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[Tobel]

Announced at Gamescon in Germany this week, Grand Ages: Medieval looks to be Kalypso's foray into the Middle Ages. No mention of specifics yet, so unsure if its using the modified Haemimont Games Engine (Tropico 5) or something new.

Game Info

It is the year 1050 AD. At the beginning of the High Middle Ages development in Europe has seen an unprecedented level of progress and a rapidly growing population spreads across the length and breadth of the continent. New frontiers are explored, settlements founded and vast trading routes established. As the head of one of these small settlements, it falls upon you to lead your people towards greatness. Explore a vast world, gather resources, encounter other societies and use your trading expertise to expand and make your fortune. Found new cities, progress your nation with inventive technology and protect your trade routes against barbarian attacks until you are powerful enough to begin your conquest over Europe and forge a bold new empire.

Grand Ages: Medieval is a real-time strategy game from Gaming Minds. Lead your people and advance through the decades by utilising construction, research, expansion and conquest in an area extending from Scandinavia and North Africa; to Portugal, the Caucasus and the Middle East. Rise from the humble role of a simple mayor governing a small settlement and rule over all of Europe. Experience an exciting campaign with elaborately designed cut-scenes, play by your own rules in free play or test your skills in multiplayer against up to 8 players!

Features

• Explore a gigantic game world of over 30 million square kilometres, plot strategically where to found important cities and defend your kingdom against foreign powers
• Raise an army and fight your opponents with knights, archers and cavalry
• Produce and trade 20 different goods to meet the demands of your citizens and soldiers: such as coal, fruits and pottery
• Research and utilise 50 major technological advancement of the Middle Ages: including the three-field crop rotation, the low warp loom or the longbow
• Face devastating natural disasters like storms, fires, volcanoes, droughts, earthquakes… or even the Black Death
• Challenging Multiplayer Mode for up to 8 players via network and online

Launch teaser
http://youtu.be/AodMYFnePNs

Screenies

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

More here

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Promising, but given that Grand Ages: Rome was godawful, my hype is reserved.

[Tobel]

Promising, but given that Grand Ages: Rome was godawful, my hype is reserved.

I had forgotten about that. Buried away in the recesses of my mind I dare not go. Let's hope they've learned some lessons, but I'm with you on reserving hype.

[Mech#4]

Oh? What was wrong with that one? I haven't heard about it until now but a quick look showed reviews in the 70s which is pretty good. Was it really buggy or something?


I would hope with this game you can play as a despot or cruel lord, stringing people up for stealing bread and sneaking extra money from bandits in return for not imprisoning them.

Now, that giant world size. I wonder whether it's going to be a continuous world or one like Rome II where it zooms in to specific locations.

[nenjin]

I was interested at the title.

And then I saw it was Kalypso and lost all interest.

[Tobel]

Oh? What was wrong with that one? I haven't heard about it until now but a quick look showed reviews in the 70s which is pretty good. Was it really buggy or something?

The experiences I had were pathing issues and bugginess, although to be honest there could have been a high level of expectancy set from Caesar III. That game stole my childhood.

30 million square KM is a very impressive figure. If the world is living and breathing and you can literally zoom in on towns as they grow I think that would be unprecedented. I can't recall anything that large that you can zoom into. I have a feeling it may be more of a "world" map that you can select an area to zoom into, but we'll see.

Edit:
A small part of me hopes they have a voice over similar to the Tropico 4 radio host. "GOOOD MORNING PEASANTS! It is time for you to wake up and serve your glorious leader!"

[Elfeater]

Promising, but given that Grand Ages: Rome was godawful, my hype is reserved.

What was so bad? I thought it was pretty fun honestly

[Mephansteras]

Hmm, well, worth watching to see how this goes at least.

[Jopax]

Could this finally be a spiritual successor to Stronghold?

I certainly hope it lives up to that, atleast partially. Real shame Firefly never made any sequels.

[Mech#4]

Oh? What was wrong with that one? I haven't heard about it until now but a quick look showed reviews in the 70s which is pretty good. Was it really buggy or something?

The experiences I had were pathing issues and bugginess, although to be honest there could have been a high level of expectancy set from Caesar III. That game stole my childhood.

"Caesar III", yes, my thoughts did go to that at the screenshots of "Grand Ages: Rome".

Pathing is, well... I believe in the Tropico series the pathing (or rather the job importance) is rather low because your efforts are meant to be hindered by your own lazy citizens. In "Caesar III" pathing was only an issue with the lack of road blocks, but importantly for the mechanics, jobs got done quickly as long as there wasn't a hitch in the system. "Tropico 4" at least had a bit of an issue with citizens building something like a carpark on one side of the island than walking all the way back to the pub on the other side.

Taking the previous game, I assume they're going for a more serious tone than Tropico.


@Jopax: Firefly is actually working on a sequel to the "Stronghold: Crusader" series. Not the straight, English medieval but it does look very similar despite being 3D. S'called "Stronghold: Crusader II", there's a thread a few pages back about it.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Promising, but given that Grand Ages: Rome was godawful, my hype is reserved.

What was so bad? I thought it was pretty fun honestly

There wasn't anything bad about it, but there was nothing good either. In my mind, Grand Ages: Rome is one of the PC game epitomes of bland and boring.

[Zangi]

So...  it does sound interesting.  I've never heard of the Rome thing before now.  Looks interesting too, apparently reviews tend to say it is on the good side.

[Jopax]

@Mech

I know about that one, but until it's proven to not be utter shit I'm not getting excited for it, and instead will continue to play the original Crusader occasionally.

[Fikes]

Promising, but given that Grand Ages: Rome was godawful, my hype is reserved.

What was so bad? I thought it was pretty fun honestly

There wasn't anything bad about it, but there was nothing good either. In my mind, Grand Ages: Rome is one of the PC game epitomes of bland and boring.

I can back this up. The whole resource system just left so much to be desired and it seemed like every city fell into a predictable pattern. The features promised (like "gain lands after a conquest!") turned out to be gimmicy ("the apple fields you own give you +5 food!").

I wouldn't say it was godawful, just disappointing. I actually have it installed now and haven't turned it on in forever. Steam says 13 hours played.

[Farce]

Wait, 1050 knights?