I didn’t see a thread now that this game has come out. I figured I’d be the first to make it because I’m competitive like that. It’s been like ten hours already. Who’s playing?
I’m still waiting, because my shithole town doesn’t have a Gamestop. This will be my first TW game and I’m a little worried. I hear the AI is kicking ass, and my ass is especially tender and virginal.
I’m waiting for this crummy work day to finish so I can start my first campaign game.
Heard good things about the multi-player this time around, so I’ll probably give that a try later tonight as well.
And yeah, most reviews/reports from the trenches are that the AI IS improved. About the only complain I hear is that the DX11 renderer wasn’t ready for prime time so we’re stuck with DX 9 and no AA until the 1st patch.
My copy should come in the mail tomorrow. It was cheaper on Amazon.uk and it’s steamworks anyway so best of both worlds.
I dunno though. I didn’t really get into the last two games as much as I had in the past and I’m pretty burned out just having played through DA2. I was almost going to give this one a pass but the trailers really sold me on the style they were going for.
Here’s hoping it recaptures the magic of moving my little pieces across a board. I still remember the little clicking sound they used to make in the first game.
Cool you can play the clan warfare mode with groups. I’m joining the SDMB Clan!
I’m downloading from Steam right now. I didn’t pre-order and pre-load because they had the worst pre-order incentive ever; so bad that I actually avoided pre-ordering to not get it. I have tomorrow off, so I’ll be able to put it through its paces. Based on the demo, I have high hopes for the game, but I’m going to make two predictions:
-The game will be buggy for a month or two. We all know that’s just how games are these days.
-People will complain anyway.
Are you referring to the Team Fortress 2 equipment? I agree that it was pretty lame, but since I actually play TF2, that’s what tipped the balance for me to pre-order.
The game itself is an evolution of Empire/Napoleon, with all the little niggling bits seemingly fixed. The interface is very clean, very sparse, although they haven’t fixed the tiny fonts. The family tree from Rome and Medieval is back. You can now actually guide the leveling of your agents. For example, you can assign points to “Strategy” or “Warrior” for each general, with different bonuses depending on what you choose. You also have the choice of buying different retainers, like the boyhood friend who watches your back (-10% assassination) or a doctor to take care of you (-2% death from natural causes). Each agent (general, ninja, monk, geisha, etc.) has a different leveling tree.
I’ve started a single-player campaign as the Chosokabe clan and am well on my way to conquering the entire island of Shikoku. How does clan warfare work? I think I’d be open to joining an SDMB clan.
Since I don’t play TF2, the bonus is worth less than nothing to me. I don’t want it cluttering up any menus. Is it really too much to ask that a pre-order bonus be related to that game and not a game I don’t even own?
I just got my ass stomped in the tutorial :smack:
You know, it’s funny - I’ve played Napoleon steadily since it was released, but in the last two days I’ve had more old-timey fun with Shogun than all my time playing Napoleon put together.
It’s not without bugs and balance issues, but it’s still probably the best vanilla game Creative Assembly has ever released. Some things are bound to be fixed - archers are way overpowered, for instance, and the enemy leaves his towns emptied way too often - but overall, I’m very, very happy. And the movies and speeches are back! Yay!
Considering the great things the modders have accomplished with even Napoleon’s hidebound development utilities, I fully anticipate great things even in Shogun 2’s future. I’m also happy to see that CA have relaxed a bit with the DLC and rather put things into the vanilla game.
Five hours played, and the game runs much better than I expected from a new release. I’m playing as Chosokabe (the same clan from the tutorial), so the scenery is a bit familiar. I’ve conquered all of Shikoku (and Awaji) and snagged most of the trading posts (there’s one way up north that’s easy to miss on the radar map). The battle for the fourth city on Shikoku was a fierce one, and my clan leader died in the process. His widow is regent until Junior comes of age. I’ve built a Nanban trading port near Iyo to see what options that opens up, even though I don’t plan to use firearms that much. I’ve noticed that bow samurai (at least the Chosokabe variety) aren’t terrible in melee; like Medieval II’s Genoese crossbowmen, perhaps? I think I’ll turn my attention toward Kyushu next.
I have no interest whatsoever in Japanese history or culture, would this game still be fun for me?
Well, I too have little interest in Japanese history ro culture, and I’m loving the game. I think if you are interested in this type of gameplay (or total war games in general) you’ll be safe.
I haven’t this much fun with a total war game since Rome!
Hmm. I hated Empire but loved Rome: Total Realism and MTWII.
Bought it and downloading it but it’s so huge it’s taking forever, so I won’t get to play until tomorrow night 
I am a big fan of Japanese history and culture so add this to my love of strategy and I think we’re in for a winner. The reviews have been uniformly positive so I’m confident.
Hell, I think I might pick this game up. Are the speeches in Japanese?
Yep. And all the English dialog is done with a Japanese accent 
The AI, I’ve noticed, is much improved. It’s more antagonistic, better at handling diplomacy, and on the battle field, it’s quick to take the high ground and uses it’s units well… most of the time.
It still occasionally does silly things. I was outnumbered considerably (2,500 troops vs 500). The AI should have easily flanked me and routed my troops in seconds. In stead it takes me head on, AND charges it’s single calvary unit at my wall of spears.
It took entirely too many casualties on what should have been an easy victory.
Of course the next turn it manages to kick me out of my own fortress with a pretty evenly matched force.
In the previous games if you shared a border with someone, no matter how much trade you’re doing and how good the relationship was, you’ll be at war in very short order. Is that still true?
I’m holding off on buying it until a) the first rounds of patches are out and b) I’m done with my urgent work. Else it’s going to become a lot more urgent
I just got solidly trounced and humiliated by the AI. Here I was, marching a third of my army including all my archers and a fourth of my infantry, through the forest to come in on the flank.
Suddenly,
NINJAS!
At which I point I went “Huh! Damnit, didn’t see them there!”
…
…
:smack:
Well of course you didn’t see them. Hell, there’s a ninja out there right now trying very hard not to kill you.