We chat to Creative Assembly's online manager, Mark O'Connell, about the upcoming Shogun 2: Total War. It's Katana Time!
ATOMIC: It's reported that the game's engine will be able to support 56,000 soldiers on the battlefield which is starting to be a true 1-to-1 ratio to the historical period. Can you hint at what kind of hardware's going to be required for that level of detail?
Mark O'Connell: Higher-end machines will indeed be able to run with this many troops. The game will usually adjust the amount of troops based on your systems capabilities, and you can still get the full Shogun 2 gameplay experience on a lower spec PC with smaller numbers of men. We are aiming to keep the specs close to those of Napoleon: Total War. Our team have done a fantastic job optimising the engine to look better then ever at little additional hardware cost.
A: Can you tell us more about the family politics side of the game?
MO: Certainly. Family politics played a huge role in the Sengoku Jidai period. This was a time of social and political change, not to mention the near-constant warfare and chicanery between clans and rival families. We wanted to capture as much of that as we could and put it in the game, so as well as managing your family tree and protecting your heirs, you'll also be able to interact with family members from other clans, marrying them into yours to strengthen your relationship - so family becomes an integral part of diplomacy, much as it was in 16th century Japan.
A: How much impact will special units, like the hero units that have been mentioned, have on the campaign?
MO: You can think of hero units as the best of the best. They're at the top of the chain - the best samurai unit, the best bow unit. They represent the nadir of your investment in the martial arts and buildings and are therefore fairly powerful. But at the same time, they're not going to win you battles single-handedly. They are merely the best at what they do. Use them well and you'll potentially help turn the tide of the battle - but don't expect to blindly throw them in to a battle and come away with a huge win.
A: What kind of multiplayer options are going to be available?
MO: While our multiplayer features are still under wraps for the time being, I can tell you that we have spent a great deal of time in improving this aspect for Shogun 2. You can of course expect features from previous games to return, in addition to some exciting new additions. We are hoping that this is the game that lures traditionally single player campaigners to give online a try. We have big things planned for multiplayer, so watch this space!
A: What will the final turn structure be like, and is there a set turn length or end point for the campaign?
MO: We're still balancing things here, but I can give you a rough rundown as to how the turn structure will work. You'll start around the middle of the 16th century. Each turn will be represented by a season in the game - so there are four turns in a year. It fits the time period nicely. Seasons play a huge part in Japanese culture and warfare, and always have, so basing the turns around them made sense. Expect each season to play differently, too!
A: Thanks for your time, Mark!
Issue: 137 | June, 2012