I've fallen behind on the series, the last one I've really played is MTW2, and mods for it, and I also really enjoyed some complete mods for the original Rome. I have this perception that every game that comes out is less modifiable than the last; I mean solid, complete overhauls can take years to be made I get that, but I haven't quite heard any buzz for mods comparable to say, Satinless Steel, Broken Crescent; Europa Barbarorum, RTR, etc...
I don't like what seems to be a more simplistic tone the series have taken in management of cities and family tree and stuff I think it's lost it's heart and vanilla versions alone don't really seem to be worth their cost to me in my opinion, so should I retake the series? To what extent?
Is Empire the last one with big, good mods? Is it Shogun? Is my conception wrong and mods are thriving for Rome 2 and Shogun 2? (would love to be wrong on that one). If someone could bring me up to date I'd be much obliged.
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[–] Calzone 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
I would say Empire is the last one with the major overhaul mods. However Shogun is an amazing vanilla game with the DLCs and there are some mods that just enhance that and make it even better.
There are plenty of mods for R2, but frankly that game really turned me off to the series. All the mods are just graphics or re-balance. I have no interest in Attila so I don't know and will wait for Warhammer to buy my next TW game.
Both R2 and S2 use the steam workshop so yes, the mod community is thriving, but different kinds of mods are being made than in the past.
[–] Rawb 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Shogun 2 and its 2 Expansion (Rise and Fall) are pretty great in my opinion, often on sale too. There's a modest mod selection for it as well but the game itself holds up rather well. Rome 2 onwards might not be to your taste but I would definitely recommend you check out Shogun.
[–] tom908 ago
You are correct about the mods, the later ones do have a thriving modding community, the mods just tend to be smaller in scope as there are things that cannot be changed (map in the later total wars).
About cities and family tree, what you said is true up until Rome 2, where you can really decide the direction you want to take each settlement in (although there are less choices each one means far more than in the earlier games, same of shogun) and the family tree got re-introduced. Now a lot of people hate on Attila because Rome owns half the map (cry cry cry) and they think it is less interesting. But Attila is to Rome 2 What Napoleon was to Empire, it is the complete and polished version of what Rome 2 should have been, with better mechanics and a purposeful family tree and power dynamic. There has also been a lot of recent mod action with Attila and Rome 2, with a couple of big ones coming out soon.
So in response, yeah i think your fears about the later games are unfounded. Whatever you want to get should probably depend on the period you find most interesting, Rome and Empire have to biggest scope, but are the most rudimentary, Attila, Shogun and Napoleon are smaller but more polished and with better mechanics, so it's your own choice.