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#2688026 - 03/10/09 12:46 AM Review: Empire: Total War  
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citizen guod Offline
Lifer
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Lifer

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Chuck "Magnum" Ankenbauer has a "first impressions" look at the much anticipated RTS. In the review are 5 slideshows that include over 200 screenshots!

http://www.simhq.com/_land3/land_130a.html


Wisdom is knowing what's enough
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#2688038 - 03/10/09 01:11 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: citizen guod]  
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Dart Offline
Measured in Llamathrusts
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Lifer

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Right on time!

Yeah, I'm gonna grab it now - thanks for the review!

Oh, and guod, the feature with the screenshots on a different page that can be hopped from one to the other? Genius.


The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.com

From Laser:
"The forum is the place where combat (real time) flight simulator fans come to play turn based strategy combat."
#2688044 - 03/10/09 01:19 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Dart]  
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Jeevz Offline
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They are supposed to be patching in multiplayer campaign too. Not sure if I could play a multiplayer game for as long as that takes but I'm sure that will be a popular patch.


Commence to Jigglin'
#2688049 - 03/10/09 01:30 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Dart]  
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Curious142 Offline
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Very nice piece. With as much as there is to cover in this game you did an admirable job. You definitely understated what a royal pain the Steam portion of the installation of a boxed retail version of the game is. It took me two days to install when it should have taken 15 or 20 minutes. It was the worst installation routine I've seen in a long time. You mentioned the lack of documentation -- that's an understatement also. The more complex a game is the more important documentation is. So Sega/CA/whoever really dropped the ball on that one. I'm trying to muddle my way through chapter 3 of the RtI campaign and pretty much enjoying the whole thing. I've only gotten crushed 2 or 3 times so far. I'm sure that if I keep plugging away I'll win eventually and be allowed to go on to chapter 4. It's a great little game and thanks for the review.

CB

p.s. Oh yeah, the game does have fantastic graphics (a.k.a. eye candy) as your many screenies demonstrate.

Last edited by Curious142; 03/10/09 01:31 AM.
#2688081 - 03/10/09 03:32 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Curious142]  
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TheHammer Offline
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one thing i did not notice in the land battle screen shots, do the infantry form square when being charged by cavalry?


Helmut Fritz
Wings of Fury, XO
http://www.rlgaming.com
#2688083 - 03/10/09 03:37 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: TheHammer]  
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Magnum Offline
Lifer
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yes... you tell them in the formation menu:


#2688152 - 03/10/09 08:48 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Magnum]  
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AD Offline
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South East Asia
Does anyone else experience terribly slow loading times?


Judge, jury and executioner of Tricubic's art department.

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#2688165 - 03/10/09 10:17 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: AD]  
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Magnum Offline
Lifer
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it is slow... maybe not terrible slow with my quad cores (multi-cores are a must for this game, so I've read), but slow on the load times.... but then I look at it at the cost of a smooth battle once loaded.... All these units, I understand.

#2688258 - 03/10/09 03:16 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Magnum]  
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Avimimus Offline
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I found this particular article read: "Excellent graphics, good replayability, steam is great" I would have liked to see at least some discussion of historical accuracy, changes to the interface, game engine and gameplay (over past games in the series), mention of the planned multiplayer campaign mode etc.

P.S. IMHO Without resale the flight sim community would be essentially dead (RB3d, FSWW1, EAW, EECH are all still being modded - although one can't buy new copies of these games for a decade). The basic fact is that the flight-sim community isn't the FPS community - these aren't consol games which are only good for a couple of playthroughs (low replay value) and may as well be rented (until a new release comes along from one of a gazillion other FPS companies)

Last edited by Avimimus; 03/10/09 03:17 PM.
#2688271 - 03/10/09 03:33 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Avimimus]  
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Magnum Offline
Lifer
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well this was a "first impressions" article... not a full review as explained in the opening paragraph.

Historical accuracy... how old do you think I am? lol

I didn't know you wanted history majors writing at SimHQ... good luck at finding them, and for such a cheap price.

Planned multiplayer campaign? Sorry... don't "review' stuff not out yet.

And who says the reviewer, me, ever played the other games in the series? (I did but only the scenario battles, which i like... never did any of the campaign stuff.)

I have no problem with feedback... but I think you want too much out of a game review... oh sorry, first impression. wink



#2688278 - 03/10/09 03:40 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Magnum]  
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Magnum Offline
Lifer
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BTW, heres a professional review for you:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/empiretotalwar/review.html?tag=topslot;img;1

Actually, for once... usually I don't... I agree with the reviewer.

#2688305 - 03/10/09 04:15 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Avimimus]  
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Originally Posted By: Avimimus


<snip>

P.S. IMHO Without resale the flight sim community would be essentially dead (RB3d, FSWW1, EAW, EECH are all still being modded - although one can't buy new copies of these games for a decade). The basic fact is that the flight-sim community isn't the FPS community - these aren't consol games which are only good for a couple of playthroughs (low replay value) and may as well be rented (until a new release comes along from one of a gazillion other FPS companies)


You completely lost me here. What does any of that have to do with Magnum's article?


Pat Tillman (1976-2004):
4 years Arizona State University, graduated with high honors.
5 seasons National Football League player, Arizona Cardinals.
Forever United States Army Ranger.
#2688325 - 03/10/09 04:27 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: 20mm]  
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citizen guod Offline
Lifer
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Magnum made a one-liner comment about resale of games and developers in his E:TW review. Avimimus was referencing that.


Wisdom is knowing what's enough
#2688417 - 03/10/09 05:56 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: citizen guod]  
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Ah. OK then.


Pat Tillman (1976-2004):
4 years Arizona State University, graduated with high honors.
5 seasons National Football League player, Arizona Cardinals.
Forever United States Army Ranger.
#2688565 - 03/10/09 10:24 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: 20mm]  
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There are two things that I would like to point out.

One:

During sea battles, if you put your ships in line, do NOT......NOT......make them turn sharp! I had four ships run into each other and became stuck while the pirates blasted away at my ships. What should have been an easy victory turned to a close defeat when I lost three out of four ships.

Second:

I seem to be having a CTD right after the Huron declare war on me (England). It happened twice last nite in basically in the same spot.

I think that my CPU is not meaty enough to run this so I am pulling out my wuzzy Q6300 dual core for my newly arrived Q9650 quade.

Other than that, the game is a blast to play. I also noticed that each turn now is only six months instead of the old Total War version......one less mod to do. LOL

========================================

On a side note, there is a walkthrough on the Gamespot website for this game already. It explains much of the buildings, army groups, and the campaigns. It contains spoilers.


Raz
#2688721 - 03/11/09 03:33 AM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Razman23]  
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TheHammer Offline
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Magnum,
Thx.

Do they form square automatically or do you have to micromanage them?

and still only 20 units per force per battle, right? (number of 'card' slots)

Last edited by TheHammer; 03/11/09 03:34 AM. Reason: added question

Helmut Fritz
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http://www.rlgaming.com
#2688845 - 03/11/09 01:02 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: TheHammer]  
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Magnum Offline
Lifer
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Lifer

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Naples, Florida
yes you have to change their formation, micromanage... and yes 20 cards.

#2688926 - 03/11/09 03:20 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Magnum]  
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Avimimus Offline
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Originally Posted By: Magnum
well this was a "first impressions" article... not a full review as explained in the opening paragraph.

Historical accuracy... how old do you think I am? lol

I didn't know you wanted history majors writing at SimHQ... good luck at finding them, and for such a cheap price.


So, you aren't actually from the Napoleonic era? Too bad... Now I'm really disappointed. smile
It would be nice to see a discussion based on the actual politics and military thinking of the time... unfortunately, it would be hard to find any historian who could do that well.

I also missed the fact it was a 'first impressions' article. Anyway, that 'more professional' review you post still lacks a discussion of the modding potential and engine updates in detail (or the history in any depth). Ah... I guess there's a reason I don't write reviews myself.

Originally Posted By: guod
Magnum made a one-liner comment about resale of games and developers in his E:TW review. Avimimus was referencing that.


More particularly a possible article on the subject. I figured it was better to raise a couple of points before the article is written, instead of after. I personally don't trust distributors - there is too much upper management. I still remember when EA almost killed off the flight sim industry.

#2689030 - 03/11/09 06:08 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Avimimus]  
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Yakkalot Offline
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Australia... Once Upon a Time
I just can't understand how this game is continually getting such rave reviews when just about everyone I know who has bought it as well as my own experience says other wise.

When I returned it today, the guy at Eb said one in three copies sold were being returned!

I never even got to see the menu screens due to STEAM issues many others are having, to the point the official TW forums are just locking any complaints threads now...

#2689040 - 03/11/09 06:28 PM Re: Review: Empire: Total War [Re: Yakkalot]  
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Magnum Offline
Lifer
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Lifer

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Naples, Florida
wierd... considering everyone that I know who play the game, love it.

I don't know if people know this but since it goes through steam, when it was released in stores was 2 days before steam activated it on their system... so no one was able to install or play it, till steam came online...

I mentioned in the review about steam, but that don't take away from the game, when you play it... and like i said, i for one love steam and have about 30 games bought buy them, and never a problem. but understand if you do.

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