CA opens up Empire and Napoleon to modders

[Trash]

<strong>[ Announcement ]</strong>

<p><a href="http://www.creative-assembly.co.uk/">The Creative Assembly</a> has apparantly <a href="http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=463622">released the complete data files</a> for both <a href="http://www.totalwar.com/news/5213">Empire and Napoleon to modders.</a> Not exactly the once promised modding tools for these games but nevertheless a move that should revitalise the mod scene for these games. Sweet.</p><p>Spotted @ <a href="http://www.twcenter.net">Total War Center</a></p>

 

[MetalCraze]

So they do this only a mere 2 years later?

Wow they are so fast and eager to support the community, wow

 

[commie]

Might finally buy the games now. Have been putting it off because of the lack of modding. They are bargain bin titles now anyway.

EDIT: NVM the files are barely more useful than what modders have already figured out for themselves, so nothing to see here.

 

[Erzherzog]

Feels more like insult to injury than anything else. Fucking CA.

 

[oscar]

Now let's get some good mods for Shogun 2.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

That's such fucking bullshit. There most likely will be no modding community beyond a few weirdos in place, due to the lack of support from launch.

 

[YourConscience]

I've read TFA. So they explain the tools they themselves were using are just too bad to be used by modders or something. Well, guess what, using a decompiler is still a much bigger PITA than using a crappy content creation tool.

Also, why the hell are they afraid of just making their source code open to anyone interested? I mean, even if some villain goes and creates a game without their permission using their source code and makes loads of money - well then what, just sue him and get all that money! But with the sources available, all kinds of cool total conversion mods would already be out there!

Just look how well the more or less open sourced source engine fares. Loads of indie and non-indie games with it, and many of them very profitable, and all of them profitable for Valve...

And another pet-peeve, they explain that their tools are so crappy because their engine got much more complicated than the Rome Total War one. Well, guess what, don't make it that complicated. Cuts both your development costs, and makes modders and players happy!

 

[Trash]

If that engine got more complicated it did so for all the wrong reasons. In Rome when you went from the campaign map to the battle map the game positioned the battle in the exact same place it was when you looked at the position on the campaign map. You could even see distant mountains, cities and even fleets. Fighting with the pyramids in the background or a smoking vulcano only added to the immersion.

With Empire, Napoleon and Shogun II they got rid of this entirely and replaced those battle maps with a mix of custom made and generated ones.

No, they only released those files to the community because they're through making DLC for those games. That's all there is to it.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Yup, modding tools would hinder their DLC-profit.

 

[commie]

Too bad they don't realise that people are still buying copies of Rome and M2 because of the modding scene. No one buys Empire or Napoleon now and even Shogun 2 is selling weaker than Empire did. A busted ass game and no modding tools have hurt CA badly, yet they still haven't learned anything it seems.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Too bad they don't realise that people are still buying copies of Rome and M2 because of the modding scene. No one buys Empire or Napoleon now and even Shogun 2 is selling weaker than Empire did. A busted ass game and no modding tools have hurt CA badly, yet they still haven't learned anything it seems.

Derp.

Gary Dunn, SEGA Europe senior vice president - Production: Our UK internal studios are probably the bedrock of our business. Certainly, when I was signing off our studio bonus scheme and I was signing of the incentives last week, for the second year both Sports Interactive and Creative Assembly are outperforming their business plans from a profitability perspective. These guys are on top of the game, it's a real testimony to the games they make.

Q: How does the top brass at SEGA in Japan feel about the company having become almost UK-centric?
Mike Hayes: Well, when we continue to hit our revenues and profit targets, they're delighted

Creative Assembly are seen as the jewel in the crown of SEGA

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2 ... iew?page=2

 

[commie]

herp derp

S2TW: 290k sales to date (14 weeks)
NTW: 183k sales @ 14 weeks (360k to date)
ETW: 315K @ 14 Weeks (760k to date)

I rest my case your honor. SEGA has to crow about the 'success' when S2 hasn't even managed to equal Empire and check out Napoleon's pathetic figures. People were burnt badly by Empire indeed.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Shogun 2: Total War (PC) - 600,000

Release date: march 15.

SEGA Year end financial statement, March 31st.

http://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/pdf/ ... _final.pdf

16 days of sales.