If done right, who here would enjoy a Great War TW game?

[mandead]

Off the top of my head, something like 1870 - 1920.

1870 because I think it makes sense to have France start as a republic again.

I was talking to my friend on MSN the other day and we were discussing future (plausible) TW titles - aside from possible remakes ala Medieval 2, which I think are quite likely. In fact, I'm half-expecting a Medieval 3 in a few years as that strikes me as being the most popular period that a TW game could cover.

I love the idea of a late 19th/early 20th century TW game, though. Who's with me?

You'd have a colonial game in a similar vein to Empire, but with Africa as a playable theatre. Naturally TW games are about playing as great powers, and I wouldn't want that to change. Personally I've never really felt the need to play as minors in Empire (I tried the all nations mod once or twice, but it seemed pretty bugged anyway) and I love the idea as playing as the newly-formed German Empire, as well as the crumbling Austro-Hungarian or Ottoman states.

Britain would play out pretty historically (lots of trade routes, colonies and a large navy, but with a small but professional army - ie not suited to taking on continental powers on her own), aiding one or more of the larger European states in fighting others.

I just loved the idea of a big map with separate theatres (which worked pretty well in Empire I thought) and to a degree much of the interface within Empire would work pretty well in such a game.

For example you could have railways as an obvious upgrade (or augmentation) to roads, and thus troops could be moved far more quickly across Europe. This was a major problem for the Russians once they had to mobilise.

I could genuinely imagine a Great War-era map, with the usual soldier sprites - Pilaus, those German troops with the spiked helmets, Tommies, etc. and little Mk. I tank sprites later in the game. Tanks were of course first used in the Great War and were conceived as infantry support as opposed to an armoured spearhead (ala WW2) - thus I think they would be effective and fairly balanced in terms of their expense and late game availability.

Also, imagine how awesome naval battles would be - Jutland would be such a cool historical naval battle, particularly in MP.

I know it's probably just fantasy, but because the Great War is considered the crossroads between the old imperialist wars of the 18th and 19th centuries and the modern, 'total war' style conflicts of the 20th I can genuinely envisage it as the last game in the TW canon.

Something four or five years down the line would clearly look fantastic, and I don't think the engine would need that big an overhaul - afterall, these things tend be evolutionary, and I certainly prefer Empire's engine/interface to Rome or Medieval 2's.

I also like the idea of having recon planes/zeppelins in place of rakes xD

Just a few thoughts I had... am I the only person who thinks this would be a cool game?

EDIT: Also cavalry were last used as a serious force during WW1, and I particularly like the idea of playing the Middle Eastern campaign as the British/Ottomans - where your resources are stretched, and it would be slow and difficult to ferry troops there from Britain. Finally, trench warfare is something that would require some new thinking, but I don't see how they would need to be that different from constructing forts on the campaign map.

[LiN]

I wouldn't like a Great War game with total war mechanics because nobody used lines anymore. I guess they could change the mechanic so that units are more... guerilla like but that's not really total war.

[mandead]

They still used traditional, lined warfare at the outset.

Yes, warfare changed over the years, and I consider the Great War to be the most 'total' of all wars to date (in terms of the number of men mobilised and killed) and I think it would be awesome.

But fair enough, I can understand your opinion. I was just wondering what others felt : )

[helmersen]

If done right, I would've loved it to the max. But I would love a Rome II even more

[Pickle_mole]

i love the idea, im curious how the combat would work.

[Aradan]

The more important gunpowder/firearms are, the less the appeal of the game, for me. Plus, I doubt Warscape can pull WW1 warfare off especially battlemap-wise, it's still completely company-based (though the fact that each bullet's trajectory is now individually calculated is a step towards modern warfare).

[magpie]

I would like a WW1 game done right. TW would have to be very much upgraded to handle it on a realistic basis. Load of maps for the Eastern Front, Western Front, middle, east, Italian front, Naval warfare, submarines ect, Street fighting would be a whole new ball game. Artillery from railway guns to field pieces, machine guns, Hmm we could convert tower ballista,s. Battlefields would need a huge increase in size, Or work it so you used a big radar map and zoomed into local area,s. A bit like the old zoom in for town scenes in RTW. Could be done? Weekly turns if they used that system, It sure would take some imaginative coding, But would be a hell of a game. regards, mags

[Killerbee]

Modern day combat just isn't fit for the Total War engine. Total War is known for massive battles, and modern warfare isn't massive.

[spiderman101]

Modern day combat just isn't fit for the Total War engine. Total War is known for massive battles, and modern warfare isn't massive.

???

Not massive?????



In WWI 100,000 + on a battle field.... thats much bigger then roman sized armies

[Dracula]

The idea is not bad, but realistically it would require Battlefield 2 technology - vehicles,tanks, submarines, planes. Without them a WWI game will suck. And all those features are unlikely to be implemented in a TW eras game. So not, it won't happen, at least proper as it should be.

[Praefectus praetorio]

???

Not massive?????



In WWI 100,000 + on a battle field.... thats much bigger then roman sized armies

I think the means that in ancient, medieval era. Battles were very massive, tens of thousands of men on both sides on 1 battle field. You could see the troop formations etc. In modern times, the troops are scattered over the front.

[abbews]

I say Rome 2 should be on the highest place on their agenda

[removeduser_052420]

I say Rome 2 should be on the highest place on their agenda

Agreed.

[magpie]

Who wants a Rome2, That cannot be modded.Thats what you will probably get
As I said the GW properly done. could be immersive, but would suffer from the same handicap as a Rome2.

[James Cook]

I say Rome 2 should be on the highest place on their agenda

Agreed...

In my eyes ww1 TW game, would be very boring, and allready now I can hear the twc SCREAM
out, wtf CA you have ruined my life, 1 torpedo boat have sunked on of my battleship worth 376648 £
its unrealistic and I want my money back, or else i tell mommy

[husker9.2]

yea this is a great idea. BUT. You would have to do you're research. A LOT changed in the short time frame of such a game. It would be tough.

I'd almost rather see a Rome II personally.

[Marshall_Victor]

I'd rather have Rome ll instead of the great war. rome would be awesome with the empire graphics

[Jopo_80]

How about a TW game set in the Victorian era of the whole 19th century of imperialism with the game ending in the era of World War 1 like Paradox Interactive´s Victoria?
During that time weapons developed from muskets to breech loading rifles and artillery and early machine guns. Breech loading weapons like rifles and artillery would make it possible to have a WW 1 style war at the end of the game period as a grand finale of technological development and imperialism, the grand clash of imperialist powers like it was historically.

The game would begin with muskets as the main weaponry of units and would pogress to units having rifles and such. Imagine a clash between two powers with another armed with muskets or worse, medieval weapons (like Japan or China before they modernized) or bows and arrows (American indians and african tribes, these too could of course get newer weapons, through trading or something, firearms as a map resourse available in Europe and America?). Historically such a clash occurred with Prussia and Austria, with another having breech loading rifles and the other muskets, the results you can guess. :-)

Technological development would be a key issue in the game, since the 19th century saw such heavy technological development, lag behind in tech development and you´re doomed to be food for the competing imperialist powers, like what happened to Africa and almost happened to China. Japan avoided the fate by modernizing in a very quick way.

Nationalism could be another thing. Many nations rose during this period and nationalism was one of the moving forces of the era.

Trade would of course be another big thing, all in all I would develop the games strategic side heavily, it would be nice to have a good combination of map-based strategy elements, like economy, building and such and then of course the tactical battles, where you command the armies on the field.

I would also add at least the option of having realistic amounts of gore in battles.

Rome 2 with advanced options would be great aswell and I think they might even make one some day, hope they don´t put in those stupid 200 province limits and such in the future, just hampers the games expansion by mods and such. I want a big world map. Paradox´s Europa Universalis 3 has some 1700 or more provinces on the whole world map and Hearts of Iron 3 has more than 14000, so don´t tell me it ain´t possible because both Paradox´s and CA´s game series use the same system to create the game maps, it is possible, it´s just a question whether they want to do it or not. Hope they see the light and put a really big world map in the future games, so there´s a really big sandbox to play in when you start to carve your empire under the sun. With a big map, endless gameplay, guaranteed! Could you ever run out of stuff to conquer with 14000 or more provinces?

-Cheers from Finland!

[antred]

I hope they go "back to the roots" with their next TW release. I want to see Rome Total War 2. The TW game concept is completely unsuitable for the mass conflicts of the late 19th / early 20th century.

[Xerrop]

A difficult question. The era sounds not very appealing at first. Would prefer a second Shogun or something in Medieval Asia. But it would be better than having the 9.957th game about WW2 - so if well done and CA wants and will go only modern, why not giving it a try?

There are for sure some downs like a lack some athmosphere and immersion. Earlier armies walked in formation, had colourful uniforms and beautiful flags. All of them missing sounds not very appealing. On the other side having machine guns (in WWI only stationary afaik) sounds interesting. Try to avoid them and take them out from behind.

Maybe introduce also some smaller theatres to allow more exotic challenges like the wars in the Near East (Ottomans vs. British), the War in German East Africa (Germans vs. British) and the siege of Tsingtao (Germans vs. Japanese)

Another thing would be planes and Zeppelins, I´m curious how they could be implented. When being used on the campaign map it wouldn´t be bad. I always felt the action there too little.

And don´t know if sea battles would be that awesome, only attacking from the distance. I would prefer sea battles in ancient times. Catapults, ramming, boarding - three different choices instead of only firing from 20 km or send some torpedos.

As many others have said, the first Total War games, (Shogun, Medieval, Rome, Medieval 2) were very much about the pre-gunpowder period (Shogun might be considered an exception, partially?).

In both Medievals you had also many gunpowder units playing an important role. Rome is actually the only game without them.

I hope they go "back to the roots" with their next TW release. I want to see Rome Total War 2.

"back to the roots" would be SHOGUN II