ppl playing it? Why? What makes this mod better than EB? Can someone tell me in a concise manner?

Well, in my experience the sort of popularity that translates into very active sub-forums is a combination of two factors:
- an already released mod so that people have what to talk about and maybe even more importantly
- a new coming version that is constantly previewed via new in game graphics.
Basically people come to see what`s coming next. It`s that looking forward towards the release combined with individual expectations and hopes of influencing the outcome that keeps people focused. And a sense of being involved in the process. Once the new version is released there will be a boom in activity, but relatively soon afterwords there is the drop. EB has less people visiting them in part because the mod has been released for a relatively long time, people already have it, there are no new previewes on its rtw version and no plans for a new release(for rtw) so there`s less reason to visit the sub-forum. Which btw, doesn`t necessarily mean that less people actually play it. It`s a cycle I`ve seen for all major mods.

[Finn]

Well, in my experience the sort of popularity that translates into very active sub-forums is a combination of two factors:
- an already released mod so that people have what to talk about and maybe even more importantly
- a new coming version that is constantly previewed via new in game graphics.
Basically people come to see what`s coming next. It`s that looking forward towards the release combined with individual expectations and hopes of influencing the outcome that keeps people focused. And a sense of being involved in the process. Once the new version is released there will be a boom in activity, but relatively soon afterwords there is the drop. EB has less people visiting them in part because the mod has been released for a relatively long time, people already have it, there are no new previewes on its rtw version and no plans for a new release(for rtw) so there`s less reason to visit the sub-forum. Which btw, doesn`t necessarily mean that less people actually play it. It`s a cycle I`ve seen for all major mods.

What you say is very true florin. I for one have only played RS once and that was way back in in one of its earlier versions. The reason I constantly check out this forum is because of the screenies that tone regularly posts in the preview threads. RS 2 is going to be breathtakingly beautiful, and I will continue to follow the previews until it's released.

[Mulattothrasher]

EB is not HQ'ed at this site. EB is at the Guild so the forums here might not seems too busy...

[TOLAROscipii]

The reason I like the mod would be the trees

[Halie Satanus]

The diplomatic answer would be that much of RS's success comes because it was built on the principles and foundations that mods like EB and RTR laid down when they were in development. Remember that EB was in development before RTW was released and much of what they achieved was breaking new ground.

[cherryfunk]

Actually, we haven't really used the same 'principles' as EB -- the principles of RS are sort of the opposite. RS stresses gameplay over historical accuracy, simplicity over complexity and speed over scripting. We drew much more upon SPQR than EB for the guiding principles of RS.

[tone]

The diplomatic answer would be that much of RS's success comes because it was built on the principles and foundations that mods like EB and RTR laid down when they were in development. Remember that EB was in development before RTW was released and much of what they achieved was breaking new ground

Very true

[PSEUDO ROMANUS]

The only thing I'm completely sure of is that RS is the most awesome classic-period mod to me. 'The best', 'the greatest', 'the most awesome' are very subjective descriptions. There is a huge amount of people out there for whom EB is 'the most awesome', 'the greatest' and the 'best' mod ever; and it certainly is for them. So, to determine the absolute best is impossible, in my opinion, as it totally depends on our own likes and dislikes. My two cents.

[Brusilov]

The only thing I'm completely sure of is that RS is the most awesome classic-period mod to me. 'The best', 'the greatest', 'the most awesome' are very subjective descriptions. There is a huge amount of people out there for whom EB is 'the most awesome', 'the greatest' and the 'best' mod ever; and it certainly is for them. So, to determine the absolute best is impossible, in my opinion, as it totally depends on our own likes and dislikes. My two cents.

Exactly.

Same for florin's post.

[stanley86]

Factions, maps (campaign and battles), units, gameplay, epic battles, great community here on twc, new version to be released soon RS has that "something" that makes it enjoyable to the last drop

[D.B. Cooper]

Looks way better, and moves at a faster pace than EB. It sounds like the TC stumbled upon this mod.