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Digital Gaming => Computer Gaming => Topic started by: al_infierno on August 11, 2020, 01:26:23 PM

Title: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: al_infierno on August 11, 2020, 01:26:23 PM
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/a-total-war-saga-troy/home

For the RTS fans in the house, the new Total War Saga game launches in a couple days.  According to the release note, it'll be claimable for free for the first 24 hours after launch.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: devoncop on August 11, 2020, 01:33:18 PM
Do Epic give away a free Huawai spyphone and Tiananem Square memorial mug with every download given their relationship with Tencent Holdings ? ;)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: al_infierno on August 11, 2020, 01:34:49 PM
 :2funny:
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 11, 2020, 01:37:44 PM
I considered it for a short while but since I probably would not play it right away I decided not to. My machine is still Epic free for now.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Shelldrake on August 12, 2020, 07:02:36 AM
Quote from: Gusington on August 11, 2020, 01:37:44 PM
I considered it for a short while but since I probably would not play it right away I decided not to. My machine is still Epic free for now.

Content from your Epic library will now show up in GOG Galaxy 2.0 but as far as I know you will still need to install the Epic launcher to actually download and play an Epic game.  >:(
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 12, 2020, 08:37:42 AM
^Yeah...will pass for now. Who knows what Epic will offer next though.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Nefaro on August 12, 2020, 11:05:38 AM
Quote from: devoncop on August 11, 2020, 01:33:18 PM
Do Epic give away a free Huawai spyphone and Tiananem Square memorial mug with every download given their relationship with Tencent Holdings ? ;)

;)

It will come to Steam in a year.  Like other Epic Spyware exclusive games.   ::)

I suppose by that time the hordes of patches and additions will have ironed out the ugly spots.

Still been tempted to check it out, but installing software that's 40+% owned by the CCP gives me serious pause.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 12, 2020, 11:19:22 AM
^That's another part of my 'more mature' attempt at game buying. If it's out for a year before I get it, chances are it will work much better than on launch day.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: al_infierno on August 12, 2020, 03:08:53 PM
https://culturedvultures.com/a-total-war-saga-troy-review/

Review impressions leave a bit to be desired.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 12, 2020, 04:06:32 PM
^Thanks for posting, now I don't feel bad about waiting a year or longer:

A Total War Saga: TROY is a big disappointment on many levels: mechanically, creatively, and technically.

I'll grab it for 10 dollah 2 years from now.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Queeg on August 12, 2020, 05:38:11 PM
Some of the reviews are a bit more favorable:

https://www.pcgamesn.com/total-war-saga-troy/review

https://www.ign.com/articles/a-total-war-saga-troy-review

And given all the money I've wasted over the years on games I never play, getting one for free has some appeal. 
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Toonces on August 12, 2020, 07:56:07 PM
I didn't read the reviews yet, but I wonder what it is about the "Saga" Total Wars that just don't seem to work out.  The smaller campaigns in M2TW (Crusades etc.) were really fun; I appreciated the tighter scope.

I haven't tried Britannia yet because it's been so poorly reviewed.   That last thing I want is a slower TW game.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 12, 2020, 07:58:37 PM
^Me neither, but I will this fall. I also haven't played Three Kingdoms yet. And I didn't really like the Warhammer games as much as I'd wanted to. The last TW game I really, really enjoyed was Attila.

This year is 20 years since the release of the original Shogun, btw.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Toonces on August 12, 2020, 08:18:24 PM
Hehe, all 5 posts on the right side are by me now (on the main forum page).

Winner!   :peace:
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Nefaro on August 13, 2020, 08:46:34 AM
I like the new campaign concept of different resources they added in Troy

Buckled like a belt and will try it.  Since it's out now, for free. 

I've always had some complaints about TW's campaign system in each title.  Whether not being intricate enough in many areas, or having some ridiculous mechanic (looking at you, Attila, with your research penalties for expansion).  However, it's encouraging to see some of the focus taken away from simply making more money, and being spread out to resources.  Should give some variance to your expansion considerations and address the 'Units-Or-Buildings' lack of economic decision making in previous titles.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Sir Slash on August 13, 2020, 09:32:44 AM
There's a write-up about the game over at the Wargamer and they don't seem too excited about it either.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: mbar on August 13, 2020, 09:59:10 AM
I've got my copy now.

"IS THERE NO ONE ELSE!!!!"
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Sir Slash on August 13, 2020, 10:14:18 AM
Watch your heel there Achilles. Just saying.  :coolsmiley:
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Nefaro on August 13, 2020, 11:54:27 AM
My first impression is generally good.

After a few turns, I definitely like the new resource system.  It makes the choice of buildings and units more difficult yet separate, at least early on, since the more obvious choices are also limited by the less plentiful resources (stone and bronze).  Units also require upkeep of the same.  So should, hopefully, limit how many of the better units you can field while still encouraging you to fill out the rest with lighter ones which only require Food.  Really hope means the AI armies will also have a mix, although past AI army builds in TW have been wonky as hell.  Perhaps they had to adjust it due to the new system.

Don't have much opinion on the battles yet.  The battle terrain is an improvement, and more interesting.  The speed of units is like that of Three Kingdoms, which I wasn't crazy about, but I'll just pause when it gets too twitchy.  One thing I've hoped for in all TWs is more, perhaps soft, limits on army sizes in battles.  TW needs some kind of Command Limit mechanic or soft-cap penalties for reducing micro-management hell in multi-army battles.  I've not gone far enough in Troy to see if that happens, per usual, in the later game but I expect it like all the others.

The religious system looks like it will be pretty powerful.  Choose your favored God(s) wisely and build to keep up the Favor.

The Units aren't anything unusual in TW but the aesthetic of them, the UI, and the game in general is rather sexy.  It's growing on me.  Like hair or a fungus.

I mean.. its FREE.  I half expected it to be a failure, but thus far the new additions have been a plus.  Will see how it holds up in the late stages of a campaign.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 13, 2020, 12:03:03 PM
Let us know when you start recruiting or fighting heroes.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: WYBaugh on August 13, 2020, 12:15:17 PM
Yeah I'm a game ho.  I gave in with Borderlands 3 came out (I couldn't wait until release on steam) so I've been collecting all of the epic free games.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Jarhead0331 on August 13, 2020, 12:15:50 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on August 13, 2020, 11:54:27 AM

I mean.. its FREE.  I half expected it to be a failure, but thus far the new additions have been a plus.  Will see how it holds up in the late stages of a campaign.

Seriously, even with them giving it away for free...there are still people who will find a way to complain about TW.  :buck2:
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 13, 2020, 12:49:20 PM
HA 'game ho.'

Giving it away for free!
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 13, 2020, 12:50:39 PM
I've been trying to snag a copy but the servers have been jammed all morning.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: W8taminute on August 13, 2020, 02:15:35 PM
Not really interested in anything Total War these days as I'm just burnt out with their stuff.  But if EPIC ever does offer something like Grand Tactician or Gary Grisby's War in the West/East for free then I might join. 

Otherwise I'm just too lazy to put energy into signing up for another game site.  Those of you who use EPIC I offer this challenge: convince a lazy, tired, old man to go through the effort.   8)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Grim.Reaper on August 13, 2020, 02:20:01 PM
Quote from: W8taminute on August 13, 2020, 02:15:35 PM
Not really interested in anything Total War these days as I'm just burnt out with their stuff.  But if EPIC ever does offer something like Grand Tactician or Gary Grisby's War in the West/East for free then I might join. 

Otherwise I'm just too lazy to put energy into signing up for another game site.  Those of you who use EPIC I offer this challenge: convince a lazy, tired, old man to go through the effort.   8)

Let's put it this way, you could have signed up for an account and downloaded/installed the client in roughly the same amount of time it took you to ask the question and say your lazy:)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 13, 2020, 02:58:04 PM
That took a lot of refreshing but I got it finally.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: W8taminute on August 13, 2020, 03:17:34 PM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on August 13, 2020, 02:20:01 PM
Quote from: W8taminute on August 13, 2020, 02:15:35 PM
Not really interested in anything Total War these days as I'm just burnt out with their stuff.  But if EPIC ever does offer something like Grand Tactician or Gary Grisby's War in the West/East for free then I might join. 

Otherwise I'm just too lazy to put energy into signing up for another game site.  Those of you who use EPIC I offer this challenge: convince a lazy, tired, old man to go through the effort.   8)

Let's put it this way, you could have signed up for an account and downloaded/installed the client in roughly the same amount of time it took you to ask the question and say your lazy:)

Ah but writing a post on a forum I've been going to for years is easy.  I've already put the energy into figuring out how to do that years ago.  It is I guess challenging to burn brain cells trying to figure out a new system when so few brain cells remain after years of drinking.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Jarhead0331 on August 13, 2020, 03:17:43 PM
Quote from: W8taminute on August 13, 2020, 02:15:35 PM

Otherwise I'm just too lazy to put energy into signing up for another game site.  Those of you who use EPIC I offer this challenge: convince a lazy, tired, old man to go through the effort.   8)

I'll give you 51 reasons. The list of games I have obtained through Epic for FREE:

Aztez
Kingdom Come Deliverance
Carcassonne
Borderlands 3
Observer
Total War Saga: TROY
AER memories of Old
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
ARK: Survival Evolved
Assassins Creed Syndicate
Bad North Jotunn Edition
Barony
Borderlands 2
Borderlands: The Pre-sequel
Crashlands
Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition
Darksiders Warmastered Edition
Death Coming
Everything
Faeria
Farming Simulator 19
For the King
Grand Theft Auto V
Horace
InnerSpace
Into the Breach
Jotun Valhalla Edition
Just Cause 4
Killing Floor 2
Lifeless Planet: Premium Edition
Metro 2022 Redux
Nuclear Throne
Offworld Trading Company
Pathway
Remnant: From the Ashes
Ruiner
Samurai Showdown
Civilization VI
Squad
Steep
Stranger Things 3
Sundered Eldritch Edition
Superbrothers
Tacoma
The Alto Collection
The Escapists 2
The Wold Among Us
Torchlight II
Tormentor X Punisher
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
Watch Dogs
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: W8taminute on August 13, 2020, 03:22:13 PM
^Ok now we're talking.  That's pretty impressive. 
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 13, 2020, 03:31:12 PM
Ho.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Father Ted on August 13, 2020, 04:17:55 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 13, 2020, 03:17:43 PM

I'll give you 51 reasons. The list of games I have obtained through Epic for FREE:


...and your PC is now probably part of Skynet.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Nefaro on August 13, 2020, 04:23:55 PM
Quote from: Father Ted on August 13, 2020, 04:17:55 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 13, 2020, 03:17:43 PM

I'll give you 51 reasons. The list of games I have obtained through Epic for FREE:


...and your PC is now probably part of Skynet.

Too late.

Already has been for years.    C:-)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Jarhead0331 on August 13, 2020, 04:34:06 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on August 13, 2020, 04:23:55 PM
Quote from: Father Ted on August 13, 2020, 04:17:55 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on August 13, 2020, 03:17:43 PM

I'll give you 51 reasons. The list of games I have obtained through Epic for FREE:


...and your PC is now probably part of Skynet.

Too late.

Already has been for years.    C:-)

Seriously, Ted...You think yours isn't?  :nerd:
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Queeg on August 13, 2020, 05:07:45 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on August 13, 2020, 11:54:27 AM
My first impression is generally good.

After a few turns, I definitely like the new resource system.  It makes the choice of buildings and units more difficult yet separate, at least early on, since the more obvious choices are also limited by the less plentiful resources (stone and bronze).  Units also require upkeep of the same.  So should, hopefully, limit how many of the better units you can field while still encouraging you to fill out the rest with lighter ones which only require Food.  Really hope means the AI armies will also have a mix, although past AI army builds in TW have been wonky as hell.  Perhaps they had to adjust it due to the new system.

Don't have much opinion on the battles yet.  The battle terrain is an improvement, and more interesting.  The speed of units is like that of Three Kingdoms, which I wasn't crazy about, but I'll just pause when it gets too twitchy.  One thing I've hoped for in all TWs is more, perhaps soft, limits on army sizes in battles.  TW needs some kind of Command Limit mechanic or soft-cap penalties for reducing micro-management hell in multi-army battles.  I've not gone far enough in Troy to see if that happens, per usual, in the later game but I expect it like all the others.

The religious system looks like it will be pretty powerful.  Choose your favored God(s) wisely and build to keep up the Favor.

The Units aren't anything unusual in TW but the aesthetic of them, the UI, and the game in general is rather sexy.  It's growing on me.  Like hair or a fungus.

I mean.. its FREE.  I half expected it to be a failure, but thus far the new additions have been a plus.  Will see how it holds up in the late stages of a campaign.

I'm also liking it so far.  Much more so than Thrones of Britannia. 

It's also better optimized than ToB or Three Kingdoms.  Runs the best out of the box of any TW game.

Well worth the free.   
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 13, 2020, 07:54:31 PM
If you sign up for a Total War account with Sega and link it to your Epic account, you can get some free DLC (if you feel like you're not being tracked enough, that is.)

https://www.totalwar.com/games/troy/amazons/ (https://www.totalwar.com/games/troy/amazons/)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 13, 2020, 08:27:42 PM
'Well worth the free.'

:2funny:
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Destraex on August 13, 2020, 10:47:16 PM
I got it. But to be honest am not really interested. How closely does it follow history it homers writings?
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 14, 2020, 07:47:57 AM
It's designed to be a mixture of history and myth.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Sir Slash on August 14, 2020, 11:56:05 AM
I think it may, 'myth' the mark.  :2funny: I hope I'm wrong and this is the return of Total War greatness.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 14, 2020, 02:29:56 PM
 >:(

There are some reviews that have not been so hot (RPS) and the rest that I have seen have been very good - PC Gamer gave it a 75%.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Destraex on August 14, 2020, 07:00:41 PM
Had a quick look and at anything but very close range the game is the same stick figure contest on my PC as other total war games in this engine. Troy is a novelty though for me. I am interested but will probably not stick with it at all. It is very basic historically because not much is known about the fighting styles of the era it's set in. There is a lot of half-myth at work here in a similar way I would imagine the "three kingdoms" total war game did things. Any excuse to give a general special abilities. Some giants are in game but they are more depicted as giant men that are taller than most men by far, but not so gigantic as to look like buses. What looks strange is that the giants are all exactly the same height. Like they were a perfectly preserved race of obscenely large men. I guess this is the same problem most games have because they do not depict any differences in height.

Some pics of the giant units as I try to compare them to the normal soldier's size in game.

(https://i.imgur.com/RYBoRXh.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/ej2QPGr.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/oNJWA4y.png)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Destraex on August 14, 2020, 07:15:04 PM
Here is the blurry indistinct battles that I would be doomed to witness for the next 50hrs of a campaign. Consider that this is only a small battle and the graphics are on ultra by default for me. The problem is that the units are so ill defined I think. Blurry and indistinct. I suspect this is because the models are such poor quality at range and so easily get lost in the terrain and each other, rather than appearing as a more solid and distinct block. I should call the line the anaemic red line, due to how thin it looks. It's just not 4k elite hacksaw grapsix.  :D

(https://i.imgur.com/9BO5IdT.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/4CnJLAU.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/M6oYxF9.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/V6Txhv8.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/esgI9bD.png)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Destraex on August 14, 2020, 07:54:09 PM
re-downloaded medieval 2 and had a quick look. The engine draws things in a lot more detail at distance. Also the units move and respond much more slowly. As it should be. It feels much more like a real battle to me. In troy the combat seems to be very quick and the animations seem really silly. A lot of the time they don't match up at all or the units even though engaged are standing their doing nothing in the midst of battle. The whole thing in the new engine just seems unbelievable to me.

Can you believe the screenshots from the above are from a newer engine and game?

(https://i.imgur.com/KVDSP1E.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/KOTSU3J.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/zHTx5RS.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/pnwRKY4.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/knULJp2.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/lFZ2zb5.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/3cg9sqt.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/UhGmu0A.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/ckypahK.png)
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Nefaro on August 17, 2020, 11:35:54 AM
Troy may have some minor issues, but it's been surprisingly engaging thus far.

Haven't seen quite as much army spam in my first campaign.  Thus far the new resource system seems to have a bit more effect on capping army limits, although I've not really seen a faction massively blobbing yet.

Definitely using the Diplomacy a lot more than in the past.  Especially with Agamemnon since he gets a big bonus for the Greeks.  Aside from the bonus, however, the new trade/resource system gives more encouragement to use it.  There's practically a map-wide war going on already, with three general alliances involved, and I've only barely reached one Tier 4 settlement building.  Kicked off quick!  Glad the "Set Allied Army Target" thing is kinda working, else I'd be overrun.

The battles also appear to be a bit more challenging against the AI.  Can't say for sure why, but the more varied and restricted terrain may have something to do with it.  Also being so heavily infantry focused, without artillery and having few mounted units.  There is still enough maneuvering to be had, but the mostly infantry battles has been more enjoyable, and a bit more of a challenge, than expected.

More good news:  The Auto-Resolve option for battles seems to have finally been adjusted for the better.  The pre-battle estimates are closer to what an average player could expect if played out.  I've been in the habit of having to fight battles that aren't complete pushovers in many previous TWs because the auto-resolve would almost always give you shit results regarding casualties.  Auto-resolve seems to be better balanced in {i]Troy[/i].

Don't know how much variety is to be had in the long run, but I've only just begun unlocking a few of the semi-mythical units and still can't really afford fielding them yet.   Can't complain for the free though.
Title: Re: Total War: Troy - FREE to claim on Epic Games for first 24 hours after release
Post by: Gusington on August 17, 2020, 12:43:14 PM
^This sounds like something I would pay for!