Rome: Total War E3 2004 Updated Impressions

Rome: Total War has come quite a way since we last saw it, and that was less than three weeks ago. The highly anticipated strategy game from Activision and Creative Assembly has a new terrain engine in time for the show, which means that the already impressive game--which lets you command up to 10,000 3D units on a battlefield--looks better than ever.

The new terrain engine allows for a lot more detail and character in the terrain; before, it was relatively flat and featureless. Now, the terrain is full of rises and folds, and there’s a much more natural and organic feel to it. It makes for some very interesting tactical situations as well, because archers are most effective on high ground, so you want to make sure they’re not standing in a fold.

And one of the big hallmarks of the game is the relationship between the campaign map and the battle map. The new terrain engine allows for fractal-generated mountains in the distance, and if you start a battle next to a mountain range, you’ll see them appear in the appropriate compass direction on the battle map.

The graphics engine has also undergone numerous tweaks and improvements; shadows have been greatly improved, and the particle system has also been enhanced. It’s really cool to see the dust kicked up by a Roman legion on the march or the smoke rising from the flaming pigs. (A Roman tactic against Carthaginian elephant units was to grease live pigs and then light them on fire. The pigs would run around and make horrible squealing noises as they died, and this would terrify the elephants.)

Rome: Total War definitely looks better every time we see it, and we can’t wait for the game to ship, which is expected to happen this fall.