1200 KB/s is less than 1x dvd speed, I think, so I don’t think it’s possible outside of a damaged drive or damaged/dirty dvd not to support that.
Yes. It has support up through shader model 3.
However, I’m not sure how well the card will run the game. I was dissapointed with the level of performance in the demo, and I have a 6800 GT, which, while an older architecture, has much more raw horsepower. The final version might be better optimized, though. Try the demo first and see how it is.
So far ( and on “H” setting ) with a little more time in, I concur with both of the above. They will try to flank and they will attack at multiple angles, but they’re still mediocre at cohesive whole army action. Occasionally they get it right by some lucky confluence of AI logic. But more often this seems the result of being engaged in such a way that they are forced to commit heavily. But…eh. It’s AI - not much you can do.
By the way as to the question of whether they react to being flanked - sometimes yes, sometimes no.
In one recent engagement with me on the offensive, the smaller defending force chose a decent, but not superb position on a hill, but flanked by lower forest and a higher ridge. When I marched the long way around and occupied the higher ground of the ridge, the AI neither a) made any move to pre-empt me before I got there, nor b) retreated to the woods once they’d lost the high ground, where at least my calvary heavy force would have suffered at the hands of their all infantry army, nor even c) shifted their front properly to fully face mine.
On the other hand, I have seen them move to counter slower infantry pinscher movements. They respond less well to fast calvary, where they are more reactive after the fact if they have the troops to spare.
How’s naval combat in the game? I never played Rome, but in MTW naval combat consisted of dropping one ship onto the other and letting the game perform some mystical random number generator to say one ship won. Did they deepen that any for MTW2?
No…its the same as in MTW and Rome. Its the one truely disappointing (IMHO) aspect of the game…that the naval battles are so shallow. Basically, to be sure to win in a naval engagement, one must make sure one has superior numbers in your fleet…otherwise its a crap shoot. Even the experience doesn’t seem to be THAT much of a factor IMHO.
I really hope that they broaden this in the next (I assume there will be a next) game.
If anyone is interested, here is Gamespy’s review of the game. 4 out of 5 stars. Not too bad, but not as good as they reviewed Rome (but for what its worth, 4 out of 5 stars is a pretty high rating for them).
-XT
The standards aren’t part of the unit art. They’re part of the graphic interface, like the green circles you see around the troops when you select a unit. That cavalryman with a banner over his head isn’t supposed to actually be carrying a banner, it’s just a marker to make it easier for you to identify and select your units.
Ah, I see. Well, this does make it more understandable.
After playing Myth: The Fallen Lords and Soulblighter, even a high-quality RTS like Medieval seems mindless to me.
I know, they’re totally different games, with the former being Real Time Tactics and the latter Real Time Strategy, but there’s something about being able to control each individual soldier, as opposed to a unit, that makes me get into it way more.
In Medieval, the game does so much more of the work for you. Send a unit of warriors charging into a skirmish in Myth, sit back and watch, and they will all be slaughtered. Without micromanaging each man, retreating, alternating between archers and dwarves, etc, you are guaranteed to lose. It takes more work, but for me, it’s more satisfying.
Are there any RTT (Real Time Tactics) games in the mold of the Myth series that are out now? Medieval is great (and really sweet to look at,) but what I really want is another Myth.
I’m just the opposite…Myth never did it with me, either the first or second game. I think the Lord of the Ring Battle for Middle Earth games are similar to what you are looking for…though I haven’t played them so don’t really know.
-XT
A shameless bump from someone who’s considering buying he game… How are y’all liking it?
I’m really liking it. The only things I don’t like is that archers seem to have been nerfed since the last game, the inquisitors are ridiculously strong, and merchants are pretty useless given that 90% of all attacks on them succeed. Other than that, excellent.
Definitely liking the game so far. Went on my first crusade to the holy land and carved out quite an overseas kingdom there. Its kind of nice that all the computer AI’s don’t seem to attack you (as much) randomly for no appearent reason, or all gang up on you early on. I was able to play quite a bit of the game in peace, building up my cities/castles and making quite a bit of gold first. The various plagues, while REALLY bad when they happened, weren’t the near continueous events shifting about that they were in Rome. The units are really cool too…though thus far I’ve only played the English.
-XT
Arise zombie!
I’ve just got a week of it under my belt and I’m digging it a lot. I’ve played as three factions, and none to any extent. I unlocked all the factions illegally.
Any word as to when the Total Realism patch comes out?
I’ve got nearly a month’s after-work game time under my belt now, and I’m really starting to feel the lacks (though the Quick Battle feature is still a sure-fire hit), especially in way of diplomacy and variation. Particularly the Alliances bother me. Why on this green earth would France backstab me suddenly (and on repeated play-throughs) when I’ve got EXACTLY the same enemies, they’ve got NO OTHER ALLIES, I’m powerful as all god-blast, top-notch right-hand man of the Pope and even bloody Danish! I mean, who dislikes the Danish? And they’re about to be ground into dust by the Spanish, even WITH my help?
That. Does. Not. Make. Sense.
I’m also looking forward to some more variation in the World Map gameplay, too. Being able to annex countries would be great; some form of political equivalent of the Priests that would let me (in the manner of pre-WWII Germany and Austria) peacefully gain control of a neighbouring country because they want to join my Empire. That’d be grand. (Not very realistic, perhaps, but alack, for mercy, it would be great) Of course, there’d be other paths to it, too. A poor country neighbouring on rich provinces, for example.
Now, all we’ve got is poorly run provinces going rebel, which means everyone will hate them. What’s up with that?
I’m feeling virtually everything you said there. I was the Pope’s boy, joining crusades, taking over Jerusalem, and then the Holy Roman Empire attacks me? Are you kidding me? I’m big and bad and Danish. Why would you attack me? So I took three of their cities in 5 turns and asked them for a ceasefire so I could focus on Switzerland and the last of the rebel cities in the area.
I’m just not looking towards the Mongols one bit. No sir. Not one bit. I remember Medieval 1 Total War where even bribing a small Mongol stack would cost you TONS of money. Bleh. I put ALL my troops in those provinces that fateful year and a 4 hour battle ensued. I won, but it was a beeeeeeee-otch.