Rome II

[MikeGER]

son of Mars  :)

nice shots !



;)  (correct Latin would be Bovis Maximus so)

[Yskonyn]

Happy to report that the game runs pretty well for me (Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400, 8GB RAM, Nvidia GTX580) provided I need to turn down the shadow, grass and water rendering from Extreme to Very High (2 notches down). All other settings are at maximum so far.
The introductory battles run fine, but I may find I need to reduce the settings some more with huge sieges.
Good start so far, though!

It's a pretty game, but I just can't stand the 'shimmer' effect I get on units and vegetation at a distance. I have tried forcing Anti-Aliasing in the videocard's control panel, but there doesn't seem to be any change. I don't see an AA option in the game either.
I guess its a small quarrel to have with the game, but it does detract from its beauty.

I have been able to play the prologue until the retaking of Salernum, that's up next.

It's no use to comment on the AI here as the encounters are highly scripted and your own units overly tough.
What I have seen, though, is AI successfully breaking off an attack, regroup and charge again. Good mutual support seems to be going on as well if applicable units are closeby.

I will have to delay the taking of Salernum for a while now, though, cause I am needed here in Daventria. ;-)
Oh how I hate having to tend to real life on a release day.. XD

[undercovergeek]

Thanks ysk - good news on the specs - I think ill whack upto Max and then work down from there

[Nefaro]

The "shimmer" effect, from a distance, is the graphics quality 'bubble' people have complained about in these latest TW games.  Whereas Medieval 2 TW and the previous versions with the old game engine weren't quite so pronounced, the newer ones since ETW have implemented an abrupt drop-off of gfx quality past a certain distance from the camera.  It's probably a must-have with this engine because all the questionable lighting, particle effects, and post-processing smear takes a huge toll on video performance.  So the fewer little dudes you have being rendered at full detail, the less your fps drops in battles.  The ones further out past "the bubble" are being rendered at low blobish gfx quality. 

I'd rather have more control over the graphics settings and be able to turn off more of the post-processing and lighting crap, then turn the high-quality view distance up.  Unfortunately it doesn't have the option to ditch these effects.

One big step back is the UI.  I think it's much better in Shogun 2.  I dunno why the current trend is to put all the UI info over a transparent background, but it makes the actual info more difficult to focus on with a bunch of gfx shit behind it as a backdrop.  It also doesn't seem to help fps performance when used en masse.  If it's not broke.. don't fucking fix it.  >:(

As for the new game features, they seem quite interesting once you're done wrestling with the new UI.  The revolt system has been redone.  You don't just spam mil unit creating in the cities, but have to give an army the order to recruit that turn.  There are other special orders for armies, too, so there is more variety regarding what you want to do with them. The new overhead tactical view is quite nice, although I hope they expand on some of the display feedback for it, such as being able to see where your units have been ordered to go when holding down the Space Bar (as in regular view). 

The range of available military units looks great.  Battles haven't really changed much other than some small UI shuffling.  I foresee a lot of faction DLC for this, as the map looks quite large and full of them.  :)  Overall it seems quite nice, other than one or two things.  I couldn't switch the keybinds for Shuffle Left and Rotate Left for some reason.. must be a bug.  Not game breaking, though.  My fps seemed to continually drop on the campaign map, so I'm tempted to say there may be some memory leakage but can't confirm. 

[Bison]

It's a pretty game, but I just can't stand the 'shimmer' effect I get on units and vegetation at a distance. I have tried forcing Anti-Aliasing in the videocard's control panel, but there doesn't seem to be any change. I don't see an AA option in the game either.

There is an advanced graphics option in the settings that lets you adjust things like AA.

[Bison]

Thanks ysk - good news on the specs - I think ill whack upto Max and then work down from there

Got this bad boy running with extreme graphics.

[Yskonyn]

Thanks ysk - good news on the specs - I think ill whack upto Max and then work down from there

Got this bad boy running with extreme graphics.

The bad boy walks rather than runs on extreme settings here. ;) It does 'work' though.

There is an advanced graphics option in the settings that lets you adjust things like AA.

Well that's just the thing; there is an Anisotropic Filtering option (AF) but not an Anti-Aliasing (AA) option there, but I recall that being an 'issue' in previous TW games as well.

[Con]

Whilst some think I'm actually a spy I'm an operations manager for a conference and exhibition software company - but our clients are all over the world, my next adventure is Libya god help me!

Bison - how the hell are you playing it already - what time is it there? Good screenies - heading home shortly

Having played UGG in PBEM games and seen when and where he puts his turns in I am convinced that he is working for SMERSH (maybe as their IT guy but still its for Evil)

I thought for sure that I wouldn't be interested int his game (Total War Empires moved me away from this franchise) but I have to say I am getting drawn in by the excitement I see all of you generating around this game.  Its like that first moment when still a child at Christmas and the presents are all glistening wrapped under the tree.  The potential is so great...then you open them and find out is a pair of underwear from your dotty old aunt.

Well I am still going to wait to see if Rome II is underwear or Pants!

Con

[Bison]

There is an advanced graphics option in the settings that lets you adjust things like AA.

Well that's just the thing; there is an Anisotropic Filtering option (AF) but not an Anti-Aliasing (AA) option there, but I recall that being an 'issue' in previous TW games as well.

[Bison]

son of Mars  :)

nice shots !



;)  (correct Latin would be Bovis Maximus so)

WAR!  FOR THE GLORY OF ROME!


Bisonus Maximus approves of this message.

[JudgeDredd]

There is an advanced graphics option in the settings that lets you adjust things like AA.

Well that's just the thing; there is an Anisotropic Filtering option (AF) but not an Anti-Aliasing (AA) option there, but I recall that being an 'issue' in previous TW games as well.

LMFAO!

[Bison]

I've also decided that my first non-Roman game will be as the Iceni.

[Yskonyn]

HA! Well, I'll be darned... Must be the morning with a lack of sufficient coffee. :D
Thanks for the evidence, Bison!

[Gusington]

At about 5am local time I crept into my dark study to check that Rome II was ready and it was. There was also an IM from Yskonyn sent over checking to see if my copy was fully loaded (he is in the Netherlands IIRC). What I can't explain is how Bison is squeezing in some time to play when he allegedly works for a living.

Yskonyn - your best solution is to play some LAN MP with the baby.

Only about 11 hours until I can sit down and start! Should I play through the prologue?

[mikeck]

Thanks ysk - good news on the specs - I think ill whack upto Max and then work down from there

Got this bad boy running with extreme graphics.

What type of gfx card?