Total War: PHARAOH

[Elttharion]

TOTAL WAR: PHARAOH​

We want to make you aware of a decision that we’ve made internally surrounding the game, and what to expect with the DLC that we’ve been working on. There’s some important information here that affects all owners of the game so please read through this part carefully.

In the next few days, all current owners of Total War: PHARAOH will see that Steam has processed a partial refund to you, and that some funds have been added to your Steam Wallet. This is happening because we have lowered the price of the game to a new RRP of $39.99/€39.99/£29.99

From their new blogpost

 

[Tyrr]

TOTAL WAR: PHARAOH​

We want to make you aware of a decision that we’ve made internally surrounding the game, and what to expect with the DLC that we’ve been working on. There’s some important information here that affects all owners of the game so please read through this part carefully.

In the next few days, all current owners of Total War: PHARAOH will see that Steam has processed a partial refund to you, and that some funds have been added to your Steam Wallet. This is happening because we have lowered the price of the game to a new RRP of $39.99/€39.99/£29.99

From their new blogpost

Our next update, and what was originally our first paid DLC will release early in 2024 as a free update for everyone who owns the game. We’ll have plenty to show you about this now free addition to PHARAOH in the new year.

We have now begun the process of reassessing what comes next for PHARAOH, and while we don’t have all the answers today, we want to make it clear to you that we’re not closing the door on other, more ambitious updates to the game in the future. We’ve still got big plans, but we want to be honest with you in saying that we need to spend more time with them before putting them out on show.

 

[Elttharion]

So they don't have to make DLC for the few that bought a deluxe edition?

Apparently at least part of it will be added to the game for free. I imagine they will just release the stuff that was somewhat far along on development and easy to implement and cancel the rest.

 

[Lacrymas]

It's dead, Jim.

 

[RobotSquirrel]

well they eroded confidence in their product doing this, so no one will be buying their deluxe editions going forward, they might as well scrap the model entirely, I never liked it anyway, paywalling content at launch is just a dick move. And then there's the DLC, why even bother when the adoption rates of the base product was so low anyway, there is no point because DLC sales are a fraction of base sales, this is the case for all games that employ the model - hence it being a shit model.

Smarter idea would of been rather than discount the base product, just include all the DLC for free that way you save face with the pre-order customers who paid waaay too much and essentially got ripped off (partial refunds is admitting that - yes they're giving you the "First" DLC for free but it sounds like that won't stay the case for future DLC) and new customers won't get bill shock when they see how overpriced to hell the DLCs are. The whole entire point of DLC is to buff the base games sales whilst keeping your devs employed did they forget that? I think they did. To even imply that DLCs will be paid going forward is a dumb move when we know this game is dead, they might as well just move on the player base is too low and you've already lost them as loyal customers.

 

[Average Manatee]

(adsbytwadsgg = window.adsbytwadsgg || []).push({}); well they eroded confidence in their product doing this, so no one will be buying their deluxe editions going forward, they might as well scrap the model entirely, I never liked it anyway, paywalling content at launch is just a dick move. And then there's the DLC, why even bother when the adoption rates of the base product was so low anyway, there is no point because DLC sales are a fraction of base sales, this is the case for all games that employ the model - hence it being a shit model.

The DLC is probably 75% finished already so might as well push it out.

 

[RobotSquirrel]

The DLC is probably 75% finished already so might as well push it out.

Well of course but its going to be pissing into the wind. They won't recoup anything from it. I mean the damage is done isn't it so there's not really anything they can do, the audience fully rejected the product.

 

[dsndo]

The DLC is probably 75% finished already so might as well push it out.

Well of course but its going to be pissing into the wind. They won't recoup anything from it. I mean the damage is done isn't it so there's not really anything they can do, the audience fully rejected the product.

Right now they are focused on recouping goodwill. It seems SEGA finally put one of their analysts on the case and realized that there are hundreds of thousands of Total War fans just waiting for CA to get their shit together and finally develop what everyone wants - Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

 

[Raghar]

This game is completely dead, huh.

So is the drama. The ending of the latter is making me sad.

You can start one.

Wrong. Navies are important aspect of any strategy game that takes place in an area where there are large bodies of water present. Or at least they should be. There are many examples in history where having a strong navy was vital for a nation and one point or another. I wouldn't mind abstracting it (kind of like Europa Universalis does), but naval combat as such is a must.

You cannot have any game like TW set beyond the 17th Century without naval combat.

Controlling the SLOC is vital to the era, and by this time having naval combat auto resolve like in the older TW games is bland given the developments in the game.

Naval combat was critical for nations 1000 BC in Med. Naval transport was only way how to transport large amount of cargo from point A to B. There were also caravans with slave carriers or animals, but it took a while until they learned how to hook cart to an ox without strangling ox. Or how to make wheels to make decent cart.

Basically it was sea or river travel, or nothing. In Czech basin it was nothing, because Wilt Ahuwa wasn't suitable for any river traffic, at least for more than 30 km. Danube river travel was extensive, but fatal diseases spread as well, which was killing populations in the area.

Rome and part of Greece were full of malaria, especially after Romans spread it with theirs contests, so that was also limiting factor.

Actually main problem for early navies was navigation. They typically hug coastline, and they were in danger from being attacked from coastline.

 

[RobotSquirrel]

Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

This CA didn't develop Medieval 2. The people that did develop Medieval 1 and Empire are fewer now than they have ever been in the history of the studio.
If anyone expects good things from this they haven't been paying attention for a very very long time. But ok what ever OOoh Shiny. You people deserve to be treated like shit frankly.

 

[Beastro]

This game is completely dead, huh.

So is the drama. The ending of the latter is making me sad.

You can start one.

Wrong. Navies are important aspect of any strategy game that takes place in an area where there are large bodies of water present. Or at least they should be. There are many examples in history where having a strong navy was vital for a nation and one point or another. I wouldn't mind abstracting it (kind of like Europa Universalis does), but naval combat as such is a must.

You cannot have any game like TW set beyond the 17th Century without naval combat.

Controlling the SLOC is vital to the era, and by this time having naval combat auto resolve like in the older TW games is bland given the developments in the game.

Naval combat was critical for nations 1000 BC in Med. Naval transport was only way how to transport large amount of cargo from point A to B. There were also caravans with slave carriers or animals, but it took a while until they learned how to hook cart to an ox without strangling ox. Or how to make wheels to make decent cart.

Basically it was sea or river travel, or nothing. In Czech basin it was nothing, because Wilt Ahuwa wasn't suitable for any river traffic, at least for more than 30 km. Danube river travel was extensive, but fatal diseases spread as well, which was killing populations in the area.

Rome and part of Greece were full of malaria, especially after Romans spread it with theirs contests, so that was also limiting factor.

Actually main problem for early navies was navigation. They typically hug coastline, and they were in danger from being attacked from coastline.

Agreed, it's just that things got kicked into overdrive by then and you shouldn't abstract Age of Sail combat like they did with Rome and Medieval 2.

Just don't do what Crusader Kings did, allow sea travel but prevent naval combat from making sea control vital.

 

[Konjad]

Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

This CA didn't develop Medieval 2. The people that did develop Medieval 1 and Empire are fewer now than they have ever been in the history of the studio.
If anyone expects good things from this they haven't been paying attention for a very very long time. But ok what ever OOoh Shiny. You people deserve to be treated like shit frankly.

Wasn't the original studio (people not company) forced to make some shitty console rts after medieval 2, then shitcanned? I had the impression that everything since Empire was made by different (key at least) people.

Of course chances are, most of who made Napoleon or Empire are long gone as well simply to better jobs. IMO last strokes of genuine attempts to make a good game were with Attila and Three Kingdoms, then Warhammer happened and everything now looks to me as it is just suits who don't game and junior developers who are happy they got a job at a popular gaming company.

 

[Lacrymas]

Neither Atilla nor TK are particularly good, the only good contemporary Total War is Troy.

 

[Cyberarmy]

They are doing a partial fund for Pharaoh?!? A huge step back from a company in 2023

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

You guys are so close to realizing none of these games are particularly gr8. I'm rooting for you.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

They are doing a partial fund for Pharaoh?!? A huge step back from a company in 2023

My understanding is that they mostly did it because they've also nuked the super-duper-full game editions and do not want to commit resources to develop content for a ded gaem. So they just said sorry, partially refunded and can go on a well-deserved xmas vacations.

 

[Lacrymas]

You guys are so close to realizing none of these games are particularly gr8. I'm rooting for you.

The only good ones are Rome 1, Medieval 2 with mods and Troy.

They are doing a partial fund for Pharaoh?!? A huge step back from a company in 2023

My understanding is that they mostly did it because they've also nuked the super-duper-full game editions and do not want to commit resources to develop content for a ded gaem. So they just said sorry, partially refunded and can go on a well-deserved xmas vacations.

They obviously want to get rid of it while garnering some goodwill by giving out the first DLC for free, it's already almost done anyway and they can get a tax write-off.

 

[AdamReith]

Rome is amazing, so good that CA built a multi million company out of promising a sequel that could live up to it.

Only now do people stop and wonder if one is actually coming.

Spoiler

It's not.

 

[Mitleser2020]

Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

This CA didn't develop Medieval 2. The people that did develop Medieval 1 and Empire are fewer now than they have ever been in the history of the studio.
If anyone expects good things from this they haven't been paying attention for a very very long time. But ok what ever OOoh Shiny. You people deserve to be treated like shit frankly.

Wasn't the original studio (people not company) forced to make some shitty console rts after medieval 2, then shitcanned? I had the impression that everything since Empire was made by different (key at least) people.

Of course chances are, most of who made Napoleon or Empire are long gone as well simply to better jobs. IMO last strokes of genuine attempts to make a good game were with Attila and Three Kingdoms, then Warhammer happened and everything now looks to me as it is just suits who don't game and junior developers who are happy they got a job at a popular gaming company.

Feeling pretty vindicated now. Glad to see people realizing something I realized with Empire, CA's staff not only are terrible developers they're terrible people too. Excludes CA Brisbane because they were dead by then and I know people that know people, they are way higher class than CA UK and still pisses me off what Sega did to them. And naturally JVD is exempt as well he's cool.

Special meantion, Jack Lusted you're a massive cunt. Oh and as well special mention: CA Will and CA Craig you're also both total pieces of shit absolutely the worst people you'll ever encounter.

Hey, I was digging thru Mobygames and saw that the Australia branch actually made the engine for Rome and Medieval 2 and then when SEGA bought CA they made them do Stormrise (that console RTS that was terrible) and when that failed they canned the studio. What shocked me is that the people that made Medieval 2 just stopped working in gaming, period. Like WTF, fuck these SEGA retards, everything that went downhill for Total War is mostly their fault. I'm actually stunned, people that pushed for all the insane battle engine with 10k+ entities that have mass, acceleration, collision and all the eye for the small details are not making any games since 2007.

 

[dsndo]

Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

This CA didn't develop Medieval 2. The people that did develop Medieval 1 and Empire are fewer now than they have ever been in the history of the studio.
If anyone expects good things from this they haven't been paying attention for a very very long time. But ok what ever OOoh Shiny. You people deserve to be treated like shit frankly.

I am fully aware of that but it's not impossible to cobble together a team to replicate that success. It will take years but it's doable. SEGA was hands-off with CA because they had been one of their main cash cows for years and they only now decided to be more proactive due to the Hyenas debacle. The small team that is developing the Ultimate General series proves that the talent is out there and willing to innovate, SEGA just needs to get them all into the same room.

 

[Lacrymas]

People want the opposite of innovation. The Sofia team tried to innovate with Troy, but everyone hated it for dumb reasons. Pharaoh is just bad because they didn't want to do the same as Troy but didn't have any more ideas on how to do that while keeping up with Bronze Age historicity. In the eyes of the hoi polloi, the only acceptable course of action is to go back to cavalry charges and nothing else.

 

[BlackAdderBG]

SEGA was hands-off with CA

This is flat-out lie, everything marketing related and high level direction is 100% only SEGA. All the key people in CA are SEGA people. The QA and the console retarded devs in CA that leaked all the Hyenas shit are just too stupid to even understand who their boss's bosses are.

 

[JarlFrank]

It seems SEGA finally put one of their analysts on the case and realized that there are hundreds of thousands of Total War fans just waiting for CA to get their shit together and finally develop what everyone wants - Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

I only want them to develop those if they actually make the battles good again.

Seriously, the change to the new hitpoint system in Rome 2 was such a massive downgrade, and from Warhammer onward they made it even worse. Everything feels flaccid and without impact.

 

[Axioms]

Medieval 3 or Empire 2.

This CA didn't develop Medieval 2. The people that did develop Medieval 1 and Empire are fewer now than they have ever been in the history of the studio.
If anyone expects good things from this they haven't been paying attention for a very very long time. But ok what ever OOoh Shiny. You people deserve to be treated like shit frankly.

Same as fans of CK3/V3. Shiny graphics! Yeah but the gameplay ate shit and the game focus is in a totally different direction from what made the OG games great.

 

[JarlFrank]

The only thing I want from TW at this point is for Feral, the guys who ported Rome and Medieval 2 to mobile and made Rome Remastered, to make a Medieval 2 Remastered.

Rome Remastered has a shitty interface compared to the original, but the devs listened to community requests and lifted many of the old hardcoded limits for modders.
The potential size and depth of mods is much greater than ever before, and if they give Med2 the same treatment, we can completely ignore what CA is doing and just play mods forever.