Rome Total War II

[Codexlurker]

Well boys if you wanted to go back to Rome 2 now is the time to do so. New patch is coming out and it has pretty much removed all the negative trait shit and given out some new traits for certain factions. Easy mode engage.
http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Total_War_ROME_II:_Patch_17_Beta

Spoiler

Technical and Performance Issues

• Texture quality is now based on the available memory on the machine instead of the graphics settings selected
• Improved the games automatic detection of graphics settings based on Mac hardware
• Increased the default screen resolution aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 on Mac
• Optimised campaign memory usage in the Mac App Store version of the game, by loading less campaign character / general models into campaigns where they are not needed
• Fixed a bug where preferences including campaign difficulty were not being saved correctly in the Mac App Store version of the game
• The difficulty slider on the faction selection screen will now set the difficulty correctly in the Mac App Store version of the game
• Fixed some unintentional motion blur while looking at the sky in battles on Mac
• Fixed a crash when changing the Unlimited Video Memory option while in battle on Mac
• Fixed a bug where the game would not launch in windowed mode, and stalled before the legal screen on certain iMacs
• Fixed erroneous unit banner shadows on Mac during battle, which looked like black crosses, and could fill the screen when zoomed in

Buildings

• Tier III and IV Toutatis temples now give correct +4 bonus to Celtic cultural influence
• Fix for multiple issues where some effects for buildings were better when damaged

Campaign

• Corrected sub-culture of Colchian civil war faction
• Dahae are now set to the correct military group in the Imperator Augustus campaign
• Added hidden agent security bonuses in cities for Black Sea factions
• Added missing faction mercenaries for Arevaci and Lusitani
• Swapped Formidable Swordsmen army tradition for the Ardiaei to Formidable Spearmen, and Light Cavalry Masters for Cavalry Masters
• The Dignitary Civil Administration skill now works correctly
• Added Sarmatian Royal Lancers as a general’s unit option for the Roxolani
• Increased chance of subjects, incidents, dilemmas, and missions occurring

Units

• Fixed Persian Light Archers and Elite Persian Archers weights from medium to very light and very light to medium respectively
• Correct Thracian Peltast weight to very light
• Changed Picked Peltast weight to medium
• Mercenary Horse Skirmishers cost changed to 390 to match non-mercenary version of the unit
• Corrected shield type for Bactrian Hillmen
• Auxiliary and Mercenary Parthian Horse Archers given correct weapon to match missile damage of non-mercenary version
• Illyrian Thureos Spears changed to match the 360 mentioned in previous patch notes
• Weight of Legionary Cavalry is consistent across all variants of that unit and cost adjusted to 620 to match Imperator Augustus version of unit
• Naked Warriors and Naked Spears unit variants now all have the medium weight
• Auxiliary and Mercenary Bactrian Light Horse changed from light to medium to match regular version of the unit
• Removed unit caps from elite naval units
• Fix for some units being put into incorrect unit sets which prevented them from getting various bonuses (Illyrian Noble Hoplites not getting spearmen related bonuses for example)
• Added Hoplite Wall ability to Auxiliary Greek Hoplites to match the regular version of the unit
• Added precusor javelins to Mercenary Spear Band to match the regular version of the unit
• Illyrian Slave Javelinmen weight changed from medium to very light
• Fix for some bonuses not being hooked up correctly to unit sets, which prevented some units from gaining the correct bonuses
• Fix for some bodyguard units not being hooked up to bodyguard unit bonuses

Recruitment/Custom Battles

• Colchian Nobles now recruitable from tier IV barracks
• Scythian Hoplites recruitable from tier III barracks
• Axe Warriors recruitable from tier III barracks for Massilia
• Fix for Cimmeria not being able to recruit Penteres naval units
• Fix for Painted Ones and Naked Warriors not being recruitable from tier III proving grounds
• Fix for Raiding Horsemen not being recruitable from tier IV horse recruitment buildings
• Rhodos can now recruit Rhodian Slingers in the campaign
• Removed Scorpion units from custom battles, Tylis given correct Dacian Cheiroballista
• Swapped Germanic ships in Massilia custom battle roster for correct Greek ships
• Swapped some Peltast ships to correct Milita Hoplite ones for Athens and *Syracuse in custom battles, also made them recruitable in campaign
• Added in Bactrian Hillmen ship to Baktria for custom battles
• Seleucid Eastern Spearmen added to Seleucid custom battle roster
• Added missing ships to tier III and IV military ports for Armenia
• Fix for Axemen for Colchis not being recruitable from tier III barracks
• Thracian Peltasts changed to be recruitable from all Artisan buildings
• Corrected naval units available for Parthia in custom battles
• Changed Thracian Warriors to be available from tier II bronze buildings and up
• Greek Slingers removed from Seleucid roster leaving them with Eastern Slingers
• Raiding Hemolia added to Colchis custom battle roster Eastern Spearmen *Firepot Dieres removed from Colchis roster as they have Peltast Fireport Dieres as well
• Added in Polybolos for Egypt in custom battles
• Fix for some factions in custom battle not being able to use Cheiroballista or Polybolos in siege defences

Garrisons

• Fix for Odrysian Kingdom, Nervii, Arevaci, Tylis, Galatia, Suebi and Ardiaei losing garrison units when upgrading to tier III horse recruitment building
• Fix for Nervii having no garrisons for tier III and IV bronze buildings
• Fix for missing naval garrison units for Cimmeria
• Fix for missing garrison units from tier III and IV light barracks for Cimmeria
• Removed Thorax Hoplites from garrisons to fix issue where Athens and Sparta were gaining an extra unit in their garrisons
• Fix for Tylis losing garrison units when upgrading from tier II to tier III Bronzeworker
• Added Spartan Pikemen as an elite unit for Spartan garrisons
• Added Tribal Garrison unit to Odrysian Kingdom garrisons
• Fix for Getae garrisons decreasing in size when certain unit upgrades were researched
• Added Sword Followers to Boii garrisons from tier III and IV bronze buildings
• Fix for Colchis early barracks garrisons being stronger than other factions
• Celtic Slingers replace Celtic Bowmen in garrisons
• Added Kartli Axemen Tetreres to tier III and IV military port garrisons
• Egyptian Slinger Trieres added to tier IV harbour garrison for Egypt
• Greek Milita Hoplite Dieres added to tier II harbour garrisons for Athens, Macedon, Syracuse
• Replaced Thracian Warriors with Thracian Peltasts in some garrisons
• Persian Cavalry swapped for Eastern Horse Archers for some Armenian garrisons to prevent unit doubling
• Armoured Horse Archers swapped for Parthian Horse Archers for some garrisons to prevent unit doubling
• Fix for garrisons of tier III/IV infantry barracks for Armenia and Parthia being reversed
• Median Cavalry removed from Seleucid infantry building garrisons
• Persian Cavalry removed from infantry building garrisons
• Swapped Iberian Skirmishers for Iberian Slingers in city/town garrisons
• Added missing Steppe Axes Dieres, Tetreres and Hexeres to garrisons
• Added Lusitani Noble Raider to level IV military port garrisons
• Eastern Archers added to Media Atropatene roster to fix garrison issues
• Added Dacian Spears to Odrysian Kingdom unit roster

UI

• Added a new theme selection option to the title screen.

Campaign

• Reduced zone-of-control size for forces and cities from 5 to 3.5
• Adjusted ruling political party influence boost granted by higher level Imperium to confer more of an effect; the text for these bonuses have been changed as well
• All resource building chains now give a global bonus to all regions:
  • Amber: trade tariffs (faction)
  • Dyes: happiness (all provinces)
  • Grain: food (all regions)
  • Leather: manufacturing (all regions)
  • Iron: shield/armour/weapons upgrades (all provinces)
  • Horses: horse upgrades (all provinces)
  • Lead: sanitation (all provinces)
  • Marble: building cost reduction (all regions)
  • Timber: ship hull upgrades (all sea regions)
  • Silk: commerce (all regions)
  • Wine: happiness (all provinces)
  • Glass: research (faction)
  • Olives: agriculture (all regions)
  • Gold: mining (all provinces)

Cultural and Faction Trait updates
GRAND CAMPAIGN

Rome

• Cultural Traits:
  • Legions: +2 recruitment slots in all provinces
  • Marching Orders: +15% movement distance for all armies

• House of Julia
  • Barbarian Subduers: +20% melee attack during battles against Barbarian tribes
  • Romanisation: +4 to cultural conversion

• House of Junia
  • Agrarian Wisdom: +30% wealth from agricultural buildings
  • Founding Fathers: Public order bonus (maximum of +4) from presence of Latin culture

• House of Cornelia
  • Cultural Assimilation: -50% public order penalties due to presence of foreign cultures
  • All Will Serve: -50% upkeep cost for all auxiliary units

Carthage

• Cultural Traits
  • Mercenary Armies: -25% mercenary upkeep costs
  • Phoenician Trade Heritage: +15% wealth from all commerce buildings

• Barcid Dynasty
  • Pioneers: +15% movement range for all armies and fleets
  • Loyal Troops: +15% morale for all mercenary units

• Hannonid Dynasty
  • Statesmen: Major diplomatic bonus with all factions
  • Administrators: +5% tax rate

• Magonid Dynasty
  • Iron Fists: -50% resistance to foreign occupation
  • Phoenician Prowess: +3 experience ranks for ship recruits

Balkan Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Mercenary Armies: +50% mercenary upkeep costs
  • Promise of Loot: -50% mercenary recruitment costs

• Odrysian Kingdom
  • Looters: +100% income from sacking and raiding
  • Deadly Aim: +2 experience ranks for missile recruits

• Getae
  • Fierce Independence: +20% melee attack in own or allied territory
  • Our Gods: Public order bonus (maximum of +8) from presence of Balkan culture

• Ardiaei
  • Pirates: +250% income from raiding
  • Expert Seafarers: +2 recruitment slots in all ports

• Tylis
  • Plunderers: +150% income from sacking
  • Live by the Sword: +2 experience ranks for infantry recruits

Gallic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Gallic Horsemanship: +20% melee attack for all cavalry
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Boii
  • Migratory Urges: -75% to building conversion costs
  • Conquerors: +15% morale for all units during battles in foreign territory

• Arverni
  • Gallic Craftsmanship: +20% wealth from all industrial buildings
  • Tribal Hegemonists: Moderate diplomatic bonus with all Barbarian tribes

• Nervii
  • Ambushers: +50% chance of successfully launching an ambush
  • National Courage: +20% melee attack in own or allied territory

• Galatia
  • Plunderers: +100% income from raiding and sacking
  • Gallo-Graeci: Moderate diplomatic bonus with all Hellenic factions

Successor Kingdoms

• Cultural Traits
  • Successor Conflicts: Major diplomatic penalty with all Hellenic factions
  • Alexander's Legacy: -50% resistance to foreign occupation

• Seleucid
  • Satrapies: Increased number of levy units available from satrapies
  • Royal Estates: +20% wealth from agricultural buildings

• Egypt
  • Ptolemaic Enlightenment: +20% research rate
  • Nile Valley: +1 food in all regions

• Macedon
  • Thessalian Pride: +20% charge bonus for all cavalry units
  • Barbarian Subduers: +20% melee attack during battles against Barbarian tribes

• Baktria
  • Silk Road: +20% wealth from all commerce buildings
  • Multiculturalism: Public order bonus (maximum of +8) from presence of other cultures

Greek States

• Cultural Traits
  • Independence: +20% melee defence during battles in own or allied territory
  • Classical Heritage: +4 to cultural conversion

• Massilia
  • Great Traders: +20% wealth from all commerce buildings
  • Local Dominance: Minor diplomatic bonus with all factions

• Sparta
  • Helot Repression: -50% slave unhappiness
  • Spartiate Warriors: +3 experience ranks for Spartan infantry recruits

• Athens
  • Cultural Centre: +20% wealth from culture
  • Naval Prowess: +3 experience ranks for Athenian ship recruits

• Epirus
  • Village Confederation: +20% wealth from minor settlements
  • Guardians of Dodona: Public order bonus (maximum of +4) from presence of Hellenic culture

• Syracuse
  • Archimede's Eureka: +20% research rate
  • Flowering Culture: +20% wealth from culture

Iberian Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Scouts: Increased chance for all characters to discover hidden agents and armies
  • Warrior People: +4 public order from presence of an army in a province

• Lusitani
  • Ambushers: +50% chance of successfully launching an ambush
  • Mighty Warriors: +2 experience for all infantry recruits

• Arevaci
  • Horsemanship: -20% recruitment cost for all cavalry units
  • One People: Major diplomatic bonus with all Iberian factions

Nomadic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Horde: +3 recruitment slots in home province
  • Marauders: +50% income from raiding and sacking

• Roxolani
  • Peregrine Conquerors: +20% melee attack during battles in foreign territory
  • Migrant Traders: +15% wealth from all commerce buildings

• Massagetae
  • Pastoral Lifestyle: +40% wealth from livestock buildings
  • Tribal Ferocity: +15% morale in own or allied territory

• Royal Scythia
  • Archery Masters: +25% ammunition for all units
  • Scythian Craftsmanship: +15% wealth from all industrial buildings

Eastern Empires

• Cultural Traits
  • Great Marksmen: +25% ammunition for all units
  • Secret Police: Increased security against agents in all provinces

• Parthia
  • Cavalry Masters: -25% recruitment cost for all cavalry units
  • Multiculturalism: -25% public order due to presence of foreign cultures

• Armenia
  • Proud People: +20% morale for all units during battles in own territory
  • Bridge Builders: Minor diplomatic bonus with all Hellenistic and Eastern factions

• Pontus
  • Shrewd Operators: -50% all agent action costs
  • Philhellenes: Moderate diplomatic bonus with all Hellenic factions

Black Sea Colonies

• Cultural Traits
  • Rulers of Foreign Lands: -50% public order penalties due to presence of foreign cultures
  • Greek Hearts: +15% morale when fighting in own or allied territory

• Pergamon
  • Great Builders: -25% building construction costs
  • Town Growth: +4 growth in all regions

• Cimmeria
  • Bosporian Fertile Lands: +25% wealth from agricultural buildings
  • Nomadic Archers: +25% ammunition for all units

• Colchis
  • Trade Crossroads: +15% wealth from all trade agreements
  • Golden Legacy: +2 Hellenic cultural influence in all provinces

Brittanic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Heroic Culture: +20% charge bonus in battles when attacking
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Iceni
  • Pastoral Ways: +20% wealth from all agricultural buildings
  • Cultural Aspirations: Moderate diplomatic bonus with all non-barbarian tribes

Germanic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Terrors of the Night: Can always choose to fight night battles
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Suebi
  • Tribal Conquerors: +20% melee attack during battles against Barbarian tribes
  • Marauders: +100% income from raiding and sacking

IMPERATOR AUGUSTUS CAMPAIGN

Romans

• Cultural Traits
  • Legions: +2 recruitment slots in all provinces
  • One Ruler: All Roman factions share a major diplomatic penalty with all other Roman factions

• Lepidus' Rome
  • Agrarian Wisdom: +30% wealth from agricultural buildings
  • Administrators: +5% tax rate

• Octavian's Rome
  • Barbarian Subduers: +20% melee attack during battles against Barbarian tribes
  • Romanisation: +4 to cultural conversion

• Antony's Rome
  • Cultural Assimilation: -50% public order penalties due to presence of foreign cultures
  • All Will Serve: -50% upkeep cost for all auxiliary units

• Pompey's Rome
  • Expert Seafarers: +2 recruitment slots in all ports
  • Pioneers: +15% movement range for all armies and fleets

Eastern Empires

• Cultural Traits
  • Great Marksmen: +25% ammunition for all units
  • Secret Police: Increased security against agents in all provinces

• Parthia
  • Cavalry Masters: -25% recruitment cost for all cavalry units
  • Multiculturalism: -25% public order due to presence of foreign cultures

• Armenia
  • Proud People: +20% morale for all units during battles in own territory
  • Bridge Builders: Minor diplomatic bonus with all Hellenistic and Eastern factions

Balkan Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Mercenary Armies: +50% mercenary upkeep costs
  • Promise of Loot: -50% mercenary recruitment costs

• Dacia
  • Fierce Independence: +20% melee attack in own or allied territory
  • Our Gods: Public order bonus (maximum of +8) from presence of Balkan culture

Successor Kingdoms

• Cultural Traits
  • Greek Hearts: +15% morale when fighting in own or allied territory
  • Alexander's Legacy: -50% resistance to foreign occupation

• Egypt
  • Ptolemaic Enlightenment: +20% research rate
  • Nile Valley: +1 food in all regions

Brittanic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Heroic Culture: +20% charge bonus in battles when attacking
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Iceni
  • Pastoral Ways: +20% wealth from all agricultural buildings
  • Cultural Aspirations: Moderate diplomatic bonus with all non-barbarian tribes

Germanic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Terrors of the Night: Can always choose to fight night battles
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Marcomanni
  • Tribal Conquerors: +20% melee attack during battles against Barbarian tribes
  • Marauders: +100% income from raiding and sacking

CAESAR IN GAUL CAMPAIGN

Roman

• Cultural Traits
  • Legions: +2 recruitment slots in all provinces
  • Marching Orders: +15% movement distance for all armies

• Rome
  • Paragons of Civilisation: +15% morale during battles in neutral or enemy territory
  • Romanisation: +2 to cultural conversion

Gallic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Gallic Horsemanship: +15% melee attack for all cavalry
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Arverni
  • Gallic Hegemonists: Major diplomatic bonus with all Celtic tribes
  • Champions of Gaul: +15% melee attack during battles in own or allied territory

• Nervii
  • Ambushers: +50% chance of successfully launching an ambush
  • Bravest of the Belgae: +15% morale during battles in own or allied territory

Germanic Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Terrors of the Night: Can always choose to fight night battles
  • Warrior Society: +2 public order for every war

• Suebi
  • Invaders from Germania: +20% melee attack during battles in neutral or enemy territory
  • Marauders: +100% income from raiding and sacking

HANNIBAL AT THE GATES CAMPAIGN

Carthaginians

• Cultural Traits
  • Mercenary Armies: -25% mercenary upkeep costs
  • Trade Heritage: +15% wealth from all commerce buildings

• Carthage
  • Strategic Effort: +15% movement range for all armies and fleets
  • The Great Enemy: Major diplomatic penalty with all Latin factions

Romans

• Cultural Traits
  • Legions: +2 recruitment slots in all provinces
  • Marching Orders: +15% movement distance for all armies

• Rome
  • Carthago Delenda Est: Major diplomatic penalty with all Punic factions
  • Agrarian Wisdom: +30% wealth from agricultural buildings

Greek States

• Cultural Traits
  • Independence: +20% melee defence during battles in own or allied territory
  • Classical Heritage: +4 to cultural conversion

• Syracuse
  • Archimede's Eureka: +20% research rate
  • Flowering Culture: +20% wealth from culture

Iberian Tribes

• Cultural Traits
  • Scouts: Increased chance for all characters to discover hidden agents and armies
  • Warrior People: +4 public order from presence of an army in a province

• Lusitani
  • Ambushers: +50% chance of successfully launching an ambush
  • Mighty Warriors: +2 experience for all infantry recruits

• • Arevaci
  • Horsemanship: -20% recruitment cost for all cavalry units
  • One People: Major diplomatic bonus with all Iberian factions

WRATH OF SPARTA

Greek States

• Cultural Traits
  • Slaves: -85% reduction in unrest caused by slaves but also income generated by them
  • Slaves: 50% reduction in slave population decline

• Athenai
  • Wooden Wall: +2 recruitment slots in all ports
  • Dreams of Empire: -10 happiness in all regions

• Sparta
  • Helots: +100% wealth from slaves
  • Spartiate: +3 experience ranks for all Spartan units

• Boiotian League
  • Rising Military: +15% morale for all units
  • Rival of Athens: Moderate diplomatic penalty with all Ionian factions

• Korinthos
  • Love of Aphrodite: +4 growth in all regions
  • Maritime Heritage: +15% ship battle speed

Now if only they would patch in the Emperor campaign map for the grand campaign.

At this point, I just really can't see myself playing R2TW after trying out Attila. Thanks for looking out though.

 

[Tigranes]

This thing was $15 on humble bundle, I prevaricated.

Then I came to my senses and fired up RTW1.

 

[Raghar]

You could pay these money, give code to me, and feel better. It was fine bundle, a lot of interesting stuff like Empire and other games. If Attila was in as well... Then again Warhammer total war is the game everyone is awaiting.

They fucked up with description of ancient ages economy, and tribe relations. Basically Rome II is less interesting than Shogun 2, and there are not enough details for history buffs to get it because of that.

I really dislike they were not able to show MASSIVE difference between north tribes economy, and ease of Rome economy. For Rome it was conquer too much to the north, and you'd be losing money hard. They did conquered England however.

*1 and losing money hard meant one of theirs eastern neighbors would take an advantage.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

You should have bought the bundle it was worth it but anyway. Rome 2 is not particularly bad, it's definitively better than Rome 1 in many aspects, it got reasonably optimized. The battle speed is frenetic and that's an issue more in multiplayer, although the imbalance between the speed of a melee and the displacement speed leads to an annoying dynamic micro timing becomes the focus. Broken melee engine and the inconsistent charges/bracing is also a nuisance.
Augustus is a lot like the Rome 1 campaign, even cooler because you start with decent but not oversized empires, and some diplomatic context.

Now Attila on the other hand is a piece of shit. It looks terrible, the campaign map has garbage ground textures and trees and the nuclear wasteland style lightning they use for battle is annoying. The razing settlement is broken and spammed by the AI, the germans and hordes don't behave like they should and unless you cheese your way into a return to paganism (which is almost instant win), you lose Gaul and probably half of your empire way before Attila even comes. Mostly because western empire, even the eastern, barely has enough money to pay off 3 full stacks and every german and African kingdom attacks you at the start, refuses to conduct diplomacy for the first 100 turns or so. The corruption is at 80% in all cities.
It's an unoptimized mess and the Low framerate is really what keeps me away from giving it more tries. Playing on low framerate is just not agreeable.

The settlement layout is broken, you can abuse defensive testudo as romans and inflict massive casualties with a small garrison. I killed Attila's father on turn 10 with a pity force. The battle engine is a bit less broken because they improved the way melee works, it's a bit closer to Rome 1, but it's also got some of Rome's sluggishness as a result and if your unit was not well positioned at the start of an engagement it will not try to adjust as the battle goes on and you desperately rage and right click the enemy hoping they attack them correctly.
Heavy cavalry is so powerful, you can abuse the shit out of moskito tactics as long as you have a pity infantry to pin the enemy down, which is made easier by what I mentioned above. Archers are completely useless. Pikemen not much useful or only as support for light cavalry in some situations.

The Last Roman is much more interesting and I think it's even worth buying. It's not pleasing on the eyes, but the units are better looking. The way it works, is exactly what Total War should be granted they don't reinvent their campaign map. You don't have to bother about Empire management, the increased focus on a smaller region makes it more immersive and it does allow for more space to travel around on land with more fine details on the regions. It feels like you're leading armies on an adventure, there's a story and some context to battles, you're not alone and scripting gives a good pace. Your general matters more.

I think Total War should have gone for the story driven road from the start. Short of having some advanced historical simulation, it works much better.

 

[BlackAdderBG]

Rome 2 is not particularly bad, it's definitively better than Rome 1 in many aspects, it got reasonably optimized.

I think Total War should have gone for the story driven road from the start. Short of having some advanced historical simulation, it works much better.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

nice meme asshole. Ignore the rest of the thread and this very post where I explained what led me to say this.

 

[LizardWizard]

You should have bought the bundle it was worth it but anyway. Rome 2 is not particularly bad, it's definitively better than Rome 1 in many aspects, it got reasonably optimized..

Nothing you said here is true

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

How so?

if you have more shitpost one liners to throw at me do it now and maybe someone will be willing to contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way after that.

 

[Nahel]

I must admit the DLC scam used by CA for Rome 2 are far better for shareholders than the expansion model of Rome 1. That makes already one aspect i guess.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

Don't buy factions DLC? The expansions they offer are cheaper than Barbarian and Alexander ever were and present slightly more content. Whoever would pretend Alexander wasn't a cashgrab is wearing nostalgia goggles.

Factions DLC are definitively not worth it. You can unlock the faction manually and the only thing they do is add a unit.

Content wise Rome 2 is definitively heavier than Rome 1. More factions, more unit, no fucking rebels faction. More attention to historical detail. Rome 1 was not a good looking game, while Rome 2 could have a better direction it's objectively better on that side. Rome 1 didn't have as many custom settlements, the battle maps were smaller and with less relief. There was no line of sight? Not that I remember. Settlements in Rome 2 are more varied and interesting strategically.
Remember the bleak land that was almost half of Europe, with not even walls to surround cities and Barbarians limited to a small selection of building and units? Not in Rome 2. I prefer the smaller settlements without walls, major settlement with walls. I don't think that the siege spam of the older titles was particularly entertaining.
Coop campaigns and a better multiplayer component. Diplomacy that works. Campaign AI not as dumd as in Rome 1. Just no, not as dumb.

Rome 2 was optimized. I'm running it very high no problem now. I have a laptop. Whoever is saying it's not true did not play the game.

There's naval battles. They aren't balanced, but at least there's the option to have them. They're fun in concept except ramming is unfortunately far too overpowered. Naval/land sieges hybrids are fun and a good way to break entrenchment.

That's it. That's where Rome 2 is better.

 

[titus]

Rome 1 was not a good looking game, while Rome 2 could have a better direction it's objectively better on that side.

...

This is the mistake that many people do. "Hey Rome 2 is shit but at least it's better than Rome 1!"
The thing is, Rome 1 at this moment is shit without mods (Roma Surrectum 4life yo!) but back in 2004 and a few more years after it was the best game ever. Both visually and whatever else you want. The fact that R2's biggest accomplishment is being "better" - in some ways - than a 11yo game is really sad for whoever used to like the series. And then there's the new engine's fighting mechanics which really sucks balls.

Does it really run well on a laptop nowadays? When it first got released it was running OK on my, then ~$3000, PC

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

Rex is right, this is fucking TW, RTT for retards. Rome 2 did try to add a bunch more content but failed in the critical department and everything that TW is about, battle simulation. Now I won't bother going on about retarded unit stats and templates, but this is where it drops the ball: the 1v1 trooper versus trooper grind in fucking formation fighting and the lack of physics. Charges look so fucking stupid.


I will be completely straight and say that I enjoyed the Belisarius campaign for Attila more than I did any vanilla TW game bar Medieval 1. Even if the battle engine is shit, battle ai is a lot better (bar Roma Surrectum mods, but those are 8 years after the game) than retardo Rome 1 or the clunky as hell Medieval 2 (there's an unoptimized turd) and you get dynamic morale, such as units withdrawing, regrouping and returning to battle. Remove some retarded unit abilities and change the engine and it's golden.

 

[Declinator]

Rome 1 was not a good looking game, while Rome 2 could have a better direction it's objectively better on that side.

Rome 1 is not as good looking as Rome 2 but it offers more clarity. I can see at a glance what unit is where, whose units they are, and what they are doing. I'll take clarity over looks any day.

Even if the battle engine is shit, battle ai is a lot better (bar Roma Surrectum mods, but those are 8 years after the game) than retardo Rome 1 or the clunky as hell Medieval 2 (there's an unoptimized turd) and you get dynamic morale, such as units withdrawing, regrouping and returning to battle. Remove some retarded unit abilities and change the engine and it's golden.

Doesn't practically every TW have dynamic morale in some form? Some units can escape the entire battlefield in panic (if I recall correctly) but mostly they'll stop before that and you can return them to battle.

I don't remember Roma Surrectum offering anything special as far as battle AI is considered. Perhaps the AI is better suited for the sort of stats that the units have in Roma Surrectum but was there really any meaningful difference?

I'd say Stainless Steel battle AI improvements were far more meaningful (such as the AI cavalry avoiding spear walls.)

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

Rome 1 is not as good looking as Rome 2 but it offers more clarity. I can see at a glance what unit is where, whose units they are, and what they are doing. I'll take clarity over looks any day.

Never faced that problem.

Doesn't practically every TW have dynamic morale in some form? Some units can escape the entire battlefield in panic (if I recall correctly) but mostly they'll stop before that and you can return them to battle.

Rome 1, when they break they break truly. I only noticed this form of regrouping and returning to battle in Attila.

I don't remember Roma Surrectum offering anything special as far as battle AI is considered. Perhaps the AI is better suited for the sort of stats that the units have in Roma Surrectum but was there really any meaningful difference?

I'd say Stainless Steel battle AI improvements were far more meaningful (such as the AI cavalry avoiding spear walls.)

I played Rome vanilla recently, the enemy army either stands or just charges you in a huge clusterfuck. Medieval 2 has somewhat better AI but I've seen the AI in Attila divide forces to hit you in the rear or even act situationally, like charge you straight on when you have an overabundance of missile troops. In Rome 1 and Medieval 2 you could just keep firing at a stationary enemy for 30 minutes. The enemy would advance, get shot in the face, then retreat. Such moments of retardo don't exist in Attila, the retardo happens when two formations collide with 0 sense of impact and the soldiers start doing 1v1s.

 

[titus]

this is fucking TW, RTT for retards.

What else is there, though?

the 1v1 trooper versus trooper grind in fucking formation fighting and the lack of physics. Charges look so fucking stupid.

Do they still blob? Haven't played it since release week.

Remove some retarded unit abilities and change the engine and it's golden.

They still have some money to grind with the current one. Won't play any more new titles until they change the engine.

The politics system is retarded, the generals are retarded. Units not being able to be controlled on the map without a general is retarded. The water transport system is retarded.
What else did I miss? Hopefully they fixed the bugs like ships running on sand.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

They don't blob as much in Attila because they shortened the length of most animations and have soldiers just do a quick slash most of the time like in the old titles.

The politic system and army limits are due to the 'faces of rome' bullshit and CA's new pretensions of being the cinematic experience of strategy games. It's a feature that was solely implemented to be marketed with the new DRAMATIC side of ROME. I don't know who came up with this idea, in a sandbox that had, until the very last DLC they released, no story, barely any events, and no sense of immersion.

But this fag among fag that I want to strangle every time I see him appear in trailer, fired from PC gamer, seems to be the one who will spew this the more merrily. I suspect this is somehow partly his suggestions as an improvised marketing consultant but who knows. He's like a Molyneux lite except he doesn't even play the games he market.

 

[JarlFrank]

They don't blob as much in Attila because they shortened the length of most animations and have soldiers just do a quick slash most of the time like in the old titles.

Wow, a step back in the right direction. Hadn't thought them capable of that anymore.

 

[Commissar Draco]

Doesn't practically every TW have dynamic morale in some form?

It Does General has rally function and besides that better tier higher morale units often return to fight... lost a few battles this way when my soldiers rushed to pursue retreating enemy who somewhat recovered from panic and stroke back my disorganized battle line... Romans are not good when fighting 1:1 outside formations.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

Total War campaign has always been a shitty 4X. I think no one will argue against that. Total War should have been an RPG with an overworld, like King Bounty, or Mount and Blade. Or the Heroes approach where the focus is on exploration and raiding the enemy supplies. They speak about getting familiar with your general? Well this would have done the trick. This is why I think The Last Roman works so well.

It just fits the Total War formula . You follow the great generals and reenact the Battles in an immersive context. Not lead 6 armies of nobodies that didn't even exist to play 30 repetitions of the same battle. Caesar didn't bother with managing cities did he? He traveled across Gaul with his army, was faced with events and meetings where he had to make choices and fought a streak of often atypical Battles that ended in the conditional surrender of the makeshift gallic federation. You could even finally deal with supply lines and stuff.

 

[Tigranes]

Which, basically, is KOEI's heroes series for Romance of the Three Kingdoms. You are Liu Bei in one, Cao Cao in another, Zhuge Liang in another, and you just go through a story that is mostly on rails upgrading your troops and fighting set pieces.

As fun as that is, and as much as I agree it would be a better game, the present TW mix still has a cool allure. It's just a pity that they fucked it so bad.

And no, RTW2 doesn't look better than RTW1. I don't call higher poly models that blob insanely and run through each other like water "good looking".

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

Rome 1 had a terrible unit design, battle maps that looked like nothing at all and if you zoom in on the battles retards that stare each other, take forever to make an attack and move like they're underwater. Rome 2 vanilla is objectively better looking.

 

[titus]

And no, RTW2 doesn't look better than RTW1.

Rome 2 vanilla is objectively better looking.

While Rome 2 has better graphics than Rome 1, I still think Rome 2's graphics are shit.

Spoiler

Modded Rome 1 blows it the fuck out.

Not that graphics matter too much.

 

[Brayko]

Fired it up again for the first time since launch. Gotta say it has improved significantly by adding seasons and generally less clusterfuck. Still don't care for the UI but hey.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

UI is a big deal for me too. But oh well. It gets better in Attila

 

[Silva]

Rex has a point. The attempted 4X approach by the series should be considered a failure right now, except if you look at it as a tech showcase or a LARPers tool or some bulshit like that. No strategy game with the AI of a retardo infant should be considered viable. Go back and try to play any vanilla release and you will see. The problem is not that it is a piss easy game - the problem is that there is not even a game in there. The only exceptions being S1 and M1 (and S2 on a lesser degree).

The series needs to reinvent itself urgently. And narrowing its scope so the AI can deal with it is the only viable way. And making it story-driven mini-campaigns based on historical generals is a very good idea indeed. Creative Assembly should taking note.