Shogun 2: Total War

[Paelos]

To be fair, when could you ever win a TW game by not conquering the countryside?

I'd like more detail on the unit similarities and the economy.

[Paelos]

Report soon. Got distracted by DA2 over the weekend, only had a chance to install and dick around a bit. I want to make sure to see how the AI etc. works.

SOOOOOOOON.

Where's my update! 

[tgr]

"Just one more round, and I'll get to your update."

would be the perfect update.

[Sparky]

Well I broke down and bought the damn thing.  The presentation is miles better than any previous Total War game.  Like head and shoulders better.  You can tell CA were always huge japanophiles at heart, the love of Japanese culture just seeps through your monitor.  The battles seem a little more in-depth and micromanagy.  Most units have special abilities, the correctly timed deployment of which can easily turn a fight.  Your generals level up with a MMO like talent tree, makes you feel a lot more invested in them.

As a Total War vet who swore I'd never buy another iteration after Empire, I'm in love.  We'll see if it's just the new shiny speaking in time but at least I'm not instantly disappointed like it's Empire all over again.

In conclusion:

[WayAbvPar]

I was PERILOUSLY close to buying this, but then found out that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 came out early this year (usually hits in the summer), and it had Augusta on it, so yeah. If you need me, I will be looking for my ball in Rae's Creek.

[Khaldun]

You know, so far so good. It's certainly beautifully presented. It's definitely challenging my fairly new machine to keep up at times, though. AI so far makes fairly good decisions, more on the model of Rome:TW, though I've seen some slight weirdness in one case with AI naval units (sailed off in the wrong direction). If it's broken in any respect, the brokenness is much more hidden than in Empire.

[FatuousTwat]

This might seem petty, but my biggest problem has been the small number of maps.

It feels like I'm sieging the same 2 or 3 castles and defending/attack the same 2 or 3 pieces of land over and over.

[Ghambit]

This might seem petty, but my biggest problem has been the small number of maps.

It feels like I'm sieging the same 2 or 3 castles and defending/attack the same 2 or 3 pieces of land over and over.

You mean the textual name of the land and location on the map wasnt enough to make it different?  pfft

[FatuousTwat]

Don't forget the general's speeches!

[Khaldun]

I kind of find it annoyingly difficult at times to move around the map. Probably there's an interface trick I'm missing out of being too reluctant to RTFM or do all the tutorial stuff.

[Brolan]

Has the patch broken any one else's game?  My son's copy now crashes after battles are over and going back to the campaign map.

[WayAbvPar]

Bumping this to garner some info about MII :TW mods. Anyone have suggestions? I think I tried Stainless Steel last time around but could never get it to play right with the Steam version.

[Speedy Cerviche]

I got it working through steam version. You don't launch it with steam, have to launch it through an executable that should be somewhere in the mod directory.

Stainless steel is the best modded version of the regular game. Comprehensive tweaks to AI, unit rosters, balance, etc that adds lots of layers to vanilla game.

Basically go here and look over the list:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=556

All the ones with showing people viewing forum, and a lot of posts are good bets.

[Sheepherder]

I would just like to point out right now that Stainless Steel is a retarded name for a mod of a game about medieval warfare.  That is all.

[WayAbvPar]

I got it working through steam version. You don't launch it with steam, have to launch it through an executable that should be somewhere in the mod directory.

Stainless steel is the best modded version of the regular game. Comprehensive tweaks to AI, unit rosters, balance, etc that adds lots of layers to vanilla game.

Basically go here and look over the list:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=556

All the ones with showing people viewing forum, and a lot of posts are good bets.

OK, I will dig around and give it a try. Thanks!

Edit- looking at the FAQ, I think I remember what my original problem was- I couldn't get Kingdoms to run correctly (I loaned out my original DVD, and re-purchased through Steam, but have the physical Kingdoms disks). I will have to dick around and see if I can get it working. Or buy Kingdoms from Steam like a good American.

[Azazel]

Has the patch broken any one else's game?  My son's copy now crashes after battles are over and going back to the campaign map.

I just had the whole damn thing start to redownload itself overnight the other night. Way to eat up my monthly downloads. Turned ff steam's auto-patching for this game. Still haven't had the time/inclination to boot it up yet.

[Paelos]

So this went on sale on Steam for 33% off this weekend. I'm still not sure what to think?

Are people willing to take the plunge at that price point?

[Teleku]

Yeah, would be nice to get some reviews of this while its on sale.

[Paelos]

The hilarious part is we've all been burned so bad by Empire, I doubt anyone is willing to take the plunge.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Not gonna bother, from what I've read it's the same old TW. Gets decent reviews because it's more polished than ETW/NTW, but same old AI issues. I wouldn't get it unless you are some otaku nerd who wants to play TW with ninja units and geisha cut scenes. You'll get better gameplay with MTW2 mods.

[Engels]

If you've never played an TW game, this is a good one to get. If you have already slogged through all the others, this one holds few surprises.

[Paelos]

If you've never played an TW game, this is a good one to get. If you have already slogged through all the others, this one holds few surprises.

That's all I needed to know. Thanks. Plus I'm not a fan of the Japanese period so, meh.

Hurry up and do Rome II, bitches!

[Khaldun]

I think that's about right. They solved the problem with Empire by just doing TW in pre-Empire style. I've found it moderately engaging but I have wondered at times why I don't just boot up Medieval 2 or Rome instead.

[Malakili]

I demoed this an its kind of interesting but the pace was a bit too slow for me.  I haven't played a total war game before but I figured I'd give it a shot.  I understand why the series is popular though, after playing it, it just isn't my cup of tea.

[jakonovski]

How's the multiplayer? I hear good things about it.

[Speedy Cerviche]

havent played STW but multiplayer in total war has always been kind of bad, lots of cheese tactics and unbalanced units.

[Ingmar]

Anyone have any tips for speeding up the load times? They're the only thing really keeping me from enjoying this game.

[Ginaz]

Bit of a necro here, but the stand alone expansion Fall of the Samurai is now out and has been getting pretty good reviews.  I'm tempted to get this after hearing about all the additions (most modern setting of any TW game, naval bombardment of land including towns AND during battles, 3rd person operation of gatling guns) but I still have too many games I haven't even installed yet.  Has anyone tried this yet and wants to convince me to buy it before it goes on sale sometime with Steam?

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/total-war-shogun-2---fall-of-the-samurai

[Speedy Cerviche]

I just purchased STW2 + first xpac on steam sale last week, most say I am really impressed by vanilla campaign. By far the best non-modded CA game I've ever played.

I don't think I'll buy the xpac though, naval bombardment seems really unhistorical and gimmicky. I play TW to see infantry crashing together also, not for automatic weapons...

That said I can't wait to see CA take this engine back to a more meaty setting. Rome 2 or Medieval 3 anyone??? Would be great.

[Sheepherder]

I just purchased STW2 + first xpac on steam sale last week, most say I am really impressed by vanilla campaign. By far the best non-modded CA game I've ever played.

The realm divide killed it for me.  What a bullshit mechanic.

I don't think I'll buy the xpac though, naval bombardment seems really unhistorical and gimmicky.

The steam-powered ships
break the halcyon slumber
of the Pacific;
a mere four boats are enough
to make us lose sleep at night.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Bombarding towns is one thing (tho ships rarely did that, since they are generally on the losing side of an engagement with shore batteries), but who the hell would camp their army within cannon range of a ship?

[Paelos]

Dead guys.

[Sheepherder]

but who the hell would camp their army within cannon range of a ship?

Everyone ever in the entire history of war?  Might as well fly a flag with the motto "Put marines here to win!" while you're at it.

Shogun lacks a "Fortify" button.