Total War: Rome II - Setting the Stage for World Domination

Al Bickham of Creative Assembly joins Maxwell McGee to show off the Prologue of Total War: Rome II.

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Closed Caption:

it
I'm going everybody this is max McGee
and today we're checking on a demo
for glory and for brew as you may have
guessed it for 10 or 12
and help me do that I'm joined by Al
Beckham studio Communications Manager
act Creative Assembly I don't know thank
you with
now by my pleasure some tell us about
what we're gonna be /c
in this time for them to okay so I what
one one applying for is the prologue
which is ask on a self-contained
many campaign get with rammed his car
narrative with too many campaign
I'm what is is its its you kinda first
point of contact with the game I mean
you can jump in the stock on the ground
campaign
has any faction by then you know conquer
the world but I'm the prologue
is its it works as a kind of tutorial so
as you can see here where from we're
just looking around it to me so it's all
based in Italy during the sunlight wars
and
on it hold your hand for the first few
steps if playing tight was an easy three
the early stages of campaign game and it
teaches you how to keep a basic battles
so this is how its gonna play out mike
in the final version
exactly yes I'd say this is actually you
know this is a full-featured in the
phone
is the Sun so we actually just power
through there was a quick battle that
took place before this one
gonna catch us up yep she also um so
out during the prior love you play as
we've got this kinda fictional general
cold
guy s full vs yeah a
some of us because it's not right yeah
life and
basically I'm your Kostas him so I'm in
the first
the the part of my fans with a battle
and in that battle
your your basically supporting a city
sees this happening again it's right
so you go in with some your guys and
you're just a condom on a commander this
point and you helped turn the tide of
the battle so
more more power start getting given to
you by the Senate and you start
take control of the empire I'm later I'm
so what we doing here is its is showing
us around the campaign
fix the camp as nights and the you know
showing us the enemy lines here so we we
know kinda they were
its war against me any new
Eastern new features a new highlights be
video %uh well sorta not right now I me
where it was the kind that a narrative
section and and serve
you know a base construction campaign
map so here for example
its its is teaching us how to move our
army says thank sticker on here
and then there will be blocking the road
said the somewhat come out talk about
just
attack right straight is making a film
woods and mountains
exactly said well that's impossible to
write as I'm in his mouth SUVs here
which is the other big okay know that
but Brown paying over and on the other
side /url on stage where you've got a
mountain think acers amounts SSI
so yeah basically this mountain passes
the only accessible route to rhyme from
the south
as that anyway the Sun often comes to
right now call mom is blocking our
they can't they can get in fact wayside
I'm here guarding
guarding the gates right effectively so
what he's doing now is teaching me how
to
I'm decree troops says I'm sure in enemy
territory right to you can
you can recruit troops I just have here
these
you know unitary retreat directly to the
army as long as you're in friendly
territory
guide some recruiting a true so you can
see the army here is going to mass
tonight it's a must-read troops there
and some I was in mister animation
exactly is like a wall
join the army going to join us a so you
can see here is what it's gonna cost is
want
to get those troops said well said that
statically for 10
on me so we're going to do is and
telling I think first
you let's just see what I have to say I
say yes just giving us some
as vice it has paid a victory and so
that we get
then turned and then courses the enemy
factions turns in this case is just some
life in a four-game course
all the other factions gonna take that
ends at this point so II
in the final game as well you you you
know you can see around the edges the
father war here so that's all unexplored
last
I'm and of course you can you can find a
push into that as you
as you as you move around the world
explore new territories as research
building up our
argue something I miss the know more
about this from for you guys
Creative Assembly the side whom draw
mine
news in terms of a storefront
I know sometimes having a strict
adherence was in history but that
doesn't necessarily make most durable
influence people absolutely i you know
there is there is a tension between the
two sometimes
I'm now we we we don't really we prefer
to use the term
historical of Interstate is basically
you know where as actors we can be with
you know you look at these units to see
them on the battlefield and you know the
where are all the right Kano according
to the history books
unit research we that enormous my
research we do
you know in pre-production to make game
I'm but of course the city for the game
and the players happens you know we
start the fire
as a historical s historically accurate
starting point but
then of course the whole game becomes
capital as you go on carve your own
empire
you know you don't necessarily have to
kick off a wall with coffee
Jan you know do the puny walls you know
you can actually
you know you can see their account of
that you think I'm gonna trade with them
you know they gonna bring the in a
gripping Britain this week makes my bill
so you know you don't trust Inc just go
and bought everybody and and you can put
you can push off in another direction
and maybe
and I'll campaign israel decides to push
East you know
I'm so it's you know it's its its
it's a some combination of you know
historic factor same terms if
I'm certain features but not now this
release I II
if there is enough points that happens
upon that occurs where rum
where you I'm seriously the city then it
was buying really
was little feature I'm say that there
are points where
you know gameplay is warring with
historical accuracy me like a penguin
you know because it's a game and it's
it's it's it's designed to be enjoyable
you know so we don't wanna
you know we don't wanna don't have make
the game more and just be
slaves follows a history but you know
that said where is authentically
campaign by the company
is there any room for me the scenes
Mike unit designs for UK these
yeah well we base our units on is if
they mention in a history book somewhere
we we treat this pego so you know we
have some fun everywhere in our usual
stuff
you know that that that the seams may
seem fantastical but as long as it's
been mentioned
somewhere by some Roman historian then
you that we think is fair game
obviously we focus on the core stuff you
know we focus on that
you know your Greek hoplites for example
your Roman start in your belly tears and
your
tree REI so you we have we have local
units which make up the only
but you know they're all there will say
interestingly years repair
stable right so what else gets there
we need to keep recruiting what route do
we have the recruiter worst new unity
for see
I think you're right yeah probably get
right
we did some we've kinda talked to
rescind the city improvements there
vehicle turns back mechanisms me yes 0
um so what happened in the previous
stage this it's been damaged eso
the Torah was explaining to us how how
we
on repair you know all cities
once once it was head I'm was the city
was repaired we we could then
in a building a building in this case
what we did was expanded the city
I so we could build a new one any any
back saddam
which enables us to I'm improve our
improve all our weapons and yes I'm
yep were yeah
outcomes is going to do is ask me 45
right so
now this is a nice place is different to
what we have here is stances
I'm so therefore smart thank force must
be great when you think race is a
campaign movement speed
but it reduces overall and everything
will be forced part
exactly exactly and what this means is
if you're attacked
while you're in force March then you're
fighting attempts at work must have
several
and you've got a massive 50 percent
chance a reduction being able to
I'm anticipate an ambitious so you know
if you if
you know that in the army why the enemy
armies May so say the words here going
to ambush styles
you know we could do that so we have you
know that stances his ambitious
this was kinda still for some of my
other armies and if another army enters
a
and ambushing armies don't have control
I'm then
the ambushing I get the chance trigram
so I'm and that's not just on
thank you have no you must bring exactly
and there are certain percentage is
there send
solve generals abilities for example it
can increase your
in a spot in ambushes or increase your
ability to actually
for membership site by here I'm just
gonna go into I'm
fortification right side uses an awesome
animation him
started work so what what this army is
done as prey to the fort
action around itself you'll see that the
battle outside
well that is going to enter and so we've
anticipated this guy's attack
we are going to hold the line will hold
the line
testify Russell Crowe you so I
I jump into the battle and when they do
with mine
yeah yeah he's got you can seize mask as
well his metal
so all them all
yeah the standard standards that's the
heart to the region about standard
congratulations so this is another the
cheat or battles in
prologue I'm from this is gonna teach us
about
how to use skirmishes ok so
it's quite rainy today solves the
half-life
weather affected writes a sec you go you
go to snowy
snowy mountain pass areas like the Alps
like Animal Crossing have
I'm and you know you can still is quite
different weather
I'm just gonna skiing on these guys they
can see some other detail
no you you all models in right say they
are just
absolutely stunning and every one of
these models and I was generated a star
the battle is it on a different variants
have helmets and faces and
you know difference in a different
she'll patterns and things like that
with as the army cut-outs Mason exactly
and I with the
our aim is to try make these feel
feeling the individual you know
I'm and you can see that that this would
have
wear and tear on the damage in the on
the shields there you know that's
thats randomly generated so you know
this this sort of you know this sense
that
these guys have you know their
experience warriors you know they're not
just
there in that sort of super shiny armor
some things I
the redeployment II's by my to them I'm
so I'm gonna do is
bring out why see the deployment
green-line just here which is the limits
12 points and say
I'm gonna bring my I'm on my arm
wrestling is that
and the infirm be red box exactly it's a
soft of here somewhere so we can see
them yet because they're
had view site and bring my Corps
infantry their
I you did you know that's how the end
households were here on
so I
honors these guys have right so it
brings Rob XY wanna do
is wrong and at one point it is run them
saying it was
yeah problem there was a renowned hi the
many reviews for them I can also
fighting force for me
a possible my general as well and
generals you know have
they they cost to a column rail buff
around them said it's good to keep me
troops and they considered a fortified
camp yes I
I'm so the idea is we gotta stop the
enemy capturing that's the catch point
so I think the Red Star this guy in
send some sconce to writes a I A
solicits any census counts forward
pounds we get ability to write about the
vision the new once I system here I
so what we're going to do is use these
guys a scale send
now currently because there's a hill
blocking of the many symbols up
it means we're where hidden from view
from the enemy save us a lot on line
that on I'm gonna just to make sure that
if they have
this I've my little Italian sold here
and get them moving that's kept my
skirmishes leaving
what's the double speed over here I
gotta keep home i'm forced back here
hands you know treat this as my back
line effectively
so looks like a Corp lives have
have the enemy here on uncovered these
guys
what are they their mall few amorphous
some nights
with that old I guess I ask at this time
%uh
paragraph you Maria CNNSI's just not
working right now and I will cry when I
with comes that
route still have seen over and we've
been able to see these guys
and you know man had a month that work
for you I will be any longer sigh system
we really had was
um was forests so you can you know you
could conceal
units in forest um but now you know
anything the blocks lots of books you
know box here but see the enemy say
and that makes a big difference with I'm
in battle scene and you get more this
more dynamic on a battle because you
know you can you can
you can play you know battles that it's
the work of your advantage so
for example you know you've got some
units behind a hill
and the your enemies on the other side
of the hill I
and then you go you take your scout
we'll spend this year's
maybe put them up in a forest unpopular
ill C you can see the enemy
but he can see about Bon hell say like
right on my ambition i
a maybe you want to use a scam assisted
rule them out into a position where they
can be fun
policy at the troops so you know it's
game
you know the battle gameplay is just
that bit more common unitas clinch
we can Robin gifted some horses here
which is quite nice that just because of
bill
a cavalry a great obviously you know the
fast-moving
the high-mass the hard-hitting I'm bus
of course the enemy's gonna react to
them if they see them so I'm gonna do
such as I'm gonna move them through this
this
hentai treeline here became head
movement review
the fire on the market from a double
speed but they'll will become apparent
to the enemy
you know give themselves away so I'm
just gonna keep walking slowly
and him as my my kind of secret hidden
weapon sight
I get my Spanish is over here guess cow
on
Rai okay so these guys a pop into the
eggs are being put down by life behind
the hell he thinks I'm
I want to do is turn skirmish by dawn I
will these guys will do
SL what else but I'll take up that you
know the furthest possible attack
position they can
they can take I'm and whilst of
using the slings Cydia I
great I'm now cause these guys get help
now
now if they come any closer they come
within a certain range one skirmish is
will they
mister automatically switch over exactly
they'll Belleville keep range so
that they were gay say so what we gonna
do is take a position further away
and then it's back again although those
guys are running so I'm gonna get you
can quickly
I don't reais wanna get these guys
and think about us know when they get a
stop now so that's something
so you get this you know this fun and
play a skirmishes to stop
where you know you can't your enemy
units now
bad overpowered me on the house example
for young families
3s against mine I missed all these
entries pretty quickly
while going through for most countries
by in a month silent swordsman
like with his unit or we have lost a lot
guys miss you know he seemed at the time
they won't break same right how one how
a horseman day
going to be around from the FBI little
while so I'm gonna do is
he them up in an odd formation
and be a good position
right how I didn't hide these guys in
the forest probably like the fucking
yet so have been rumbled bus
right now okay this unit broken is
running that's fine rally a
bring my general over see if we can get
them a row back up
okay with doing well hey we've got money
on the way down
stuff
something hit rally safe
that works medical right may not work at
all
may just be too far gone I've just lost
too many men
yeah it looks like they're running for
forces evolve men stop
right now you see I've drawn this
unit now away I am a seaway
far away from here sigh I'm gonna tell
my gun back on
wesley is of thing and then hit with my
starting
we get heavy infantry side they should
make means
or area yeah
they want a long see the break already
have gone
on right let's get these guys Bakken
formation
I love this plan is right you know you
liked all about the formation it's all
about the
the order if things ordered right the
formation
know more about this from how much
overlap is there be
from my Shiv
so essentially the same thing as the I'm
you know is that is the title team and
so
you know we finish open to obvious cuz
around elect okay
he just needed me to get over there yeah
take a breather on no
exactly yeah how much of the party
ever sat down yeah they're gonna for has
Mike designs
indifferent well
you know the stop many total project to
you you know we we
fun things we have also be production
phase where the
yet the game design document comes
together much grow
why I love us effects of my suspension
so I'm just gonna
get my guys moving I'm here is difficult
or out throughout the
the core his army I'm so yeah
unit will work I'm house
in with prime to give run you know on
servers yeah I'm gonna put these
and into flying wedge formation note
down so I'm oh yeah it's investing
I'm so you're essentially the
I'm you know we go through the going to
the people at the base
and that's when the game design document
really comes together we was the cat you
know the previous game what we could
have done better
I'm you know ways we can improve
existing systems
and and you know and kick around a lot
of ideas about
how you know what would really like to
do what what affect would like that
things are going to happen
you know we talk we will talk about new
systems and new features and
you know what we can what we can preview
the game I role and also you know any
period we
we saw to deal with is some you may have
to build
I build core systems in the game and and
features the game the relevance that
period you know
and so you never invited for example
with
have to do it have needed a game 7 in
the Roman
Empire without you know the idea
politics involved in some way
so we have a we have politics system
it
in the game which represents the
internal power struggle if you're
you know your factual everything is
right you know you be vying for
will be vying for supremacy with them
all the way out of the Alliance out
I I yeah that's that's that the mass
work index we have we have mass rating
have
and you know it's it's its you view
into politics is is is an integral
feature integral part thereof this world
unite
you know the the struggle between
anything about the trial for an ancient
Roman universe the struggle to integrate
houses I
you know we cover flatback the game
right
craft think about how to manage this
bring
thank you for staying here presents the
or unit while me here really really
his out track to combat safe they don't
do well in protracted
on that a these these some this these
Roman cavalry that good on the charge
you know if that's what you want to use
the four you wanna hit run within sight
or not so much
generally Mathis I've right of liking 47
while they're engaging the main body by
you know
Wyoming said
see the real the real he you know to
to winning any an economy like come back
is local superiority forces
flanking has someone the flag Press and
they get real scare
that shouldn't take long yes only
surrounded by of
yes I like everything all well I think a
lot less than available same
yeah they did I'll ask rediscover their
their of running of
a while that have this thing well if the
if you have left
that's what we can achieve with a is
that the coverage to have a special both
vehicles
draco which is some it
it some it's a kind of moral the Buffs I
when you when you send your guys
in against the enemy it's okay with the
trumpets blaring that war cries
and them you know have a nice some nice
Morales happy effects like and get them
involved in the main come back here
while everything is there on the way as
well they've been crushed bosnia
so
let's F if I astray five days to be
basking in favour I wasn't
reroute you reroute you let's
Cal draco of
all route waving funny other just on the
range
the general in charge up hill has the
way it so hard general
as I get him involved in combat
things are looking pretty even-steven
their by
and reorder mine unicef get
some kind of these awesome formation you
state of them up
is it has been running for
might seem a planet and envelop on
vellum these
these three years spam you know United
Anna Sui
hmm exactly that just holding up the
whole thing movie
persist these yeah I feel the first
I any guy chaps
use the web charge enough it harder
I so that pretty much around an hour of
got one unit have left
miss a fucking pic of this long as we
were just running around
probably I mean my whole look movies
Mobius
as bob is um is more all
me by general that's what I could do.
make enough for them all packing I'll be
terribly terribly embarrassed
yeah that could be bad
get outta that suburban European
situation you
exam yeah troubling the outfield yeah
right okay that's good see that's the
envelop thing we did here that's that's
had a real effects on
row yeah
he was my general so bad like I not a
chance but he's a horse
gay who
I and II a flare
Rice said to break the union meeting
they've lost Steve
is there for I no steamy new you
will never forget used hellraiser
monument to him
if the hero have so much reading on yeah
I say they just play this right on the
edge
them up there and it is these these
malvina these misguided
by mobile units for just this so that
that they're kinda sale en route to
begin with you know that they never
gonna
they've got across the ground feel we
can rearrange this a bit mistake
unit see that just a few horses and
causing them
you know
awesome in every thing as a row
from a row for ISO I'm just gonna use
them to
hit them about ago in a place to have a
okay three strikes and like everything
guys now as well I think
be life their role they will play is
pretty close to breaking that his
general elec
uses Octavius Mesa even yes
yeah well there was stuff a much higher
all you know generals
still find a way that stepped out in a
way that spans
yet
it's not somehow managed to keep my
general out to the freight
gonna listen yeah on your general get on
with mom
yeah I will fight you know if I define
it as hits by a
now actually will follow through Sunday
yeah
fated your soul effected by the gods yes
rice every decade s and I'm you can see
that you can see
you know how much how much of forces
we've lost to reach you hair
so we've actually you know or who did
well to keep it together there I think
said their way up you
say that is effectively than the battle
one
we've rounded sum of forces revelation
that we are
it's a because the victory with a
victory nonetheless so
Rome is safe for another day you remind
our viewers
museum im yes I wear out songs September
3rd
ice as well wide release date I'm
separate appeals of the open now and the
you know the we're not doing any kind of
specific retail excuse or something like
that but we've got
agree states culture pack which is 3x
two factions from the Greek States
I'm which you get a few if you for free
if you pre-order so that's
afternoons at Paris and sponsor of
course well
the mighty Spartans although when the
game kicks over 270 BC
on the Spartans kind of uniform from
power there there that they're
the mood is definitely waiting at this
point so it's a challenge for you any
reason
can you bring them back to their former
glory have a special you guys have
really
you convince them the senate a
not not right now and I will just on
which is focusing on you know
can run out the door the moment so we're
last where we are
you know at a stage where we're crossing
our own personal reba call here you know
where the balance polish
tweak you know make sure everything's
kinda jelling together
working properly and and you know we're
just we're just taking high polish
bauxite
Road say a begin be in and
might have heard something about this
being hack
0 yes mean may well be at PAX and we may
well be playable
I yeah and then they will be first
handful of people
absolutely so becomes PAX Prime samples
support them
September then yeah comments come in the
Kong Comcast
can conquer the Egyptians as the Ravens
already there where
are never going to see what you think is
involved in them as my pleasure
take yes the