# Time Commanders



## Foxbat (Sep 20, 2003)

I know that Brian is a self confessed Romanophile (did I get that right? - sounds a bit offensive )

Just wondering what people in the UK thought of the new show on BBC2.
Just in case you haven't seen it: a new attempt to bring wargaming to the TV masses in the form of a team of 4 playing against the Artificial Intelligence of a 3D real time strategy game (Romans versus whoever happens to be the enemy that week).
Personally I thought it was ok but would be better if two teams fought head to head rather than against the AI. At least they had the sense to include a couple of experts to explain to us philistines what should have happened.

On a final note specifically for Brian: In another thread you were looking for a computer game to while away the time - well this one is due out early next year as Rome: Total War. That should get yer toga in a tangle


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 20, 2003)

Yay, I saw the program on Thursday and have already decided that I will be buying it as a reward for finishing my writing.   

I had been tempted by Mediaeval: Total War...but this is going to be better.  And, finally, a PC game that threatens to utlise my 64 megs graphics card. 

You're probably quite right about the head to head though. Especially as the poor team obviously didn't have a clue - they really need people who can think with a sense of tactics (I mean, really - splitting their army in two before superior numbers?? Doh!).

The actual background, history, and tactics, are the real gems, though - they tell the story of the people (ie, on Thursday about the Helvetii migration).

Something to note - do you remember the series about strategic battle games - with Angela Ripon - where it was all performed on a board with dice?


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## Foxbat (Sep 21, 2003)

> Something to note - do you remember the series about strategic battle games - with Angela Ripon - where it was all performed on a board with dice?


Indeed I do. I think it was called Game of War. It only lasted the one season. I think using the Total War engine may be a masterstroke - fancy graphics always help and give the non-historian  something to look at which immediately explains the situation. Game of War - as far as I can recall- relied on some abstract, almost, chess-like pieces.

As for Rome: Total War - that is the _must_ buy game for 2004 for me. One thing though: I have Medieval and, although I like it very much, there are one or two of the battles where it gets very intensive and the slowdown is quite obvious as both processor and graphics card begin to struggle. I'm hoping that the engine has been tweaked a bit so I don't have to go out and buy some upgrades. 
Finally: apologies. I've just realised that I probably should have posted this in the TV and Film section.


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 21, 2003)

Doesn't matter - I'll get it moved. No harm done, though. 

As for slowdown - what machine were you using? I've got a 1.4 gig processer and 512 RAM, with a 64 meg graphics card on top. Not high-class by today's standards, but it cost me a lot two years ago (hey, I'm still paying for it!). I'm sort of hoping to not expect too many problems.


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## Foxbat (Sep 21, 2003)

Mine is a 1.9 GHz (Athlon - so it's not actually 1.9 - more like 1.6) with 64 meg Gforce 4 (one of the cheap ones) with 512 Meg DDR.
There was a tip I tried - it suggested reducing the RAM levels in the Gforce setup to 16Meg rather than 64. This was done through fiddling around with the configuration software. Don't ask me how or why but it did solve the problem. But it meant that I was constantly reconfiguring depending on what software I wanted to run. Not a perfect solution.


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 21, 2003)

Poop - I was fully expecting you to say you were using a 500 MHz processor and 64 RAM for a moment. 

Yours sounds very much like mine, only with a faster processor (hey, don't knock AMD!!). So I guess I'll have to prepare for lag issues, and deal with them as they happen.

Maybe I should have a little play on Mediaeval Total War anyway...go on, let me! Puh-lease!! (Oh, okay - I'll be patient.  )


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## Foxbat (Sep 21, 2003)

> Yours sounds very much like mine, only with a faster processor (hey, don't knock AMD!!).


I certainly wouldn't do that. I was a diehard Pentium fan until a friend finally persuaded me to try AMD. Most impressive and much cheaper.

Here's a snippet for you (and might keep you occupied until Rome comes out) - you can pick up Shogun (the first in the series) for a measley £4.99
An absolute steal at that price!


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## Brian G Turner (Sep 21, 2003)

Unfortunately, I am absolutely not allowed any PC games - noy until I finish writing - I'm too disciplined than that. 

If there's a delay with Rome: Total War then I'll likely get the Mediaeval Total War, as I also have a great love of the Middle Ages period.


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## dwndrgn (Sep 22, 2003)

Well shoot, I can't see this series and it sounds good too.  Sigh.  I suppose I'm just going to have to hound some of our networks to start making the shows I've recommended.

The BBCA that we get only shows the top, most watched shows and definitely no new ones.


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