CA a movie fan?

[Kurogane]

Over these years of dedication to Total War I always observed that CA bases their games and their particular periods on the movies.

For instance:

Shogun: Total War was based in the movie RAN or am I wrong? look at the intro.

Medieval: Total War... This is the only one I don't know off, perhaps I never watched the movie that inspired them to do this game? or maybe they just decided to put european armours in their samurais?

Rome: Total War... Well who hasn't seen gladiator? look at the setups, listen to the roman pre battle speaches.... "Unleash hell?"

M2:TW... Kingdom of Heaven right?

What do you think?

[Rex Armeniae]

Over these years of dedication to Total War I always observed that CA bases their games and their particular periods on the movies.

For instance:

Shogun: Total War was based in the movie RAN or am I wrong? look at the intro.

Medieval: Total War... This is the only one I don't know off, perhaps I never watched the movie that inspired them to do this game? or maybe they just decided to put european armours in their samurais?

Rome: Total War... Well who hasn't seen gladiator? look at the setups, listen to the roman pre battle speaches.... "Unleash hell?"

M2:TW... Kingdom of Heaven right?

What do you think?

Funny that you say this now, I just watched a scene from Gladiator And I thought the exact same thing. They say "sire" to caesar and the general(russel crow). And that "unleash hell" etc. there is more.
But I doubt that they base the game on a movie. but im sure they take initiative from movies

[Tzif]

Hm, it all comes together now... very intersting, now i'll have to go watch Gladiator!

Tzif

[the_mango55]

I doubt they are based on movies really, they may take inspiration from them however.

It's more the case that these are interesting periods in history, and both the games and movies are based on them. I think there would have been all of these games without any movie based on them, but if there were no movies based on these time periods it would be a shame.

[The Mongol]

Based on movies? No.

Inspired by movies, maybe.

They're based on a historical time period >_>

[BambooKing]

And it makes sense to include elements from pop culture to make it more accessible to the casual gamer.

[Kurogane]

Well yes based, sorry didn't mean inspired. Bottom line CA watches to much TV

[DougyM]

I dont think your basis has any credibility.

Theres a difference between basing a 2 minute intro video on a popular film that uses the same period... and designing an entire game based on one film thats popular at the time.

Aside from Gladiator and romes similar speeches i cant be the only one to notice that the intro video to RTW is a fantastic kick at EA's ribs....

Ie... Battle for middle earth 1 was releasing at roughly the same period and tards from Bfme forums were constantly bad mouthing the TW series....

So CA based its intro video for rtw on the siege of minas tirith....

1. large hordes attacking a city.
2. large horse army shows up and plows into said horde army.
3. elephants show up and charge the horse army.
4. elephants break in through the walls and smash into the defenders...

[Kurogane]

Well look at the STW intro it's a compilation of scenes from the movie RAN. My instinct says I'm right Damn it! Someone get the phone and call CA! if they don't answer they are watching a movie I am sure!

[awisler]

well, they are basing their games on time periods...just because i movie was based on that time period first doesnt mean they were inspired fully by it. im sure they took a couple things,but to base the entire thing?nope.

kingdom of heaven is based on crusades, M2TW is based on medieval times, which involved crusades, so you cant really say M2TW is copying kingdom of heaven, they just both cover the same time period, and in that time period there happened to be crusades and such.

[The Thracian]

I've always noticed how the RTW Intro was like The Battle Of Pelennor Fields from LOTR: Return of The king. I agree that CA Are movie fans

[Noonespecial]

I also noticed that soon after a historical Ridley Scott movie was released that CA announced a movie based around the same time period (except for Shogun):

"Gladiator" is released, R:TW is announced.
"Kingdom of Heaven" is released, M2:TW is announced.

I'm sure its just a coincidence but it is rather amusing to me.

[king-nord]

lol id sya MTW 2 is based on kingdom of heaven the king on the front cover looks like the king of england in the first cd cover an look in the bonuses cd its sal ah din what ever how u say it.... :tooth:

[the_mango55]

I also noticed that soon after a historical Ridley Scott movie was released that CA announced a movie based around the same time period (except for Shogun):

"Gladiator" is released, R:TW is announced.
"Kingdom of Heaven" is released, M2:TW is announced.

I'm sure its just a coincidence but it is rather amusing to me.

Gladiator was released in 2000

R:TW didn't come out until late 2004

I don't think that counts as "soon after"

[Ahiga]

Actually, on the cover of PC gamer, there's featured a near duplicate of Saladin from Kingdom of Heaven.

[Kurogane]

Hahaha! there you go I was right!

Actually, on the cover of PC gamer, there's featured a near duplicate of Saladin from Kingdom of Heaven.

[Lord Consul]

I'm sorry, but that's silly. Of course they may take inspiration - "steal" ideas and aesthetic trends - from these movies, but that's all. Both the games and the movies were produced to explore a niche of the market that is avid for historical fiction/action/entertainment.

Human kind as a whole has always been fascinated by their past - specially ages filled with epic wars, virgin ladies, honored knights or ambitious generals, even if these wars were actually border skirmishes, those virgin ladies were pre-pubescent princesses and the so-called knights were dirty men in chainmal mounting horses.

Our parents could only taste this fabled past through book and tales. We can play Total War. That's all.

[Shazbot]

M2:TW... Kingdom of Heaven right?

What? No... W2TW isn't only based the Crusades.

and Believe that CA bases their ideas from movies, they don't take a popular movie's time period and make a game out of it.

[Kurogane]

Well inspired, based or copied I really couldn't put it in words myself, all I can say everytime I saw something from Total War series it reminded I could relate the game with a movie I had seen not long ago. I see STW and I think of Ran by it's intro, I see RTW and I think of Gladiator and I see m2tw and I think Kingdom of Heaven

[Lugotorix]

Well. Saying that Shogun was conceptualized directly by Ran is a longshot.
Not sure which video you are referring to, but Ran was inspired by real events surrounding the death of Takeda Shingen and his son, Katsuyori. I would post a link but there was nothing on Wikipedia about it.
EDIT: I might be referring to Kagemusha. I've seen all of Kurosawa's flicks, Seven Samurii is my favorite.
There have been many Koei games tackling Sengoku Jidai to set the stage for Shogun, including Nobunaga's Ambition . However, beyond a doubt Creative Assembly takes inspiration from movies for their unit rosters, and these are usually the most ahistorical as far as common use.
Wardogs stand out as a unit inspired by Gladiator. Also the highlanders in MedievalII have a distinctive look borrowed from Braveheart. I noticed the Saladin picture was a deadringer for the Kingdom of Heaven actor, but usually CA borrows from good movies.
Truth be told there haven't been a tremendous amount of good films about the middle ages.