OVERVIEW
I'm thinking about making a mod that enhances some feature of R:TW without removing the compability with vanilla R:TW in multiplayer, because it's already hard as it is to get multiplayer opponents. The main goal which will not be altered, and stands above all other goal with this mod, is to provide these improvements without, under any circumstances, making the game incompatible with vanilla in multiplayer. The improvements will include improvements of the singleplayer campaigns as well as improving the parts of multiplayer that can be improved without making the game incompatible with vanilla R:TW.
The making of many different mods is a good thing, but it'd be better for the users if all mods that mod only a single thing could be combined and made compatible with each other for easier installation. It should be remembered that most mod users aren't modders who know everything about the game engine, and most users are interested in getting more than one feature modded. I'd like to cooperate with many of the ambitious single-feature mods I've seen in these forums to be able to deliver this mod faster. Two mods in particular I'd be pleased to work together with for this mod are: the accurate towns mod and the formation mod that I've seen in these forums.
REALISM
The mod will put a priority on realism, but without ruining balancing. Some parts of realism are valued higher than others. Improvements of realism regarding the strategical part of the game will have highest priority. Second priority is given to unit balancing/stats and unit types/unit roosters for the factions. Third priority is given to accurate skinning and other mostly visual improvements.
FEATURES
I'm not yet sure what features can be included without ruining mp compability with vanilla R:TW, but I believe these things can be done:
- Provinces, cities etc. on the campaign map can be changed (for realism and more interesting strategy). Some battle maps on the campaign could be changed, for example we could add a map with a narrow mountain pass in Greece, so that the player could block with hoplites in a thermopylae-like fashion. Some mountain passes will be made narrower to reflect their strategical importance. Some battle maps will get more complex terrain with more hills etc. See it as a realism improvement - even if the terrain was mostly flat in a region, a clever defender would usually try to find the best ground in the area - so more interesting hills and forests will be included.
- If the accurate cities mod would like to release a standalone version of their mod but also want to release their work with this mod I'd be pleased, and they'll of course get all the credits for their work.
- Units can be reskinned.
- Units can be added to factions. I'm not sure if units can be rebalanced for singleplayer only, I think a rebalancing affect mp compability. If possible, some units in singleplayer will be changed to affect their historical importance/lack of importance. For example romans won't be able to create praetorian cavalry like they can now.
- I'm not sure about if units can be removed from singleplayer without causing trouble in mp, but if possible we can combine removal in singleplayer with adding in singleplayer to replace units and/or change unit stats.
- AI formations can be changed. I'd, as I said above, be pleased to cooperate with the formation mod team. They could release their mod both as a standalone mod and in cooperation with this one. They'll of course get all the credits for that work.
- Group formations that can be used by the player can be changed. We'll then have to override existing formations. The new formations will be: single line with heavy troops in the middle and light on the flanks, single line with heavy on flanks and light in the middle, single line with heavies on left flank and light troops on the right flank, single line with heavies to the right and light troops to the left, double line without ordering, double line with crappy troops in front as screen and good troops behind, column with heavies in front, column with heavy inf in front light in the middle and cavs at the back. More suggestions are welcome, but bear in mind there is a limit to how many group formations can be made. If possible we'll edit the existing icons and make new icons for the new group formations. These new group formations will be better adapted to how you usually want to use groupings in multiplayer. Especially the heavies on flanks formation will, I believe, be appreciated.
- If possible brigands in sp will become more rare but when they come they'll be more powerful. Brigands are CA's "emergency solution" to the problem of making sure provinces behind borders aren't completely safe, but the current implementation is neither realistic nor fun.
- More features will be added in later versions. If someone can suggest a feature that can be added without ruining Mp compability, that might be implemented too.
MODDING TEAM:
The modding team so far only consists of me. I have plenty of time the coming weeks so I'll be able to fix a lot of these things alone. However the more modders the faster it goes, so I'd be thankful if modders with these qualifications could join:
- Skilled skinners/modellers (above all skinners)
- People with knowledge about the R:TW engine
As said above, I'd also be thankful for cooperation with other single-feature mods. The objective of this mod is to as quickly as possible fix some historical, balancing and playability problems in vanilla R:TW. Speed will have very high priority in the first edition, because these problems need addressing quickly. The mod will however continue to be updated and then we can add more quality to history, balancing etc. If you're interested in working with this mod please post a reply to this post. I'll now ask as many single-feature mods as possible to see if they're interested in taking part in this mod.
PROGRESS:
The mod started March 23rd so nothing has been achieved yet.
