EB July Preview :: Saka-Rauka (and music!!)

O'ETAIPOS - that's great, then. To be honest, I would not expect sth like this from CA...

Wow! Thw music is simply great! Cant wait to hear the german and celtic themes.

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Originally Posted by Slider6977

I have a small question: Are any of you guys playtesting Baktria? The reason I ask is that I read on this forum that they would be starting with an additional two provinces. Now I thought that would be to the south and east, but from what I can tell from the campaign map pics, it seems as though they start with a more northern position. Perhaps this is to encourage war with Parthia, Saka-Rauka, and Seleucia.

But the reason I ask is because I read it was wanted to disuade Baktria from expanding into the steppe. Are they now shying away because of the increased actions of the other factions to the north and actually going for India, or are they still trying to advance north and this just makes it harder? (or has not enough playtesting been done to know?). Just a q.

Anyway, great preview. Will really enjoy reading that history.

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Teleklos Archelaou, if I'm not mistaking, is testing Baktria. It will have 3 provinces at the start.

I also play as Baktria.

Stunning! I'm looking forward to finally playing as a steppe faction done justice.

Edit: couple of things. In the last line of the migration description, it should be "over too great". Secondly, the description for the cataphract is rather long and could be a lot tighter. Third, is the diagram depicting the construction options correct? I'd have thought herds and courts would be the other way around.

Units look fantastic, as does the new interface. The music's nice, though it might be too dominant for the campaign map.

How do these steppe hoplites compare with regular hoplites, statwise?

Oh my... the steppes just became so much more interesting part of the world map :2thumbsup:

The new units are beautiful as usual, and the nomad yurts, hope they'll be in 0.8. Oh and is that a bamboo spear the indian levy guy carries?

The music is so incredibly atmospheric. And vaguely Asian-Oriental too. It's lilting and alluring, and so rustic at the same time. Perfect! But was it really that melodic in the conventional sense of our appreciation of music? I suppose the Greek music wouldn't be that melodic?

Why isn't this a sticky?

I LOVE the new music! Great job!!!:2thumbsup:

Spirit of Rob did our steppe hoplite work. He has probably done more hoplites than any other RTW modler/skinner with his work in EB and Hegemonia.

Baktria in our current build has Marakanda and Alexandria Eschate. We really don't want (generally in the mod) to give them to them, but it seemed more clear that if Baktria is under the control of it's own satrap at the start, that satrap would have controlled those two other areas as well, and they would have broken with him when he rebelled. We are trying our best to direct them towards India though, and with the Saka getting stronger it is helping, but it's not totally working yet. We are still working on keeping them from heading to the steppe.

The music isn't an attempt to be entirely authentic - there is just no way we have the ability to reproduce real eastern or sarmatian/saka steppe or greek music. Plus, much of it would be way too jarring and would turn away a large number of players we feel (including some of us maybe :grin:). Morgan and Nick have done a great job of giving us a nice middle ground on this. We can't wait to release some more of their work - it's almost complete too!

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Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou

We can't wait to release some more of their work - it's almost complete too!

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:burnout:
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~:smoking:

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Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou

I hope we don't release the next preview before 0.8 is released - or at least the next faction preview I mean. I hope to have a small preview of another new aspect of the mod in a couple weeks, but that is not a big new preview like this one.

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So will only one new faction be in .8, and .9 with have the other one?

No. Both will be included, but I think one will not be complete.

Great preview, as always. Cant wait to play 0.8:2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by antiochus epiphanes

nicee
i was hoping that a mod would include them as i dont have the resources to research them on my own lol(i dont have a massive library or ajob at a universty)
thanks for all that info, and a wonderful job on portraying the Sakas

hmmn i noticed that his armor looks alot like a rtr texture... must be similar.
(dont let cauis see this, he'll friken flip lol)
https://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?...oplites5ag.jpg

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That was an old image. A template of a WIP. The armour has been changed to something quite different.

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Originally Posted by O'ETAIPOS

This is not a bug. You have to charge for a while before they lower spears, but they always lower them.

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Have you looked at this in towns? What I have gathered from RTR Platinum (which uses 1.5 and has low cavalry attacks, high charge stats) is that cavalry cannot charge in towns and are pretty much useless in them. This is probably acceptable from a realism point of view, but may raise balancing issues (cavalry based factions may need some decent infantry for sieges).

While this may not be exactly answering your question (because I don't know the answer), the steppe factions will not have traditional towns, and will be easier to manuever in with cavalry (see the pics in the preview). Also, all factions get infantry from the start, and while the nomadic factions infantry may not be great, you can get infantry from the get go.

Quick question - will 0.8 feature ANY changes to the sound effects (besides music, which is, in fact, the whole other category)?

It might. Not sure yet. The activity on that area has been non existant lately, but more work has been done on the Celtic side than any other one. There have been no changes in the voicemod since the open beta release besides Celtic work.

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Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou

It might. Not sure yet. The activity on that area has been non existant lately, but more work has been done on the Celtic side than any other one. There have been no changes in the voicemod since the open beta release besides Celtic work.

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May I suggest something? Make "battle sounds" louder. It really adds to the immersion... You know, the power of sounds is unbelievable ;). Also, please, no stupid "Chaaaaaaaaaaarge"...

BTW, any new changes to the animations? Fixes and the like... Anything?

Will there be new music all round or is this an EB ploy to turn us all into steppe nomads! Your previews never cease to amaze!

Each culture will have its music.

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Originally Posted by Angadil

Each culture will have its music.

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I suppose the Bartix faction will have as it's music, the sounds a damaged sound system does?

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Originally Posted by Jolt

I suppose the Bartix faction will have as it's music, the sounds a damaged sound system does?

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think of 10 theremins 10 ondes-martenots and 20 glockenspiels being played by crack addicts.

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Originally Posted by Angadil

Each culture will have its music.

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Angadil is wrong here. Each culture *has* its own music. :grin:

We're just trying to figure out the best way to present it to you all in-game. :laugh4:

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Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou

Angadil is wrong here. Each culture *has* its own music. :grin:

We're just trying to figure out the best way to present it to you all in-game. :laugh4:

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i love you guys!!!~:wave:

So what about the Occulats?

What is the historical accuacy of Saka-Rauka? In wikipedia entry of Saka it says nothing about Rauka and it doesn't have a article about(I think they exist I can't find an article about it).

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Originally Posted by Scott

So what about the Occulats?

What is the historical accuacy of Saka-Rauka? In wikipedia entry of Saka it says nothing about Rauka and it doesn't have a article about(I think they exist I can't find an article about it).

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https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...6&postcount=11

:laugh4:

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Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...6&postcount=11

:laugh4:

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I do believe Wikipedia just got anal probed.

And even Wikipedia mentions the Sacaraucae, the Latin adaptation of the name Saka Rauka in, for example, this article..

well, someone could update the wikipedia articile ;)