Rome II

[Nefaro]

At last I got R2TW. It ran like a dog to start with, but I have pretty much got the settings more or less right now. I'll probably need a 2Gb graphics card for it to work really well though. I have mixed feelings on it though. I need to play it more to get a proper perspective. ATM the other TW games are fine, so perhaps it's just me adapting to the changes in R2TW?

A 1GB video card is enough for this.  But plain 'ole video memory isn't what sets one apart from the next.  It's the raw vid processing power.  Yet even many of the high-end cards are performing poorly.  Many shouldn't be - the 3D graphics really aren't all that amazing unless you're zoomed all the way in and even then the hi-res "bubble" doesn't extend all that far away from the camera viewpoint.  I'd even propose that a midling $160 video card could run Rome 2 at full or near-full settings, if CA would optimize their graphics performance.  They've done a bit of that in the last two updates. However the difference I've seen using just the Radious Graphics Mod, which only cuts out some clouds and a couple glowy effects around your armies on the campaign map, made a noticeable improvement - especially in how much the fps spikes downwards.  Some of their effects just run like crap for most people and some of them are actually processed by the CPU, not your video card, so there's extra demands being made there to the neglect of your video card's processing power. 

If you were able to run Shogun 2 fairly well, then Rome 2 should be the same because the graphics really aren't any different.  It's the same engine with all the same quirks.  It's just not optimized all that well (neither was Shogun 2) but at least they're making some effort to do so now that it has become worse in this one. 

So I'd suggest waiting for them to do some work on their performance issues and if you want a bit of a boost on the campaign map, perhaps try using the Radious Graphics Mod (if it's compatible with the latest anyway).  I've seen a bit better performance from this latest beta so hopefully it gets 'there' before long.  Not too sure if the AI has really improved in this beta, however.  Jury's still out on that until I get further into a campaign.  ???

[Gusington]

^I agree...I have an NVidia GTX 560 and it should run this as smooth as a baby's tuckus, but it doesn't, especially on the campaign map.

Totally different questions: I went to take Lilybaneum (sp?) from Carthage and could not (my army was not allowed to engage...could not get the target reticule to pop up). Is this because the city is besieged and I just can't see that through the fog of war? Or is it some kind of bug?

Also...when rebellion breaks out, why does the presence of the rebel army drop unhappiness in my region by 20 points for every turn it exists? And then when I engage and destroy the rebel army....unhappiness begins to increase again??

[Bison]

I've found that occasionally the attack sword icon can be finicky when trying to click on a city.  Usually it takes me a few moments to find the sweet spot to activate it.  It's like combat foreplay.

You mean your unhappiness decreases after beating the rebels?

[mikeck]

^I agree...I have an NVidia GTX 560 and it should run this as smooth as a baby's tuckus, but it doesn't, especially on the campaign map.

Totally different questions: I went to take Lilybaneum (sp?) from Carthage and could not (my army was not allowed to engage...could not get the target reticule to pop up). Is this because the city is besieged and I just can't see that through the fog of war? Or is it some kind of bug?

Also...when rebellion breaks out, why does the presence of the rebel army drop unhappiness in my region by 20 points for every turn it exists? And then when I engage and destroy the rebel army....unhappiness begins to increase again??

Whether it makes sense or not, the idea is that all of the angry people left to form the army do they are not in the city. When the army is destroyed they filter back in. Should be Lowe after the fight than before.

My video card runs it well. I usually check the box for unlimited memory. Best thing for battle map performance I found was lowering unit detail to high and shadows to medium. Still looks great and runs a lot better. Unit detail is the main thing

I started a new game with the 4 turn per year mod. Something I get now but didnt before are "events that require my attention". Things like a crazy senator, bad omens, Etc. I am given 4 choices on how to respond and it doesn't tell me what the results will be. Pretty cool. You will see a "!" Icon over your "dynasty" or "empire" button in the bottom middle if the screen.

I recommend the 4 turn per year. Doesn't affect research and stuff so you will have Marius legionary units in 189bc...BUT you general stay alive long enough for you to develope them. More realistic too...it doesn't take a year to sale from Rome to the tip of italy

[Gusington]

OK I'll try that Carthaginian city again later.

No unhappiness begins to rise again after I dispose of the rebels!! It's like unhappiness peaks at -100 and then produces a rebel army. As long as I let the rebel army exist and grow, unhappiness DECREASES by 20 per turn! But if I wipe it out, unhappiness begins to rise again if I don't move to correct it with buildings/improvements.

EDIT: Mike read your explanation...that does make sense. Where did you get that from?

Any thoughts on the untouchable enemy city?

[Bison]

I started a new game with the 4 turn per year mod. Something I get now but didnt before are "events that require my attention". Things like a crazy senator, bad omens, Etc. I am given 4 choices on how to respond and it doesn't tell me what the results will be. Pretty cool. You will see a "!" Icon over your "dynasty" or "empire" button in the bottom middle if the screen.

I recommend the 4 turn per year. Doesn't affect research and stuff so you will have Marius legionary units in 189bc...BUT you general stay alive long enough for you to develope them. More realistic too...it doesn't take a year to sale from Rome to the tip of italy

This is the type of mod I'll eventually install.  What I want to know is how mods effect MP games.  Do both players need the same mods or can you select which mods you want to use at start up?

[Nefaro]

Any thoughts on the untouchable enemy city?

Is it not letting your army enter the red zone around the enemy city that turn when you click to attack it, even though you have the movement available? 

I've seen that happen a few times.  I think it's due to the enemy having an army out in the field, but still in the red zone. 

You have to first attack the army outside the city and defeat it IIRC.  You may still need to drive it off, out of the red zone, if you didn't wipe it out in the first battle so you may still need to drive it further off. 

[mikeck]

EDIT: Mike read your explanation...that does make sense. Where did you get that from?

Made it up

[Gusington]

^HAHAHA ok then.

Nefaro there was a Carthagianian rebel army nearby and it also looked like the city was under siege by a third power...there was a lot going on. The rebel army then fled but I still wasn't able to even approach the city.

I can understand the explanation you posted above...I am not sure if that was happening and am not sure if there was some sort of bug happening.

[mikeck]

There are weird rules about what you can do depending on whether you are in an enu zone of control and you stance. Make sure your army has no stance and is not in "forced march", "defense" or "patrol".

Edit: just checked, Gus. If your army is in the "forced march" stance, it cannot initiate combat

[Nefaro]

^HAHAHA ok then.

Nefaro there was a Carthagianian rebel army nearby and it also looked like the city was under siege by a third power...there was a lot going on. The rebel army then fled but I still wasn't able to even approach the city.

I can understand the explanation you posted above...I am not sure if that was happening and am not sure if there was some sort of bug happening.

You also may have to wait until next turn.  I've had that happen when a 3rd party's army was there and I had to fight or run them off. 

Either way, if you click to attack an enemy city and it only moves you up to the edge of the red circle and no further, then there's an army you need to defeat before attacking the city itself.  You may have to wait until next turn to attack or besiege the city in some cases, however.  That's most likely the case if a different army was besieging it but moved off (as in driving away a rebel army besieging it).

[Greybriar]

I was thinking about buying Total War: Rome II despite the bad reports I'd been reading about it. But then I saw AngryJoeShow's YouTube video

and its 3.7 User Score on Metacritic and have decided to hold off on purchasing it until it's in a more playable condition.

[mikeck]

It's just one review. This seems to be the One that people throw around a lot. I've never seen angry joe reviews but I've no reason to doubt him...and of course, it's his opinion.

I will tell you that many people, including several posting in this thread, have not seen the things Joe saw. I have never had an army charge me and then run back. Inuse mofs that slow combat kill rates and unit speed so theres that too. The tactical Ai is decent as well as the campaign Ai. With the new beta 2 patch, it's even better.

If you go to meta critic and look at the critic reviews, you will find more positive by far than negative. As always, it's personal opinion, experience and what you are expecting. This game is huge, it's fun, the Ai seems to be decent enough and I have had only one crash. Others have had worse luck and different experiences.

I use Radious' battle, Ai and economy mods but truthfully, the new beta patch incorporated a lot of that stuff. Shame there is no demo. If your not a big Roman history guy or a TW fan, I would say hold off a bit then until a few more patches and the usual mods come out. No harm...but don't forego a great game because "Angry Joe" doesn't like it.

[Yskonyn]

Wow! Back from my vacation trip and there has been a lot of activity regarding Rome 2! Excited to see all the changes in the coming week and finally start my grand campaign as Egypt. :D

[Gusington]

I am backing up Mike on this. Angry Joe's review is hilarious because he is hilarious. But the stuff he has seen I have never seen. I have seen my own weirdness but the game's sheer epic scope has totally outweighed anything negative I have seen. The negative I have seen are niggles...one time oddities...etc.

Thanks Nefaro...there were definitely at least three powers in the area when I first went to besiege the city, four counting the rebels. Matter of fact Carthage is having it's arse handed to it by a number of AI powers. I am trying to muscle in to pick at the carcass.