Yeah i can only play it at medium...but it still looks amazing...loading times are a bit long..

They are probably down...heavy traffic...

My initial impression...

Technically its good...graphics look good, runs well enough(naval battles are a bit demanding though)...
Gameplay is really good, land battles are where it's at...its a lot slower and a lot different from Medieval(for obvious reasons)...I think need more time to get use to the new combat tactic...

Bad
Naval battles are a lot more difficult and require more control...
the default camera i feel is too zoomed in...
loading times are a loooooooooooong
some sound bug...crackling sound when zoomed in
some graphics bug(i have issues changing resolution) and sliding units in 2d mip map at times...
Sound effects are not so impressive...

Overall I definetely noticed bugs(maybe because i play these total war games a lot), but the engine is pretty good, the size of the map is a lot bigger...the gameplay is good...and i think that is what matters...ohhh and it makes me want to get a new PC

BTW for those that have a 256MB card like me, you can force graphics setting in the preference script file...you can ask me if you want to know the location of this file...

All total war games have friendly fire....this one is no different...glad you liked it...i suppose you have a good gaming rig...

It's 2 GB

I have one successful naval battles. On the pixel thing...isn't it the same with all previous total wars? There are some animation issues though that I admit.

Total War games all based on this type of engine....zoom in 3d zoom out 2d...that is how they draw that many units on screen.


Exactly what is the issue with naval battle? Is it a technical problem or tactical problem?

This post has been edited by frags: Feb 23 2009, 01:09 PM

The game(the demo) limits your options based on your hardware.

I really don't see what you're seeing. I'm playing at medium and zoomed out it looks the same to me...Drivers are not optimised for the game yet...so yeah perhaps.

This is just a portion of the game. Grand Campaign is a huge part of the game. You want to keep your admiral safe.

It is a brand new engine. I'm playing it at 1024X768. I have issues changing resolution(the game black screens when changing reso) so I'm stuck at that reso



For those concerned...pre order information. What you will be getting for standard and special forces edition.
http://malaysian-gamer.blogspot.com/2009/0...-order-now.html

---

Added on February 23, 2009, 5:44 pmBuilding Feature


Star Fort

The basic concept of a star fort is that at least one, and preferably many, field of fire should cover every part of the defence and the approaches to the fort. These killing zones can be extended and made even more deadly by, at the very least, a long sloping glacis around the fort for the attackers to scale. The glacis need not be very steep at all, but the attackers face an uphill struggle with no cover at all, under murderous fire ever step of the way. The glacis also acts as a passive defence, a sloping armoured earthwork for the fort proper. Beyond the glacis a hidden counterscarp awaits: a retaining wall (sometimes with firing positions for the defenders) that drops down deep ditch that must be crossed before the actual approaches to the fort are even reached!

All of these defences are before the military architects add additional ravelins (detached triangular bastions or gun positions) in front of the fort’s own walls and hornworks and crownworks (both elaborations on the basic bastion design). The whole effect, when viewed in plan form, is baroque in its complexity, each projection of the central star giving the defence another firing position towards any attacking force. Wall length is limited to that which can be covered by flanking musket fire, as experience showed that a fort with only cannons in its defence could be taken when the cannons were knocked out.



Unit Feature


Elite Light Infantry

Light infantry forces form a skirmish line to slow the enemy advance and keep their own line unmolested by enemy skirmishers.

Whether they are called light infantry, jaegers, tirailleurs or chasseurs à pied, it is the job of these men to screen the main battle line, harass the enemy and, if possible, pick off important men in the enemy’s ranks. Unlike their fellows in the line infantry, light infantrymen are trained to think for themselves, use the ground and cover intelligently, and not fight in rigid lines. Instead, they form a loose skirmish line and fire independently at their own designated targets. The effect is a constant, low-level barrage rather than the crashing thunder of a volley but the effect is quite deadly as officers and sergeants are picked off and removed from the fight. Against cavalry, however, their best defence is to withdraw to their own battle line.

Historically, the Austrians were widely regarded as producing the finest light infantry forces in Europe. Other nations did catch up, but in the case of Britain and France it was their experiences in fighting in North America that persuaded them of the wisdom of light troops. Battle lines were simply impossible to manage in the dense woodlands, and largely pointless against the native tribes!


This post has been edited by frags: Feb 23 2009, 05:44 PM

OMG my post dissapeared

Anyway I was saying that, you graphics option is limited based on your hardware and that the demo is an old build. Some of the bugs have been solved and there is a day zero patch to improve optimisation. Loadings have improved in the retail version.

I know this because someone went to Creative Assembly studio to see the full version in an open day event.

PS : A little hint to everyone...In naval battles, with a ship selected, press insert....you will be surprised...really cool.

Yeah...full campaign map!



You can view the map...full resolution here(regions are named in this map):
http://www.pic-upload.de/20.02.09/9u2y6.png

Looks epic..

It is final...regions don't work like in medieval...there are smaller towns in a single region.

PS : I just found out that...there are no General speeches before a battle!

No...I explain to you lah..Your production is outsourced around your region...Say for instance, bristol makes cannons..You are french and you send an army to the london region...if you sit on bristol, you deny your enemy cannons from bristol/tax and trade from that town...To take control of the region you need to take the capital city which is London...WHich isn't easy and don't expect the local populace to be friendly....

A very interesting technique is to sit on a village/town that produces food/farms...you starve that region to submission...The AI can do the same to you...so you can't sit back in your capital city and allow the enemy to raze your country side...

Frankly this is a more interesting system than the previous one...at least it makes sense in the new period..If in the medieval period was about huge castle and entire settlements behind walls, the 18th century saw towns growing outside of these major cities...industrialisation lah

Remove fire at will and you can control your volleys...Soldiers reload automatically...The second line firing requires a firing drill tech in the campaign game.

Superior Tactics 3 Trailer with Mark Sutherns and Jim Whitson...




BTW...some retailers sold the game to some customers already...obviously he can't play it yet since Steam hasn't unlocked the game until release date..

---

Added on February 26, 2009, 5:39 pmJack Lusted's gameplay hints:
So you need to use groups if you want to do the naval battles well.



This post has been edited by frags: Feb 26 2009, 05:39 PM

That requires a tech research in firing drill...in the campaign mode...you will get the second line firing as the first line crouches.

The tech tree in empire is actually rather good i heard

Yeah the special forces is crap...IGN review...9.5...Possibly only Starcraft 2 can top this game this year(for PC game lah)...



This post has been edited by frags: Feb 28 2009, 10:55 PM

it is not supported...your own risk...not recommended

Really not recommended. The demo may not actually be a representation of the final game. Considering the minimum is 256MB VRAM, the developers can always break his experience with patches etc...that is why i don't recommend him buying the game unless he gets a new GC.

PS : FYI The demo/beta of World In Conflict worked for Intel GMA users...the final game didn't...Moral of the story...you should always take the minimum requirement seriously...that is the cut off point that the developers will support.

Empire has long load times...final version has been optimised(it does load faster than the demo loading times)...the main screen pause doesn't happen in the final version...and yeah it could be because it is compressed.

I have been told by distributer that it should be released on the 6th here.

Special forces edition...you get 6 extra units