Arbitrary/exasperating game design decisions

[Martok]

Spurred on by Gus' unceasing praise of the game -- especially in conjunction with the Stainless Steel mod -- I purchased Medieval 2: Total War (including the Kingdoms expansion) yesterday afternoon as part of the Steam sale.  I grabbed both the base game and Kingdoms as a single package for $6.24.  Score! 

Excited, I fired it up...and uninstalled the game after less than ten minutes.  I've already been refunded for it. 



I'd forgotten -- until now -- how enraged I was that CA arbitrarily locked out all but 5 of the playable factions by forcing you to play & win a campaign first.  After enjoying the original Medieval Total War (which had 12 playable factions in the Grand Campaign -- 15 if you had the Viking Invasion expansion), this was a huge middle-finger to the player, not to mention a kick in the balls. 

So nope, not gonna happen.  I flatly refuse to accept such meaninglessly constricting parameters.  Call it a Berserk Button if you want, but that sort of ass-hattery sets me off. 

I don't care that there are plenty of mods (including Stainless Steel) that unlock all the playable factions from the beginning.  The point is, I shouldn't *have* to resort to a mod for that. 

I also don't care that it's only $6.24.  I didn't support that bullshit then, nor do I now. 


What's worse is that not only does this remain one of the dumbest design decisions I've ever personally encountered, there was never even a good reason for it.  I vaguely recall CA spouting some lame explanation about how unlocking the other playable factions was the player's "reward" for winning a campaign.  ::)  What a bunch of rubbish. 

[undercovergeek]

But....... you were just about to add the mod anyway

I get the anger but surely you've only inconvenienced yourself here

[Martok]

How have I inconvenienced myself?  Uninstalling the game took only a few seconds, as did submitting my request for a refund (which was granted within an hour).  And I still have tons of games thar provide me with hundreds of hours of fun. 

I'm no worse off than I was before.  The only thing I've lost is a little time, and perhaps a bit of pride (due to having forgotten a major reason why I'd refused to buy M2TW in the first place). 

[undercovergeek]

Surely you bought it because you wanted to play it?

Now you're not

See - you could be hours into a misty legendary game by now expanding the Teutonic Knights across Europe
And you know you'll fold eventually!

[Greybriar]

I know where you are coming from, Martok. I would have felt the same way under similar circumstances.

[Pete Dero]

You could use this small fix to unlock all factions : (also available for Kingdoms at the link)

http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/HowTo:Unlock_All_Factions#Medieval_2_Total_War

Medieval 2 Total War

1. Go to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign.
2. Open descr_strat.txt with notepad.
3. Copy the unlockable factions to playable. Save the file and close it.

Another simpler method is to go in the main M2TW directory default path:- C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War & open medieval2.preference.cfg file with notepad and scroll down to the bottom of the file and place this command in red:- [misc] unlock_campaign = true

[Grim.Reaper]

Personally I hate any game that I have purchased where content is LOCKED until you achieve some goal (besides player progression type things) the developer wants you to.....paid the full price of a game, I should be able to play all the content as I see fit.  Certainly understand they want to make it a challenging and rewarding experience, but I typically never achieve most of the goals so that limits my ability to play all the content for the full price I paid.  Never understood why they couldn't make it an option so that people who enjoy that stuff can use it, while others not locked into it.

With that said, a ton of games do this so nothing new...seems like a lot of the newer games go this route...

[Rayfer]

I felt the same way years ago when I got SoW:Gettysburg.  It had quite a lot of battle scenarios but they were locked out, forcing you to play and beat them in a specific order, one at a time.  Luckily, someone early on created a patch that opened them up to play in any order you wanted.

[jamus34]

Well that said I'm more annoyed with the "we'll give you 4 starter races / factions but then you need to but the rest" world of dlc CA (and everyone else) has gone.

I'll still play the games but I'll bitch incessantly about the practice too.

[Phantom]

Personally I hate any game that I have purchased where content is LOCKED until you achieve some goal (besides player progression type things) the developer wants you to.....paid the full price of a game, I should be able to play all the content as I see fit.  Certainly understand they want to make it a challenging and rewarding experience, but I typically never achieve most of the goals so that limits my ability to play all the content for the full price I paid.  Never understood why they couldn't make it an option so that people who enjoy that stuff can use it, while others not locked into it.

With that said, a ton of games do this so nothing new...seems like a lot of the newer games go this route...

What he said - it's like buying a Ferrari & discovering you can only use the first two gears until (by someone else's measure) you're deemed to drive well enough.
In fact, I don't think Martok went far enough, I think the designers should be given vasectomies until WE decide they're fit to have kids & allow their "faction" to progress to the next level. See how they like it.
Merry Christmas everyone!

[Jarhead0331]

It's one of the greatest strategy games ever made. You're cutting your nose off to spite your face, Bro. This is an issue that ultimately has no impact on game play.

Regardless, I guess your few dollars can no doubt be better spent elsewhere.

[undercovergeek]

Coffee spew - jh agreed with me

[Grim.Reaper]

Agreed this one is a good one and worth the minor work if you want to play those other factions....you don't even need the full mod to do it, literally would take seconds one time. 

***Instructions to Unlock***

Medieval 2 Total War
1. Go to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign.

2. Open descr_strat.txt with notepad.

3. Copy the unlockable factions to playable. Save the file and close it.

Another simpler method is to go in the main M2TW directory default path:- C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War & open medieval2.preference.cfg file with notepad and scroll down to the bottom of the file and place this command in red:- [misc] unlock_campaign = true

Medieval 2 Total War Kingdoms
Britannia Campaign

1.Go to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\british_isles\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign.

2. Right click Descr-strat.txt and take it off read only or edits will not stay.

3. Open Descr_strat.txt and copy the factions under unlockable and nonplayable to playable. Congrats you have unlocked all factions for the Britannia Campaign. Save the file and close it

Americas Campaign

1. Go to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\americas\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign.

2. Right click Descr-strat.txt and take it off read only or edits will not stay.

3. Copy all factions under unplayable and unlockable to playable. Congrats you have unlocked all factions for the Americas Campaign. Save the file and close it.

Crusades Campaign

1. Go to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\crusades\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign.

2. Right click Descr-strat.txt and take it off read only or edits will not stay.

3. Copy all factions under unplayable and unlockable to playable. Congrats you have unlocked all factions for the Crusades Campaign. Save the file and close it.

Teutonic Campaign

1. Go to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\teutonic\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign.

2. Right click Descr-strat.txt and take it off read only or edits will not stay.

3. Copy all factions under unplayable and unlockable to playable. Congrats you have unlocked all factions for the Teutonic Campaign. Save the file and close it.

[Toonces]

It's one of the greatest strategy games ever made. You're cutting your nose off to spite your face, Bro. This is an issue that ultimately has no impact on game play.

Regardless, I guess your few dollars can no doubt be better spent elsewhere.

^ This.  I love you Martok, but I think you made a poor decision on this one.  I mean, you were about to install a mod that unlocks the factions anyway.

I get the spirit of your post, but in this case I think you made a mistake.

[Yskonyn]

Its a pretty hard stance he took for a mere few dollah. 
Luv ya, Martok!