MediEvil II: Total War

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
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Well the battle sequences look waaay better than RTW.You actually get the affect of a person thrusting a sword into another person or calvary crushing routing soldiers and smoke effects from gun powder units,etc...the units are alot more detailed and so is the terrain.As far as the actual campaign...the AI is still spotty but I think its better than RTW...once the patch or a realism mod comes out for MTW 2 it'll be even better. I have no trouble playing the game at medium-high settings@1024x768 with my system.When I turn shadow to the highest thats when it starts to tax my system.
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
I've been playing it a lot, though I admit, I am a fan of the Risk-style strategy games like TW and Civ. So far, I've played as the English, the Danish, and currently, the Venetians. I technically lost the English campaign because the time ran out, even though I'd conquered all of Europe, the Americas, most of North Africa, Western Asia, and part of Asia Minor. Time ran out before I could get the number of territories I needed to secure the victory conditions. My current game as the Venetians is much tougher due to the poorer geographic location of Venice. There's few rebel cities to capture, and pressing a war against other Christian nations brings the wrath of the Pope.

My system is an X2 4200(AM2) with 2GB of DDR2-800 and a Radeon X1900XT. I run the game at 1680x1050, with every setting at max, cept for AF and AA, which I keep at 4x and 8x, respectively. Though the frame rate can chug a little in large battles, its usually very playable.

BTW - Beware the Black Death! It stops all trade income, and wipes out a 1/3 of your population. I wouldn't pursue any wars during those years, if I were you, it kinda kills your treasure too.
 

flashbacck

Golden Member
Aug 3, 2001
1,921
0
76
Besides graphics, is there really anything new in MTW2? I mean, is this just a mash up of RTW and MTW?
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: flashbacck
Besides graphics, is there really anything new in MTW2? I mean, is this just a mash up of RTW and MTW?

Merchants, Princesses, more units, larger map, more playable factions, etc. Core gameplay is very similar to RTW though, its just focused on a different time period.

Personally, I'm a bigger fan of the Greek/Roman era of the ancient world than I am of the cluster-fvck that was the middle ages, but M2TW is very fun to play. :)
 

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
76
For those who havent bought it yet...DO IT. For 50 dollars you can get the game,the soundtrack,and two History Channel Documentaries on the Crusades.
 

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
76
Originally posted by: flashbacck
Besides graphics, is there really anything new in MTW2? I mean, is this just a mash up of RTW and MTW?

Better AI*Arguebly*
More factions
More units to play around with
They add in the Aztecs located in the Americas(not playable though)
Princesses can act as diplomats.
Merchants can get you money.
There is now "Castle" or "City" instead of just "settlement"
Africa is alot bigger.
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: Azndude2190

Africa is alot bigger.

Technically, the entire map is bigger. It covers the same territory as RTW, just expanded. If that makes sense to someone who hasn't played the game.
 

jrphoenix

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,295
2
81
Originally posted by: Heen05
Is the game any more demanding that Rome: Total War?

How is the game?

Thanks

My system (see signature) was chugging bad with the game in city battles. I changed the shaders from version 2 with bloom to version 1 (looks kind of like Rome). Version 2 looks much better but, you need some horsepower on the GPU side & my 6800 Ultra doesn't hold up to well.

The game is awesome although there are bugs getting fixed in a patch in a week or so. If you liked Rome, you'll love this game.
 

ArchAngel777

Diamond Member
Dec 24, 2000
5,223
61
91
I am thinking about picking this up... I really love the TW series.

Is there still a ton of micro management going on? In the first MTW, I didn't like the fact that I had a gazillion provinces to manage each turn. Kind of anoyed me.
 

Dethfrumbelo

Golden Member
Nov 16, 2004
1,499
0
0
With my 8800GTS at 650/950, I have everything maxed at 1600x1200/8xAA/16xAF and unit size set to huge, and I will sometimes get down into the mid to high 20 fps during very large city battles (2 maxed out armies). Though I suspect that it's more of a CPU limitation, because it still slows down with little to no units on screen. In non-city battles, the fps rarely drops below 40, even with maxed armies.

The AI has been improved, but it still breaks ocassionally. Enemies will actually siege your cities properly now and attempt assaults using ladders, rams, etc. For some reason, however, they never seem to use the front gate after their spy has opened it.

 

Dethfrumbelo

Golden Member
Nov 16, 2004
1,499
0
0
Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
I am thinking about picking this up... I really love the TW series.

Is there still a ton of micro management going on? In the first MTW, I didn't like the fact that I had a gazillion provinces to manage each turn. Kind of anoyed me.

The micomanagement is still there, but you can have the computer AI automanage for you.



 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
With my 8800GTS at 650/950, I have everything maxed at 1600x1200/8xAA/16xAF and unit size set to huge, and I will sometimes get down into the mid to high 20 fps during very large city battles (2 maxed out armies).

1) I hate you.

2) What CPU do you have paired with that GF8800?
 

Dethfrumbelo

Golden Member
Nov 16, 2004
1,499
0
0
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
With my 8800GTS at 650/950, I have everything maxed at 1600x1200/8xAA/16xAF and unit size set to huge, and I will sometimes get down into the mid to high 20 fps during very large city battles (2 maxed out armies).

1) I hate you.

2) What CPU do you have paired with that GF8800?

Single core A64 @ 2.6GHz


 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
With my 8800GTS at 650/950, I have everything maxed at 1600x1200/8xAA/16xAF and unit size set to huge, and I will sometimes get down into the mid to high 20 fps during very large city battles (2 maxed out armies).

1) I hate you.

2) What CPU do you have paired with that GF8800?

Single core A64 @ 2.6GHz

I'm running it on an X2 4200(AM2) with a X1900XT. Runs pretty well at 1680x1050/4AA/8AF, huge scale.
 

ManBearPig

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
9,173
6
81
Err, can i ask some questions?

1)What are princess for? should i use them as opposed to diplomats?
2)Is it important that i make use of my merchants?
3)Are priests/cardinals important (and whats the difference between them)?
4)I have NO idea what i should be doing...as in, should i upgrade to castles, wooden castles, etc? the game is leading me to believe that if i do i cant build any of the old buildings i hadn't already built.
5)Any other tips in general about the game, or about settings to disable for much better performance?

thanks a lot!
 

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
76
Originally posted by: Heen05
Err, can i ask some questions?

1)What are princess for? should i use them as opposed to diplomats?
2)Is it important that i make use of my merchants?
3)Are priests/cardinals important (and whats the difference between them)?
4)I have NO idea what i should be doing...as in, should i upgrade to castles, wooden castles, etc? the game is leading me to believe that if i do i cant build any of the old buildings i hadn't already built.
5)Any other tips in general about the game, or about settings to disable for much better performance?

thanks a lot!

1)Bascially women diplomats minus the ability to bribe.Also Princesses are good for securing alliances through marriages...it keeps whoever she marries loyal to the Faction Leader.
2)IMO no.Yes you can put them over trade resources and they produce at most some florins...but most of the time they get bought out by a opposing merchant.
3)Yes because they decrease the heresy activity in the region there in(which means fewer Inquisitors).The Cardinal is bascially a faction's "best" priest(in terms of piety rating and experience)and can hold a seat in the college of Cardinals and become a candidate for Pope.
4)Castles are good if you want to build up your army with diverse units you wouldnt be able to build with a city...generally however for most people...money is the problem so I would change as many castles to cities to expand my economy and population...with a Castle you can not change the tax rate.My general policy is any provinces I own bordering another faction is a castle...while the "inner" part of my country is made up of cities.
5)Generally you want to focus on your economy.Build up a strong treasury so you have the flexibility to maintain large armies and wage wars with other countries.For the most part if your playing a Catholic faction its ideal to be on the Papacy's good side(completing their missions,including their CRUSADES).Crusades can benefit you tremendously.1)You get higher crusade mercs for waaay less money.No unit upkeep.You keep the city or castle you took in the Crusade.Being an ally of the Papacy means other Catholic factions will think twice before they attack you(fear of excommunication and crusades).And yes you can declare Crusades on EX-catholic nations(i.e.excommunicated)
 

ManBearPig

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
9,173
6
81
thanks a lot man!


should i build any buildings before going to a castle though? or should i build anything before going to a city? can i only make cities and castles, or is there another upgradeable path too?
 

ManBearPig

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
9,173
6
81
also, after i win, there is a column that shows some number after men lost and men remaining, and it has numbers and then parenthesis. Example: 939(359). what does this mean?

and how can i reduce my military upkeep? its costing me tons.
 

ManBearPig

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
9,173
6
81
and now the damn pope wants me to join a crusade that there is NO way i can reach...its like 2000 miles away from me. what can i do?
 
Apr 17, 2005
13,465
3
81
i'm thinking of picking R:TW up. I dont think my system could handle M2:TW. Also, the gold edition of R:TW which includes the expansion is only 25 dollars.
 

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
76
Originally posted by: Heen05
thanks a lot man!


should i build any buildings before going to a castle though? or should i build anything before going to a city? can i only make cities and castles, or is there another upgradeable path too?

1)No you can go right to buidling a Castle...why waste the money building stuff when you are using the Castle merely as a military stronghold(which is what a castle is)
2)Only those two.Again for more cash...I would go for city espicially if your playing a faction like Scotland,England,Or Sicily...you really have no provinces you have to be worry about being taken(exception of Caen for England).
 

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
76
Originally posted by: Heen05
also, after i win, there is a column that shows some number after men lost and men remaining, and it has numbers and then parenthesis. Example: 939(359). what does this mean?

and how can i reduce my military upkeep? its costing me tons.

In battle?Well I think the 939 is the orginal size of the army and 359 is what you have left.Not to sure I'll have to check...since on let the AI do alot of my battles for me.

Two ways to reduce military upkeep:
1)You lose huge amounts of men in battle(you dont have to pay dead people lol)
2)You disband them...(Tip if you have a max army rotting in a settlement in the corner of your empire...just disband them...if your running low on money)I found myself in a $2000 deficit after turn 40 with Scotland.So I uped the taxes abit.And disbanded all units in provinces that dont really need them.

Generally though I higher milita men since their the cheapest and use men remaining from my Crusades.
 

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Jul 4, 2005
1,779
0
76
Originally posted by: Heen05
and now the damn pope wants me to join a crusade that there is NO way i can reach...its like 2000 miles away from me. what can i do?

You can still go...you just have to move "smart".What faction are you playing as?I was playing as England when a Crusade was declared on Jerusalem...I was able to get two max armies down there(remember that "Crusader" armies with the Cross Icon on top move like 3x farther than normal units...this also applies to "Crusader" navies that bare the cross.Most of the time it takes a while to get their because of unexpected roadblocks...thats where attaching a spy or two to your Crusader unit comes in handy they can scout the area for "potential" blocks.BTW dont worry if your going into other Christian lands.Crusading is the only time where your granted full acess to movement in foreign lands.

If you cant reach there...no bigge... you wont lose that much of the Pope's respect as long as you do his little side missions like when he asks you to build Churches or Cathedrals or like hire priests.

If you want strategies for certain factions go to this forum(way more detalied and in-depth):
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=185