Rome II

[Gusington]

From August 15 to October 1 I have my gaming time divided between Space Hulk, Rome 2 and possibly Castlevania. New releases that I am interested in have been sneaking up on me.

[tgb]

I believe the release date is Sept. 2.  EU4 is Aug 13, Space Hulk is Aug 15, and Dom 4 is end of August, so there is more than enough stuff to play while waiting for this to get patched and go on sale.

[Nefaro]

I wouldn't have pre-ordered, if it were any other time period being covered.

[Martok]

Sorry Geek. You're so undercover I didn't even notice. But one look at that hands on article and Martok will see that Rome I and Rome II can't be compared fairly. It's been almost 10 years between them, after all.

As a matter of fact, I had read the RPS preview before posting my comment about not pre-ordering. 

Yes, they are unquestionably different games, but then that wasn't what I was getting at.  My point is that the media coverage for both has been very similar, which makes me reflexively nervous.  Where the Total War series is concerned, it's become an instinctual response for me to be skeptical, no matter how promising the next game appears to be. 

I appreciate your reasoning for not pre-ordering but how can you not be at least a little tempted?  I try to avoid coming to this thread (as you can see it is not really working) so that I can resist the siren call of the game.

Part of it is admittedly because of my history with the TW series (which at times has felt like my being an abused spouse who keeps coming back because I apparently miss the beatings), but it's also because of my feelings on PC titles in general.  I don't like pre-ordering games; the very few times I have <*cough* Elemental: War of Magic *cough*>, it's not worked out very well. 

We all know that every PC game is going to have issues upon release; I accepted that a long time ago.  It's just that for me, I've simply reached the point where I feel virtually zero compulsion to deal with any of the related frustrations that involves.  This even applies to titles about/for which I'm particularly excited and/or pumped up -- no matter how amazing a game appears to be, I expect I'm not going to be particularly enthralled by it upon release (that way, any surprises are pleasant ones), and that it will take at least a couple months for it to be patched up to a satisfactory state. 

Combining that, with my having absolutely detested the direction CA took the franchise from RTW to Empire (I never played Napoleon, so I can't comment on that one), it's only natural for me to have permanently adopted a wait-and-see attitude regarding all future releases in this series. 

I am not thinking I will change Martok's mind. But the theory that the pre-launch to Rome I was just like the pre-launch for rome 2 doesn't cut it because the previous release of Shogun 2 was arguably CA's best game. Of course there are no guarantees, but looking at CA's history I am feeling positive, not negative.

I'll refute your argument by pointing out that prior to 2004, Medieval Total War was generally considered the franchise's best game to date (especially after the Viking Invasion expansion came out)...and then CA permanently broke the fanbase with RTW.  So I'm understandably nervous about the precedent that was set. 

Also, one good game does not a trend make.  Yes, Shogun 2 is genuinely good, and yes CA put in real effort to win back us "old-timers", and three cheers for that.  However, you must understand that for those of us who felt disenchanted with the franchise from RTW onward, it's going to be difficult to believe the devs have truly turned it back to a direction we can appreciate...at least until they demonstrate that they've applied the lessons they've learned to the sequel to our most hated game in the series.  If Rome 2 is as good or better than Shogun 2, *then* I (and others) will be convinced -- but not before. 

And finally, for all that the two Rome titles do indeed appear to be very different animals, the pre-launch coverage for both *is* virtually identical, at least in terms of tone:  I keep seeing the same gushing words of praise and "dazzled by the pretty" enthusiasm for Rome 2 that I did for its predecessor.  This, too, worries me. 



Please understand, I'm not trying to be Deputy Downer here.  :P  As I've said before, Rome 2 truly does look as if it will be the series' greatest entry yet, and I remain cautiously optimistic that I'll enjoy it as thoroughly as the rest of you.  It's just that my own experiences prevent me from having the same faith in CA as everyone else. 

[undercovergeek]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtR_Q56ekig

my first faction - it doesnt get better than this

[TheCommandTent]

I see you've put some thought into this Martok.   ;D


I can completely respect were you are coming from.  The rest of us are just weak willed and easily swayed by shiny graphics. ::)

[Gusington]

That's it...-turns over card table-...I am gifting Rome 2 to Martok.

[Martok]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtR_Q56ekig

my first faction - it doesnt get better than this

Cool trailer. 

I still intend to play as one of the Greco-Roman factions first, I'm just not sure which one.  I've pretty much narrowed it down to the Julia, Cornelia, and Athens, but beyond that I'm torn. 

I see you've put some thought into this Martok.   ;D


I can completely respect were you are coming from.  The rest of us are just weak willed and easily swayed by shiny graphics. ::)

Well at least you're honest enough to admit it.  :P 

So does that mean you broke down and pre-ordered as well?  Or are you still hanging on by your fingernails?  ;) 

That's it...-turns over card table-...I am gifting Rome 2 to Martok.

Thanks Gus, but you really don't need to do that.  I'm perfectly content to wait.  :) 

[Gusington]

Oh I'm doing it alright...

[Sir Slash]

I hear that everyone who pre-orders will get a special DLC unit--- "Trained Killer Circus Bears" that first balance exploding Circus Balls on their noses before hurling them at their enemies. Recruitable only at the Coliseum in Rome. ;D ;D

[Gusington]

Leave my balls out of this.

[Sir Slash]

Sorry Gus. I didn't know. I think that can be corrected by surgery now.

[tgb]

I hear that everyone who pre-orders will get a special DLC unit--- "Trained Killer Circus Bears" that first balance exploding Circus Balls on their noses before hurling them at their enemies. Recruitable only at the Coliseum in Rome. ;D ;D

Are they on bicycles?

My other concern in watching the trailer is seeing the kind of feature bloat that made Empire such a mess at release. Especially when they talk about the size of the map.

[Martok]

Oh I'm doing it alright...

Nein! 

Leave my balls out of this.

LOL. 

Wait, aren't yours solid brass anyway? 

My other concern in watching the trailer is seeing the kind of feature bloat that made Empire such a mess at release. Especially when they talk about the size of the map.

Same here. 

Not that I'm not fascinated with the new toys they're adding, but it does worry me a little.  (Heck, there are those who make a cogent argument that the original STW is better than the original MTW because of the former's simpler design, and that the latter suffered from feature creep in comparison.) 

[Gusington]

Arguing about this is like chasing tails, but the reasons given so far for not pre-ordering are lame, I'm sorry. Empire TW was not good, I agree, but the bloat of it came from the three theaters of war that were used, IMHO. For Rome 2 there is only one map, not the three. And again Rome 2 is being built off the Shogun 2 engine, which was very elegant. Why would that solid design, which was highly praised, be messed with and jettisoned?

But again...like chasing tails. Don't want to get it, by all means don't. But don't poopoo in my cocoa puffs because I am excited!

Finally - Martok are you finally on Steam?