Ancient China Mod ACTW

[LeBob]

For all who are interested or curious,
I started to work on a China (three kingdom) mod. The mod will put total war into the three kingdom area but eventually will be a more expanded mod with probably the warring state period.

So far the map is done (Thanks to Komninos), as well as the campmap pieces and the techtree buildings.
This mod will include:
- a new map (as said) 100% done
- new techtree (50% done)
- new clans (20% done)
- the units graphics will not be changed just because I do not know how to do this http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
- new background
- new music
- and more....

When will it be finished? well since I am working on it just by myself it can be in 1 month for a beta release or maybe in 3....

want to help? sure, drop me a line.

C'est tout pour le moment

Lord Le Bob (i guess i should change my name for this project.. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Antalis::]

Zitat[/b] (LeBob @ Nov. 11 2003,11:47)]For all who are interested or curious,
I started to work on a China (three kingdom) mod. The mod will put total war into the three kingdom area but eventually will be a more expanded mod with probably the warring state period.

So far the map is done (Thanks to Komninos), as well as the campmap pieces and the techtree buildings.
This mod will include:
- a new map (as said) 100% done
- new techtree (50% done)
- new clans (20% done)
- the units graphics will not be changed just because I do not know how to do this http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
- new background
- new music
- and more....

When will it be finished? well since I am working on it just by myself it can be in 1 month for a beta release or maybe in 3....

want to help? sure, drop me a line.

C'est tout pour le moment

Lord Le Bob (i guess i should change my name for this project.. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
You could use the Shogun units, which barocca had converted into MTW.
For babarians of the north, if they are included, you could use the mongolean units.


btw: I´m looking forward to your mod.
A very interresting mod http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[The Wizard]

Sweet I like the idea... China is a good area for a TW game.

Did you know that the soldiers of the Three Kingdoms were more heavily armored than the Ming Chinese of the late Middle Ages? o_Ô;

[NagatsukaShumi]

Hello LeBob,

I privately planned the same kind of MOD monthes ago, I decided to return to Rome as you can probably tell.

I have a few things you may like, I have a nice brief introduction to the events of the Three Kingdoms I wrote up beginning with the Yellow Turbans to the collapse of the 3 Kingdoms and instigation of the Jing Dynasty. I also have around 200 portraits from a Three Kingdoms site which would look very nice in your MOD, I can easily send them to you or direct you to the site where you can find them.

I'm intrigued as to what time periods you will be setting this between and whom you will include. Heres some suggestions, use it if you wish.

I suggest you start atleast the first campaign towards the end of the 2nd Century BC, here some factions avilable at this time:

The Yellow Turbans
The Han Dynasty

There are numerous other men with power at this time, you could name them "The Family of......"

Later of coarse Wu, Wei and Shu appear, but during their time you could also add:

The Yuan Family

Others you could consider is other land owners in what became Shu after to Liu Bei's attacks against them.

Those are just a few suggestions, use them if you like.

[LeBob]

Wizzy,

I will check this http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Naga..

Any info will be great. You can send it (the links) at cte_fan@yahoo.com

The kingdoms choosen for the beta are:
Rebels
Koreans
Wei
Wu
Shu
Qiang
Di
Xianbei
Burma

This will change later.
The time period start at 220 AD.

Antalis,
The mongolians units will be used as well as the koreans when STW will be out.

thanks for your interest guys. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

LLB

[Antalis::]

Sounds good http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[dessa14]

i was planning a mod on china but at a much later time but because you were making a china mod i started on a south american mod how about trying a better title like the one i had "Dynastic Total War" Dynasties and stuff are usally associated with china.
thanks dessa

[komninos]

Hi all,

These are some notes on the map, more info. can be found in the map library thread. With images of the map and the current faction areas.

some things to note ...
Koreans and Burma were simply named that way cause I didn't have more info on them ... so LeBob try to get something on them two.
The mod starts at 220 ... for one simple reason ... you can't have BC years so I usaly use some low value AD.

The main factions on the map are the Wei, Wu and Shu. They also have ~70% of the map.
There are 2 Mongol factions (Qiang, Xianbei) , 1 barbarian West Chinese (Di). Finally you get the Koreans and the Burma. From them The Koreans have the larges part in number of provinces.

The province names are the existing from MTW so if any one can get the map from the map library thread and try to put the correct ones

LeBob ... I hope you could find your way through the Excel file ... I would strongly recommend you use it If you get stuck just drop me a line ... I will guide you through.

[NagatsukaShumi]

You could always date it as 0 3K (Or the Year 0 of the Three Kingdoms....or the first year after the collapse of the Han Dynasty, just na suggestion because obviously I know BC isn't possible, I am making Centurion remember http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif).


If you haven't already I'd visit the Kongming site, yes it covers the Romance of the Three Kingdoms but that is a good source of information even if Cao Cao is portrayed as evil simply due to the writer been a pro Shu-Han person (Cao Cao and Liu Bei fought biterrly before Liu Bei was so enraged with Wu's "murder" of his oath brother Guan Yu that he made (excuse the pun) total war on Wu....losing however. Just a little bit of history for you there, I'm full of it lol).

[LeBob]

Komninos,

Good thing to point this out. It will be done.

Dessa,

Dynastic Total war...maybe, the title will stay like this for now..it does not really mater

Naga,

Concerning the time period, the warring state period started around 400 bc up to 220 bc or so...So maybe the time 0 will be 400 bc...with the Qin era 220...and the three kingdom from 420 or so up to 620....I have to think about this....

LLB

[Marshal Murat]

Hey I can't get the map to work. I converted the jpg. to tga. but when I click contiune after chosing a faction, it CTD

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Marshal Murat @ Nov. 13 2003,05:37)]Hey I can't get the map to work. I converted the jpg. to tga. but when I click contiune after chosing a faction, it CTD
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

Of course you can't get the map to work. Komninos is merely showing you an image of the map he's created. This image happens to be a JPG - but it's only an image.

Komninos has actually used LMM4v1 to actually create the real files required (of which there are several - see the stickied thread in the Entrance Hall), and if you wish to see such a map in MTW then you would have to do the same.

Thinking you can 'convert' a single JPG screenshot image to a TGA and thus have a new campaign map - is ... er ... akin to thinking you can do the same with a single screenshot of a military unit image and believing that such a JPG to BIF conversion will provide you with a completely new unit in terms of MTW

Ridiculous of course.

Dont forget that Komninos is showing images of maps that he has undoubtedly spent a long time designing

It's just an image of what Komninos has done

Do you get it?

Welly

[LeBob]

update

The korean faction will be rename "Samguk kingdoms".
They represents the three koreans kingdoms of the time period that existed.

LLB

[Antalis::]

Zitat[/b] (Wellington @ Nov. 13 2003,07:07)]
Zitat[/b] (Marshal Murat @ Nov. 13 2003,05:37)]Hey I can't get the map to work. I converted the jpg. to tga. but when I click contiune after chosing a faction, it CTD
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

Of course you can't get the map to work. Komninos is merely showing you an image of the map he's created. This image happens to be a JPG - but it's only an image.


Maybe he has downloaded the campaignmap + definitions a time ago in the library thread of komninos.
There was a link to download them.
You can also download them in the Files section.

[LeBob]

Update

Burma will be renamed "Waytharly Kingdom". They were the dynasty that ruled Burma during the period considered.

LLB

[Kekvit Irae]

*pouts* And here I was, making a map for a Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Total War mod I was going to do. Guess I'll have to scrap it now, so I wont look unoriginal.
However, why start at 220AD? The events leadings up to the Three Kingdoms era were just as brutal and important (Yellow Turban/Scarves Rebellion, Dong Zhou, Yuan Shou, etc)

[Antalis::]

I have a suggestion for all of you who wanted to make a china mod:
Why don´t you work together and build a team?


btw: dessa14: Please continiue your work on the Conquistator mod (because you also wanted to make a china mod before) I´m looking forward to it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[LeBob]

Antalis,

I agree with you. If people wants to work on this project with me, they are more than welcome...there is a lot of work to do. But it is not the first time I say this and so far no many people have come forward. This is why I do not expect a team to be built.

Komninos,

I tested the map and I also got a CTD after choosing the faction....any idea why? of course I saved the maps as TGA.....

Kekvitirae,

220 AD was chosen because of the info I got...it can be changed but for the beta, it will stay like this because I want to go forward and not changing things too much. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
By the way, if you want to be part of the development of the mod, let me know http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

LLB

[komninos]

There are two very good reasons for the CTDs
1. The TGA should be of the right format ... use ACDSee or Irfanview
2. In the files I have not packed or mentioned other procedures you should do ... check the \texture\campmap\viking folder and copy what ever is missing to the \China folder you also need portraits that are found in the \campmap folder.

There is a sticky thread that goes in detail to what else is needed for a new mod. An easy way to go is copy the Viking folders and rename them to China.

[LeBob]

Komninos,

That's what I thought.... I swear

Thanks I will fixed this.

LLB

[Tatsumaru Rokkaku]

Suggestion,...Why not put Nanman as a faction,..from what i remember they were a big threat to Shu's expansion as they didn't want a war on 2 fronts (Nanman and Wei),...ionno someone can correct me on that if im wrong,...

Also there was another faction north of the Wei kingdom, where Ma Chao and his brother (Ma Teng i think) orginated from...u can also add them on there...

But yea, good idea on China:TW...lots of famous names and activity goin on in china during the whole TW era...this should be my substitute to playin RoTK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[NagatsukaShumi]

The Nanman were a southern threat to Shu, however I don't believe they engaged with the Nanman whilst been at war with Weie, it wouldn't be feasable for Shu to do that, they wouldn't have the resources.

[LeBob]

Komninos,

The map is running great. I used Barocca post and now everything is working great.

More to come soon.

LLb

[komninos]

Hi LeBob,

As I said ... it was intended for moders not users ... check the Excel file if you need help send me a PM or a mail.

I would recommend though to concentrate in the unit & buildings part and live the map alone till you have a working model of the units and buildings. I have my tools for these two that you can use for rapid production of both (not the graphics though).

[LeBob]

update,

Here is a little update...
I got all the historical background, and armies info.
I will try to add the elephants to the Burmese army.

The first beta will have the following things:

- New map (done but would like to have rivers added so we will see)
- New portaits
- new music
- New background
- and of course all the text associate with the period
- maybe the elephants

I will not add the tech tree and the units (new ones exept the elephants) to the first beta since it would be too long...

Lord Le Bob

[Scipio]

so what units will you put on on later versians just the mongols?

[LeBob]

Scipio,

Since I am not a good unit graphic designer, I will use the units from the game and just change their names and attributes but not the graphics.
Nevertheless, I am going to try to add the elephants units and some koreans units (I have to ask Barocca). This (I hope) will be added to the first version...
Of course I would love to redesign the units but without outside help, this would not be done.
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Thanks
Lord Le Bob

[Scipio]

Ya too bad Flip cant help you but thats alright maybe after your mod is complete somwone will come in and tweek it so there are differances

[dclare4]

Would it be too much to ask where I can get the new China map? The link in the New Maps thread doesn't work I think.

Thanks,
Clare

[LeBob]

The map is in the download Mod section of the org.
but it is not ready to use. You need to do some modding first and install some files.

LLB

[LeBob]

Update:

So here is where I stand.
the frontend files are almost done
the campmap pieces for the soldier and general and ships are done
the chinese / korean / burmese names are done
the buildings bifs are done
the music is almost done

next I am working on the units description...some of the units will be

china
Dao infantry
Qiang infantry
Jian infantry
Ji infantry
Archers
Chi-no-gu crossbow
Dao cavalry
Qiang cavalry
Jian cavalry
Ji cavalry


border nomads
Horse archers
light cavalry
foot swordman
Archers infantry

Burmese army
spearmen
archers
elephants
levied cavalry
Dah cavalry
crossbowmen
Mon hunters
Pyu hunters

I am looking at the koreans right now. Also some other "special"units will be available.
any suggestions are welcome

LLB

[dclare4]

Bonjour LeBob,

I was able to make your first upload work, the first one posted in this thread. I'm assuming the map has changed?

The Three Kingdoms games were the grand-daddy of a lot of these modern games and I still have abandonware copies from way back. Can't wait to see what you do with it

Was thinking, for an encore, got some ideas for a mid-Victorian era China game based on an old board game I have here. You play the Manchu Prime Minister or whatever they had back then, trying to maintain control of the emperor while ensuring that China remains firmly under Manchu control. You face off with the growing power of local warlords, Triad bandits, Muslim, Taiping and Nien bandits and of course the encroaching white barbarians. Was thinking of using the NINJ weapon for quickfiring rifled-muskets (have tried this out already) and the beauty is it also doesn't need any new units I think except maybe the Western Infantrymen. Don't know much about the period though and not sure about composition of Manchu 19thC Chinese armies or their uniforms, etc. but probably was masses of conscripts. Fun, fun, fun

You can 'make your own way' so to speak - do you indulge the sensual and corrupt pleasures of the Manchu court or work for the welfare of the Chinese people? Do you strengthen your lands and armies to solidify your hold on China or do you struggle to please the emperor (so he doesn't chop off your head) by any means possible? How will you keep out the encroaching Western barbarians and combat the evil effects of the Opium trade? Do you mount social reforms or crush rebellions with impunity and ruthless bloodshed? Stuff like that.

Best regards,
Clare

[Antalis::]

I think to use the Shogun-japan-units would also fit in China, what do you think?
Ask barocca for them.

[TW_GenghisKhan]

Dear LeBob,
Hope I am not too late to contact you.
I am the boardmaster of Taiwan Cavaliers which host I believed http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif the largest Chinese Total War discussion forum on line. We have about 400 members and maybe 30-40 of them are active in which about 5-6ppls afre interested in modding the total War.

I introduce your jpg to my forum, and some of us are very interested in helping a hand.

We've been modding some bifs to our own interest, but we are lack of systematically organized modding instruction. Therefore, I quoted Duke John and Wellinton's modding guide for their reference(I would like to say BIG thanks to both of them but I can't post my appreciation before). Since English still a barrier to most of us, these 2 gentlemen's great masterpieces are still quite unknown to most of them who are interested in modding TW. Now I am doing my translation homework, hope soon we can catch up on the technology cutting edge.

We could be and will be glad to be your strong support on modding the Romance of Three Kindoms mod. If you could tell us what to do.

I will mark this thread so any new comment will be mailed to my mailbox, that way I wouldn;t miss any valuable advice, and you could write me and send me your request so I could announce them in the forum and summon enough ppl to help.
Taiwan Cavaliers Forum is http://www.totalwars.org/forum
my mailbox is mizzou@totalwars.org
welcome to write me if we could be of any help


Yours,

TW_GenghisKhan(TW_ServiusTullius on line)

[LeBob]

Hi, I send you an email check it out.

LLB

[TW_GenghisKhan]

Quote[/b] (LeBob @ Dec. 17 2003,21:38)]Hi, I send you an email check it out.

LLB
Ah Dear Lord Le Bob,
That was you
I will read it later tonight, when I am off from my office. Here is the creation of HeroAtai, you can check it to see whether it meets your need. Some characters need to be translated and it is not quite accurate.
http://myweb.hinet.net/home3/mizzou/files/SangoStrMap.jpg

Tell me your comment, then we start from there.

*Edit Note*
The jpg doesn't work, please check my forum's thread, I will have it opened to viewed by nonmember temperarily.
Sango Strategic Map (http://www.totalwars.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=660)




Yours,

TW_ServiusTullius http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[LeBob]

TW_GenghisKhan

I tried to see the lonk but there was nothing...I mean, no jpg or other.

LLB

[TW_GenghisKhan]

I will mail the map to you..

TW_ServiusTullius

[Agency]

How's the mod going. I"m glad to see that someone is doing a mod of ROTK, I was thinking of it myself. I would be more than willing to help out in any way, even though I'm not that experienced. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[LeBob]

Dear Agency,

the mod is going very slowly right now due to the fact that I am focusing first on the Nap mod and due to the lack of people helping.

If you want to help there is plenty of work. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
feel free to contact me on my yahoo adress for more info on how to help (let me know if you know how to mod or what would you like to do).

thanks for your support

LLB

[Sun Tzui]

Hy LeBob.

Could you post a small image of the map you've alredy made?

txs

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[NagatsukaShumi]

Hi Le Bob,

I'm willing to help, I have spare time away from CTW to do so (Plus I love ROTK period).

Nag

[Zhuge_Liang]

hi, I am new here
about nanman I have t say they are weak so it would be nice to give them a large army, but a villagers army
you can set Lu Bu not as a faction, as a rebel leader, with the hability of a famous warrior. you could pay him to join you
Sima Yi should appear as the king of a new faction in the lands of Wei
Liu Biao, the ruler of Jing had a great army, but you should set his faction as an issolate, cause he never wanted to expand
mi email is Jacovicio@hotmail.com if you wanna ask me something

[LeBob]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the interest on this mod. At this point the mod is somehow on a stop because I have a lot to do on the Napoleoic mod (this is the priority). I still do not have access for putting a picture here (any moderator could give me this???).
Basically the mod is working, I think I will release a beta sometime this week or the next. If people are still willing to help, then I will pursue it otherwise I will work on it at my own pace (which is pretty slow http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

There is a need for people:
1. someone to work on a tech tree
2. someone to work on the units
3. someone to work on portrait

they are the biggies...
ok, have a good year
Lord le Bob

[The Sword of Cao Cao]

as you can tell by my name, I love this period of warfare. I'am wondering how the mod is going so far? have you given up?

[LeBob]

Hi there,

Yes the mod is stopped and I do not plan to resume it. The main reasons being a lack of outside help (beside Komninos who provided a great map).

I basically got many of the info I wanted, replaced the names and pieces graphics but I stopped there.

There is not enough time for me to work on this project as well as the NTW team and taking care of my private life which has much more priority...so...I stopped...if there is a team of people willing to continue it I would be more than happy to give all the material that i have done.

Thanks again for those who had some interest in this project.

Lord Le bob
(NTW team)

[Oberstein]

May I recommend the following site for information on this period?

http://kongming.net/

The KOEI series of games about the 3 kingdoms period is a fairly good starting point, although they amusingly stopped producing them in English (except as Playstation versions, with some very strange pronunciations of the characters names......) several years ago.

sigh...I'll never get used to hearing the best villain in ancient Chinese history referred to as 'Cow Cow' ^_^

[The Sword of Cao Cao]

what makes him a villain? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-confused.gif

[MiniKiller]

any screenies?

Call it the Three Kingdoms or something :)

[MiniKiller]

Quote[/b] (Oberstein @ Feb. 12 2004,13:33)]May I recommend the following site for information on this period?

http://kongming.net/

The KOEI series of games about the 3 kingdoms period is a fairly good starting point, although they amusingly stopped producing them in English (except as Playstation versions, with some very strange pronunciations of the characters names......) several years ago.

sigh...I'll never get used to hearing the best villain in ancient Chinese history referred to as 'Cow Cow' ^_^
ever play kessen 2? loved it as well as kessen

[komninos]

Hi LeBob, http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

How is the mod going ... are there any screens going around?

The good news here is that flip managed to build a chariot. We are still working on it but I think we are close so a Chariot for your mod will be possible also. ... Though initially might be with a Hoplite like figure "Epeti" on it but ... others will be developed eventually http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[The Sword of Cao Cao]

sorry man. unfortunately ACTW has been scrapped by Le Bob. but perhaps when you are finished with HTW, YOU weould be interested?



now that was shameless begging, eh m8?

[Eastside Character]

I've been observing this thread from the beginning, and i have to say it worries me to hear this mod has been canceled.
It is obvious that for just one modder, in this case LeBob, it is very difficult to complete such a project. Working on Conquistador i learned how much time consuming and sometimes frustrating the process of creation of such mod can be. I'd really like to see this mod being developed, and I'm willing to offer my help. I know there are quite a few people who would be also interested in this modding endeavor, so what i propose is to set up a team and keep this mod running.

Regards,
EC

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Yes it looked very promising
CZoF

[The Sword of Cao Cao]

I second Eastside. I know nothing of modding, so I'm afraid all I can offer is support and maybe some links that might help with the units and such.

[komninos]

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif Well I have developed the map this mod needed and all the starting files. I hate to see it disappear in oblivion and on the other hand I see so many mods dealing with the Romans in various periods.

I started the HTW because it did not interfere with the RTW now in its final stage. I ma now 100% HTW and can't do much out side of it since it consumes at this stage more time than what it should.

I have seen some interest from China based moder, I think this should be there project. They know the ground and have a first hand info. When I was doing the map I had to read what ever I could lay may hands on and it is still just an approximation.

I will release probably a small update to the HTW that will take you to Bronze age and the chariots will be included there ... these will be Greek / West Asiatic chariots not Chinese but it is a good start.

I would really like to help but I have no time to do so but to those interested I can provide tools and guidance on how to move forward.

And as my first help. Who is really interested on devoting 4hours / day to start it? He should get a set of units (not very big just for start). Get my map, make the units, modify the bifs a bit (give them Chinese stile shields), make the descriptions, go through the map and modify the area terrain and architecture, pack it and make a first beta public. This will take ~ a month and the result will be similar to my Trojan War.
Quick and Dirty mod that’s your start ... the team will be assembled later don’t worry.

I started HTW and the first beta was on the map of England I had to build the map of Greece and find a way to introduce it in HTW. That got people like flip and Antalis on the mod.