If CA dosen't change their current game design philosophy and engine, next historical game will FAIL

JohhyEdem

I think everyone is aware how **** TWE3 is and why it needs to be reworked or replaced so i'll move to design.

And when i talk about design i mean both visuals and gameplay/mechanics, because not only they are both important, but also sometimes intertwined

So, what's the problem? well, laziness and lack of taste on game designer's part,

Just look at everything that what was cut, left unfixed or ruined:

(things listed are true for almoust any post rome 2 game)

-General problems: arcady healthbar system, messy engine, morale is primitive, extrimely poor/no physics simulation(like mass to example), historical/loreful inaccuracy. general overreliance on stat numbers. False belif that good campaign compensates for **** battles. Attempts to shoehorn fantasy into history.

-General infantry problems: Bad collision, no formations/not properly functioning formations, different weapons are basically the same but with different stats, no matched combat(all i ask for is nothing extrimely elaborate, just units quickly stabbing and hitting EACH OTHER, not air, med 2 pulled it off in 2006) , terrible pathfinding, stupid animations(spinning halebars, sword jump attack etc) fatigue barely matters.

-General ranged problems: impossible arcs, slow bullets/arrows, auto-aiming, no volley fire, bad sound design, projectile trails are the worst looking visual effect ever.

-Gunpowder weapons: fire in small arcs, have no drills, no reload animations, no smoke and notably **** sound, shoot regardless of formation, don,t pierce shileds nor they affect leadership. no reload animations. no elevation bonus

-Crossbows: no differense from bows, loaded with bare hands, don't pierce armor

-Bows: suffer from general ranged weapons issues.

-Artillery: don't shake camera when close, no reload animations, no smoke, no craters. especially bad sound. i know i listed it as general issue already but god gunpoder became so dissapointing

-Cavalry problems: mostly suffern from general and meele infantry problems, still can't trample enemies, throw them like giants in skyrim or bump into them with next to no effect instead.

-Stylistic problems:

-Heavy minimalistic UI, previous total wars styled them as banners, and made indicators very subtle, while modern ones have giant minimalistic markers and bars that distract from or even hide the unit beneath them and generally ruin immersion.

-Cartooney graphics: oversaturated colors, extrimely bright and sharp lighting, soft and clean textures, all makes for a rather unrealistic picture, that combined with terrible battle ui and neon selection colors make everything look like some mobile game.

p.s: Small maps(true for troy and warhammer) and ass ladders.



Half of this this, if kept, is already enough to mortally cripple any game what has no elaborately designed giant mosters to distract you.
Even the most casual consoomers will at least feel like something is kinda... off.

SiWI#8629

its fascinating how much of this is not simple debatable because taste, but simply factional wrong.

Crossbows for example do have armor pricing damage.