Rome Total war 2

McSasquatch

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

What spec is your machine?

E8400, GTX460 and 4GB RAM. It'll play it no problem, but I needs the eye candy for this one.

McSasquatch

Speaking of eye candy, there's another new screenshot floating about today. It's obviously posed for marketing purposes, but a) it features a faction not really seen before (Parthia) and b) it's freaking huge, so lots of detail.

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

Speaking of eye candy, there's another new screenshot floating about today. It's obviously posed for marketing purposes, but a) it features a faction not really seen before (Parthia) and b) it's freaking huge, so lots of detail.

Is it me or do Parthia look like they've already advance to the medieval age. Very medieval 2 like. Great detail tho and looks fantastic.
I heard the Egyptian one got taken down because of complaints that the Egyptians looked too mummy returns or something like that

McSasquatch

Yeah, taken down from FB because the realism nuts went berserk apparently, getting quite personal in their attacks. I can understand CA mixing up the units a bit so that Egypt aren't just another Hellenistic faction. But the inclusion of more bronze age type units (as in the Mummy Returns, apparently) is like a red rag to a bull with some people.

And yeah, the Parthian's cataphracts might look medieval, but I think (and someone more learned can correct me if I'm wrong) cataphracts were already around for a few centuries before the game's time frame.

Manach

Offhand, and based on Luttwak's book on the defence of the late Roman empire, cataphracts would be more Byzantine era units: heavy mobile reserves.

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

Yeah, taken down from FB because the realism nuts went berserk apparently, getting quite personal in their attacks. I can understand CA mixing up the units a bit so that Egypt aren't just another Hellenistic faction. But the inclusion of more bronze age type units (as in the Mummy Returns, apparently) is like a red rag to a bull with some people.

And yeah, the Parthian's cataphracts might look medieval, but I think (and someone more learned can correct me if I'm wrong) cataphracts were already around for a few centuries before the game's time frame.

Not very bothered by either tbh as long as it plays well. Will probably only play as Rome,Sparta,Iceni or Arverni. As long as there units looks fantastic ill be happy haha.

McSasquatch

Manach wrote: »

Offhand, and based on Luttwak's book on the defence of the late Roman empire, cataphracts would be more Byzantine era units: heavy mobile reserves.

Prevalent then for sure, but still around centuries before that.

coolguyrko wrote: »

Not very bothered by either tbh as long as it plays well. Will probably only play as Rome,Sparta,Iceni or Arverni. As long as there units looks fantastic ill be happy haha.

Agreed, and it seems there's going to be a lot more variety in unit type this time too. I'll definitely be playing as Carthage at some point as well, and the Seleucid Empire if they're made playable as DLC at some point.

Sephiroth_dude

I just realised this is out the same day as college registration day for me Bad timing :pac:

coolguyrko

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

I just realised this is out the same day as college registration day for me Bad timing :pac:

Think I'm not back till the 10th.Hopefully I can get out of being an orientation guide. Agreed at the start of summer for the money.Now I'm just lazy haha

Keggers2

Oh wow, I'm waaay behind!

Well, we finally have The Battle of the Nile from the Roman perspective!

http://ie.ign.com/videos/2013/07/10/rome-2-total-war-battle-of-the-nile

McSasquatch

TRIARII!!!

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

TRIARII!!!

HASTATI!!! Or SPARTANS!!!

Pyr0

coolguyrko wrote: »

Is it me or do Parthia look like they've already advance to the medieval age. Very medieval 2 like. Great detail tho and looks fantastic.
I heard the Egyptian one got taken down because of complaints that the Egyptians looked too mummy returns or something like that

The Parthians were renowned for using Cataphracts in their armies. One of the main reasons Rome was unable to defeat Parthia was their inability to deal with large numbers of heavy Cavalry, especially the caliber the Parthians fielded. The Romans in comparison only fielded light cavalry in small supporting numbers or as harassing units and relied on heavy infantry formations as the back bone for their legions. They simply didn't have the mobility to compete on the field.

McSasquatch

Time to start planning!

Official RIITW Campaign Map Planner.

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

Time to start planning!

Official RIITW Campaign Map Planner.

Looks cool.is there anything more to it than a map?. Only on iPad at the moment so that's all I see. :P

McSasquatch

coolguyrko wrote: »

Looks cool.is there anything more to it than a map?. Only on iPad at the moment so that's all I see. :P

It's interactive - gives info on each region/province. Plus you can select your faction, and then map out your planned progress.

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

It's interactive - gives info on each region/province. Plus you can select your faction, and then map out your planned progress.

That's awesome. Finished building my new rig awhile ago. Installing all the drivers. Internet, anti virus etc so it'll be awhile before I get round to it

Keggers2

This map planner it too awesome!

Hours of fun to be had!

McSasquatch

New pic showing different the different battlefield weather conditions at Vesuvius - so not sure if that's snow or ash in the bottom-right!

Sulla Felix

I just remembered something I wanted in this version, but I don't think I'm getting it.

The ability to update combat doctrines amongst the "savage" races. Playing as the Gauls after a 100 years was kind of suckage because you got no new shiny shiny. But, historically, everyone, including the Romans, stole military tech from each other. Gladius started in Spain, Romans adopted it from the Iberians, Parthians then took it from the Romans around the time of the Mithridatic wars.

Guess them modders might be able to do something.

Jelle1880

That campaign planner, wtf so awesome

Glad I'm getting a new computer right before this comes out.

McSasquatch

Video covering RIITW's audio; from voice acting (from Mark Strong), music to sound effects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWgis-j5BZk

McSasquatch

The latest Rally Point thing. Hippy-Simon-Pegg is more annoying than ever, but there's a little glimpse of the start of a Suebi campaign.

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

The latest Rally Point thing. Hippy-Simon-Pegg is more annoying than ever, but there's a little glimpse of the start of a Suebi campaign.

Is it just me or is the scale of the campaign map just enormous. I mean the starting stage he was on of just once province looked pretty big as it was. Can't wait to invade with rome now haha. If only I could fix my bloody issue with the graphics on my computer. It's bareable but only just

Sephiroth_dude

McSasquatch wrote: »

The latest Rally Point thing. Hippy-Simon-Pegg is more annoying than ever, but there's a little glimpse of the start of a Suebi campaign.

HA! Cringy dude

McSasquatch

Pricing revealed for the Greek factions DLC (for those who don't pre-order) - €7.49/£5.99/$7.99. Yikes!

Anyway, because of the announcement, one of the CA PR people asked the staff about Sparta, and the size of the task in front of players who choose them for the grand campaign. This was taken from the thread over at the official TW forums.

I asked our design team what it would take for a cunning player to bring them back from the brink of extinction and why they think Sparta will be one of the hardest factions to start ROME II with, here’s what they had to say:

When Total War: ROME II begins, it’s been more than 200 years since the famous Battle of Thermopylae, a moment that enshrined the Spartans as a force to be reckoned with and made their strict training methods and fearsome battle tactics the stuff of military legend. Though ultimately defeated, a tiny force of Greeks, including the famous 300 Spartans, held back an enormous Persian army for 3 bloody days.

From then on though Sparta’s fortunes waned as they found themselves left behind by the growing military and economic strength of their neighbouring Greek States. An unfavourable outcome to the Punic Wars and a final conquering by the Roman Empire in 146BC meant an ignominious end for classical Spartan culture as a tourist attraction for the wealthy Roman upper class.

As our game starts though, you have the power to change all that. Sparta is certainly on the back foot, in decline and, compared to some of its closest neighbours, looks like it could be quickly outmatched. But Total War is all about rewriting history, so what advice do the CA design team have when it comes to playing the aging underdog…

Sparta is done for, right?

James Russell, Lead Designer – “Not quite, but it’s not looking good for them at the start of ROME II, no. If you pick them for your grand campaign you are facing a very tough early game against some difficult and varied opposition. In particular, you are already at war with Epirus to the north who, while perhaps being more economically strong than particularly mighty in the military sense, cannot be underestimated. Your lifeline politically, at least for the time being, is Athens who may not be your best friend but are a client state of Macedon, who you are at least allies with.

“It’s not a cast iron safety net should Epirus look to press their luck, but it’s certainly a help to know you won’t be fighting on two fronts. Unless you really mess up your diplomacy…”

Jack Lusted, Lead Unit Designer – “They’ve definitely got the edge on the infantry front with Spartan troops earning increased experience per battle, they will learn fast and get better sooner than most factions, but the magnificent ranks of hoplites and elite ‘Heroes of Sparta’ are effective but costly. Depending on how you build out your first armies you may struggle to match your opponents numbers so a player who’s shrewd with ambush battle tactics and making the most of smaller forces will find a lot to pique their interest here. Sure, Spartan infantry can eat a lot of punishment, but an inexperienced player can easily risk throwing away that early game advantage by rushing in and not picking their fights appropriately.”

So it’s likely they will be overwhelmed pretty quickly?

Janos Gaspar, Lead Campaign Designer – “No, actually overwhelming Sparta, conquering them outright, should be a challenge in itself. Defensively strong, their starting province is also easier to protect than most, plus they have a unique building in the form of the Monument of Leonidas which, alongside other benefits, brings a huge morale bonus to land units in the home province. If you can build it though.

“Rather than being overwhelmed, the real risk is being contained in your starting position. Your neighbours have good trade links and powerful incentives to buff up their military strength to survive. The Seleucid Empire is not far to the east, Rome to the west and the looming threat of barbarian cultures in the north mean that your immediate neighbours might be distracted by weightier concerns than poor old Sparta, but those threats could make them hard as steel in response. The upside is that while the giants fight amongst themselves the clever player could spot opportunities to strike out at a weakened state. Investing in spy and scout agents early on will help you spot these chances as the other factions move against one another.”

Dom Starr, Campaign Designer – “Being imprisoned in their own borders is certainly the biggest threat to the Spartan player in my mind. One major weakness is their lack of a trade port in their home region, so maintaining cordial relations with Athens or indeed a decisive strike to take their territory and harbours would be at the front of my mind. The latter could easily leave your relationship with Macedonia in tatters and your armies stretched too thin if you go too early. Leave it too late and you won’t be able to build a large enough force to go against your fellow Greek States.

“That precise moment when you decide to move would be a strong indicator of a great Total War player; that moment will arrive at a different point in each player’s game and if you miss it, it could be turns later until your mistake finally dawns on you.”


Aside from the tasty infantry, have they got anything else to help them out?

Mike Simpson, Creative Director – “Well there are some distinct advantages you can play to. Their starting region contains a wonder, Olympia, and the bonus this confers means that Spartans tend to party particularly hard when you enact the festivities edict. Such is their fervour in the belief that Zeus favours them at these times that your population happiness is easier to manage, or at least more effectively prop up in a crisis.

“There’s also the question of slavery. Sparta had a long history of effectively repressing their large slave population, the Helot underclass. In the game this is represented by a bonus Sparta receives that ensures slaves are less likely to revolt than those of other factions. These elements mean that while the odds are stacked against Sparta, they do have the advantage of a stable home territory and powerbase, however small, to work from. It’s not fool proof though, neglecting your slave population’s happiness will still eventually lead to revolts and in the opening turns that will be catastrophic for the unwary Spartan player.”

Hope you all enjoyed that!

Sephiroth_dude

New computer arrived \0/

McSasquatch

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

New computer arrived \0/

Not jealous at all. :mad:

Enjoy! :pac:

Stole this from TW's Facebook feed - essentially a list of all factions in the game.

Britainnia:
Ebdani
Brigantes
Demetae
Britannia
Dumonii
Iceni (Playable)

Gaul:
Bibracte
Carnutes
Belgica
Aquitinia
Averni (Playable)
Vivisci
Volcae
Massilia
Aedui
Frisii

Italia:
Rome (Playable)
Etruscan
Veneti
Insubres
Liguria
Syracuse
Carthage (Playable)
Karalis

Iberia:
Carthage (Playable)
Nova Carthago (Client state of Carthage)
Turdedani
Celtici
Lusitani
Gaelleaci
Cantabri
Editani
Arevaci

Germania:
Suebi (Playable)
Cherusci
Gutones
Cimbri
Nervii
Marcomanni
Boii
Nori
Raeti
Helvetii

Steppes:
Aestii
Budini
Anartes
Catiaroi
Cimmeria
Siraces
Aorsoi
Roxolani
Thyssagetae
Massagetae

Eastern Europa:
Delmetae
Daorsi
Ardiaei
Triballi
Ordryssia
Macedon (Playable)
Getae
Bastarnae
Biephi
Eravisci
Scordisci
Breusci

Greece:
Macedon (Playable)
Athens (Playable, client state of Macedon)
Sparta (Playable)
Epirus (Playable)
Tylis
Knossos
Rhodos

The East:
Pergamon
Sardes (client state of the Selucid empire)
Cyprus (client state of Egypt)
Tarsus (client state of Egypt)
Sardes (client state of the Selucid empire)
Galatia
Cappadocia
Bityhnia
Pontus (playable)
Trapezos
Armenia
Colchis
Kartli
Ardhan
Selucid empire
Egypt (playable)
Nabatae
Petra
Blemmyes
Meroe
Axum
Himyar
Saba
Mascat
Ma In
Gerrhae
Quidri
Media (client state of the Selucid empire)
Persia (client state of the Selucid empire)
Media Atropatene
Parthava (client state of the Selucid empire)
Parthia (playable)
Harmozia (client state of the Selucid empire)
Sagartia (client state of the Selucid empire)
Drangiana (client state of the Selucid empire)
Sagartia (client state of the Selucid empire)
Aria (client state of the Selucid empire)
Dahae
Khorasmii
Baktria
Arachosia
Cyrenaica
Nassamones

Africa:
Carthage
Nova Carthage (client state of Carthage)
Gaetuli
Massaeyli
Garamantia
Libue (client state of Carthage)
Garamantia

coolguyrko

McSasquatch wrote: »

Pricing revealed for the Greek factions DLC (for those who don't pre-order) - €7.49/£5.99/$7.99. Yikes!

Anyway, because of the announcement, one of the CA PR people asked the staff about Sparta, and the size of the task in front of players who choose them for the grand campaign. This was taken from the thread over at the official TW forums.

1 of the main reasons I thought of starting as sparta provides a dynamic challenge. Like England in M2TW. Strong starting position and easy enough to defend where you are but can be difficult to expand(mainly because you will get excommunicated even tho France and Scotland always start wars and never get excomunicated)

Fixed a graphical problem with my computer so now Im raring to go. Just need to order it now. 25 euro is great but the count doesnt bloody have it atm haha

Sephiroth_dude

What was the graphical problem cool?