Drenai Mod

[knoddy]

DRENAI MOD

This mod was inspired by The Wheel of Time mod which is currently under development. After trying to come up with a time period to mod RTW to i decided it didnt have to be a real place and time. And so i have decided to recreate the world from David Gemmell's famous Drenai series of books. So all u Gemmell fans out there put on your thinking caps and lend me a hand. Any ideas anyone may have please post them.

At the moment the game is looking like having about 8 factions which is only a small amount but it is not final(ive prolly missed some) they include:

The Drenai
The Nadir
The Saluthi
The Ventrians
The Vagrians
The Chiatze
The Lentrians
The Nashites

also, although at the moment i am not planning to try and get people to join a modding team if any Gemmell fans out there have ideas about skins, models or anything like that, that they wish to send me then please do. I may also make requests at times for people to help with specific things. In no way do i intend to take this mod on by myself but for the moment time restricitons would limit me too much to work with a group.

Cheers all please post feedback and let me know wot u think and stay tuned for updates. ~D

[dark_shadow89]

WHOA!!!!I had this idea, but i thought that no one would've even heard of David Gemmel...I love his books, especially the Rigante ones. If u can get some more ppl to join, i'm in!!!

also, how about the Angostin? Mashrapur? Kydor? Skathia, Gothir, Tantria, Opal, Panthia, Dospilis, Sherak, Kiatze, Pelucid? I've got lots of maps if u need them...

maybe the Drenai could be a republic (as it was in Legend), with 3 families (Egel, Karnak, Dakeyras - Waylander's real name)

come to think of it...count me in!!!

i've also got some ideas about what the cultures should be like (Drenai = hellenic-ish culture? due to their use of spearmen, sort of hoplite-ish, red cloaks (spartan?))

cheers, dark_shadow89

also, by nashites, i think u mean Nashaanites...

[Armchair Athlete]

A Gemmell mod, this would be awesome! You could have werebeasts created by Nadir Shamen as well. Great to see more Gemmell fans out there! Anyway, I own just about every Gemmell book made, so if you need info, I can help too!

[knoddy]

lol i didnt expect to get such enthusiastic replies thanx for the support guys. lol as for all the factions u listed, like i said i probably forgot about half of em so i will do a revised faction list soon. I am currently looking at creating the campaign map based on the map out of the Skilgannon novels. I need just a bit more practice in fact if someone could tell me exactly how the map_regions.tga and map_heights.tga interact that would be great. ie wot the different coulours r for the different heights. as for those eager fans out there if any of u would like to come up with some skins and ideas for unit rosters that would be great i will prolly post a full faction list and unit roster within the next couple of days and ask u all to comment. cheers and lookout for more updates!!

[Armchair Athlete]

There is a list of most of the interesting interview questions asked here;

http://members.lycos.co.uk/punchbag/

Some interesting points that come out interviews here are;

As you may of guessed, Gemmell pictured certain factions as paralleling real life cultures, eg the Nadir are fairly obviously the Mongols, Chiatze being Chinese, and interestingly he said he pictured the Drenai as being more 'middle ages' or medieval, with the Naashanites being more Arabic (The swords of night and day are based on scimitars). He also said he is a big fan of the total war series, and mentioned numerous times his playing of MTW and RTW, so its possible he may even play this mod! No pressure or anything Knoddy!! The final main important note is that he said he doesn't like fan fiction, so I think that not too much stuff should be made up, it should try and be as accurate to the books as possible, although obviously with some factions that do not feature in the books much stuff would have to be made up.

Unfortunately I cannot do much actual modding, and until more modellers sign up, it is probably best to keep factions to a minimum, or else the mod will never be released! But I think that some of the ones Dark Shadow posted should be included, the Gothir and Angostin are very major players in the novel, the other ones maybe if you have time. I keep all my books at my parents house, so I wont have access to them until end of next week, maybe I can post some stuff then.

[Lord Shand]

Count me in – a drenai mod was something I had plans on doing way back when MTW came out, just never got round to finishing it. I too am a massive fan of gemmell

Ill post later tonight with more thoughts on what you could add.

On a similar note does anyone here read the Malazan series by Steven Erikson – they would also make an awesome mod

- MAlazan Marines
- The BRidgeburnes
- The Crimson Guard
- Segulah!!!!!!!
- Tenescowri
- Toblakai
Just to name a few of the units/nations you could have.

The more I think on it – the more I would love to see mods based on these worlds

[dark_shadow89]

Some units:

-Eternal Guard
-Drenai Legion
-Ventrian Heavy Cavalry

also, maybe we could have some units named after famous people/items/etc.. in the books?
like:

-Druss/Snaga Axemen
-Wolfshead Tribal Elite
-Defenders of Delnoch
-Rajnee (from hero in the shadows)

cheers, dark_shadow89

P.S. if this mod is to get off the ground, i'll set up a forum for it...

[Myrddraal]

Inspired by WoT... Well it must be good then ~;) I haven't read the books, what are they like?

Lord Shand, I haven't seen you post in ages am I just blind?...

[knoddy]

HAVENT READ THE BOOKS!!! he is only the GREATEST EVER writer of heroic fantasy lol. And as for actually having David Gemmell playing the mod.....WOOT that would be sooo good in fact if any one has any way of contacting him like a fan mail address or something i would seriously consider getting him to do some beta testing if we get there that would be so good i mean who better to tell us if it is accurate than the man who created the world.

As for units i have already been thinking about it and was planning on having units like the Ranjee and such. The Vagrian Hounds of War and the Nadir Wolfshead Soldiers as the Nadir's elite troops. Also the Legion was in my mind Gorbens immortals, The Eternal Guard and many more.

So i will get cracking on getting a mostly completed faction list and will prolly complete it tomoz for everyone to see and comment on. I am prolly going to take Armchair Athlete's advice and leave a few of the smaller ones out or have them as rebel factions simply because of lack of info about them in the books.

P.S. can someone please clarify for me i need to have the senate ONLY in a map as well as the town of ROME is that all i need to include.

[dark_shadow89]

just have the senate-like thing that was in Legend (where Abalayn was ruling), then have 3 major families (Dakeyras, Egel, Karnak)...

it looks like this thing is moving, so maybe get your own forum?

cheers, dark_shadow89

[knoddy]

Well if u wanted to setup a forum please do so i dont have the time at the moment so yeah please do. As for updates well here is wot i believe will be a faction list for the game this is subject to change but i wouldnt think it will vary too much.

1. Drenai
2. Gothir
3. Nadir
4. Ventria
5. Vagria
6. Lentria
7. Saluthi
8. Nashannite
9. Opal
10. Chiatze
11. Angostin
12. A senate of some sort run by drenai but separate to the faction??
These are the definite factions that will be in the game because these r the factions for which we have plenty of info and refrences.

Other possiblities are

Mashrapur
Kydor
Skathia
Tantria
Panthia
Dospolis
Sherak
Kiatze
Pelucid

The reasons y these factions are only possiblities is because i would like to stay as loyal as possible to the books and that may not be possible to do with those factions because we have so little info on them but we will wait and see.

P.s. i am pretty crappy with graphics so im someone wants too make a cewl banner for the mod please feel free cheers

[knoddy]

Well despite an apparant drop in interest for this mod (i dont care if im the only one who plays it thats good enough for me lol) its development is under way with the construction of a campaign map going strong. if i can figure out how to post them i will put some screenies up in the next couple of days. if anyone is interested in helping please post and Armchair Athlete if u can get access to your books (i have most of em too just cant read them at the moment) i would appreciate ur input in the for om suggestions for the names of towns and provinces cheers all and keep your eyes peeled for more updates

[Lord Shand]

I would love to help get this mod off the ground. As i said i did start working on a mod for this back when MTW fist came out, but put it aside to help with NTW.

Anyways, here is a good source of Drenai info

http://www.dodgenet.com/~moonblossom/legendof.htm

Also i have all the books, except the latest one. I also had a list of factions/names and also a list of units that could be used.

As to the senate? Why not use the senate and the romans for the NAdir? make it so at the start they all start out small and relatively weak, and if possible at war with each other, then they will hvae to band together to defeat Gothir and the Drenai.

then when they are strong enough, one of the tribes starts to dominate the others (Wolfhead) and eventually can unit all the tribes?

I think the RTW engine will suit a Drenia Mod very well.

As to units based on characters, why not just have the named characters instead? After Druss was only one man, not a whole army....

IF i can help in anyway let me know..

Myrdraal, i havent posted for aged, you're right, ive been a bit busy, so dont worry you're not going blind ~:)

Did noone like my idea of a Malazan mod? or has noone ever heard of the Malazan series? I cant believe readers of Gemmell have not read the Malazan Stories?

[dark_shadow89]

sorry, never heard of it.

I'd give my full support and help if this mod gets off the ground, but we need to advertise. Maybe you could advertise around SCC and TWC, Lord Shand?

[knoddy]

ok well i had this idea bout the senate which will hopefully work well enough. wot i intend to do is at the start of the game there will be a faction of the Drenai which is playable and a senate faction based loosly around the Drenai probably allied to the drenai. then i will write a script to kill of all members of the senates family on the first turn of the game then change the senate faction death message to say something about the Drenai senate being dissolved and the drenai being ruled by a single monarch or some such thing. this could aslo be done with the nadir or some other faction but i will wait to see.

im also sitting on something with the dimplomacy and more specifically bribery but it requires more testing till i see wether it works or not so i will update on that one.

other than that camp map is still going along(so little time damn those uni assignments lol) and i would really appriciate it if someone could advertise this mod for me at some of the other official sites seeing as it might help get more people interested. cheers all and stay tuned for updates.

[The_Ferret]

HARDCODE! Need 21 factions

[knoddy]

wot do u mean
HARDCODE! Need 21 factions please explain this post???

[Armchair Athlete]

I think he means there is a limit of 21 factions maximum, and rebels must be one, so that makes 20. btw I am working on units, I am reading through the novels and writing down every unit description I see. Soon I will post all I have found.

[dark_shadow89]

I could set up a forum for this mod, if you guys want...

[knoddy]

yes please if you could set up a forum for us that would be wonderful and muchly appreiciated. cheers

[dark_shadow89]

Would you want it in here, at TWC, at SCC or at a private forum site, like invisionfree?

[knoddy]

whatever is easiest for u i really dont mind.

also on the actually modding front i might be down and out for a few days cos i have alot of uni asignments due and have to actually start them lol =)

[dark_shadow89]

OK, be4 I start the website, I'll need basic numbers on who'll be in the team.

[knoddy]

hehehe lol i wouldnt have a clue at the moment im just doin bits by myself with input from other but from wot i have seen there are about 4 interested peeps with lots more out there hopefully so wel will see

[Lord Shand]

Well ill help out where i can.

I have some ideas, ill jot them down later

tally hoe :charge:

[BAD]

Oh. At last somewhere some interest in a Drenai World mod. w00t. Now then, I don't even own RTW still loving MTW atm. But the series (and author) is great even if some people call it "kid" Science fiction fantasy. --__--

I'd be more than willing to help out with any background, unit descriptions, faction descriptions, heroes etc. etc. If there is a forum for it, can some one direct me there or an admin can get my msn/email.

Now that's got me thinking I need to re-re-re-re-read some of Gemmel's books. Oh and yes I noticed Lord Shand mentioned Steven Eriksons, "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series. Now if this is in the works for modding anywhere in MTW or RTW I am deffinately in. The best SFF I have ever read!!! ~D :book: ~D So any got directions? =D

[knoddy]

hmmm direction well im hoping that we will have a forum up soon as dark_shadow89 has the time to organise it and then i guess we will go from there the easiest way would prolly just be for me to post when i need help ideas etc and let our imaginations go wild i will post agian when the forums get up oh and if anyone knows any gemmell fans please advertise for me if u can think of anyone u know who would be interested let them know so we can get this thing flying. cheers

[dark_shadow89]

OK, the forum's up:
http://s10.invisionfree.com/Drenai_Total_War/

[BAD]

~:cheers: (has posted allready) ~:cheers:

Good work dark_shadow. ~:)

[Lord Shand]

Oh and yes I noticed Lord Shand mentioned Steven Eriksons, "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series. Now if this is in the works for modding anywhere in MTW or RTW I am deffinately in. The best SFF I have ever read!!! ~D :book: ~D So any got directions? =D


The more ive been thinkin on it the more i think the malazan series would make a great mod for RTW, when i find the time im gonna start jottin down ideas. if you're interested too, let me know.

[BAD]

The more ive been thinkin on it the more i think the malazan series would make a great mod for RTW, when i find the time im gonna start jottin down ideas. if you're interested too, let me know.


(lets you know)

Definately. I'm currently on my 3rd re-read of the entire series. :dizzy2: ~:eek: :book:

PS - My online name is from that series, was originally Ben Adaephon Delat but some people just abbreviated it to BAD. Whadyaknow it just stuck. ~D

[Lord Shand]

Quick Ben Rocks!

But my fave character has to be Fiddler!

[BAD]

Quick Ben Rocks!

But my fave character has to be Fiddler!

(cough) Strings. . . (cough)

Indeed, he's me fave too. ~:eek: (X-files music plays)

[Kaelin-Ring]

Hi there ! I was wondering, is the Mod Project is still going on ?