What do you think about Sengoku ?

[celt43]

Hello,


- I really dislike the hint windows, cos I hardly can read it. Besides, the lack of a tutorial makes the learn-curve extremely steep if you never played a game like this before. :laugh:
- I miss the FoG, but being a "design decision", have nothing else to say. I'd like to have it as an option. :blush:
- I feel a bit lost when browsing families, titles and lands they rule.
- I'm not used with the territorial division: clan mode map even mess it all a bit more. Are the map modes color-coded in any sense?
- I'm absolutely not used to japanese terms and I think that a mini-ingame-encyclopedia would be cool.
- I haven't suffered myself yet, but ppl are complaining about "magic levies"... Not sure if the game is accurate about demography and the size of armies on that age, but at first sight, they seem to be pretty big. Because if every men are at arms in the battlefield... who is at home to conceive newborns? o

I will state my final decision once I go into depth in the game. :ninja:

Regards.

I agree 100% .. especially the comment about the hint system being hard to read. Font to fine and small. I gave up.

 

[ssj18vegeta]

It's a good game, with the potential of becoming a very good game after a patch or two.

Now 'absolutely brilliant game', that rating is reserved only for CKII

 

[unmerged(8351)]

I think the font on the hints is fine for 1900X1080 if you have a monitor that is actually meant to display that. But many people run it on smaller monitors where it really isn't appropriate. I remember when you used to encounter that with 1600X1200 and 13" monitors. 10 years ago you would always get all these posters complaining about reading the text when they are using a resolution designed for 17" monitors+

If you are having trouble reading turn the resolution down.

 

[Qoojo]

I gave it a 2 for average because the interface is a bit unruly and hard to find things for me.

 

[unmerged(355632)]

While I think it is quite a fun game, the covert action part, which I thought would Sengoku set apart from other titles, is quite disappointing, as these things work far too rarely or in a strange way. For example, my master hardly finds a ninja clan whereas my fortification was attacked twice by ninjas within a month during a war with another clan - the ninja window has got four slots or so, is there ever a chance of these slots all being filled at a time? Same for plotting. A clan is not willing to accept and rejects your invitation to a plot just to invite you in turn to the plot you had proposed to them.

 

[Sensational]

I voted 4.

Basically, what I miss in this game is the flavor, the depth. Every clan feels the same, every character is just a set of stats with no real "personality", there are no defining moments in their life that you don't have to spice up with your own imagination. The clans themselves, as nations, don't have that either. I'm thinking of for example when you'd choose to focus on colonialism as France in EU3, you actually felt like you were making a choice, and it actually added flavor in the form of gameplay, mechanics, events and such. There are some other minor issues that you're already working on, and probably some you aren't, but I have confidence that you'll patch them as always.

There is one thing I fear you might not be working on, that I wish you would be. That is the multiplayer potential that Sengoku has, this game truly could be the flagship of a big push into the multiplayer area for Paradox. If one has already been made I must've missed that boat. While multiplayer capable, every Paradox game I've tried before has more or less been a singleplayer game with a semi-working but often fun multiplayer mode dropped ontop of it.

Sengoku needs a solid lobby, the meta server is missing a lot of functionality that a modern multiplayer lobby requires. With that sorted however, it's multiplayer could easily last for a very, very long time, and this game is the perfect choice for just that.

Other than all that this game is the best looking (Art design, interface design), most functional (Interface accessability has it's issues, however overall it's excellent, many thumbs up for the way you implemented the tips), and most stable Paradox game to date. It has that "fun factor", it may not be as deep as other Paradox titles but it still sucks you in because it's simply fun to play.

 

[FabiusBile]

I have to give it a 2.00. I don't know why, but it just isn't very appealing to me and does not evoke the feeling of the usual depth that paradox offers (and as you can see, I own many of them ). I think the undelying mechanics are too simple, especially the honor rating is not working for me; it feels a bit like stability in Rome. As others have said, the game is too generic, especially since provinces are basically all the same, characters are all the same etc. It feels too much like playing age of clones. Gameplay feels streamlined (not by elements present in the game, but due to the way things work) into this repeating circle of building up honor, fighting, building up honor etc.

The UI, Graphics on the other Hand are superb, I'm just not having fun while playing it. I'm however fairly sure that this can be patched, since "my problems" with the game mostly stem from the way money can be used to affect honour.

 

[Widukind_86]

I've been playing for a good couple of hours now and I'm mildly positive. Being familiar with other Paradox titles, I hadn't expected it would take so long to get used to the interface. I find it hard to describe what exactly is wrong with it, but especially at first it's just hard to find the info you need. An extended family tree would've been handy as it can be hard to keep track of who's related to who. Furthermore as some other people have pointed out, the game feels a bit shallow from time to time. Mainly because stuff like plotting doesn't seem to work very well yet, and is made mostly irrelevant by the fact that outright war is the best option 90% of the time. The lack of sounds is also dissapointing. Not only do a lot of messages not pop up anymore, they also don't make any sound, so one has to keep track of the tiny message bar at the side of the screen constantly. I'm also really missing some ambient and atmospheric sound like those in battle or in a siege. Little things like that really add a lot of immersion and joy, at least for me.

Things that I really like about Sengoku are the graphics and performance. The map and the units look excellent and the game runs absolutely flawless.

Overall, I think this game has a lot of potential and knowing PI's track record of improving their games after release, I'm sure this game can really shine after a couple of tweaks and patches.

 

[rosseau]

I would echo the last two poster's overall comments. I would love to buy, but I like the "war" in games. Even CKII, which I'm sure will be a masterpiece, I will have to pass, as I didn't like the previous games in the series. But Sengoku is perfect as a CKII lite, especially for Japanese history buffs.

 

[Nefaro]

Well compared to the original CK, the combat system is much better even if it gets a CK-Lite tag. The combat and army management in the original CK was definitely a weak spot.

 

[Nefaro]

I think the undelying mechanics are too simple, especially the honor rating is not working for me; it feels a bit like stability in Rome. As others have said, the game is too generic, especially since provinces are basically all the same, characters are all the same etc..

I disagree here. The underlying mechanics are the same as other EU3 games. Actually, there is new stuff added that is great and a nice improvement over some old mechanics. While the Honor rating is more of a currency, I guess the same can be said for the Stability ratings in all the other ones, even though the pace is far slower in the latter. With some balancing of the Honor gains, I'd much prefer it over the rather basic reward-penalty seesaw of the Stability system, and it's inherent yearly "-1 Stability!" events that get old so fast.

With some more character events, and more diplo & decision options to spend Honor points on, it has the potential to be far better than your typical Gold or Stability stocks.

 

[feelotraveller]

Well compared to the original CK, the combat system is much better even if it gets a CK-Lite tag. The combat and army management in the original CK was definitely a weak spot.

Hm, I'm not so sure. They are different combat systems. In CK you can affect the composition of your armies by government and stands. The strengths of the various elements of the armies can be affected by your tech. Not to mention more tangental effects of the different terrains of provinces and the income variability. And then the combat itself has a greater number of distinct phases. Weak? I'm not sure. More complex definitely.

 

[Nefaro]

There were definitely more troops types to shuffle around in CK, compared to the two in Sengoku. I'm talking about the levy mechanics (which requires a whole new reinforcement strategy), a standing retinue which can still be customized some via spending, not always going into massive debt when mobilized (but actually being punished for it if you go broke), and more noticeable terrain & commander effects on battles as opposed to an even more linear combat system where the greater number of troops always won.

I'm sure much of CK's combat shortfalls will be all fixed up in the sequel, but this is a stop along the way that I'm enjoying for it's differences and what I see as improvements in some areas.

 

[feelotraveller]

The standing retinue is a good innovation and I agree about the terrain effects. Commander effects I rank about the same at the moment, if anything I think they made more difference in CK. New reinforcement strategy? I don't get it. The only difference is you have to wait for the numbers to get back to 250. I always used to pop home now and then for fresh troops.

I wouldn't say better or worse, but different. More limited player control.

 

[Dragassa]

Very good game, much better than V2(talking about patching needs) when it came out and despite the limited(Japan) area, its got replayability to spare.

 

[unmerged(83282)]

I did not vote. I shall not vote. How can I evaluate a game that I do not understand?

Like most Paradox games I have purchased, this one overwhelms me, at first glance. But this time, there is no tutorial whatsoever.

I started a game as an "easy" Ruler and was immediately confronted with a scattered feudal domain : where to start ? what to do ? I had no clue whatsoever.

I downloaded the manual, which is a non-newbie friendly catalogue of dry data. It really does not initiate a newbie to the management of a feudal domain : what basics steps to take.

I closed the game, since I had no clue on what I should do first.

Intuitively, I perceive that it is a "brilliant" game. I cannot vote that it is "crap" just because I am too clueless to play it.

I guess that Paradox likes to develop "niche" games for an esoteric elite. If it is financially worthwhile, who am I to protest ?

I honestly cannot vote. I do not understand this game.

I am sorry if I insulted you Paradox-game veterans and experts by having humbly suggested that a Tutorial would have been helpful.

Back to Shogun : Total War 2 : feudal Japan lite, for the commoners.

 

[Sensational]

I did not vote. I shall not vote. How can I evaluate a game that I do not understand?

Like most Paradox games I have purchased, this one overwhelms me, at first glance. But this time, there is no tutorial whatsoever.

I started a game as an "easy" Ruler and was immediately confronted with a scattered feudal domain : where to start ? what to do ? I had no clue whatsoever.

I downloaded the manual, which is a non-newbie friendly catalogue of dry data. It really does not initiate a newbie to the management of a feudal domain : what basics steps to take.

I closed the game, since I had no clue on what I should do first.

Intuitively, I perceive that it is a "brilliant" game. I cannot vote that it is "crap" just because I am too clueless to play it.

I guess that Paradox likes to develop "niche" games for an esoteric elite. If it is financially worthwhile, who am I to protest ?

I honestly cannot vote. I do not understand this game.

I am sorry if I insulted you Paradox-game veterans and experts by having humbly suggested that a Tutorial would have been helpful.

Back to Shogun : Total War 2 : feudal Japan lite, for the commoners.

This one is the easiest to "get" out of all the games you've registered, so it'd be a good start. I'm quite surprised you've made it through that many titles that you don't understand, your persistance should be more than enough to learn this.

It has no tutorial, instead there's a tips window attached to every single piece of interface that tells you whate every little thing does. I don't know how they could possibly make it simpler, it's definitely no harder than Total War 2, did you go into it with an open mind?

 

[unmerged(212811)]

I did not vote. I shall not vote. How can I evaluate a game that I do not understand?

Like most Paradox games I have purchased, this one overwhelms me, at first glance. But this time, there is no tutorial whatsoever.

I started a game as an "easy" Ruler and was immediately confronted with a scattered feudal domain : where to start ? what to do ? I had no clue whatsoever.

I downloaded the manual, which is a non-newbie friendly catalogue of dry data. It really does not initiate a newbie to the management of a feudal domain : what basics steps to take.

I closed the game, since I had no clue on what I should do first.

Intuitively, I perceive that it is a "brilliant" game. I cannot vote that it is "crap" just because I am too clueless to play it.

I guess that Paradox likes to develop "niche" games for an esoteric elite. If it is financially worthwhile, who am I to protest ?

I honestly cannot vote. I do not understand this game.

I am sorry if I insulted you Paradox-game veterans and experts by having humbly suggested that a Tutorial would have been helpful.

Back to Shogun : Total War 2 : feudal Japan lite, for the commoners.

This is one of Paradox's easiest titles ever. You have EU3 registered and your account is from 2007, so you can't possibly be new to Paradox games. Once you figure out how to manage characters and pawn off your 16-year-old daughters to elderly strangers, the game practically plays itself.

 

[Nefaro]

This is one of Paradox's easiest titles ever. You have EU3 registered and your account is from 2007, so you can't possibly be new to Paradox games. Once you figure out how to manage characters and pawn off your 16-year-old daughters to elderly strangers, the game practically plays itself.

LOL

Don't forget.. asking for strangers' 16-year-old daughters, for your sons of course.

"How much for dee leetle girl?"
"Excuse me?!"
"How much for dee weemin?"
:laugh:

 

[Adam_Taylor]

I'm putting down Average, just because I don't think it's crap... not entirely.

But the game needs A LOT of work. Tons more features should be added. Especially ones that don't have to do with war.
I get that it's a big civil war phase of Japan. But there was still tons of other things going on. Technology, poetry, etc.
Plus you need options for alliances and such. Not just "vassal". Many Damiyo would work together against common enemies. And even agree to split territories between them.

Plus there are a lot of bugs and balance issues that need to be fixed.