Visit to M2TW Dev studio in Brisbane

[Epistolary Richard]

As previously announced:
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=70183

I've been invited to visit the M2TW development studio in about a week's time, meet some of the team behind the new game and get an 'under the hood' look at the game itself.

The primary purpose of the visit will be to have a look at the moddability of the new game, but there will be a chance to play around with the full, final version of the game and ask questions direct to the developers.

This is a chance to ask questions directly to the men who made the game - so fire away with what you want to know!


Edit - update
Okay, so I gather that there's a lot of interest in the ai. I think what you guys need to do is give me some completion criteria here. Say, the battle map and campaign map has improved - how am I to convey that to you? What tests would you accept as evidence? How can I demonstrate that the AI is being smarter than it was before?

If you can give me some examples of _how_ you want me to answer this question, I can work towards that. Otherwise, it'll just be a matter of me writing my impressions - which you might find doesn't answer the way you want.

[Cadamer]

I got a question...have they made the game easier to understand in terms of modding? As it is quite apparent that we have many succesful mods about these boards, perhaps making it just a bit more user friendly might attract even MORE attention to the moddablility. =)

I am also wondering what the unit caps will be for each group type of unit ,(swordsman pikeman , etc).

[mac89]

In what way has the AI been improved on the campaignmap, in terms of diplomacy mostly and the use of its characters like princesses, merchants, spies, priests etc.
Not just the holds grudge etc, a little more detail. If it says it is allied with you for X turns will it remain allied for that long or betray you? If someone betrays you are you given any indication why?

[Dutchpower]

Ask as much about the ai(Map and battle) as you can!


And try and find out how the randomness in the game is please.

[Little Legionaire]

Simply:

1) Kill rates, movement speeds and battlefield sizes... Overall battle speed?
How are they gonna be exactly? and off course their moddability.

2) Will there be empty and extra faction slots?
3) Will there be modding tools or sdk's for modders?
4) How is gonna be skinning? DDS again or a different method for it?

Extra question, feel free yourself ask or not:

5) Will there be webkit for fansites?

Thank you and have a good trip Episto,

[Space Voyager]

The effect of the general upon the troops? Is it tuned down?

Does militia units have a population calming bonus? Can cities/castles only hold militia units for free or is it any unit? Broader; will it finally be better to have militia units as population caming force of will peasants rule the day once again due to their superiour numbers and cheap upkeep?

[Miraj]

As mac89 stated please ask them how the Campaign AI has been improved. Will the AI be a little more realistic and not so erratic as in RTW campaign? And will the campaign AI actually use strategy and wage war in at least a smarter way than RTW?

[DARTH VADER]

I am concerned about the moddability of the AI (obviously)

-Will it use similar formation scripting such as RTW?
-Will they allow us to know all the hidden commands there?
-Will there be a special file to control the AI more?(For example unit stance, role manipulation routines etc.)

If they guarantee more AI modding I may re-consider the retiring..too much challenge for me to withstand

[mac89]

Is ambushing easier in a way that units stay hidden in a forrest even when they are moving as long as they dont come within visibility range of the enemy?

How many different types of castles/cities are there? Are there historically accurate cities like Constantinople?
Venice is reached by landbridge, doesnt that mean they lose their advantage? What will battles in venice look like?

Are there conditions for the AI of for example when to surrender and accept other political deals?

[Giurza]

all as above...
but I have one question... please don't attack me saying that I am starting a faction whining... 'cos I don't
I just want to know their reasoning (real reasoning) why they don't pay enough attention to eastern Europe?
it is a polite answer, and I hope they won't be insulted by it... I mean I am already at peace with their decision of not including Bohemia, Lithuania, Kiev Rus, Cumans etc etc
it is simple question of WHY. so we may stop this sensless bashing of CA, ourselves and anybody else who starts a discussion on factions

[Phoenicia]

Yes as stated many times above :

can they give more explanation about how the campaign AI and diplomacy are better ?

[ngr]

Congrats EP!

Ask 'em, please:

1. Will there be REAL possibility to add more factions (and how much more)?
2. Will the Old World and the New World be on same map files (I mean tga) or on different files?
3. Will there be possibility to add new trade resources?

I just want to know their reasoning (real reasoning) why they don't pay enough attention to eastern Europe?
it is a polite answer, and I hope they won't be insulted by it... I mean I am already at peace with their decision of not including Bohemia, Lithuania, Kiev Rus, Cumans etc etc
it is simple question of WHY. so we may stop this sensless bashing of CA, ourselves and anybody else who starts a discussion on factions

Second it.

[Cyrus the Virus]

I just wanted to say, gratz ER

[PROMETHEUS ts]

Wow Congratulations ER ^^ Soo happy for you .....

A great new indeed , I am sure people here will cover about everything about moddability ....

[Space Voyager]

Can we stack agents, like giving the princess or a priest a spy to improve her/his chances of survival?

[drak10687]

since the game takes up so much space, is there going to be a way to implement mods without making several copies of M2TW on your HD? Is there going to be a supported mod switch utility in the game? Are there going to be any tool kits / official tools, if so, will they be supported?

[Matty_P]

congratulations, i'm moderately jealous!

as others have stated, my primary concern is AI, diplomacy, and moddability. if you get any extra time for questions, ask them about what they like best (them = team). as a personal question. i'd like to see what these people hold the most pride in.

i think such a question would give us a clue as to what they have been focusing on as far as development goes.

[God-Emperor of Mankind]

Ask and see how the diplomacy is.
Also try and see how their reaction is to the PCgamer review concerning the diplomacy(I know CA has read the review) to see if we are dealing with a bad player or not.

And don't settle for the old PR-thing.
Real info this time regarding diplomacy.

[Zhuge_Liang]

How many limits, what are they and why? :hmmm:

[Lesten]

1. I'm curious if the traits and ancillaries work in the same way as before (when it comes to modding) and if they can release commands, events, effects and wotnot.

2. I would also like to know if there is a horde feature similar to the one in BI, or if it would be possible to have it in a mod?