Medieval Total Realism: Age of Ambition

[kataphraktoi]

Medieval Total Realism: Age of Ambition

The year is 1066, the world is changing and a new order is rising. But who will be rising stars of this new era and who will fall?

Christendom is tragically split in schism. A bitter seed has been sown in the lands of Christendom where spiritual brothers are pitted against brothers, swords are raised and spears are sharpened. Will this enmity reap an equally bitter harvest?

Dar-al-Islam too is split between the party of Ali (Shia) and the Community of the Sunni based in the respective Caliphal seats of Cairo and Baghdad. Elsewhere Islam faces collapse especially in Al-Andalus where the third rival Caliphate in Cordoba has disintegrated into petty Taifa states concerned in their own self-interest and blind to the resurgence of the small Christian states in the north who are determined to undo the humiliation inflicted upon them 300 years ago. However, there is also renewal in Islam as well. A new power from the east is coming in the form of new converts to Islam. Will these Seljuk Turks revive Islam’s fortunes and restore unity and power to Sunni Islam?

On the shores of the Bosphorus, it seems that the ancient Roman Empire may have run its course. Dynastic exhaustion is approaching with the near death of its current Emperor who is weak, feeble, incompetent and childless. Its armies are weakened by successive intrigue and powerless against recent raids by the Seljuks. Its generals, coming from noble aristocratic families are seething at such poor leadership and may soon rebel. But is it too late? Can the Romans save their 1000 year old empire?

This is also the time where brilliant individuals come to the fore and create history. From the ranks of the Normans come two of the finest generals to grace Norman history. Though they exist in two different places at once (one in Normandy and the other in Southern Italy), they share the same drive, motivation and ambition to create their own destiny. One is an illegitimate bastard, the other, a warrior of low ranking. Will William the Bastard be a Conqueror? Will Robert Hauteville live up to his name of “Guiscard” the “wily”?

In a time such as this, there are many unpredictable things as well. From steppes of the east has come the scourge of God in the form of the Huns and the Avars. From these same steppes have come the ferocious Magyars who have now become a bastion of Christendom. There is always the possibility of another eruption from the mysterious east where tales abound of unnatural beings of great military brutality and swift retribution. Will civilisation be able to resist it the next time the endless steppes unleash a new terror?

All this and more in MTR: Age of Ambition!!

Proposed Factions:

Scottish
England (Normans)
Danes
Duchy of Southern Italy
Papal States
HRE
Poland
Rus
France
Crown of Aragon
Leon-Castile
Moorish Sultanate
Egyptian SultanateTurkish Sultanate
Romaion (Byzantines)
Serbs
Venice
Hungary
Mongols
Georgia-Sakartvelo
Cumans/Qipchaqs

Aims of MTR: AOA (or Meteora) if you want

Create a "realism" modification which will immerse players in whatever faction they choose. We aim to create unique factions with unique cultures with small added features that make a difference to gameplay. We want to create a medieval world the way it should be to cater to an individual's ambition, greed for gold, thirst for battle, glory and perhaps surprisingly enough...piety.

With the likes of Caius Britannicus and Wraithdt, you can be sure that the visual content of the modification will be first class from a lowly peasant unit to an elite royal bodyguard unit. We are looking for:

Researchers - the foundation upon which the modification must be built on. Their knowledge will ensure that we will stay on the right track to create an immersive world to play in. People with considerable knowledge for a particular faction and want to be a head researcher with their own research team and with responsibilities as preparing factions previews, co-ordinating with skinners and scripters and glory and babes..PM me. However, if there is a faction with a head researcher already, PM them, not me.

Graphic Designers - They are the ones who create the interface through which players can experience MTR: AOA. We're looking for people who are excellent with graphic design programs and want the chance to show off!

We invite, anyone and everyone who wants to participate in the creation of such a modification to notify either me (Kataphraktoi) or Achilles by PM.

Team:
Project Leader: Achilles

Most honoured Researchers:
Head of Polish Faction Research: Polak 966

Head of Serbia Faction Research: DukeofSerbia

Head of England/Norman (Normandy and Italy) Factions Research: Ignoramus

Head of Turkish Sultanate Research: Cebei (HOORAY!!)

Head of Moorish/African Research: Beauchamp

Head of Danish Research: Endre (or Ringeck)

IrishArmenian

Almogaver (Crown of Aragon)

Head of Danish/Scandinavian Research: Endre

Head of Byzantium/Romaion Research: Kataphraktoi
Byzantine Emperor

Head of Georgia Faction Research: Beka

Head of Rus Faction Research: Cadmus

Head of HRE Faction Research: SabreHRE and Cutepuppy

Eltrevo (Tuetonic Knights)

Randarkmaan (Fatimid, Ayyubids)

Faenaris (Crusading Orders)

Head of Rus Faction Research: Cadmus


Tech/Visual/Graphic Wizards:
Publius - Skinner/Modeller/Graphic Artist
Kataphraktoi (stand in project leader)
Wraithdt
Caius Britannicus
Dark89 (Coder)
Chigga
Silver Rusher

CONCEPT ART
Here are a list of concept art, they are under two sections:

I'll list Orda Khan's first, in honour of his gracious effort and time to provide us with these concepts:
https://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mongol17ef.jpg

https://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mongol43sx.jpg

https://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mongol31yc.jpg

https://img193.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mha1b1eu.jpg

https://img408.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mha1a5eu.jpg

https://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mha1c1fy.jpg

https://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?i...pchaq012ic.jpg

https://img419.imageshack.us/my.php?...elite012pz.jpg (KIPCHACK ELITE)

https://img224.imageshack.us/my.php?...pchaq026vg.jpg (KIPCHAK)

https://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?...ntryman9un.jpg (VOLGA BULGARINFANTRYMAN)

https://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?...rarcher7zz.jpg (VOLGA BULGARARCHER)

https://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?...olnoyan6yh.jpg (MONGOL NOYAN)

https://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hun016tk.jpg (HUN)

https://img418.imageshack.us/my.php?...golkhan1zs.jpg (MONGOL KHAN)

Wraithdt and Kataphraktoi's stuff
https://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?...1066kat8ok.jpg (KATAPHRAKTOI 1060S)

https://img419.imageshack.us/my.php?...cavalry0rh.jpg (GHULAM CAVALRY)

https://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?...anguard4om.jpg (VARANGIAN GUARDS 11TH-14TH CENT)

https://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?i...ersionb3kj.jpg (KLIBANOPHORI VERSION A)

https://img69.imageshack.us/my.php?i...ersiona4ve.jpg (KLIBANOPHORI VERSION B)

http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?i...atickat3rv.jpg (TAGMATIC KATAPHRAKTOI)

https://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?...rcopole2jp.jpg (TURCOPOLE)

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/excubit.jpg (EXCUBITORES)

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynex...man_Knight.jpg (NORMAN KNIGHT)

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynex...ttawa_prev.jpg (ADDED FUTUWWA..hopefully this works)

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynex...HI_prev_04.jpg NEW JANISSARY HEAVY INFANTRY - RIGHT CLICK AND SAVE

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynex...lic_prev02.jpg DRAFT OF MEN AT ARMS

http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?i...aafinalsj7.jpg GOTHIC MEN AT ARMS

HASHASHIN

https://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?i...oplitaifm0.jpg Thematikoi Hoplitai

https://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?i...toxotaiwe9.jpg Thematikoi Tagmatikoi Hoplitai and Thematikoi Toxotai

[Silver Rusher]

Great previews here, but some of the links have th.jpg at the end. Remove the .th so it is just .jpg, otherwise you get a shrunken down version with a dimensions bar at the bottom.

[polak966]

dont forget the 966 in my name

[Ignoramus]

I'm willing to be a researcher.

[Sarkiss]

I'm willing to be a researcher.

i'm willing to be a player when it's out.
seriously though, will keep an eye on this one!

[kataphraktoi]

At Silver Rusher, thanks for the tip

AT Sarkiss, nice one

At Polak, no probs

Ignoramus, check ur PM

[kataphraktoi]

LINKS FIXED!!!

Will release map soon.

[R4P]

Time to know a bit about Wraithdt:
Concepts he's responsible for:
Crusaders
Arabs
Turks (joint)

Concepts done so far:
Saracen Infantry
Ghulam cavalry
Varangian Guard
Futuwwa Infantry
Templar Knight

From:
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Now:
Canada, modeller and concept artist
__________________

Where can I find the 'Futuwwa Infantry'? I can't find it and these concept drawings are so beautiful; I wouldn't like to miss out on one.

[kataphraktoi]

I think there were two concepts I didnt post up....I'll check and re-add them later.

[Ignoramus]

I shall start researching tomorrow morning. I have a few things to do tonight, and the night's getting on here in Australia.

Ignoramus.

[DukeofSerbia]

It seems that some researchers work for MA, too or maybe I am wrong.

[kataphraktoi]

Yep, thats right.

Where u at Ignoramus in Australia? Im in Melbourne at the moment

ALWAYS CHECK THE FIRST POST FOR UPDATES (NEW UPDATES WILL ALWAYS BE AT THE BOTTOM) so everything can be found in the one post...:D

[zakalwe]

1062 - interesting start date. It will be fun to have a Saxon english faction. Very different from MTW's Anglo-Norman faction. Should mean a much greater role for anglo-saxon units.

So i guess you are having the English and the Normans as independent factions? Are you including the Norse so you can have a nice 1066 re-enactment? :)

[Orda Khan]

Yes, the Futuwwa has gone missing and it was a beautiful sketch

.....Orda

[LestaT]

Looks great to see a fellow Malaysian on board on such a great project. Good luck !!!

[DukeofSerbia]

Concept Draft Map:
http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/Proper.jpg

This link doesn't work for me. Can you sent map via e-mail?

[4th Dimension]

It doesn't work for me either. Why didn't you upload it via imageshack.

[zakalwe]

What's your aims and strategy for this mod?

Is it purely concentrating on realism? On improving gameplay? On adding new features?

Will you be replacing skins? Adding new units? Adding/removing provinces? Changing names?

Is it going to be a series of releases or working towards 1 big launch?

[OmarPacha]

Concept arts previews look fine and there is only to hope
that researchers and modders will do their job till it's finished.
Greets

[Ignoramus]

Yep, thats right.

Where u at Ignoramus in Australia? Im in Melbourne at the moment

ALWAYS CHECK THE FIRST POST FOR UPDATES (NEW UPDATES WILL ALWAYS BE AT THE BOTTOM) so everything can be found in the one post...:D

That's interesting, so am I. Where do I send my research? Do I send it to you?

[kataphraktoi]

FUTUWWA ADDED, check first post.

1062 - interesting start date. It will be fun to have a Saxon english faction. Very different from MTW's Anglo-Norman faction. Should mean a much greater role for anglo-saxon units.

So i guess you are having the English and the Normans as independent factions? Are you including the Norse so you can have a nice 1066 re-enactment? :)

I had to move it from 1054 to 1062 because:

a) Marrakesh was found in 1062 so i couldn't give the Moors Marrakesh as a capital before 1062.

b) Toghrul Beg was given the title of Sultan after 1054 and before 1062, hence I can call the Turkish faction the Turkish Sultanate.

c) Normans in Italy start with more than one province because by 1063, the Byzantines are left with a toehold and the Normans are beginning to fight in Sicily - two-pronged ASSAULT YEAH!!

d) Yep, the Normans and English are independent factions and the Danes will be in there two. Hopefully we can script it so that a stack of Danes will be on English territory, or least script so that the Danes try to invade England.

e) Add to that Scotland in the north. Its one big messy soup

What's your aims and strategy for this mod?

Is it purely concentrating on realism? On improving gameplay? On adding new features?

Will you be replacing skins? Adding new units? Adding/removing provinces? Changing names?

Is it going to be a series of releases or working towards 1 big launch?

Realism and gameplay, but we want to create a certain atmosphere that draws you into the game by creating and representing unique cultures and achievements of each faction. As for new add features, hard to say at the moment.

Everything will be replaced. We have one of the best skinners in the business, Caius Britannicus! Check out his Crusades mod for samples of his work down in www.twcenter.net

One big launch probably. I'm only a stand-in project leader.

It doesn't work for me either. Why didn't you upload it via imageshack.

Fixed link. Plus, geocities has no popup ads so far. Well not for me anyways. Its ready for viewing DukeofSerbia, and its a massive jpeg so u might want to shrink it....

Looks great to see a fellow Malaysian on board on such a great project. Good luck !!!

Don'y forget Wraithdt, he's Malaysia too..from Petaling Jaya, I'm from small humble Malacca, the former capital of the Malacca Sultanate, now just a tourist attraction for Chicken Rice Balls and the ruins of a once formidable Portugese fortification called A'famosa (The famous).

Seems like theres going to be daily updates for this week.

At Ignoramus:
Research data shouldn't be sent to me. Hold onto your data until I come up with a proper format for faction previews. Although for the fuedalism system, you have any idea how it should be implemented? Im interested to hear it.

And I have to add ur name to the team list now.

[polak966]

i dont mean to sound crazy but i think kakhaber would be excellent as a researcher for the georgians. theyre in arent they?

[kataphraktoi]

Im sure he'll get tons of info, but in terms of communicating it to the rest of us in English, I'm not too sure about that. And besides, I have't been able to contact him since he got banned (it seems for life) at twcenter.net. I'll leave Georgian recruitment to Beka. He's the head reseacher for Georgia so its his responsibility for that woot!

Just a notice to everyone, I have the following concepts to post this week and next week:

a)Janissary Heavy Infantry by Wraithdt (not finished, but once u see it u won't care! Its that brilliant!)

b) Men at Arms 14th century by Wraithdt

c) Klibanophori version 3

d) Imperial Tagmatic Cavalryman on horse

e) Khazar mercenary

f) Varangians

g) Other assorted Byzantine soldiers

h) Constantine Dragases

Personally, I'd get Wraithdt to do all concepts, but he's only human and can't do it all so I have to chip in

[Trajen the 1st]

Wow, this looks even more well researched then the original RTR! I have some questions though:

1.Are you planning on bringing the eras back? It could possibly work like TFT in RTW when they had different zipped campiagns. This way, you can use the same faction slots,(I.e In early campiagn you have Saxons, but in High you have Seljuks of Rum)units, and skins/models without worrying about the hardcoded limits.

2.How do you plan on tackling the Religion issue? I mean theres a mighty big chance they'll be hardcoded like MTW1 which means no Shia/Sunni split! In short, what are your backup plans?


Really looking forword to this guys I hope this makes the money I'll shell out for MTW2 worth it!

PS:Map pic is'int working for me either.

[kataphraktoi]

ok, guys, if the links don't work directly, its a matter of "right click and save".

In the future, I'll "imageshack" everything. Damn Geocities, good for nothing...razzle frazzle.

Hmmm, the tech guys will probably sort out the eras things. I'm not too familiar with that kind of stuff.

Since we can't have the Sunni/Shia split, either Sunni or SHia will have to be the heretics. 3 of 4 Muslim Factions are SUnnis, so I think the Shia will be the heretics. Not out of personal bias or anything cos I'm not Muslim, I'm following the "majority" mentality thats all.

[LestaT]

ok, guys, if the links don't work directly, its a matter of "right click and save".

In the future, I'll "imageshack" everything. Damn Geocities, good for nothing...razzle frazzle.

Hmmm, the tech guys will probably sort out the eras things. I'm not too familiar with that kind of stuff.

Since we can't have the Sunni/Shia split, either Sunni or SHia will have to be the heretics. 3 of 4 Muslim Factions are SUnnis, so I think the Shia will be the heretics. Not out of personal bias or anything cos I'm not Muslim, I'm following the "majority" mentality thats all.

There's not much theological differences anyway between the Shiah and the Sunni and the split was mainly political/tribal issue eventhough the split was big enough to bring continuos war even until today.

However, if M2TW uses the loyalty system as in BI that can be use/modded to represent the split and I'm sure that the next TW will have more than current 3 religion that have an actual effect (hardcoded stuff).

I'm pretty sure that M2TW wont be too much diffrence from BI as it'll basically uses the same engine (upgraded hopefully).

Just my 2cents.

[DukeofSerbia]

Fixed link. Plus, geocities has no popup ads so far. Well not for me anyways. Its ready for viewing DukeofSerbia, and its a massive jpeg so u might want to shrink it....

Yes, I see. It's pretty big file. How I will downlod that, that's the good question.

Did you receive e-mail from me in Sunday night (your time was Monday morning) or not? I ask because you didn't answer.

And now I saw that starting year is 1062. Kievan Rus desintegreted into numerous principalities. Which principality will be the major, question is now (Moscow didn't existed yet)?

[kataphraktoi]

oops i did see the email, but i didnt read it completely. TO download the map, "right click and save target as" on the link for the map.

The disintegration of the RUs wasn't immediate after 1054, so we have to script it in so that provinces around Kiev are rebellious, the player who controls the Rus will have to fight internecine wars.

Kipchaks were indeed one of the dominant components in the Golden Horde army, perhaps, Orda Khan can shed light on this.

I'll leave the naming of the Balkan provinces up to you except for Epirus, Thrace, Thessaly and Constantinople in which I'll get it translated into Greek by another guy.

Ok, then can ur friend show some animation samples?

The worse thing now are team members asking for more provinces when I've already hit the province limit.



JANISSARY ADDED, SEE FIRST POST

[Orda Khan]

It must be the file size of the map, the other geocite links work OK. The Janissary Heavy Inf is stunning, superb work Wraithdt!!

The Qipchaq question.....
When the Mongol princes left for Qaraqorum, the vast majority of 'Mongol' Tumens left the west. Batu was left with his own personal army and some other commanders/personnel who decided to remain. On the whole, the so called 'Mongol' armies of the Golden Horde were Qipchaq. Batu's new realm was referred to as the 'Khanate of Qipcha'ud'. The Golden, Blue, White horde names did not apply, the whole area was under the authority of Batu. Tatar was a name applied to conquered peoples, perhaps after the destruction of the Tatars proper by Chingis Khan. This could be one explanation why both Russian and European chronicles refer to them as 'Tatars', especially when Friar Giovanni DePlano Carpini wrote about the 'Mongols whom we call Tatars'

.......Orda

[DukeofSerbia]

There, the Byzantine master has said it. Plus I remembered reading that the Byzantines were never really keen on adopting the western style of heavily armoured infantry and has always stuck to using lamellar and scale armour up untill the fall of the empire in 1453. The only person I know who wore full plated armour was the emporer Constantine XI during the final fall of Costantinople.

Kataphraktoi, I found that on www.twcenter.net Forum (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showp...&postcount=88).

Year: 1150
Event: Battle
Location: Near (small) river Tara near modern Valjevo town in Western Serbia
Sides: Romans against join forces of Serbs and Hungarians
Military leaders of Romans: Emperor Manuel I Comneni, plus generals John Ducas and ? Cantacuzenus (all were personally fought, Cantacuzen and Manuel were almost killed by Hungarians)
Military leaders of Serbs and Hungarians: Rascian Grand župan Uroš II, Rascian župans Grdeša and Vučina and Hungarian archzupan Vakhin
Battle: Roman army defeated joint forces of Serbs and Hungarians in bloody battle. Reason was highly undisciplined Serbian and Hungarian soldiers. Rascian župans Grdeša and Vučina were captured, Grand župan Uroš II and his army routed. Manuel I captured personally Hungarian archzupan Vakhin who almost killed him according to John Kinam. Hungarian army also routed.
Outcame: Rascian Grand župan Uroš II became Manuel’s vassal (second time).

I read that emperor Manuel I Comneni has protected whole body with golden armor in that battle! And I think it was plate armor from describe. It is recorded by Greek John Kinam (or Cinam).