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Thread: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

  1. #21
    Vifarc's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    TA vanilia is considered old. Unofficial Patch is said a mod for devs of TA didn't want to take time to controle it. But for me it is the now good new TA vanilia, on which other mods are based.
    So, even I may prefer DaC, the Patch should be seen as a mandatory work. Sure it can be played as is, and may be prefered like that.
    So, first play the Unofficial Patch, wonder what could be missing for you, and search about the mods.
    > > Divide&Conquer submod user, playing RealmOfLothlõrien (ThirdAge mod). < <
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  2. #22
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    Quote Originally Posted by leo.civil.uefs View Post
    It seems like no one plays my submod anymore (did anyone ever play?), with a few exceptions of a bunch of guys who has the same thought as me about how TATW should be developed.

    Its more or less clear that my submod always have been more a source of content than a submod to be played itself.
    But this is over now since Im not producing custom settlements anymore and I've also already completed all the units based on the movies, soon after other mods take what they want from my stuff, my own work will have not much importance anymore. Well that day had to come after all.

    Now when people say DAC is like an "unoffical" patch, meaning that it is what TATW vanilla should have developt to, I feel like the name of my submod is a mistake. I always thought about DAC as an expansion of vanilla TATW, with out of movie-lore units, factions that are composed by peoples not large enough to be a nation, an extended map that had to be filled with lots of creativity since the lore wont provide information about it, out of lore custom settlements and so on...

    I am NOT criticizing DAC nor making any comparison with my own stuff, that would be nosense since both mods share stuff from each other, and each one has a different proposal.

    I would say try my submod if you want like TATW vanilla with bug fixes and TONS of new stuff, aligned with what a 4.0 version of vanilla would be (I still keep this position).

    Try DAC if you want an expansion, more lands to conquer, more units, more scripts, more EVERYTHING than what my submod offers, and dont worry about missing anything from my submod since DAC uses my stuff too, as well as I use some of them.

    You could also try TATW REFORGED, wich is a MASSIVE addition of units with not much respect to the lore but there is so many people playing it currently that one cant even argue about if the mod is good or not, people seem to love it. Though this submod is only multiplayer for now, they're still to release the campaign version.

    Sorry if I forgot to mention other submods but as far as I know none of them are still being updated.

    Onde thing is right, dont stick with 3.2 vanilla. Its outdated, has bugs we already fixed and lacks a lot of "mandatory" new stuff we have been adding during the last years.
    I just want to say that I actually prefer your submod (and MOS, which I played a lot of) by far to DaC. I know a lot of people enjoy the expanded map and the new factions, but I really do not like the wide liberties it seems to take with Tolkein. A lot of the stuff is based off very vague hints and unfinished concepts that Tolkein had (or never really intended to flesh out). The games we play based on his work already draw extensive liberties for reasons of gameplay as is, and even I personally would LOVE to have a greater variety of special units and similar things than what a "normal" Gondorian or Isengard or what not roster would provide, DaC seems to take too many liberties for my preferences. Nothing against anyone who chooses to play it, of course, and I have played it myself, but it's a little too loose for me. I will say that it has gotten very, very professional in the quality of the work done, especially compared to its early days or the the old PCP mod which was similar.

    My main gameplay problem with DaC is actually how they decided to do Dol Amroth. They made it fully independent to let you play as Dol Amroth, but that design decision kind of forces you into eventually declaring war against Gondor or trying to establish a foothold across the sea. For me, it's also irritating lore-wise, considering that the fact that Dol Amroth was (despite its relative degree of independence) still a vassal of Gondor. Seems odd to be placed at odds against Minas Tirith. If this was Crusader Kings, a powerful Dol Amroth principality would work better, but in Total War, you can't do that. It also makes their roster a bit forced, as the devs had to pretty much invent some units (albeit mostly sensable ones, like your classic pikemen/swordsmen/archers) and give them colors that they guessed at. Now, don't get me wrong, the units look good and are plausible, but it seems to me that Dol Amroth works better as being represented in Gondor's roster with a few more lore friendly units than an entire roster of mostly plausible non-canonical units.

    Leo is basically 100% right when he says that the Alternative Patch is closer to the "unofficial" patch or next version of the main mod, and DaC is more like an expansion. MOS is somewhere in between. It is older than the latest versions of DaC or the Alternative Patch, however. It does add a few new units to the rosters, and several new scripts that flavor gameplay. If you're looking for something newer, for for either the Alternative Patch or DaC. If you want MOAR, so to speak, go for DaC. If you want more lore friendly, go for Alternative Patch.
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  3. #23
    leo.civil.uefs's Avatar É nóis que vôa bruxão!
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Arabian View Post
    I just want to say that I actually prefer your submod (and MOS, which I played a lot of) by far to DaC. I know a lot of people enjoy the expanded map and the new factions, but I really do not like the wide liberties it seems to take with Tolkein. A lot of the stuff is based off very vague hints and unfinished concepts that Tolkein had (or never really intended to flesh out). The games we play based on his work already draw extensive liberties for reasons of gameplay as is, and even I personally would LOVE to have a greater variety of special units and similar things than what a "normal" Gondorian or Isengard or what not roster would provide, DaC seems to take too many liberties for my preferences. Nothing against anyone who chooses to play it, of course, and I have played it myself, but it's a little too loose for me. I will say that it has gotten very, very professional in the quality of the work done, especially compared to its early days or the the old PCP mod which was similar.

    My main gameplay problem with DaC is actually how they decided to do Dol Amroth. They made it fully independent to let you play as Dol Amroth, but that design decision kind of forces you into eventually declaring war against Gondor or trying to establish a foothold across the sea. For me, it's also irritating lore-wise, considering that the fact that Dol Amroth was (despite its relative degree of independence) still a vassal of Gondor. Seems odd to be placed at odds against Minas Tirith. If this was Crusader Kings, a powerful Dol Amroth principality would work better, but in Total War, you can't do that. It also makes their roster a bit forced, as the devs had to pretty much invent some units (albeit mostly sensable ones, like your classic pikemen/swordsmen/archers) and give them colors that they guessed at. Now, don't get me wrong, the units look good and are plausible, but it seems to me that Dol Amroth works better as being represented in Gondor's roster with a few more lore friendly units than an entire roster of mostly plausible non-canonical units.

    Leo is basically 100% right when he says that the Alternative Patch is closer to the "unofficial" patch or next version of the main mod, and DaC is more like an expansion. MOS is somewhere in between. It is older than the latest versions of DaC or the Alternative Patch, however. It does add a few new units to the rosters, and several new scripts that flavor gameplay. If you're looking for something newer, for for either the Alternative Patch or DaC. If you want MOAR, so to speak, go for DaC. If you want more lore friendly, go for Alternative Patch.
    Yes. I make your words mine.

    The best part of all this is that there is no competition between submods. Everyone gets what they want, and if it is not enough, one can always start to mod by himself. Thats the spirit.

  4. #24
    Ngugi's Avatar TATW & Albion Local Mod
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    Aye! Personally I always recommend playing TATW 3.2 first.
    On one hand in order to get accustomed to the game, that differs from M2 and others mods after all, without the plentiful extra mechanics and setting variations found in the bigger submods.
    On the other hand to get a sense of what's actually desired after getting familiar with the base mod; some thereafter desire more factions, other more optional scripts or RPG features, a new map, more settlements or increased lore fedility. Its simply easier to pick the mod best for oneself after experienced the base.

    And finally one do not have to chose indeed, as you can have several submods installed at once: https://www.twcenter.net/forums/show...erent-submods)

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  5. #25

    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    Quote Originally Posted by SlartyBartfast View Post
    What should the discerning LOTR Total War fan be playing right now?
    Tatw is called vanilla. It is very vanilla, few custom settlements, few units but most are well made. Few factions and although it designed to be hardish it ends up being a grind because of stack spam. DAC is the penultimate creation with very high quality work coming from a team of very competent modders and a mod leader that has a balanced vision. The only assets that still remain untouched from TATW are a few of the most high quality units, battle map textures, and a few custom settlements, and some traits and ancillaries that are being replaced as we speak. Literally everything else is improved from units, to factions, to scripts, to map assets, to the map itself, to recruitment, to unit stats, to strat models, to custom settlements, to sounds, music, voices, animations, monsters, heroes, special abilities. There is a reason that the only lets plays found on youtube are for DAC, and that nearly all of the submods being made are being made for DAC. For those saying DAC doesn't follow lore I would say it creatively expands on holes in a story that spent 3 chapters talking about hobbits in the shire, and 1 page discussing the greatest battle in history. 95% of the factions are very believable and the lore is set by well-written opening events. And there are no goat riders! So 10/10.

  6. #26
    SlartyBartfast's Avatar Decanus
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    "Huh?"

  7. #27
    Jurand of Cracow's Avatar History and gameplay!
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    I think it might be useful for people deciding what to play to have a look at a few youtube movies. Eg. there's an interesting overview of the DCI Last Alliance made by the team leader of DaC.
    Mod leader of the SSHIP: traits, ancillaries, scripts, buildings, geography, economy.
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  8. #28

    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    I’m the odd man out here- I play vanilla TATW and nothing else. And I always play Dale, of course.

  9. #29
    Gallus's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: Third Age Vanilla or Divide And Conquer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Man of Dale View Post
    And I always play Dale, of course.
    My man

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