EB October Preview [Archive]

Krusader

10-15-2006, 20:22

Greetings Europa Barbarorum fans.

We are still working on v0.8 and it has entered more extensive beta-testing and we are fixing problems and issues that we seem to find daily. 0.8 is not far off, but we won't give you any exact date, as we never know if we will face a massive hurdle again or if any other major problems will surface.
In the mean time, here are some new rendered shots of a mix of our artists' work.

And also on behalf of the EB team, an announcement:

EB2!!

At this time, the Europa Barbarorum team would like to announce its plans to move to the newest Total War platform, Medieval: Total War 2. We have always endeavored to provide our fans with the most realistic, historically accurate, fun, and challenging experience, and we feel we are best suited to create a Roman-era modification for MTW2.

As always, we appreciate your support and enthusiasm. You make it easy for us to want to continue to provide the most entertaining experience possible.

We are open to all offers of assistance in continuing this effort, including working together with those who want to create historical realism mods for this timeframe, so we can combine our efforts and provide you a working modification in as short a timeframe as possible.

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https://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1660/2yk9.jpg
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9699/3to6.jpg

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https://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7928/4ua2.jpg
https://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9352/5ax1.jpg

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https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/496/guess1pb6.jpg
Spartiatai

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https://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4716/8vn5.jpg
https://img75.imageshack.us/img75/7951/1wv3.jpg

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https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/2482/9qk8.jpg
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8869/01cx9.jpg
https://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4587/10sv9.jpg

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https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3007/1da9.jpg
https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4660/7fd8.jpg

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https://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4578/1xc3.jpg
https://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4941/6mp0.jpg

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https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1162/6tp1.jpg
https://img473.imageshack.us/img473/7228/7cn2.jpg
https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2065/1dd9.jpg

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As always, if you have questions or comments, the best place to post them is here, where the EB team is most active:

Europa Barbarorum ORG forum (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70)

Europa Barbarorum TWC forum (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=31)

We give special thanks to Imageshack (http://www.imageshack.us) that provides us with a simple, foolproof, and free way to show you all these pictures each week.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

The Europa Barbarorum team.

MSB

10-15-2006, 20:33

Nice units! You lot are brilliant skinners. Will they be in 0.8 or will they be in EB2? And after the move will there still be support for EB1?

khelvan

10-15-2006, 20:44

All graphics work, except our 2D graphics (possibly), will have to be redone for MTW2. All the work you see above will go into 0.8 (on the RTW platform), and 1.0, which we will definitely release for RTW.

After that, it will depend on what is possible within MTW2, and what is not. We had grand dreams for EB, dreams that were shattered on the rocks of reality twice, causing us two complete system overhauls. We want to avoid this again, but we also have a desire to meet these grand dreams.

The Spartan (Returns)

10-15-2006, 20:49

EB2 eh?
sounds good!
nice skins, really wanna see the Spartiatai.

Urnamma

10-15-2006, 20:50

We're fairly confident that many of our graphics can be modified and reused in MTW2 (with enhancements), so you may see EB2 out more quickly than you think :-)

abou

10-15-2006, 21:05

Spartiatai
:furious3:

MSB

10-15-2006, 21:14

I have read that M2TW will have 30 faction slots. That will mean that the EB team will be able to have a reasonably historical amount of factions so there will now be less rebel areas (at last).
Hooray for those that voted to "port" to M2.

And didn't TA say that the fans would only get another preview if the team was stuck with 0.8. Oh no, we're going to have to wait even longer to start in 0.8!

:furious3:
Yes I feel the same. People wanted Spartans, people got Spartans. When I get playing 0.8 I think I will remove the Spartan unit from the game. Spartans were a little rubbish at this point in history and were no better than your average Greek hoplite. It should have been a Syracuse or an Athenian hoplite!

Antagonist

10-15-2006, 21:17

Awesome artwork, truly excellent in quality. :2thumbsup:

And EB2!? Astonishing news. To be honest, I'm surprised and impressed that the EB team would even consider doing it all again given what you've already been through, circumstances which any but the most dedicated enterprise would find untenable. I'm very excited that you're even entertaining the possibility.

Keep up the good work, and looking forward to playing 0.8 and all future versions of EB. :book:

Antagonist

Dayve

10-15-2006, 21:21

What amazes me, even more than those skins above, is that the EB team want to go through all that hard work again to put EB onto M2TW... FOR FREE!

It's a pity that not all game developers are as dedicated to their fans and work as hard as you guys do... Instead of just rushing out good looking dumbed down games for a quick big profit.

Still, they say 1 volunteer is worth 10 paid men.

Oleo

10-15-2006, 21:30

Great! Great news about EB2

And wow, thats some awesome models right there. Again prove of how amazing this mod is. I cant wait for 0.8. ~:cheers:

Reenk Roink

10-15-2006, 21:31

Good luck with both! :2thumbsup:

https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/496/guess1pb6.jpg
Spartiatai

It's good to be a beta tester... :grin:

Orb

10-15-2006, 21:34

Good luck with both! :2thumbsup:

It's good to be a beta tester... :grin:

I'm going to have to kill you. :skull:

Dayve

10-15-2006, 21:38

Dooz

10-15-2006, 21:39

I think I just... wait... yeah, yeah... I just had a minor heart attack. Thanks a lot EB, murderers!

Those units are too good and EB2 will be the end of me. I will kill myself if it comes to fruition. Why? Shutup!

Dayve

10-15-2006, 22:04

I challenge your title of resident pessimist. I am ye olde resident pessimist. I demand you change it to joint resident pessimist, or i will pollute the thread with the history of the zipper.

(Just so as nobody accuses me of trolling or attempting to start an argument over pessimism, this post was mostly a joke)

Aks K

10-15-2006, 22:09

EB2!!! Greatest news of M2TW yet. Sounds excellent that EB 0.8 is nearing its completion.

Aks K

VandalCarthage

10-15-2006, 22:16

I don't see why there's been so much fuss about the Spartan hoplite skin... By the time of EB the Spartans had had their day and were waxing and waning, just waiting to be conquered...

They did fight off Pyrrhus, one of the most skilled and tenacious generals of the age, and were still prominent in a number of places as mercenaries and were rich Hellenes in their own right after these very engagements. There aren't a tremendous number of examples of notably culturally or politically famous/strong polities leasing out their kings as generals.

Teleklos Archelaou

10-15-2006, 22:17

OMG! That medium strength unit which I'm probably not going to ever fight against (ok, maybe once twice ever) are going to cause me to not play your mod! Blech! (:laugh4:)

Aks K

10-15-2006, 22:25

We're fairly confident that many of our graphics can be modified and reused in MTW2 (with enhancements), so you may see EB2 out more quickly than you think :-)Didn't read that until now. These are sweet words in my ears.

Again beautiful artwork :2thumbsup:

Aks K

Lovejoy

10-15-2006, 22:35

OMG! This most be the best looking shit ever. Ever.

That first unit gave me a heart attack! What faction is it for?

And that Hellenic(sp) general... omg ffs ftw... absolutly fantastic job guys.

Now make sure to release that 0.8beta.

Before I go crazy.

Love you so EB-team!

Warlord 11

10-15-2006, 22:39

Those are BEAUTIFUL! My favorite is the fifth one. Great work!

Krusader

10-15-2006, 22:58

Birka Viking

10-15-2006, 23:31

OMG!!!! realy nice skins EB!!!! And realy good news that U will port it over to Medieval....Cant wait to play the 0.8 with my new monster computer..lol.....:2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

scourgeofrome

10-15-2006, 23:31

Nice work.Though to tell you the truth I am going to wait a while before downloading EB2 for three reasons.
1.EB 1 is still fun for me
2.There are some other good looking mods for MTW2 in development
3.I miss the Middle-Ages time span (Yes,I have MTW but I kind of hate the whole Risk-Styled Map).

-Praetor-

10-16-2006, 01:49

What a pity, all those units have been previewed before. Even though the skins are spectacular as usual, and despite the announcement about EB2, there isn`t anything new on this preview that hasn`t been previewed before, save the reskin of the Goidlic Daggernath. :(

Sorry about what I said, but when I saw the October Preview thread, I said "OMG, a new preview, new units and all, and why not, the secret faction might be in it!", but when I saw that all units shown in this thread were previewed before, I couldn`t help feeling the dissapointment.

:( sorry.

Teleklos Archelaou

10-16-2006, 01:57

Yeah. A pity. :grin:

We never said they were new units (though most of them aren't in 0.74), just that they were new rendered shots of our artists' work. We had someone create them for promotional use (as screenshots aren't enough for it) and thought they were just too kick-ass to sit on. It is regretable though to you that we put them out now? Oh well. I just leaked something else entirely new only early yesterday but hey, we just show the same old stuff I suppose. :laugh4:

-Praetor-

10-16-2006, 02:05

NeoSpartan

10-16-2006, 04:41

They did fight off Pyrrhus, one of the most skilled and tenacious generals of the age, and were still prominent in a number of places as mercenaries and were rich Hellenes in their own right after these very engagements. There aren't a tremendous number of examples of notably culturally or politically famous/strong polities leasing out their kings as generals.

And under my command they will reach.........................GREATNESS:knight:
And carve an empire greater than Genghis Khan's Mongol empire. :knight:

NeoSpartan

10-16-2006, 05:37

https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/2482/9qk8.jpg
https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8869/01cx9.jpg
https://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4587/10sv9.jpg

humm.....

Hey guys is it posible to make the KH faction leader look something like this IF the faction leader is a Spartan.

https://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g75/Neospartan/Spartan.jpg
(from Hegemonia mod)

Teleklos Archelaou

10-16-2006, 05:44

Hardcoded. You can't have different generals based upon one of the general's traits. Think about cool stuff like generals who have lost limbs or an eye or stuff like that in battle. :grin:

Redigo

10-16-2006, 05:47

Kralizec

10-16-2006, 07:29

[quote]https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3007/1da9.jpg

Is this a Parthian cataphract? Very good looking!

MarcusAureliusAntoninus

10-16-2006, 08:45

Hardcoded. You can't have different generals based upon one of the general's traits. Think about cool stuff like generals who have lost limbs or an eye or stuff like that in battle. :grin:

That would be awesome, a Captain Ahab like Roman general, after the dirty gauls who took his leg.

Great/interesting news on EB2, by the way...

O'ETAIPOS

10-16-2006, 08:46

I notice CA gave the modding community a big nod on the MTW2 blog, with EB getting top billing (with screenshot!). Any chance they'll ship useful dev tools this time around, or offer help/info to the larger mods? Hell, I'm sure the massive popularity of mods for the TW series drives a good portion of their sales.

As I understand It MTW2, being "evolution" product, may have less "future money potential" so they may relase some of tools. I hope!

Dayve

10-16-2006, 09:44

:sweatdrop: Oh well, I guess I just skipped the part that said "new renders..." to the part of the unit pictures :sweatdrop:

No matter, what really matters is that the team is working on EB .8, and it comes closer every passing day, and that makes me feel "warm and fuzzy" (dunno what does that mean, but a girl from UK told me that she felt warm and fuzzy yesterday by messenger, so it must be a good thing :inquisitive: ).

About the entirely new thing you leaked yesterday... is it on this preview? :laugh4:

Warm and fuzzy is the feeling you get when you fall in love. You know, the warm fuzzy feeling in your stomach? Maybe you've never been in love.

Alternatively, another version of the warm fuzzy feeling is the one you get after eating spicy food, just before you have to run to the toilet, but this one isn't as pleasurable as the love one.

Ho hum, off to play Oblivion!

Krusader

10-16-2006, 12:24

https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3007/1da9.jpg

Is this a Parthian cataphract? Very good looking!

Grivpanvar. Late Parthian cataphract. Might be the Parthian family member's bodyguards, but have to check our sources first if the facemask was mentioned around 272 BC.

CountArach

10-16-2006, 12:26

So, just out of interest, willEB 0.8 be the last version of EB based on the RTW engine, or will you get it to say 1.5, then go to MTW2?

Krusader

10-16-2006, 12:29

So, just out of interest, willEB 0.8 be the last version of EB based on the RTW engine, or will you get it to say 1.5, then go to MTW2?

There will be a 1.0 for the RTW platform.

We will definetly max out the model and unit limit, write descriptions for everything and all the essentials. We are also planning videos.

Of course, I will be honest and say some things might not make it in, like custom city buildings, city planment and such, but this would be mainly due to lack of manpower and needed skills.

Tanit

10-16-2006, 15:07

Good luck with both! :2thumbsup:

It's good to be a beta tester... :grin:

I agree!:laugh4:

I am looking forward with anticipation to EB2. Imagine if they get the different random faces working, what a game!:2thumbsup:

Also looking forward to more factions. Map's bigger too, but they might not want to expand it much so that they don't have to deal with factions off the map. Might be a time not too far away when we start discussing what the new dactions will be. Oh joy and bliss!

Teleklos Archelaou

10-16-2006, 16:41

I notice CA gave the modding community a big nod on the MTW2 blog, with EB getting top billing (with screenshot!). Any chance they'll ship useful dev tools this time around, or offer help/info to the larger mods? Hell, I'm sure the massive popularity of mods for the TW series drives a good portion of their sales.
Where is this 'top billing' thing? I couldn't find it. :grin: Anyone got a link?

Foot

10-16-2006, 17:31

Where is this 'top billing' thing? I couldn't find it. :grin: Anyone got a link?

http://totalwarcommunity.blogspot.com/

Foot

Meothar

10-16-2006, 19:21

This Parthian cataphract looks too clean for a real combat unit, so it has to be a bodyguard who's job is to stay out of melee fights in general. ;)

Teleklos Archelaou

10-16-2006, 19:46

There is a "dirty-him-up-more" movement afoot inside EB with regards to that particular unit. :laugh4:

Red_orbiT

10-16-2006, 20:36

The top unit must be the anticipated axestatii!:D

Zaknafien

10-16-2006, 20:44

This is great news about EB2..just think of all those lovely little factions we can play with!

-Praetor-

10-16-2006, 22:05

Hi

What kind of plume or point does the agrian assault infantry`s helmet have?

From the image`s prespective, it looks like it has a "pickelhaube" like point... but from the side it may be a vertical plume....

Just curious :sweatdrop:

Simmons

10-16-2006, 22:48

Geoffrey S

10-17-2006, 00:12

I notice CA gave the modding community a big nod on the MTW2 blog, with EB getting top billing (with screenshot!). Any chance they'll ship useful dev tools this time around, or offer help/info to the larger mods? Hell, I'm sure the massive popularity of mods for the TW series drives a good portion of their sales.
Though it's a good article, it's also written by a prominent .org member, Myrddraal. Glad to see some publicity though.

Great preview; I like the look of that cataphract a lot more now, and the generals are amazing.

Zalmoxis

10-17-2006, 07:07

Is that Dacian unit a general's bodyguard?

Aut Nihil

10-17-2006, 08:04

Wow those new units look awesome :D, can't wait for 0.8 to come out! By the way, great news about EB2, glad you guys decided to stick with the EB project and expand it to MTW2!

CrownOfSwords

10-18-2006, 01:48

WOW im dumbfounded by the quality of those skins, im really looking forward to playing .8. Hopefulyl it will be out sooner than later :D no pressure though i totally understand the difficulty producing a mod around real life activity. Nonetheless i eager anticipate your release.

Djurre

10-18-2006, 12:23

I'ts a shame that the more rare units seem to have the best skins. No offence, but the more common units are not that spectacular. Akinostai, taxeis hoplati, etc. (spelling?). But thats just me.

eadingas

10-18-2006, 13:34

That's why they're common. Because they use common equipment, wear common clothing, fight in a common way. You can't get spectacular from a bunch of peasants with sticks...

Djurre

10-18-2006, 13:54

That's why they're common. Because they use common equipment, wear common clothing, fight in a common way. You can't get spectacular from a bunch of peasants with sticks...

I was not expecting plumes, or elephant mounts.

eadingas

10-18-2006, 14:14

Well, there are only so many ways you can show a man dressed in a white tunica, weilding a spear...

Redigo

10-18-2006, 15:02

I've wondered about that a bit myself, not so much with the akontistai but with the hastati. By definition they had the means to kit themselves out, and given the ceremonial quality of ancient warfare it's tough to believe they would go into battle looking so plain -- though I suppose the Romans weren't quite as concerned with style as other cultures of the time. Anyway, it's particularly noticeable compared to the ornamentation of the lower ranks of the Celts, Samnites, etc.

Djurre

10-18-2006, 15:37

khelvan

10-18-2006, 15:57

The nature of the RTW system is such that to make clothing and equipment that look good in the skin by the very nature of what you must do with the texture it by necessity shows a more richly clad unit.

If we want to make poorly clad units appear historical, we have to make them look bad. Period.

It isn't a matter of time or effort, but one of accuracy and necessity due to the graphics engine.

edyzmedieval

10-18-2006, 18:55

I love the Cataphracts...

Obelics

10-18-2006, 19:18

I love the Cataphracts...

me too, look great, and even better than the previous preview

bodidley

10-18-2006, 19:42

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https://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1660/2yk9.jpg
https://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9699/3to6.jpg

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Is he wearing a fouragere? I thought that tradition didn't start until medieval times.

Teleklos Archelaou

10-18-2006, 19:44

It's rope, for assaulting walls. They are assault infantry.

Tuuvi

10-18-2006, 22:50

So does that mean they will have the ability to climb up walls without siege equipment?

Simmons

10-18-2006, 22:54

I understand that roman infantry in particular, has been the subject of extensive debate. I'm shure they got that right. I was merely pointing out that the akonistai, at least in my opinion, look rather unattractive. It could be just a matter of taste, or there may have been a decision to limit the time and effort put into the skins of the cheaper and more common units.
Your talking about the lowest of the low Djurre just have a look at the description

Akontistai
Those unlucky enough to be extremely poor freedmen were pressed into service as Psiloi, the lowest class of Greek infantry. The Psiloi were divided into three parts: javelineers, slingers, and archers. The javelin-armed Psiloi, the Akontistai, were a ragged bunch of peasants armed with javelins and small knives. Their function was simply to throw their missiles and run like hell! They were used for pre-battle skirmishing and for light missile fire. Never use Akontistai in melee except as diversionary fodder. They have their uses, as their javelins are still sharp and deadly, but they were often used only as light skirmishers or as a last resort in Hellenic armies for obvious reasons.

Historically, Akontistai did not play a particularly huge role on the battlefield. They had their uses, mainly for their ability to induce an enemy to attack prematurely. They are little more than an annoyance on the open field, but can be deadly if positioned in places where their javelins can be used for maximum effect.
Of course they look like rubbish they are rubbish. :laugh4:

So does that mean they will have the ability to climb up walls without siege equipment?
That would require major changes to the game engine so no its not possible unfortunately.

Teleklos Archelaou

10-18-2006, 23:29

One really good thing though is that Spartan Warrior and Forgus went back over a lot of the low class hellenic units and touched them up or completely redid them. Not every single one was redone, but a lot were.

abou

10-19-2006, 02:23

I don't think it is an issue of how exuberant they look, just that details were lacking. For example, it didn't really look as though they were wearing a tunic made from linen and the face looked rushed; however, the reskins have fixed much of that.

https://img405.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2-AkontistaiPontus.jpg

Imperator Silas

10-28-2006, 05:50

:ave: So how much More is to be done either as bonuses or general stuff for RTW EB?

Tellos Athenaios

10-28-2006, 12:11

Let me guess:

As a bonus: the Greek Voice Mod
As general stuff: testing and editing out bugs, replace placeholder unit cards with their final version, writing descriptions, final game balancements...

Tellos Athenaios

10-28-2006, 12:13

they are rubbish. :laugh4:

But very usefull rubbish at that... :grin:

Simmons

10-28-2006, 12:31

But very usefull rubbish at that... :grin:
Well I suppose being a cheap garrison is useful. :beam:

Tellos Athenaios

10-28-2006, 12:42

Being a cheap distraction for enemy cavalry, cavalry that is only to be cut to pieces by your thorakitai or other truly heavy infantry afterwards, is quite usefull as well...

Markus_Aurelius

10-28-2006, 17:22

They are very usefull for killing those damn anoying Gaesatae as well

Simmons

10-29-2006, 02:06

Being a cheap distraction for enemy cavalry, cavalry that is only to be cut to pieces by your thorakitai or other truly heavy infantry afterwards, is quite usefull as well...Fair enough but personally I would classify that under AI stupidity and once 0.8 comes out the charge bonus will work correctly so the tactic will become less viable, although the AI still has to us its cav properly...

Tellos Athenaios

10-29-2006, 15:10

As long as the AI keeps making it's cavalry charge at pikemen in phalanx formation, right at the point were all pikes are aiming towards the cavalry...

I think that 'the tactic' will remain quite usefull. :grin:

Hoplite330

11-20-2006, 01:45

Wow those are geat I can't wait for Eb 0.8 to come out!

DukeofSerbia

11-24-2006, 20:20

EB2? That would be hell work. We don’t know even modding of meshes and textures will be possible. So far answer is no… :thumbsdown:

Medieval 2 mods will be hell work, not to mention ancient based mods.:wall:

methoz

04-08-2007, 18:37

omg, looks incredible great nice ...very very nice...i love this mod :)

Marius Dynamite

04-08-2007, 19:35

Grrrrr :@

Because of your awesome Mod I now have an unstoppable urge to buy a new RTW disc (my old one broke many months ago) just to play your god damn amazing mod. The screenshots at the start of this topic were the last freekin straw. You have no idea how lucky you are that RTW is very cheap nowadays. :furious3:

Anyways good job guys I'm sure I'll love it when I buy RTW and install it tomorrow. Plus you just earned CA more of my money and Im not even going to play RTW only EB lol.

I'm going to give feedback once I play it.

In the meantime are you going to make one for M2, a roman mod for that is what we all need.

Cheers.

IrishArmenian

04-10-2007, 01:16

Excellent work!