RTS Game Used For TV Show On Epic Roman Battles

Thanks to Wired News for its article discussing the use of forthcoming PC strategy title Rome: Total War in a History Channel TV show called Decisive Battles - the piece explains: "As video-game graphics evolve to portray increasingly realistic environments, TV producers are turning to game developers for help in re-creating history." Heartwarmingly, the article continues: "While TV can't compete with the visual spectacles created by big-budget, computer-generated scenes in movies like the upcoming Troy, the History Channel can put viewers in the middle of battles with thousands of men hacking and slashing each other to death." Elsewhere, it's mentioned that the Creative Assembly-developed title "also lent its technology to a BBC series called Time Commanders", in which "teams of contestants [battled] against a computer loaded with the tactics of the greatest military minds of all time."

Re:First Post

[Maiko]

The Slashcode moderation system carefully determines who is least fit to moderate and then gives them mod points on a regular basis. It is designed to give the most mod points to people who don't realize when they don't get a joke. Slashcode also gives lots of points to people who feel a malicious need to mod down all posts that simply follow a tangent of the main discussion

...Like the post above in a discussion about a computer game being the main focal point of a TV series...?

whats next using Counterstrike

[cyrax777]

to recreate hostatge situations on cops?

Re:whats next using Counterstrike

[Deraj DeZine]

And here the police use the well-documented "wall hack" technique and an awp snipe their opponents through a solid wall. That evildoer just got pwnt!

R:TW

[Anonymous Coward]

Rome: Total War could be the only game coming out this year, and I wouldn't care. This game alone would be enough.

Medieval: Total War was a fantastic game which came as a complete surprise when I first played it on my roommate's computer. I almost immediately went out and bought it, and I still find myself going back to play "for a turn or two" and find myself plugging away 5 or 6 hours later. But as fantastic as Medieval is, Rome appears to trump it in every way imaginable.

First, Check [gametrailers.com] out [gametrailers.com] the [gametrailers.com] trailers. [gametrailers.com]

Wait, one more. [gametrailers.com]

Okay, seen all that? Those are around a year old. Here [ign.com] is E3 2004 footage. (Apologies, WMP appears to be the free version of the videos. You have to register to see the Gamespot vids, but I suggest checking THOSE out...there is a much longer, better trailer that doesn't appear to be at IGN or gametrailers.com) The horses no longer move in unison, can jump over fallen bodies, people can get thrown when hit from a charge, everything looks even more fluid, I could go on for hours.

And this is just the real-time battle portion of the game, to say nothing of the turn-based portion.

Half-life 2, Doom 3....those two very touted PC games? I could care less at this point. Give me more Total War.

Re:R:TW

[Senjutsu]

Don't forget about the excellent Shogun: Total War.

I almost did something similar

[bersl2]

Back in the day (8+ years, to be precise), I almost used Caesar to model a Roman city for a school project.

Time Commanders

[CaptainCheese]

If that was the engine used in Time Commanders I'm not impressed. Graphically it successfully portrayed the action, but was certainly not particularly lifelike, but the finished product may be better.

In AI terms, the players generally whipped the pants clean off the computer, even though none of them had any war or wargaming experience whatsoever. Even though they had the advantage - The players always got to play the historical winner, such as Hannibal when he ripped Scipio and Sempronius (and their troop

Re:Time Commanders

[MMaestro]

The players always got to play the historical winner, such as Hannibal when he ripped Scipio and Sempronius (and their troops) a new one at the river Tribius IIRC. "greatest military minds of all time" my arse, although it may have been crippled so the contestants would have a chance...

Yeah that was pretty stupid, but when you consider this stuff is broadcast on TV...

"Here we see Mike commanding the Roman army as it begins to crush a Germanic tribe. And Mike just order his archers to run in... hes order

Re:Time Commanders

[Andy Mitchell]

It might of been amusing to have unleashed some competent wargamers to see some sensible tactics used.

However, a typical wargamer is a 12 year old who will focus most of their attention on ensuring they get to move first, even when its disadvantageous for both themselves and their team.

Time Commanders

[blackwater]

Time Commanders was a great show. I enjoyed the preview of Rome Total War but I enjoyed more the study in detail of group dynamics. The basic format was that each week a team of 4 somehow-related people (usually work colleagues) fought against the AI. 2 of the team took responsibility for a flank each, moving their units, etc. The other 2 stood on a raised platform with an overhead map (updated in real-time) shouting directions to the other 2 - i.e. behaving as generals might perhaps.

Almost without fail, each week one of the 'generals' would be spectacularly clueless and be disobeyed and / or generally ignored. I guess I've probably worked too long in cubicle-land but it all seemed horribly familiar - I guess PHBs go back to the dawn of time.

Re:Time Commanders

[blackwater]

Before anyone picks me up on this: yes, I know that PHBs might just be a modern phemenon and that the ppl on the show were just acting a role but it was all too believable when a pseudo-Roman emporer threw a hissy fit because his cavalry weren't being sent up the hill he wanted...

Mmm maybe if you watch it like that

[SmallFurryCreature]

Personally I had hoped if they had used slightly more cluefull people. I watched it two times and each time they were complete and utter total idiots, their "victories" feeling more like a hollywood scripted one then one won by solid strategic thinking. Or thinking at all.

Basically all the fights were chosen in such a way that the historical winner, wich the team of course played, had the upper hand and were the enemy never exploited the obvious mistakes made by the players.

I would have preffered it if th

Re:Mmm maybe if you watch it like that

[alib001]

...they were complete and utter total idiots...

Pretty much. I stuck with it for a few episodes more until I realised it was so heavily rigged in the players favour that they really had to try to lose. Which they did... but still: "VICTORY IMMINENT!"

How would a proffesor filled with knowledge of what happened before and after the battle deal with the actual battle when everything is constantly changing?

Actually, one played. He neglected to take control of his student "Lieutenants". And, IIRC, lost. Ha! On

Old news

[EvilNutSack]

Old Old Old! They are already into the second season (or just finished it) on the BBC and the article only appears on /. now??? Speedy, like a runover hamster...

Been there. Done that.

[RotJ]

I used Sid Meier's Antietam [firaxis.com] as part of a presentation on the battle for my high school history class. The first time I played it at home, I managed to trap all the rebels in the Southeast edge of the map halfway into the day. I had to play through again at a slower pace to get an accurate recreation.

BF1942

[Hwaguy]

I've noticed the History Channel squeaking in Battlefield 1942 clips every once and a while. Once was during the "Tactical to Practical" while they were talking to a retired tank general or something.

I always wondered if they payed EA, or just "borrowed" a few seconds of El Alamein. Anyone know?

Time Commander episodes

[WoodenBoy]

For those interested in watching the show, you can download episodes from the Total War Center [legiontotalwar.com] forums if you're a registered member (free reg).

Another instance of Machinima

[ILL Robinson]

This is why we believe so strongly in Machinima [machinima.org]. It provides the environments, the actions and events to not only embellish stories (like in this case), but also allows people to tell stories of their own.

madden

[happyfrogcow]

last year, one of the NFL pregame shows used EA Sports "Madden" (i think, could have been a different game) for help in visualizing team formations and strategies. it was kind of funny.

Tom Clancy used Harpoon

[wikthemighty]

Not historical, (and not movies originally) but Tom Clancy tested naval combat with Larry Bond's Harpoon [clancyfaq.com]

The computer game did not exist at the time, he had played out the engagemnets with the original board game.

Time Commanders

[Seft]

I was unfortunate enough to watch an episode of Time Commanders. What would happen is that either the contestants would start losing an go around panicing, or they would forget to order a colum of infantry or whatever, who would just stand and get slaughtered before fleeing. To be honest, I can't see this show being much better. Also, hasn't there been a show called Decisive Battles already?