Battle for Middle Earth

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-05-27 04:24pm

Why am I just finding out about this game?

*drools*

Total War with Orcs. Wheeeeeeeee!

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-27 04:45pm

Yeah...except not. It just looks like Total War on the outside, but it is in fact YAFSWRTSC (Yet Another Fucking Shit Wannabe Real-Time *Strategy* Clone)

The units have Hitpoints, you still have leaders, there's no proper detailed control of the men in a realistic way, Ground Control is to Command and Conquer as Battle for Middle-Earth is to Age of Empires. Of course if you like that sort of false attempt at strategy/tactics/operation whatever they dream of calling it, BY ALL MEANS ENJOY!

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-27 04:47pm

And to boot; "commander of hundreds of men.." Hundreds? Wtf, *cough*Rome TW 10,000 men*cought*.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-05-27 04:58pm

Rome TW will kick ass (i loved the show Timecommanders for those who know it)

But BDME looks very fine also. I already saw some ingame movies and the AI was excellent. The units are behaving much more realistic than in any previous RTS game (like backing down when a bigass troll is coming, cheering when killing a pack of orcs, etc...)

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-27 05:18pm

This is a link to the latest Rome Total War Trailer from E3

Trailer

Watch it and wet yourself in anticipation. They've fine tuned it even more beyond what you saw on Time Commanders. It is heavenly!

Macross · Post by **Macross** » 2004-05-27 10:11pm

Just as long as its better than "War of the Ring" it should be decent.

admiral_danielsben · Post by **admiral_danielsben** » 2004-05-29 10:14am

Super-Gagme wrote:Yeah...except not. It just looks like Total War on the outside, but it is in fact YAFSWRTSC (Yet Another Fucking Shit Wannabe Real-Time *Strategy* Clone)

The units have Hitpoints, you still have leaders, there's no proper detailed control of the men in a realistic way, Ground Control is to Command and Conquer as Battle for Middle-Earth is to Age of Empires. Of course if you like that sort of false attempt at strategy/tactics/operation whatever they dream of calling it, BY ALL MEANS ENJOY!

People can enjoy games even if they suck. Take this example:

I personally liked "Star Trek: Birth of the Federation" despite the fact that it was just a cloned turn-based strategy game and had a stunning memory leak as well (it's a good idea to quit and re-boot every hundred turns or so). Not to mention that the interface wasn't streamlined enough and made management a chore. And they completely ignored the Original Series and Voyager ships (only TNG ships and a Defiant tossed in for good measure), TOS and DS9 races, etc.

The good thing about it was the whole 'control the Federation/Klingons/Romulans/Cardassians/Ferengi' deal. I personally enjoyed playing them. The interface, while clumsy, accurately displayed the various empire's designs. I played as every power in 'easy' mode (beats 'simple', but nowhere near 'impossible'), and i found each one pretty good except the Cardassians - maybe i play them wrong. I really enjoy the Romulans (cloaking devices are a superb advantage) and the Ferengi (they're super-Trade system and money structures make them the only power in the game i can really play without cheating). The Federation is pretty good too (they have most of the best ships), but they're too difficult to get into a war (which you really need to do to win, unless you make an alliance). The Klingons are good if you want to blast things apart - i love playing them if i just want to smash things to bits.

To sum it up, even if a game has shitty elements, people will play it and enjoy it.

Captain Cyran · Post by **Captain Cyran** » 2004-05-29 10:26am

I am most definately buying both Rome: Total War and Battle for Middle Earth when they come out... When do they come out?

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-29 12:31pm

When they're ready

Sorry...you'd get that more if you posted on Rome:TW forum :p

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2004-05-29 12:32pm

Super-Gagme wrote:When they're ready

Sorry...you'd get that more if you posted on Rome:TW forum :p

Though Rome is slated for a September release as of E3, and we'll be seeing it on the History Channel over the Summer.

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-29 12:34pm

Ah, finally getting Time Commanders across the pond?

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2004-05-29 12:43pm

Super-Gagme wrote:Ah, finally getting Time Commanders across the pond?

Afraid I don't quite follow, but then the current History Channel lineup isn't known to me, as I do not own a television.

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-29 12:50pm

Then how do you know you'll be seeing it on the History Channel? Time Commanders is a TV show on BBC here where they get 4 people who know shit all about games to lead an army on Rome Total War in a big room, with historical battles. Quite good if you ask me

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2004-05-29 12:55pm

Super-Gagme wrote:Then how do you know you'll be seeing it on the History Channel?

There was an article on Gamespy mentioning that the History Channel commissioned Rome for a series showing this summer.

Time Commanders is a TV show on BBC here where they get 4 people who know shit all about games to lead an army on Rome Total War in a big room, with historical battles. Quite good if you ask me

Hmm, interesting. How recent is that show?

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-29 12:59pm

Going on about 9 months old I think.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2004-05-29 01:01pm

Super-Gagme wrote:Going on about 9 months old I think.

Egad. Did they get their hands on a beta version of Rome or something?

Super-Gagme · Post by **Super-Gagme** » 2004-05-29 01:05pm

As far as I know it was a deal with Creative Assembly so they probably made a special version just for them. It was quite unique too, because it displayed the main screen on a giant LCD for the two "Generals" to watch, they also had a digital table map below them with the whole map and unit positions they could monitor. Then the two lieutenants each had a computer station where they controlled an even amount of forces each. And they had to coordinate like that. Only the computer stations had what you'd expect a TW interface to look like. The rest was cinematic. Oh and the lieutenants didn't physically do the controls, they had experts on the systems receiving the orders. All in all, damn good

I also heard that if they got renewed for season 2 they were going to be using a modified one to incorporate Napoleonic battles.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2004-05-29 01:13pm

Hehe, brilliant, I love it

Ah, the few gems I miss by not having a TV.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-06-01 04:05am

Super-Gagme wrote:As far as I know it was a deal with Creative Assembly so they probably made a special version just for them. It was quite unique too, because it displayed the main screen on a giant LCD for the two "Generals" to watch, they also had a digital table map below them with the whole map and unit positions they could monitor. Then the two lieutenants each had a computer station where they controlled an even amount of forces each. And they had to coordinate like that. Only the computer stations had what you'd expect a TW interface to look like. The rest was cinematic. Oh and the lieutenants didn't physically do the controls, they had experts on the systems receiving the orders. All in all, damn good

I also heard that if they got renewed for season 2 they were going to be using a modified one to incorporate Napoleonic battles.

I hope they replay it one day or another. I missed first 2 episodes and it was a damn good show

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-06-01 05:42am

Will Alexander the Great be covered (in Rome Total War). I know the Phalanx is present, but that's it.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-06-01 07:19am

Vympel wrote:Will Alexander the Great be covered (in Rome Total War). I know the Phalanx is present, but that's it.

He was in one episode of Time Commanders IIRC. Ok its been told here it was a "special" game version but i dont see any reason not to put him in the original game. Screenshots of the game show more civilisations than the Romans alone + different era's