State of the Mod Address, Fall 2013: We're Almost There

Salvete, cives Europae Barbarorum!

Today we have an incredibly exciting announcement to make: We are close to making an alpha release of our mod.

Europa Barbarorum II is a modification for the Medieval II: Total War expansion pack Kingdoms. Its setting is the Hellenistic world of 272 BC. Our goal is to make one of the most immerse and historically accurate experiences possible for players. For several years now, we have been working toward a first release and we are almost there.


What to expect?

EBII has been a long time coming. Everyone on the team knows that there will be very high expectations for it. We do hope this will be a great experience for those players; however, it should be known that this will be a very unpolished release. The effort required to modify M2:TW compared to Rome: TW is exponentially higher. This, combined with a relatively small pool of manpower, high member turnover and real life, has meant that completing the modification has taken much longer than any of us anticipated. This is especially true when taking into consideration the team's high standard of historical accuracy.

To that end, the team does plan to have all current factions playable in regards to units, recruitment, and governments. By no means will even these be final and there may be several placeholder descriptions and models. We do not intend to give a firm release date as we cannot guarantee that something catastrophic won't happen; however, we are pushing hard to make it soon.


What can be done to help?

In the next few weeks, the team will start looking for play-testers to search for bugs, historical errors, and balance issues. Longtime, trusted and motivated forum members, or those that can contribute to the modification in the future are those most likely to be selected. Our internal roadmap is aiming for a release a few months after play-testing.

We also have a list of several tasks that need to be completed. Once they are finished, working to polish the mod and improve it is the next step. Anyone with the skills to help in these areas, please apply.

- Scripting
- Traits
- 3D modelling (units and settlements)
- Animators
- 2D artists (eg. UI, icons, skins)
- Website

EBII is not finished yet – not by a long shot. We have so much more to do to make this the mod we want it to be. With this alpha release, we hope to generate the interest to help it grow by bringing back old players and create new ones. We just ask that the community waits a few more months. To sate you until then, here is some preview material of our populace buildings and units!

Attachment 10940Attachment 10941Attachment 10942Attachment 10943Attachment 10944Attachment 10945Attachment 10946Attachment 10947

Valete!

Amazing news, cant wait to experience the product of the team's years of hard work. Well done guys and thank you so much.

You just killed me (with excitement, that is).

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!! :bounce:
Amasing news (and screenshots)! All Hail the Amasing EB Team!!!!!! :hail:

Great news! Waited long for this. Keep up the good work!

This is a good news!

Attachment 10958

Give yourselves a hearty pat on the back, all you dashing members of the EB team. Can't wait to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Oh sweet Jebus, greatest of news. Now to hire someone with modding skills so I can have access to this alpha :sweatdrop:

The real Rome 2 is close to Alpha release. :)

Will Alpha testers be allowed to release game info or AARs?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rex Somnorum

Will Alpha testers be allowed to release game info or AARs?

---

Probably not at first. There will be a non-disclosure agreement of some sort, which may be lifted toward release or afterward.

GO GO GO

A short note as it is rubbing against my historically accurate conventions: The symbols used for the British and Gallic populace buildings are only temporary. So don't worry before people start asking why on earth we have Pictish symbols for Britons and Bronze Age Irish symbols for the Gauls.

Awesome. Even with all the placeholders, I can sense greatness here :D.

I love how the interface is looking. Especially the coins are a nice touch.

oh yes...

Congratulatinos EB 2 Team, you guys are awesome!!!


Also, would love to alpha test. :nice:

I do have a BA in history, with a focus on ancient history, so I should be able to notice historical errors to a fair degree if they exist. I also have a ridiculous amount of experience playing the M2TW engine.

Guess I better start saving for Medieval II...:bounce:

Don't forget Kindoms ~;)

Great news team! Keep up the amazing work!

This post makes me happy :2thumbsup:

Good news....by Teutates!!!

As I said at TWC

Muthuh of gawd!



Now I'm reconsidering purchasing Rome 2 since EB2 is coming soon...

I am speechless!

Great to hear and thank you for all the good work.

I recently got a new laptop as my last one could only run RTW and after reading the comments on this forum about Rome2 I was really disappointed. This news has cheered me up no end.

Now I can actually play this mod and know it is now hopefully down to a matter of months the wait is going to be tough. Again thanks!

Hello, I've been hoping for this mod to be released ever since I bought this game called Rome: Total War a few years ago and heard about this thing called Europa Barbarorum. This mod is one of the things which really got me interested in history and I would just like to say thanks to those people who have embarked on this great endeavor and who worked hard not for themselves but all of us. To give a bit of history to others and let people see into one of the great periods of history. I personally want to say thanks for everything, and while the mod is not near the finish line yet hearing that a milestone is coming up is great.
Thanks For Everything

At the risk of sounding like an echo, this is great news and really brightened up my day. Now I need to get back to doing some province descriptions...

Wonderful news! Nunc est bibendum!

Have been waiting for this news for a very long time, all Hail the EB team.

Can't wait to see it! Superb Job!

What is this Website task about? What needs to be done?

^ what he said

We will be in touch with both of you as soon as we have clarified what we want from a website.

Congratulations EB Team, this is such good news and im sure it will be as good as the legendary EB1:))

I have never played any game as much as I played EB when it first came out. I look forward to playing the sequel!

EB2 might beat Rome2 to Gold...

Splendid news indeed :)

Outstanding and much appreciated!

One suggestion: release a commentary video on Youtube showcasing a battle including new units from EBII. Just to placate the masses.

This would make an amazing Christmas Present, even if it's buggier than Rome 2 at first. :laugh4: I remember the first Europa Barbarorum was released very near to Christmas, I think it was 2007. Best Christmas ever.

Time to reinstall Medieval 2!

Can´t wait! EB is my favourit game of all times...and most the played one! While waiting i will finish my Roman camapign in RTW II....and the Nomadic pack....Oh the joy of the ancient world.....

Just saw this thread. This is awesome News! :2thumbsup:

Been following EB since the originals beta and am very excited to see this. Congratulations on all your hard work! EB has been one of my all-time favorites, can not wait for EBII! :)

1. is this mod again concentrating in Hellenistic faction!?? i mean only be very detailed for Roman & Hellenistic factions or for example Eastern too?!?!

2. and why still not Eastern Asia has not been added!?!? it would be very great !!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EasternSpartakus

1. is this mod again concentrating in Hellenistic faction!?? i mean only be very detailed for Roman & Hellenistic factions or for example Eastern too?!?!

---

The aim is to representa all factions equally. We're putting just as much effort into our Celtic, North African, Eastern and Steppe factions as we are into our hellenistic ones. There is, however, a lot more sources from the hellenistic world, but the goal is to represent the entire area covered by our map as exactly as we possibly can, and I think we're doing that quite well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EasternSpartakus

2. and why still not Eastern Asia has not been added!?!? it would be very great !!

---

There are simply not enough provinces or faction slots to represent all of asia in sufficient detail. Just adding China would require at leat 100 provinces, and 10 faction slots. Remember that we are in the middle of the Warring States period. The map does extend from the mediterranean to India, though, which is rather a lot for a M2TW mod.

I don't want to spend 30 turns moving across the Tarim Basin and Pamir to get a domination victory.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mithridates VI Eupator

We're putting just as much effort into our Celtic... factions as we are into our hellenistic ones.

---

OH YEAH BABY!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mithridates VI Eupator

The aim is to representa all factions equally. We're putting just as much effort into our Celtic, North African, Eastern and Steppe factions as we are into our hellenistic ones. There is, however, a lot more sources from the hellenistic world, but the goal is to represent the entire area covered by our map as exactly as we possibly can, and I think we're doing that quite well.



There are simply not enough provinces or faction slots to represent all of asia in sufficient detail. Just adding China would require at leat 100 provinces, and 10 faction slots. Remember that we are in the middle of the Warring States period. The map does extend from the mediterranean to India, though, which is rather a lot for a M2TW mod.

---

u mean it is not available in totalwar basis 7 resources?!
because many strategic games have done that.
well i know they didnt have the totalwar's scale of campaign & battle map!

It just isn't feasible.

In m2tw max province limit is 199+1 (1 is the sea region)

To represent all of East Asia imo you need a minimum of 200 provinces. There's this WIP mod of the Imjin War mod and just Korea plus Japan alone surpass 100 provinces. In my thoughts of adding the whole entire east Asia to that mod even if I were to decrease the settlement amounts I would get around 300, that's by making a ton of compromises that the EB team probably have done for EB2. (The rest look a little empty compared to China)

If the EB team where to cover all of East Asia w/ Europe and the Near East then the whole map would look empty due to pre Warscape settlement limits.

What is not stressed enough is what little point there would be in having a campaign that stretches from the Lusotannan to the Qin.

And why the hell can't you people just be happy with what you've got?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abou

And why the hell can't you people just be happy with what you've got?

---

Indeed. From what I have seen in previews and the hints dropped regarding the game mechanics I am more than happy with what is on the table. The biggest problem I can see is in picking which of the already many and varied* factions to play with first. Gimme, gimme....


* I get the impression that while conquest is always the aim, the path to conquest will be differentiated depending upon the faction - adding even more immersion to the gameplay. And if there is one thing that can be said of EB1 it is that the immersion, based upon the differentiation between factions and culture, is startling - especially when compared to the vanilla R:TW.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abou

And why the hell can't you people just be happy with what you've got?

---

Have you considered entering politics?

Was that directed at me? I was simply saying how the proposal was not feasible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rex Somnorum

Have you considered entering politics?

---

Yes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BroskiDerpman

Was that directed at me? I was simply saying how the proposal was not feasible.

---

No, it was at Spartakus.

You either trust the team or you don't.

To assume they haven't explored every possible thread of extending the game-play is ridiculous and smacks of a large dollop of self aggrandizement.

Also you are assuming that CA are delivering a l33t game which is extensible in every manner and has the architecture to allow it to be modable in any direction. This is CA we are talking about.

Take your hand made, organic, known source vanilla icecream without the hundreds and thousands and appreciate it for what it is, smooth vanillary gorgeousness.

I love you. I hope my face has been added as a skin. If this is the case I will spam post amazing screenshots of me performing act of valour ang gore on fb

I really love you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kaptainplanet

I love you. I hope my face has been added as a skin. If this is the case I will spam post amazing screenshots of me performing act of valour ang gore on fb

---

What is love, baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more. :pimp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhrBDcQq2DM

You know what truly sucks?

I lost M2TW + Kingdoms when my old laptop bit the dust...and the one I'm using now will barely run EB1 on the RTW.exe. And even if I had a computer that would run it, Direct2Drive got bought out by demon GameFly, and now my validation keys and downloads are no longer available.

I didn't care much for some of the things from M2TW (such as two years per turn, or merchant characters, or how boringly slow cavalry seemed in comparison to RTW), but the ability to recruit multiple units from a single MIC per turn, special guild buildings I liked....oh, and the battles. Used to love finding a cinematic camera angle and watching as two units clashed on the battlefield.

Perhaps I could talk my wife into trading laptops with me, then I could not only play EBII, but I could also get Rome II (although I hear it's a major disappointment...I still want those gorgeous graphics).

Thankfully we have dispensed with the boring merchant character (and the witches). I can sympathise HopliteLegion. If it makes you feel better my laptop won't run Medieval 2... and yet I am on the development team (which can get pretty annoying for other team members).

I really have no idea what went on in this thread in these last 6 to 7 posts...

Incredible news! An amazing amount of dedication and time have been put into it by all associated with this mod, to be honest even an unrefined version will be extremely welcome.

Good job guys :hail:

Yes, please

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brennus

Thankfully we have dispensed with the boring merchant character (and the witches)

---

To be replaced with an interesting merchant character? I happen to have enjoyed the depth merchants added to the game.

If this was a Hellas only mod, I would have suggested that witches be exiled statesmen from the previous political party that had fallen out of favor that are trying to incite revolt.

Maybe you could make them an anarchist element or escaped slaves or something. Merchants could be slaves, sent to toil in working the various resources.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by antisocialmunky

If this was a Hellas only mod, I would have suggested that witches be exiled statesmen from the previous political party that had fallen out of favor that are trying to incite revolt.

Maybe you could make them an anarchist element or escaped slaves or something. Merchants could be slaves, sent to toil in working the various resources.

---

You keep your darned slaves off my land!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by antisocialmunky

Merchants could be slaves, sent to toil in working the various resources.

---

Or they could just be merchants. Historically speaking, non-merchant trade income reflects taxes on private enterprise while merchants represent state sponsored ventures. Merchants add to the game's accuracy, not detract from it.

Wouldn't work for the Nomads, Celts, Sweboz or Lugiones though.

Ahh why haven't I seen this thread earlier? :) Fantastic news! I am really looking forward to it! Funny thing is that I thought today that I could start a new EB I game with the Seleucids :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brennus

Wouldn't work for the Nomads, Celts, Sweboz or Lugiones though.

---

It should be possible to mod them out for those factions or make them impossible to recruit. (For instance, requiring two buildings that cannot exist in the same settlement)

How soon?

watch?v=gNIwlRClHsQ

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abou

And why the hell can't you people just be happy with what you've got?

---

I am.

Don't get so upset by someone making troll-like remarks. Trying to stay polite myself I would say there is quite a gap in both language and intelligence causing difficulty in breaking down the problems his request would have. Everyone else here reveres you guys, relax. ~D

~Fluvius

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fluvius Camillus

I am.

Don't get so upset by someone making troll-like remarks. Trying to stay polite myself I would say there is quite a gap in both language and intelligence causing difficulty in breaking down the problems his request would have. Everyone else here reveres you guys, relax. ~D

~Fluvius

---

Abou is getting so upset because the amount of work the team has put in is hard to appreciate for most people. I helped with EB1 and even though my own contribution was tiny I must have put over 100 hours into it and even though most people appreciated my work it gets really insulting when someone who has contributed nothing criticizes it when they are getting it for free. EB2 is even bigger than EB1 and Abou deserves to let off steam, he and the other team members have laboured on this project for years now. I'm not criticising what you say Fluvius but just let him get it out, he deserves it.

First of all I'd like to say that I've been a devoted fan of this wonderful mod for years, since the 0.72 days. I am well aware that the team's very busy but could someone maybe post some information on what EBII holds in store for our "precious" Baktria? Apart from laser-mounted velociraptors of course... I mean no disrespect for the celt-fans but I must shamefuly admit that all these years I have found the eastern half of the map far more interesting than the western half.

Why would you say something so hurtful :clown:
@paullus @abou You would be the gentlemen to answer this I guess?

Well, Baktrian Hippeis and Hippotoxotai are in-game. The hippotoxotai carry lightsabers for secondary weapons, and the hippeis have ninjas who clutch the horses' rib cage and roll out for melee after the charge. Indogreeks will be developed when we have time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by spanakoryzo

First of all I'd like to say that I've been a devoted fan of this wonderful mod for years, since the 0.72 days. I am well aware that the team's very busy but could someone maybe post some information on what EBII holds in store for our "precious" Baktria? Apart from laser-mounted velociraptors of course... I mean no disrespect for the celt-fans but I must shamefuly admit that all these years I have found the eastern half of the map far more interesting than the western half.

---

In the Sneak peeks topic there are pictures of the Baktrioi Hipotoxotai and of regionals and helenistic troops, some of them will probably be used also by the Baktrioi
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...neak-Peeks-9-9

In the interviews topic there are some info on Arche Seleukia and more pics about Seleukids and regionals (Baktria will probably share some)
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...erview-with-10

But yeah, in the first release the team is focused in making factions playable and with just the essential units (regionals and factionals), more diversity will come with future releases, at least that´s what I´ve understood. Also, its been said that not all factions will be developed at the same level on first release so maybe we´ll have to postdone the campain with our favourite faction and start with the also-completely-awesome-other-faction for enjoying the first release at its best.

For Brennus and his amazing celt-work: I haven't been completely honest with you. Every time I exterminate Rome with the Lusitani I giggle like a 12 year old. Every single time. It never gets old. So maybe I'm not a 100% celt-fan but I most certainly am a huge iberoceltic/paraceltic/italoceltic (lusitani) fan! And to all of the EB team, thank you!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by spanakoryzo

Every time I exterminate Rome with the Lusitani I giggle like a 12 year old. Every single time. It never gets old.

---

This, my friend, this! :medievalcheers: