Shogun's Era Doesn't Appeal to Most People

[Blom89]

I think my lack of interest in the era that the game is based off of, is a major factor in my enjoyment level when I play.

With RTW, everyone knew about ancient Rome and how it was the grandest of all cities and the history behind it. I mean Rome is 3rd grade level history. Everyone knows who Caesar was. Movies like Gladiator were also a major factor in creating a large fan base for RTW.

Then you have Medieval 2, everyone knows about the Medieval period, mostly due to the plague and the general darkness that spread across Europe. Medieval was the dark before dawn. Medieval was survival in the rawest form.

Then we got Napoleon. Perhaps a lesser liked TW game than the 2 mentioned above. TW is about swords and arrows, not guns and battle ships. So NTW was less appealing. Yes, everyone knows who Napoleon is, but few know what he did and why he did it.

Now we got Shogun. Most people I know that play games, don't even know what a Shogun is. They don't know the history behind Japan and the clans and the wars. Nobody knows anything about the period, thus the lack of interest.

[Hellenes]

I think my lack of interest in the era that the game is based off of, is a major factor in my enjoyment level when I play.

With RTW, everyone knew about ancient Rome and how it was the grandest of all cities and the history behind it. I mean Rome is 3rd grade level history. Everyone knows who Caesar was. Movies like Gladiator were also a major factor in creating a large fan base for RTW.

Then you have Medieval 2, everyone knows about the Medieval period, mostly due to the plague and the general darkness that spread across Europe. Medieval was the dark before dawn. Medieval was survival in the rawest form.

Then we got Napoleon. Perhaps a lesser liked TW game than the 2 mentioned above. TW is about swords and arrows, not guns and battle ships. So NTW was less appealing. Yes, everyone knows who Napoleon is, but few know what he did and why he did it.

Now we got Shogun. Most people I know that play games, don't even know what a Shogun is. They don't know the history behind Japan and the clans and the wars. Nobody knows anything about the period, thus the lack of interest.

Japan is No1 on the news globally.... so I dont think that STW2 will sell badly

[Blom89]

What I'm saying is, the era is lesser known than say Rome or Medieval is. Pop culture didn't market the Shogun era the way they did Rome and the Medieval period. It's hard to grow up without learning about Rome, yet someone can go through college and never know what a Shogun is.

[fhaggis]

What I'm saying is, the era is lesser known than say Rome or Medieval is. Pop culture didn't market the Shogun era the way they did Rome and the Medieval period. It's hard to grow up without learning about Rome, yet someone can go through college and never know what a Shogun is.

Yip, i IMMERSED myself in Rome, and have never really didi the same with any game afterwards. I only play NTW for the EPIC online battles. which sadly S2 has faile to deliver...so far!

[PROMETHEUS ts]

This is the perfect era for a TW game , they started with Shogun and they remade Shogun , and I am liking definetly especially couse it is more balanced , in Rome setting ( that I love ) Rome is the sole superpower historically , all the others where just surrounders more or less... they have not the same tech or the same armies , here instead allhave the same units and it makes the whoe game more balanced and easier to understand...

[Feldspar]

the era is lesser known than say Rome or Medieval is

I KNOW! I asked all my firends and not a single one of them knew whatr a samurai was!?!?!?

[bggeneral2]

What I'm saying is, the era is lesser known than say Rome or Medieval is. Pop culture didn't market the Shogun era the way they did Rome and the Medieval period. It's hard to grow up without learning about Rome, yet someone can go through college and never know what a Shogun is.

You are right. But this is good opportunity and motivation to learn more about Japan history, culture, and so on......

[T-Duke]

Speak for yourself please. Sengoku Jidai and Napoleonic era are my favourite. I consider the first Shogun the best total war so far. I'm very glad CA came back to the origin of the Tw saga.

[Arbitrary Crusader]

Now we got Shogun. Most people I know that play games, don't even know what a Shogun is. They don't know the history behind Japan and the clans and the wars. Nobody knows anything about the period, thus the lack of interest.

So, you're saying just because the peoples you talk to doesn't know about Japanese history, that mean NOBODY doesn't know it?

[randir14]

I thought the same thing at first, didn't want to buy Shogun 2 because I didn't really care about the setting. I thought the same thing about Empire and Napoleon though (stupid hats and powdered wigs?) but I've enjoyed all of them.

[Sebastos Abdes Pantera]

Don't like the period? Learn to like it. If you like history like me, then any history is appealing. So I am currently reading into the different factions and clans. It is really interesting.

[Desertcavalier]

Don't like the period? Learn to like it. If you like history like me, then any history is appealing. So I am currently reading into the different factions and clans. It is really interesting.

^
This

[Death_Sheep]

Feudal Japanese history doesn't appeal to a lot of people. Yet, there is vested interest in the mythos of the samurai and their are people who have read books on the art of war that have probably never taken any sort of martial training.

Its all about a relatively broad product enticing as many people to purchase it. Shogun is not just about Japan, its about Real Time strategy games with a turn based economic/ socio-political backdrop.

The entire series is based on the premise of building up empires, and conquering land with the cunning of your mind.

It doesn't NEED to be about anything, or based on any historical premise in order to give that kind of experience.

Its just a different culture that has evolved from its hundreds of years of isolation.

[gord96]

Don't like the period? Learn to like it. If you like history like me, then any history is appealing. So I am currently reading into the different factions and clans. It is really interesting.

this pretty much. i wasn't big into Roman history or 1700's history until Rome and Empire came out. These game made me want to learn more about the period. The same thing will happen with Shogun 2. I already have purchased a book on feudal Japan, etc. And as said above, it is the perfect setting for a Total War game as it is based on a period in history that was pretty much just that....TOTAL WAR!

[Leesin]

Don't like the period? Learn to like it. If you like history like me, then any history is appealing. So I am currently reading into the different factions and clans. It is really interesting.

I am really into history myself, but that does not mean that I find Feudal Japan interesting, some parts of it I do, but overall I've never really been greatly interested in it and that does not mean I do not like history. The only reason I ever played Shogun was because the game itself appealed to me, not the setting/era.

I have to agree that I already am getting bored of the campaign, no matter how much they've improved, which they have, it's really not keeping me interested. I don't think it's just because I'm not that interested in Feudal Japan though.

It could be the battles and the huge lack of unit variation, battles are over so quick and it's so easy to outmatch the AI because the game is too rock paper scissors. The campaign features are great etc but I still have more fun playing Broken Crescent for MTW2 and I probably wont be playing Shogun 2 much once Dominion of the Sword is released.

[GaMMwl]

Don't like the period? Learn to like it. If you like history like me, then any history is appealing. So I am currently reading into the different factions and clans. It is really interesting.

I started reading books about the time period and about Bushi-do about one month before S2TW release

[HeavyTwenty]

Don't like the period? Learn to like it. If you like history like me, then any history is appealing. So I am currently reading into the different factions and clans. It is really interesting.

This. Initially I wasn't looking forward to the Napoleon era, so I kept playing Medieval 2 for the longest time (so many mods!). I finally got Napoleon for $20 and its become one of my favorite eras. I spent countless hours reading wiki articles about the history of the era that wasn't taught to me in school.

I'm sure the same thing will happen to me in Shogun 2.

[Blom89]

What I'm saying is, Shogun era isn't common knowledge. Your average every day Joe isn't gonna know much if anything about the era. People classify Rome as the best RTW to date, not because it featured 3d units and it brought TW to a new level, but because everybody loves Rome and the history behind it.

[Arbitrary Crusader]

What I'm saying is, Shogun era isn't common knowledge.Your average every day Joe isn't gonna know much if anything about the era.

You know this how?

People classify Rome as the best RTW to date, not because it featured 3d units and it brought TW to a new level, but because everybody loves Rome and the history behind it.

Please, speak for yourself, not EVERYBODY like roman history, stop generalizing.

[Ferdiad]

What I'm saying is, Shogun era isn't common knowledge. Your average every day Joe isn't gonna know much if anything about the era. People classify Rome as the best RTW to date, not because it featured 3d units and it brought TW to a new level, but because everybody loves Rome and the history behind it.

QFT.
Nobody can deny this, no one in my school nos anything about Shoguns time period.It is more niche than Rome.Of course It's still gonna sell really well.