Empire Total War Elite Units

pwd

What do people think about this?
I don't know wheher to get the elite units version or not. It seems a bit of a joke to be charging an extra tenner for six units...wonder if they'd add much to the game at all, or if they'll be usable in multiplayer. I wouldn't consider it if it wasn't for a game I expect I'll particularly like.

For the same price you can get the total war megapack which has all the total war games since rome:total war, and their expansions, including empire. That idea appeals more to me even though I have all the games (on disc somewhere) bar the barbarian invasions already.

If you don't get the special forces edition will you be able to get the special forces content later for the regular edition..?

Ardscoil Ris

1. You can't use them in multiplayer.

2. The plain versions of Total War always pales in comparison to the amazing mods the community makes. They can mod these units within a week of release. If you are unfamilir with the work of the TWC, then please smack yourself

http://pc.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=16547 (Part 1 RTW)

http://www.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=16553 (Part 2 MTW2 mods)

3. You can't upgrade to the Special Edition from the regular edition.

4. What possible reason have you to buy the mega pack if you already have all the games bar one? You will be downloading the whole thing for days

pwd

1. Read somewhere that someone read somewhere that you could...
2. ouch
3.
4. I like using games on steam instead of using discs, and the automatic updates and so on. I don't think I have the product codes to add the games to steam for most of them (and when I've added games before it didn't seem to work as well as games downloaded through steam). Plus I don't have the barbarian invasions, which is probably worth a tenner anyway.

Ardscoil Ris

pwd wrote: »

1. Read somewhere that someone read somewhere that you could...
2. ouch
3.
4. I like using games on steam instead of using discs, and the automatic updates and so on. I don't think I have the product codes to add the games to steam for most of them (and when I've added games before it didn't seem to work as well as games downloaded through steam). Plus I don't have the barbarian invasions, which is probably worth a tenner anyway.

1. I read somewhere you couldn't. Guess either one of us could be right or wrong.

pwd

1. I read somewhere that you couldn't too...

hinduhamster

The Steam prices for the empire games are quite pricey I find. The mega pack is good if you don't have the other games. You should be able to pick up barbarian invasion easlily enough and that would patch Rome. I got the Rome collection in the steam January sale for €13 and am well impressed with what I got. (fully patched and ready). I plan to get the reatil copy of Special Units off play.com as it's a lot cheaper and retail copies look set to work on steam. If that's the case €45.49 is a much better choice for me. http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804658&highlight=retail+empire+total+war

Griffin87

I tryed to preorder this in game today and he told me that it was not being released till the 13th of march. he said that he was not doing any preorders as the game was delayed previosly. I told him he was wrong and that it was listed on games own website as realished on the 4th. This guy looked like the manager aswell wtf ?

Ardscoil Ris

Griffin87 wrote: »

I tryed to preorder this in game today and he told me that it was not being released till the 13th of march. he said that he was not doing any preorders as the game was delayed previosly. I told him he was wrong and that it was listed on games own website as realished on the 4th. This guy looked like the manager aswell wtf ?

They took my pre-order, and you're right it's out the 4th.

Griffin87

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

They took my pre-order, and you're right it's out the 4th.

Did you put the preorder in recently ?

Absolam

Griffin87 wrote: »

I tryed to preorder this in game today and he told me that it was not being released till the 13th of march. he said that he was not doing any preorders as the game was delayed previosly. I told him he was wrong and that it was listed on games own website as realished on the 4th. This guy looked like the manager aswell wtf ?

Which GAME store?

Ardscoil Ris

Griffin87 wrote: »

Did you put the preorder in recently ?

About 3 weeks ago.

Griffin87

It was the game on dawson Street

Maximilian

I hate this kind of thing.

Step 1: Complete game development.
Step 2: Charge 50 Euro
Step 3: Delete some content
Step 4: Put said content back into the Game, Charge another 10 Euro and call it a Special Edition, an Awesome Edition or whatever.
Step 5: ???
Step 6: Profit.

They can suck my balls, seriously. For a limited time only, they can suck both of them.

Ardscoil Ris

Maximilian wrote: »

I hate this kind of thing.

Step 1: Complete game
Step 2: Charge 50 Euro
Step 3: Delete some content
Step 4: Put said content back into the Game, Charge another 10 Euro and call it a Special Edition, an Awesome Edition or whatever.
Step 5: ???
Step 6: Profit.

They can suck my balls, seriously. For a limited time only, they can suck both of them.

Not forgetting, that you illegal unlock those units as they are stored in the normal version of the game. They are in hidden folders and locked, but you can easily get around that if you know what you are doing. Not that I condone such activity

TwoShedsJackson

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/empire-total-war-review 9/10 on Eurogamer.

Sounds good but could also benefit from a patch judging by their list of niggles.

Griffin87

there is going to be a launch day patch

Ardscoil Ris

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/empire-total-war-review 9/10 on Eurogamer.

Sounds good but could also benefit from a patch judging by their list of niggles.

That's two reviews that said they just ended up auto resolving naval battles.

Maximilian

I found naval battles the same in the demo, until I found out you need to group your ships. They then move as a group, following the leader. Made a massive difference. Before it was just a big mess and I didn't know what the hell was going on.

I never really grouped units that much in the previous total war games. I think grouping has been significantly improved as a tool in the land battle too.

Anyway, it's going to be an awesome game, I know it. A 9 for them but a 10 for me. Can't wait.

Kirby

I ALWAYS group my stuff so I didn't have much problems in the Naval battles. I think alot of people attribute failure to bad waypathing or bad AI.....when it actual fact its user error.

On land battles, you can just wade in and make stuff up on the fly but you cant with ships....they are slow and their turning circle is rightly very large. You need a picture of what you want in your mind as the battle starts...otherwise you just end up with ships all over the place, pointing in the wrong direction and getting shot to pieces. Personally, I like it that it takes some effort .

Ardscoil Ris

Maximilian wrote: »

I found naval battles the same in the demo, until I found out you need to group your ships. They then move as a group, following the leader. Made a massive difference. Before it was just a big mess and I didn't know what the hell was going on.

I never really grouped units that much in the previous total war games. I think grouping has been significantly improved as a tool in the land battle too.

Anyway, it's going to be an awesome game, I know it. A 9 for them but a 10 for me. Can't wait.

Grouping has been the same as it has been since Shogun. I never ever play a battle without grouping. It's essential.

Maximilian

Ardscoil Ris wrote: »

Grouping has been the same as it has been since Shogun. I never ever play a battle without grouping. It's essential.

Apparently not - I know its been there all along but it never really worked that well - formations would get lost or messed up etc. i found it much easier to micro everything. The point is they have now improved it so it works properly. One of the devs was talking about it on the forums, how the whole thing has been improved. In the naval battles though it will be essential.

I'll post the link if i find it.

paddyman

Pre-ordered off play.com myself, never layed the demo but i loved RTW.

Cant wait to get this. Only problem is my pc is a bit dated. I have been meaning to build a new one (still using a AMD2400+, 1gig ram, 6800 GFX card). Was kind of waiting for a game that would make me do it and im hoping this is it!!

Maximilian

paddyman wrote: »

Pre-ordered off play.com myself, never layed the demo but i loved RTW.

Cant wait to get this. Only problem is my pc is a bit dated. I have been meaning to build a new one (still using a AMD2400+, 1gig ram, 6800 GFX card). Was kind of waiting for a game that would make me do it and im hoping this is it!!

it looks rather lovely with all the settings up to ultra but its quite scalable

Ardscoil Ris

Maximilian wrote: »

it looks rather lovely with all the settings up to ultra but its quite scalable

Indeed it does, but apparently no matter what specs you have, it can't run a large naval battle smoothly. Anything above twenty ships will be a power point presentation.

Kirby

Yeh they need to alter the engine a bit for that.

Say if there is more than 20 ships in a set piece, set a few rules for the camera meaning it can't zoom in beyond a certain point......this means they can use lower res textures which will help a little. Also if 20+, disable some of the physics and post processing abilities.

Or, I suppose battles beyond a certain scale, automatically auto resolve.

Maximilian

How have you guys seen 20+ ships, out of interest? Is there some way to tweak the demo?

Ardscoil Ris

Maximilian wrote: »

How have you guys seen 20+ ships, out of interest? Is there some way to tweak the demo?

Yeah, I tweaked the demo to get it. It runs ok at the start, but once a few ships sinks it's fine. Can be a pain to play though. Lots of micro management.

Syferus

Yawnsome generic anger towards a special edition. If you don't like it, don't buy it.

It's not even just the six special units - which clearly wheren't took out of the game after the fact because they didn't counterbalance most of the factions, meaning they're just cool little extra after thoughts, not a missing part of the game - as the special edition includes a DVD, a campaign map and an art book as well.

It's not even bad value - €38.99 for the standard from play.com, €44.99 for the special edition, for example.

If only all special editions were that price.

humanji

I think he was talkign about getting the extra units on Steam, where you only get the game and the new units.

Syferus

humanji wrote: »

I think he was talkign about getting the extra units on Steam, where you only get the game and the new units.

And that would make it even worse, since even the play.com €44.99 price (which isn't even the cheapest - I got it for about €40 from GAME.com) for the special edition, and some store exclusive extra unit besides, is five Euro less than the standard game on Steam.

Steam zealots amaze me sometimes.

Wonda-Boy

Cant wait for this my Xtra Vision sells the games after 10pm so I will have it tonite...hopefully!!!!

Steam is a total rip off, paying mad money for no box, no sells person and waiting 3 weeks to d/l...it should be cheaper online FFS!