Effective tool to narrate fictional events, the game also proved that he knew in the past remain attractive using historical contexts, and observing real. Some types lend themselves particularly well to this type of exercise. This is the case of strategy game development studio with Britain's The Creative Assembly has made a specialty.
The studio has been publishing for over ten years a series, "Total War", which attempts to reconcile realism and gaming. "For the choice of context, we opt for periods punctuated by major wars, known by most people. They should also be compatible with the development of gameplay (a game mechanic) of interest "says Mark Sutherns, associate producer on the series.
Budding strategists were able to take part in brutal conflicts of the Middle Ages, the military expansion of Roman and Napoleonic empires, but also the many naval battles of the eighteenth century. Total War: Shogun 2, released commercially on March 15, is a homecoming for the series, which first appeared in 2000, had already subject to the wars that shook the feudal Japan.
Teams of The Creative Assembly have worked for months to achieve a realistic result. The game boasts a display rare historical consistency, even in the smallest details: the costumes of different units, the attitudes of these during the fighting, the topography of Japan, the materials used for buildings or drawings preparatory inspired prints surrounding the promotion of the game This involved twenty-five animators and artists full time.
"For only helmets of various Japanese units, we had over a hundred images of reference. He had to absorb all this material, digest it and understand it visually. The research we have identified two or three main models," said Kevin McDowell , artistic director on the series "Total War".
We have the same team and almost the same approach to each game The reference material is obviously different, but our willingness to respect the style of the period intact. " To make the best movements and fighting techniques of the Japanese armies, the leaders have even called on the motion capture, which allows filming and then integrate the movements performed by real actors, themselves skilled in the arts martial of the time.
HOW FAR CAN A GAME BE "REALISTIC"? This desire for historical accuracy still raises many questions. How far a game can make it so "authentic" historical period? Kevin McDowell, "there is no way of knowing whether a piece of costume or scenery is 100% compliant. We can not rely solely on our intuition and experience.
However, we are confident in the result. When the first artworks (drawings referring to the graphic style of a game) Shogun 2 were published, we were even asked if the museum had given us permission to use them. Yet it was realized in original creations internally. " Beyond the costumes, the studio also had to model the different types of trees inhabiting forest in the sixteenth century Japanese or rework the text and the expression of the characters.
"We rely on our premises more than one hundred books that have helped us design the episode of Napoleon, says Mike Brunton, head writer of the series. All our work is to match the writing and language used in the game with the time. It was quite complicated with Napoleon, he was a man of letters but also a great orator, gifted to motivate his troops.
He took his style to capture the best transcribe. " But "make" the language, how to express themselves in a country and an era is a complex task, especially when the historical material is in a foreign language. "As for Napoleon, the base material was in French. It was therefore necessary to rely on written English, which had already passed through the translation and then translate the text again in the language of Molière to the game's release in France.
This leading to inevitable loss of information, even if our translators produced a remarkable effort, "said Mike Brunton. The result is interesting, however, says he: "The French Ministry of Culture has praised the quality of the episode on Napoleon while welcoming such a product means of informing the public about the rich history of its countries.
This proves the value of our work. " ACTION ON THE STORY so far, and this is the paradox, the fun strategy game based largely on the ability to change the course of history. One option offered by most titles, especially those of German studio Paradox Interactive, which also specializes in strategy games realistic but after each game depends entirely on player actions.
Europa Universalis III covers well over three hundred years of conflict on the continent, from 1453 to 1789, Victoria II allows for its part, to dive into the rich Victorian era. Each time the player starts his part in a political, religious and economic historically accurate. But he has always the possibility of upsetting all these data in order to propel his nation to world power.
The series "Civilization", created in 1991 by Sid Meier, offers similar opportunities his way. It depicts the famous figures such as Gandhi and George Washington, the player guides the dawn of civilization until the 2000s (read our review of this game of strategy). If the series is not "realistic" in the classic sense, the game plays the strengths and weaknesses of different historical civilizations, which the player must take advantage.
These strategy games, so precise they are, can they have an educational interest, beyond their playfulness? Publishers want to believe. The Creative Assembly Total gladly recall that Napoleon Wars has been cited in early 2010, during discussions about changing the programs history and geography.
But despite the interest of game publishers - who in 2006 funded a comprehensive study on the subject - and the enthusiasm of the students expected, the experiments in this area remain scarce. 
The studio has been publishing for over ten years a series, "Total War", which attempts to reconcile realism and gaming. "For the choice of context, we opt for periods punctuated by major wars, known by most people. They should also be compatible with the development of gameplay (a game mechanic) of interest "says Mark Sutherns, associate producer on the series.
Budding strategists were able to take part in brutal conflicts of the Middle Ages, the military expansion of Roman and Napoleonic empires, but also the many naval battles of the eighteenth century. Total War: Shogun 2, released commercially on March 15, is a homecoming for the series, which first appeared in 2000, had already subject to the wars that shook the feudal Japan.
Teams of The Creative Assembly have worked for months to achieve a realistic result. The game boasts a display rare historical consistency, even in the smallest details: the costumes of different units, the attitudes of these during the fighting, the topography of Japan, the materials used for buildings or drawings preparatory inspired prints surrounding the promotion of the game This involved twenty-five animators and artists full time.
"For only helmets of various Japanese units, we had over a hundred images of reference. He had to absorb all this material, digest it and understand it visually. The research we have identified two or three main models," said Kevin McDowell , artistic director on the series "Total War".
We have the same team and almost the same approach to each game The reference material is obviously different, but our willingness to respect the style of the period intact. " To make the best movements and fighting techniques of the Japanese armies, the leaders have even called on the motion capture, which allows filming and then integrate the movements performed by real actors, themselves skilled in the arts martial of the time.
HOW FAR CAN A GAME BE "REALISTIC"? This desire for historical accuracy still raises many questions. How far a game can make it so "authentic" historical period? Kevin McDowell, "there is no way of knowing whether a piece of costume or scenery is 100% compliant. We can not rely solely on our intuition and experience.
However, we are confident in the result. When the first artworks (drawings referring to the graphic style of a game) Shogun 2 were published, we were even asked if the museum had given us permission to use them. Yet it was realized in original creations internally. " Beyond the costumes, the studio also had to model the different types of trees inhabiting forest in the sixteenth century Japanese or rework the text and the expression of the characters.
"We rely on our premises more than one hundred books that have helped us design the episode of Napoleon, says Mike Brunton, head writer of the series. All our work is to match the writing and language used in the game with the time. It was quite complicated with Napoleon, he was a man of letters but also a great orator, gifted to motivate his troops.
He took his style to capture the best transcribe. " But "make" the language, how to express themselves in a country and an era is a complex task, especially when the historical material is in a foreign language. "As for Napoleon, the base material was in French. It was therefore necessary to rely on written English, which had already passed through the translation and then translate the text again in the language of Molière to the game's release in France.
This leading to inevitable loss of information, even if our translators produced a remarkable effort, "said Mike Brunton. The result is interesting, however, says he: "The French Ministry of Culture has praised the quality of the episode on Napoleon while welcoming such a product means of informing the public about the rich history of its countries.
This proves the value of our work. " ACTION ON THE STORY so far, and this is the paradox, the fun strategy game based largely on the ability to change the course of history. One option offered by most titles, especially those of German studio Paradox Interactive, which also specializes in strategy games realistic but after each game depends entirely on player actions.
Europa Universalis III covers well over three hundred years of conflict on the continent, from 1453 to 1789, Victoria II allows for its part, to dive into the rich Victorian era. Each time the player starts his part in a political, religious and economic historically accurate. But he has always the possibility of upsetting all these data in order to propel his nation to world power.
The series "Civilization", created in 1991 by Sid Meier, offers similar opportunities his way. It depicts the famous figures such as Gandhi and George Washington, the player guides the dawn of civilization until the 2000s (read our review of this game of strategy). If the series is not "realistic" in the classic sense, the game plays the strengths and weaknesses of different historical civilizations, which the player must take advantage.
These strategy games, so precise they are, can they have an educational interest, beyond their playfulness? Publishers want to believe. The Creative Assembly Total gladly recall that Napoleon Wars has been cited in early 2010, during discussions about changing the programs history and geography.
But despite the interest of game publishers - who in 2006 funded a comprehensive study on the subject - and the enthusiasm of the students expected, the experiments in this area remain scarce.
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