Rome 2 is out and..meh. Keep up the great work

[agent 47]

Just want to leave my support here for the team even though im sure they dont need it, it is a work of passion afterall.

After playing it for an hour or so I'm not impressed. Warscapes handling, or the way CA have chose it to handle ancient warfare is underwhelming to say the least. I could bang on for ages about the state of it but you just need to pop over the forum and see for yourself.

My main gripes are the non existent unit cohesion, having to charge to throw javelins and lack of mass. I feel the Medieval 2 engine works as a much better base even if it is ancient now, it handles these things alot better. Looking forward to seeing the teams hard work on top of it.

[smoesville]

Don't forget that they all trained in the Benny Hill school of movement so that even though the models are lovely, you can't get a good look because they move like the wind.

[Ragox]

I have to say that I'm now even more excited for EB2 than before, since Rome II was certainly a big disappointment for myself. I especially miss all the micromanagement in the campaign. Sure, the campaign map does look really pretty now, but what's the point if there's almost nothing to do?

[Pistola Pablo]

Keep up the good work guys with EB2 - Rome 2 is ok but as OP said meh..

[VektorT]

Come here to say exactly this. We may have a Rome 2, but it dont feel like a "Total War" Rome 2. Guys... you are our last hope to do a real and new TOTAL WAR Rome.

[CanOmer]

I think Warscape engine is good for firepower but not good for melee fight or Rome II is different. Formations, controls are not like in Rome I or Medieval II. Everything is just like liquid which is good in some cases such as fast cross over corners or narrow passageways but I couldn't make good tactics. In most battles simply CTRL+A and attack is best enough to win in few minutes. I am more eagerly waiting for EB2 now.

[dajarvi]

I like the battle map in Rome 2 and the campaign map, but the battlemap needs Darthmod, and the lack of unit variety makes it shallow. Also, the campaign map, in my opinion, is the capstone of the vision they had with Empire, now come to fruition. Unfortunately, management is too shallow, and the little things you can do aren't really streamlined. Overall, fun game to play, but not an EB. Keep up the work guys!

[Basileus of Byzantium]

It's so strange how CA could mess things up. From what I've read the release was more like a late beta rather than a complete game and the AI is horrible. I saw Prince of Macedon do the historical battle of Raphia and the AI was so stupid that they LITERALLY SEND OUT THEIR ENTIRE ARMY TO CHASE ONE CAMEL ARCHER UNIT that PoM sent out. You can guess how that battle ended. How is it possible that the AI degenerates from Shogun 2 to this. Their fans were expecting them to do their best making a sequel to one of their most loved games and they end up rushing a game. Also did anyone see plays of the Siege of Carthage? Not the one from 2012, the current one. They've removed a lot of the detail and actually made the city smaller :T

[yuezhi]

Also did anyone see plays of the Siege of Carthage? Not the one from 2012, the current one. They've removed a lot of the detail and actually made the city smaller :T

zOMFG so they are saving stuff for dlc, and after they promised they would not! T.T

I wonder what a certain airhead has got to say now that R2 is quickly becoming a historically epic failure

[bojieh]

We got a half-baked pie again. And one prepared for console cooking, too. Really liked a guys comment about having to play Heroes on a quad core computed with the games we get lately. We are still patiently waiting for EB2 to be done and will have lots of days enjoying it for sure

[Sint]

I really want to play EB2 now, Rome 2 was just horrible.

[Visarion]

hmmm I was thinking of buying R2 but guess I will wait for the pie to be baked properly!

[Basileus of Byzantium]

hmmm I was thinking of buying R2 but guess I will wait for the pie to be baked properly!

I'm assuming the baking process is gonna take a few months even with CA's promise of "weekly patches"

[yuezhi]

Maybe they'll abandon it like ETW and make Imperator total war

[BobbyC]

Haven't been here for quite some time but have followed the progress of EB II. I have come back now to say that we need EB II more than ever, even with whatever CA attempt to do in the meantime to resolve issues with Rome II. Keep on with all the good work people.

[Darios]

How quickly the wind changes. For the past month there has been a thread full of angry 'fans' who were bashing EB for not releasing their game sooner in anticipation of R2. I'm very happy that the team ignored the whining of the mob and continued to work at their own pace. The general idea was that R2 was going to be so amazing that it was going to render EB2 obsolete in their opinions. Now that it has been a few days since R2's release, it seems that the TWC has gotten their 'fix' to play something new and are now back trying to cuddle with their love and explaining that R2 was just a quickie with a prostitute.

Cmon, EB2 and R2 are like apples and oranges, you really cannot compare them. CA has a huge budget, a huge team of workers, and a public audience to play to (ranging from children to hardcore historians) while EB has no budget, a handful of people who come and go as they wish, and only the TWC to play to. Therefore, from CA you're always going to get a game that at least tries to maintain a semblance of historical accuracy while giving you loads of new features, technologies, graphics, and bugs. They are also going to give you a clear release date months in advance so no worries in that department. EB is definitely for the hardcore historian and is a beautiful game but at the same time you're going to be constrained to the technological limits of the MTW2 engine, see previews once or twice a year, and God knows when the first release will be. Personally, I have no problem with that. I know what I am getting into by being a fan of EB.

At the same time, I like what CA is doing here. They balanced historical accuracy with some amazing new features that will eventually inspire some great mods (EB 3 anyone?) It seems like the TWC community wants the best of both worlds: CA's weekly previews, amazing graphics, new features, release dates written in stone along with EB's library of historical information, detail, and passion. Sorry, it's not possible. If EB had a budget and a need to sell their game to a commercial audience in order to keep their business afloat then EB2 would have been released in 2008. Just try to keep that in mind before you bash either Rome 2 or Europa Barbarorum 2.

[Mamertine]

How quickly the wind changes. For the past month there has been a thread full of angry 'fans' who were bashing EB for not releasing their game sooner in anticipation of R2. I'm very happy that the team ignored the whining of the mob and continued to work at their own pace. The general idea was that R2 was going to be so amazing that it was going to render EB2 obsolete in their opinions. Now that it has been a few days since R2's release, it seems that the TWC has gotten their 'fix' to play something new and are now back trying to cuddle with their love and explaining that R2 was just a quickie with a prostitute.

Cmon, EB2 and R2 are like apples and oranges, you really cannot compare them. CA has a huge budget, a huge team of workers, and a public audience to play to (ranging from children to hardcore historians) while EB has no budget, a handful of people who come and go as they wish, and only the TWC to play to. Therefore, from CA you're always going to get a game that at least tries to maintain a semblance of historical accuracy while giving you loads of new features, technologies, graphics, and bugs. They are also going to give you a clear release date months in advance so no worries in that department. EB is definitely for the hardcore historian and is a beautiful game but at the same time you're going to be constrained to the technological limits of the MTW2 engine, see previews once or twice a year, and God knows when the first release will be. Personally, I have no problem with that. I know what I am getting into by being a fan of EB.

At the same time, I like what CA is doing here. They balanced historical accuracy with some amazing new features that will eventually inspire some great mods (EB 3 anyone?) It seems like the TWC community wants the best of both worlds: CA's weekly previews, amazing graphics, new features, release dates written in stone along with EB's library of historical information, detail, and passion. Sorry, it's not possible. If EB had a budget and a need to sell their game to a commercial audience in order to keep their business afloat then EB2 would have been released in 2008. Just try to keep that in mind before you bash either Rome 2 or Europa Barbarorum 2.

For the record, Darios:

Like everything post M2TW, Rome 2 will have great graphics, no depth, no realism, and no replayability due to the lack of modding capabilities.

It will have a very fun initial campaign, but after that nothing.

I hope I am wrong, because if Rome 2 is as moddable as M2TW I will freak out (in a good way).

EBII will have a place for the same reason people, including myself, are still playing EBI years later after games like Nappy and Shogun 2 are out.

Looks like my prediction from 2012 was pretty accurate. Well, except for the graphics part of Rome 2. Anyways, I am still waiting patiently for EBII and will not hound you or your team. There are plenty others like me, we are just not as annoying as the complainers. Keep your spirits high and do not pull a "CA" and release some half finished version. Take your time.

Edit: Link to my quote http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...s-engine/page5

Double Edit: Also been waiting patiently for Tsardoms. Can't believe I forgot that. Completely underrated area and time, imo.

[Lord Baal]

I just came here to open his very same thread. Now that Rome II flopped long and hard, presenting things that not even patching will fix (by this I mean a lack of basic features anyone sane would consider necessary on any total war game, like the family tree and the ability to trow the darn pilas whenever you fell like it), I'm eagerly looking forwards to this mod.The whole brunt of thousands of players that wanted to play a decent Rome game will come here looking for an answer that CA failed to deliver properly.The best part? This mod won't cost me a dime. Keep the good work my good fellas, and please don't hesitate to ask any of us for help if needed.

[ImperatorGregus]

Maybe Rome 2 would have been better if they had invest in beta testers rather than in intensive marketing.
Seeing gladiators and war dogs in the Roman unit roster...
Well, time to go playing some Romani on EB to forget that.

[Alexander Iulianus Verus]

I'm going to come out against the fanboys and be a contrarian, since it seems 'popular' to bash RTW2.

First, I have had no technical issues with the game outside of my own design, and the number of factions sets the scene for exceptional modding.

Second, if anyone thinks that RTW2 on its own would stand up to EB, which is SOLELY FOCUSED On historical REALISM and variety, that's just unrealistic.

Third, lack of depth? Shallow? Did you read the reviews of top class individuals? What people are saying on forums? On some levels, there's much more depth to the game. People were complaining it was too complex. Sure, EB WAS GREAT, but it was still simply build structures, develop culture, expand rinse and repeat.

There were no meta games and the AI was still piss poor (so in my latest EB game as Lusitania, Arverni decides to attack not when I'm weakest, but when I have a few full stacks near its city..). I don't understand why people are hating on the AI, I've fought (on a CO-OP campaign!!!! none the less) many an exceptional battle against AI forces, and on these occasions the majority of the time the AI was coherent, effective and devastating. I also play on Very hard/Legendary.

TL;DR The potential of RTW2 far outstrips what is possible with EB2. However, RTW2, while still feeling like a new "rome total war" to me, is still arcade oriented as the original was. Unfortunately we tend to remember past games as what they have become rather than as what they used to be. RTW has become a mammoth through the exceptional, brilliant, unspeakable (yes they have changed my life with EB) talents of the EB Team.

I expect nothing less for EB2, but I also see the potential of RTW2 over the years to be the best engine for EB3 we have ever seen.

Thanks