The Devs and their own game?

**Cell7** · August 01, 2013, 06:06 PM

Why are some of the devs soooooooo bad when playing their own Total War game that they made? You'd think they'd get someone other then Al Bickham to play these!

but the seriously, this was soo painful to watch! I cant be the only one thinking this?
Being new to the game is one thing.. but seeing how they created the game.. you'd just think that maybe they'd be better then.. well this!

**caissus** · August 01, 2013, 06:07 PM

You're not alone. I actually skipped through the battle for the most part because of how bad he played. I can't stand watching bad players.

**Dan113112** · August 01, 2013, 06:08 PM

You're not the only one thinking it. The sad part is most of the time, TW AI is easy to beat yet a lot of developers seem to lose battles.

**Cell7** · August 01, 2013, 06:08 PM

Just incase it says error occurred when playing the video, here is the link http://youtu.be/wczfs-V278E?t=14m58s

**Rostam_e_Iran** · August 01, 2013, 06:10 PM

The Gamespot video was much better. Though to be fair it was still a poor show lol

**=Vastator=** · August 01, 2013, 06:11 PM

Rome II difficulty levels:

Al Bickham

Easy
Medium
Hard
Very Hard

**Cell7** · August 01, 2013, 06:12 PM

I've never even seen this in new beginners to the Total War, Al Bickham, if you see this.. why are you soo bad at your OWN game!

**master88** · August 01, 2013, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Cell7

Al Bickham, if you see this.. why are you soo bad at your OWN game!

This^^

**BeastG33** · August 01, 2013, 06:14 PM

Al is the communications specialist. He isn't a developer.

He stinks at the game but that has nothing to do with his job as a community / PR guy so this thread really doesn't make any sense.

**ISG01** · August 01, 2013, 06:18 PM

Developers do not have to be great at their own game and Al Bickham is the Communications Manager of CA, who is probably not as heavily involved with the development as most of the people there.

To be fair, every time I have seen him play he is being interviewed or answering questions and from my own experience of playing with a friend sitting next to me I can see very similar silly mistakes that I then make, like losing track of units or suddenly changing plans and so on. We only hear them talk, but I bet Al is turning his head to the journalists all the time while they ask about campaign map politics and he's trying to win a battle at the same time.

Also, Al might be intent on showing off specific aspects of the game and not try to win the best way and he might not be the best Total War player of the Dev team, he's the Communications Manager.

**caissus** · August 01, 2013, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by ISG01

Developers do not have to be great at their own game and Al Bickham is the Communications Manager of CA, who is probably not as heavily involved with the development as most of the people there.

To be fair, every time I have seen him play he is being interviewed or answering questions and from my own experience of playing with a friend sitting next to me I can see very similar silly mistakes that I then make, like losing track of units or suddenly changing plans and so on. We only hear them talk, but I bet Al is turning his head to the journalists all the time while they ask about campaign map politics and he's trying to win a battle at the same time.

Also, Al might be intent on showing off specific aspects of the game and not try to win the best way and he might not be the best Total War player of the Dev team, he's the Communications Manager.

As a communication manager he should know that people don't like watching people play terribly.

**ISG01** · August 01, 2013, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by caissus

As a communication manager he should know that people don't like watching people play terribly.

He's trying to show off game features while at the same time being interviewed by two people, and he still won. Nearly every silly mistake I saw in that was from him not moving units on time because he was answering questions.

**Dan113112** · August 01, 2013, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by caissus

As a communication manager he should know that people don't like watching people play terribly.

He was being distracted by someone else. Think about it for a second. If he played his best you'd hear nothing but:

"shut up. I'm trying to concentrate."

No questions would get asked/answered

**caissus** · August 01, 2013, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dan113112

He was being distracted by someone else. Think about it for a second. If he played his best you'd hear nothing but:

"shut up. I'm trying to concentrate."

No questions would get asked/answered

I can play my best (or at least, way better than this guy) and talk at the same time easily. Maybe I should be a communication manager.

**Jester** · August 01, 2013, 06:23 PM

i think it s because of the presentation situation and he would play much better if he d play the game at home for himself :3

**Sandraker** · August 01, 2013, 06:27 PM

Speaking as a guy who has streamed TW, I can say it's not hard at all to talk and play simultaneously.

+1 vote to rename Easy mode to Al Bickham mode.

**nubcaker** · August 01, 2013, 06:31 PM

Wow, this is sad. Calling names to a guy who was busy trying to play a battle while watching his words so he says the right things to the interviewer, because, you know, this forum has the tendency to take everything said in a commentary strict and literal, and complain about it afterwards.

Give the guy a break.

**Sol Invictus** · August 01, 2013, 06:33 PM

Hell whenever I play TW with my son in the room and he is asking questions and I have to answer and think of things other than what I am doing in the game I play much worse than my usual brilliant world conquering self

. Besides he is not really there to enjoy the game and actually crush the enemy. Then again maybe he is just bad.