Empire:Total War Demo

[nosfe]

the point still stands, there's no strategy to be had in the battles, you just go "over the top" and hope you won't get slaughtered by enemy machine gun fire. The trenches ran for hundreds of km so you also couldn't go around it, you had to attack it head on. Trench warfare is about attrition and not about strategies, it's not fun to play something like this, that's why they don't make WW1 games

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

I just can't really be captivated by the fact that every musket unit seems to be the same. It's just walk up to enemy->fire->charge with bayonets. Not that fun. I'm playing M2:TW and it's AWESOME. So much unit variety, so many strategies.

 

[TehMac]

Yeah, frankly guys, I don't know why you keep going on about it. World War 1 would not be cool for a Total War game. Just stop, ok?

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: nosfe
the point still stands, there's no strategy to be had in the battles, you just go "over the top" and hope you won't get slaughtered by enemy machine gun fire. The trenches ran for hundreds of km so you also couldn't go around it, you had to attack it head on. Trench warfare is about attrition and not about strategies, it's not fun to play something like this, that's why they don't make WW1 games

That's not true at all, while machine gun fire was integral, there was a LOT of strategy involved in placement of your machine guns and funneling enemies into a crossfire. Basically if you fired into a straight line at a perpendicular angle like a "T", you'd hit much less than if you were angled off to the sides like a wide "A".

Anyways, sign me up for the WWI: Total War fan club! Especially if there's single engine prop dog-fighting involved! Red Baron ftw!

 

[nosfe]

i don't think we played the same Total War. Last i checked, the battles in TW games are about outmaneuvering your opponent. What you're talking about sounds more like a tower defense game than anything else. You can't use infantry to break fortified positions with machine gun emplacements, even with artillery support, it's not feasible. You need tanks for something like that, problem is that there weren't tanks back then, they only appeared at the end of the war and were used as a big meat shield for infantry to advance behind them. WW1 fighting and strategies were about attrition not strategy, they'd lay down a trench line and sit there amassing soldiers till they could storm the enemy trenches and maybe win the "battle", rinse and repeat. Also, planes were used as scouts and light fighters back then. I too would like to see that, how in the first years of the war the pilots would just wave at each other, then, as time passed by, they start throwing bricks at each other, then after some time fight with pistols.

 

[Obsoleet]

Empire TW demo = disappointing. Seems worse than Medieval 2. I won't be picking this one up.

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: Obsoleet
Empire TW demo = disappointing. Seems worse than Medieval 2. I won't be picking this one up.

I dunno man, not to nitpick but you considered Overlord to be GOTY material, so.......

 

[Edge1]

Gotta love all the haters of the demo out here, while the game is getting universally great reviews. So Anandtypical.

I highly doubt land battles will contain no strategy whatsoever, and, being a TW game, a demo probably is not going to show you the full complement of potential units one can recruit.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: nosfe
i don't think we played the same Total War. Last i checked, the battles in TW games are about outmaneuvering your opponent. What you're talking about sounds more like a tower defense game than anything else. You can't use infantry to break fortified positions with machine gun emplacements, even with artillery support, it's not feasible. You need tanks for something like that, problem is that there weren't tanks back then, they only appeared at the end of the war and were used as a big meat shield for infantry to advance behind them. WW1 fighting and strategies were about attrition not strategy, they'd lay down a trench line and sit there amassing soldiers till they could storm the enemy trenches and maybe win the "battle", rinse and repeat. Also, planes were used as scouts and light fighters back then. I too would like to see that, how in the first years of the war the pilots would just wave at each other, then, as time passed by, they start throwing bricks at each other, then after some time fight with pistols.

I'm talking about actual tactics employed in WW1, and I still see a lot of opportunity for strategy as there's plenty of room for resource management and deployment of your MG emplacements. Given the limited number deployed per regiment, you'd obviously want to deploy them for maximum coverage. Mix that in with some barbed wire and mine fields in No Man's Land, some artillery to soften up assault points and you could get some pretty sweet over the top action.

 

[nosfe]

and while it could be made fun, it would be too different from a normal TW game. I doubt they'd risk a Heroes4 style blunder. I say give us Shogun 2: Total War

 

[Dorkenstein]

Anyone getting the "Special Forces" version? 20 bucks extra seems like a lot to pay for 6 elite units...

 

[ZzZGuy]

Originally posted by: Dorkenstein
Anyone getting the "Special Forces" version? 20 bucks extra seems like a lot to pay for 6 elite units...

I will, when it's the cost of the regular version.

 

[tigersty1e]

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
I just can't really be captivated by the fact that every musket unit seems to be the same. It's just walk up to enemy->fire->charge with bayonets. Not that fun. I'm playing M2:TW and it's AWESOME. So much unit variety, so many strategies.

There is plenty of strategy in Med 2, but towards late-game, the computer just gets owned by the player.

Especially because you start spamming the most elite units.

They should've made some point system where 1 general can only command a certain number of points. And give each unit a point value, so you have to optimally mix in some weak units with your elite units.... of course the faction leader would not have this constraint.

 

[Bateluer]

I just preordered ETW off Steam, regular version.

While I haven't scanned this entire thread, I do see a lot of people discussing a WW1 TW game. The Total War games work better with pre-gun powder time periods. The next title in the franchise should be based in an Asian setting, possible Shogun 2.

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
I just preordered ETW off Steam, regular version.

While I haven't scanned this entire thread, I do see a lot of people discussing a WW1 TW game. The Total War games work better with pre-gun powder time periods. The next title in the franchise should be based in an Asian setting, possible Shogun 2.

I think that's hard to say definitively since we really haven't had a chance to play this game, this could very well be the best of the bunch.

FYI - Despite being told we're getting to Preload, in fact I saw it everywhere, THERE WILL BE NO PRELOAD WHATSOEVER, you won't be able to start downloading until the game is officially released, which means 4am EST tomorrow.

Which means all of the servers will be slammed and a lot of us probably won't get to play until tomorrow night or Thursday.

Gotta love Steam suckering people in the with the preload and then quietly pulling the plug hoping no one will notice.

 

[imported_Imp]

OMFG... just came back from lunch, ran 5 blocks to the freaking store, and "it's been delayed until March 11".

Anyone else fuxxored or should I try a different store?

 

[Edge1]

Originally posted by: Dorkenstein
Anyone getting the "Special Forces" version? 20 bucks extra seems like a lot to pay for 6 elite units...

Well because I'm a TW homer fanboi and because I have money coming out my ears, yes, I preordered that edition.

Actually it was more of a thank you to a great game developer who has given me a ton of entertainment value over the years. I always purchased games only after they hit the bargain bin, so this was my way of supporting the cause. I could care less about the units, but I'll take'em. Supposed to be some sort of documentary DVD on that era as well which I'll certainly enjoy, along with having the game map, which might save me a few headaches if I choose to look at it.

 

[Skott]

Just to add some more opinions from myself...I'm a fan of the TW series and also a big critic of how CA likes to release them pretty buggy but I would never base a game on a demo. In my experiences demos are usually nothing more than 'beta' products although I know some havent been. I just dont trust demos enough to gage how good a game will or wont be. I like to see what the professional reviewers say and, more importantly, also what gamers say about a game once it has been officially released. My point? Wait for the released finished product and then judge it.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Originally posted by: tigersty1e

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
I just can't really be captivated by the fact that every musket unit seems to be the same. It's just walk up to enemy->fire->charge with bayonets. Not that fun. I'm playing M2:TW and it's AWESOME. So much unit variety, so many strategies.

There is plenty of strategy in Med 2, but towards late-game, the computer just gets owned by the player.

Especially because you start spamming the most elite units.

They should've made some point system where 1 general can only command a certain number of points. And give each unit a point value, so you have to optimally mix in some weak units with your elite units.... of course the faction leader would not have this constraint.

Yep, I'm at about 1500 AD and the Papal States keep attacking me. The computer doesn't seem to build that many gun powder units, so my cannon towers just obliterate the enemy armies when they try to storm my gates. I've killed 2-3 popes in battle now.

 

[Bateluer]

Woot, ETW unlocks in 6 hours. In practice, it'll be closer to 12 hours, but hey, its soon.

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Woot, ETW unlocks in 6 hours. In practice, it'll be closer to 12 hours, but hey, its soon.

Ooooh, gotta get my steam up and running so the download starts immediatly. Can't wait to give this a try!

 

[Bateluer]

Its unlocked now. Downloading . . .

 

[Regs]

Should be out in stores tomorrow on the 5th. Steam users can tell us all about it while we wait an extra 24 hrs for delivery. =)

 

[acheron]

ah crap, forgot to start the download before I left for work.

 

[ayabe]

Anyone in the US actually playing?

I woke up early, started my download @ 2.0mb/s waited till it got to 5% then went back to bed.

Woke up a couple hours later and it just said "Downloading", tried to start and it said the servers were busy. So I killed Steam and restarted it, then it said updating went to 100% and stayed there.

Restarted Steam again and the same thing happened. Checked the forums and apparently the update percentage is wrong for everyone and it's about a 1.2GB DL.

Nice....:brokenheart:

Anyways, I sure as hell hope I can play when I get home today.