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Rhyfelwyr
07-03-2008, 20:36
Validus Regnum is a mod for M2TW: Kingdoms, which covers a huge area of land, from Scotland, to Ghana, beyond the Urals, and into the Indian subcontinent. The mod is set between 1072, with the formation of the Kingdom of Leon-Castille and the battle of Manzikert having just occured; to 1218, when the Mongols invaded the Kara-Khitan lands to the far east of the map. Validus Regnum aims to provide a much more challenging and historically accurate gameplay experience, by providing faction-specific government buildings, an advanced 'Area of Recruitment' system, realistic representation of infrastructure, populations, and economics, and accurate formations and tactics for AI armies. In particular, VR aims to recreate the area covered as accurately as possible at the start date in 1072, while realistic AI (and player) development will be encouraged.

While I understand that some factions such as Bohemia, Kiev, and in particular Serbia are often very popular within the M2TW modding community, I have chosen not to include them as they simply do not merit a faction slot at 1072 AD; and considering this mods timeframe is shorter than mosts, these factions rise to power is in most cases outside the timeframe for Validus Regnum. By representing these factions through either 'Minor Factions' or government buildings for their overlords in their territories, extra slots have been freed up to expand the map and include areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and parts of India. I hope this will add an epic, semi-mythical atmosphere that in my opinion was achieved brilliantly by Europa Barbarorum. The king-worship of Ghana and far eastern culture of the Kara-Khitans add an exciting element to the steriotypically dark, fragmented realms of feudal Europe.

Personally, I've been dying to get back into modding for a while now. I've played through M2TW and Kingdoms and am currently also running through RTW so that I can feel less hypocritical when modding, and have a much better understanding of game mechanics. I do have some modding experience (in my sig), so I realise the importance of organisation and motivation, and can contribute directly myself. For the past few days I have been scouting for historians and modders, so hopefully we can get a team together quite quickly.

So if you're interested, sign up here or hop across to the official forums and get discussing! :whip:

http://s15.invisionfree.com/Validus_Regnum/

Frodge
07-06-2008, 12:22
This sounds really interesting, do you think you could give an idea of the factions included, particularly the eastern ones.

Rhyfelwyr
07-06-2008, 14:07
The faction list is still under discussion, but we do plan to include the Ghaznavid Empire, and also Ghana and the Zagwe dynasty in Ethiopia in the south.

The map will go far enough east to include the Kara-Khitan invasion.

Shapur II
07-08-2008, 02:33
Hi

I have accepted your request as a researcher.I will post some info later today.But one thing though,are we allowed to post Osprey images here? since the TWC moderators are trying to clamp down on them.

Rhyfelwyr
08-09-2008, 16:19
At long last, I am proud to give you the first preview of the progress made of Validus Regnum!

Discussion has almost entirely taken place on our own forums, and while that's been happening we have got a rough version of the campaign map complete. The map is uber, at 1021 x 777 pixels. Below are some regions just to give you an idea of what it looks like:

Ireland:
https://img239.imageshack.us/img239/6346/irelandfc4.th.jpg (https://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=irelandfc4.jpg)

France:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2480/franceee0.th.jpg (https://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=franceee0.jpg)

Spain:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9396/spaindu2.th.jpg (https://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spaindu2.jpg)

Italy:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4521/italyrm6.th.jpg (https://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=italyrm6.jpg)

The Balkans:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/9103/balkansgi7.th.jpg (https://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=balkansgi7.jpg)

Poland:
https://img239.imageshack.us/img239/7730/polandhb0.th.jpg (https://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=polandhb0.jpg)

The Ukraine:
https://img115.imageshack.us/img115/46/ukraineti1.th.jpg (https://img115.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ukraineti1.jpg)

Turkey:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8586/turkeytl7.th.jpg (https://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=turkeytl7.jpg)

Georgia:
https://img239.imageshack.us/img239/372/georgiarv9.th.jpg (https://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=georgiarv9.jpg)

Transoxania:
https://img115.imageshack.us/img115/9641/transoxaniabe5.th.jpg (https://img115.imageshack.us/my.php?image=transoxaniabe5.jpg)

Ethiopia:
https://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6035/ethiopiahi8.th.jpg (https://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ethiopiahi8.jpg)

Map showing starting positions of all factions:
https://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1517/factionsmapreadyeu1.th.jpg (https://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=factionsmapreadyeu1.jpg)

Also, the faction list has been revised:

The Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of France
The Duchy of Aquitaine
The Kingdom of Leon-Castille
The Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Norway
The Kingdom of Denmark
The Holy Roman Empire
The Kingdom of Poland
The Kingdom of Hungary
The Republic of Venice
The Duchy of Apulia-Calabria
The Papal States
Rus
The Byzantine Empire
The Kingdom of Georgia
Makuria
Zagwe Dynasty
The Murabitun
The Zirids
The Fatimid Caliphate
The Seljuq Empire
The Kara-Khanid Khanate
The Ghaznavid Empire
The Volga-Bulgar Khanate
Wagadou
The Kipchaks
Kara-Khitai

If you are interested in VR, please give us feedback! In particular, we are looking to recruit a 2D artist capable of modding faction symbols and battlefield banners.

VALIDUS REGNUM NEEDS YOU!