An Invitation to any CA Members to Discuss Rome 2 (AKA A Very Long Shot)

[PeonKing]

Its another sandbox player that doesn't get that TW games are meant as strategy games. As in you need to come up with actual strategy to win. Right now, Rome II isn't fit to be called a strategy game, because you do not need any strategy to win.

This is the kind of overblown statements that really aren't helpful, just because the game isn't to the quality you wanted, you just decide to say there is no merit to it at all. It's these kind of statements the OP was pointing out as what is infecting the forums, where people who have some legitimate complaints are starting to get drowned out by people who have decided to develop a vendetta against a company because they made a product that really wasn't up to par.

Anyway, I mean I don't expect them to change their tune, right now they're just quietly trying to patch up the leaks, I wouldn't doubt if they end up releasing one or two more charged DLCs too. I mean, really whats the point? If they can fix the problem without apologizing for it in the first place, they'll end up saving face that way without having to piss off anyone they work with/for. I'm not saying that it's the high road, but it's the logical one, and it's rare that you actually find a company that has the scruples to be able to apologize without intense pressure. If you think that people complaining on forums qualifies as anything near intense pressure, you may need to consider the outside world more. I mean people threaten that 'IF CA WAS IN GERMANY THEY WOULD TOTALLY GET SUED!' but I mean I don't see anyone trying to dump a bunch of capital into getting them because they had a shoddy product, that in all honesty, can actually be improved from the comfort of your own home. I know it's not ideal for us, but it seems to be the nature of the situation we are currently in. Luckily, I'm one of the consumers that actually still enjoy the product and have experienced a minimal amount of bugs.

[Riekopo]

I've been wondering this too. The quality gap between Rome 2 and all previous Total War games is huge. I wonder if Rome 2 was outsourced or developed by a different team like a B team or something.

[Americanus Supremus]

I wish you luck and hope they (CA) prove us all wrong. Or SERIOUSLY WOW the fan base at the modding summit.

[Frost, colonel]

Well one suspects they will not open up to us, partly because Sega wouldn't like it. Shame really that they can't just be open and honest though!

[Ygge]

I'm not sure if this is such a great idea really. The mod summit is to discuss modding with CA, not the state of their game.

Edit: Response to Epic, not op.

[RandyRhoads]

Very well put together post OP, I'm with you.

[Taraphir]

Splendid idea RakeinWaiting! However I strongly disbelieve that someone from CA will honour your
more than reasonable invitation. You have my full sympathy and I sincerely hope that in fact an employee
from CA has the backbone to face a hopefully civilized and fair debate. Perhaps we should extend the
invitation to SEGA since they share a large part of the responsibility in regard to Rome Total War II.
It is rather unfair that solely CA is taking the sometimes very harsh criticism whereas one could
legitemately assume that SEGA is liable for many of the unfortunate developements in the TW-Series.

[Modestus]

Hello all,

I guess what I really want to know is what happened between the successful completion of Shogun 2 and the release of Rome 2? How could two similar games released by the same company be so different in quality?

You asked the question so here is my reason......

The problem with RTW2 is the engine and the inability of that engine to cope with the more complicated environment that is required for a game that is set in this historical period. CA recognised the problem and attempted to work around it by actually simplifying the environment.

They removed most of the walls from most of the settlements, they allowed armies to travel over water and created numerous factions that comprise mainly of copy paste versions of each others units, the whole game has been an exercise in distillation, reducing the game play to its most basic elements and hoping that it will work.

You say that sieges worked in previous Warscape games but only if you allow the mechanics of the game to ignore the fundamental tactical reasons why you want to have a fortification, if units can climb over a wall without the use of siege equipment then you really don’t have a fortification you have as you do in Shogun2 a hill and in ETW you have an artillery fort that can be blown up by artillery.

Sieges did not work in the previous Warscape games and they certainly do not work in RTW2, CA had little choice but to create real walls a more complicated environment that included siege equipment and Warscape cannot deal with it.

I have said this before but I believe the design and concepts behind RTW2 are as a result of the limitations of the game engine and that RTW2 is essentially a crude modification of the previous Warscape games.

[perifanosEllinas]

Great thread Rake .I fully support it.I don't believe that any CA member will participate,but it is a worthy try.

[Kambe]

Well put thread but really naive. Don't think even with 40% bigger budget their PR can do this kinda damage control.

[Aenima]

I'd love for a CA representative to actually, seriously address the questions in the OP, because it's what many of us are thinking. I'm still flabbergasted that the game was released as it was, and would be interested to hear why that's the case from CA's side, as opposed to us here at the forums guessing.

Whether it (or something similar) will happen or not, time will tell. I must say though that, to my understanding, CA have been far more humble and admitted their misgivings with R2, as opposed to with ETW - didn't they basically refuse to admit that the game was anything less than perfect, even when patching it? Perhaps CA have been more apologetic and admitting of their failures this time around because they backed themselves into a corner of having to be self critical, what with them saying how many of them weren't happy with ETW in the run-up to R2's release, and how they were working to make a far better game, or perhaps they've just got some more honesty and maturity and accept when they've made a mistake now. Either way, I just hope that they have the decency to admit, in full, their shortcomings with this game and explain why, all the while working on making it into the game it should have been.


...yeah, I'm an optimist.

[Humble Warrior]

Well I believe you pull on a long rope hoping for a CA response... I mean a true, honest response. The CA staff members who themselves may have been tricked into taking part in the deception are probably contracted to keep their mouths shut. Only PR management of CA are allowed to respond, and very carefully at that. Any response will be managed and not the truth or from the heart.

But I commend your attempt.

[Red River]

they have the right to remain silent....

[Humble Warrior]

they have the right to remain silent....

But it may harm their defence later on in court...

[Aymer de Valence]

They are too busy laughing their way to the bank to give a damn about any of us loyal fans who they mugged off big time.


Must be nice to still get paid after doing such a shoddy ing job. What on earth were they doing for 3 years, playing tiddlywinks!?

[GRANTO]

jack lusted is reading this very thread right now, come on jack talk to us , this thread is a level ground

[Huberto]

jack lusted is reading this very thread right now, come on jack talk to us , this thread is a level ground

And I believe it was Jack who said they plan on supporting the game for a "very, very long time." How long Jack?

CA love stringing people along (for years if need be) on `maybe`, `we`ll look in to`, possibly` carrot-on-a-stick phrases that never pan out. It`s like when they said they `might` go back and fix Empire... They never did, but it strings people along... perhaps in the hope of squeezing that extra sale.

Getting real, substantial, reliable, answers from Ca is actually incredibly hard.

So true and the fact that we are no longer prepared to accept "maybe" probably explains why they are so scarce around here.

[Sharpe]

CA guys important question - why is the best music played during the loading screens. There are some incredible pieces that would fit in so well with the campaign and battle/tension phase.

[vietanh797]

why people always think that we have to cut something to make something else?
why not have the same map but expand it to to both North and India and make 2 expansions "Rise of Macedon" (I prefer start as Philip II, it's harder than with Alexander) and "Barbarian invasion"

[Holger Danske]

The only way you're going to get CA to listen is by not buying into their blatant lies and marketting spins.