A preview of things to come...

**Leith** · 11-02-2011, 18:13

Hello everyone,

This thread is dedicated to the discussion of my upcoming mod, initially entitled "Rising Factions". Basically the purpose of this mod is to bestow some variety on the different factions' play styles. This may be achieved by creating a unique unit roster for each faction. As such, you can expect to see a lot of new units, all of which re-skinned. Even the very few units that will be used from vanilla MTW will be re-skinned.

The mod focuses on the medieval early period and starts in 1066. Only a few units will be introduced in the high and late eras. Also. you can expect to see more infantry and less cavalry so no more Gothic and Chivalric Knights as they shouldn't be available in the early period. However the available cavalry units should be more effective on the battlefield.

This mod encourages the players to be aggressive since every conquered region on the map should offer new units, some of which can be very helpful in battle, e.g Armenian Infantry, Genoese Swordsmen, etc.

I have a clear vision of how to proceed with the English and the Danes in terms of the unit roster. However, I may be in need of your suggestions as far as the Slavic factions are concerned. Needless to say, vanilla MTW and most of the mods that came out afterwards didn't do the Slavs justice. Axalon's Redux, and MedMod, are probably the only mods which tried to depict them in a more unique style. If you have opinions/suggestions/comments on the Slavic factions, or any other faction for that matter, then please share them!

I will post screens of my work every now and then.
Thank you

**Leith** · 11-02-2011, 18:34

In the first screen, you see the new Boyar:

https://img854.imageshack.us/img854/7724/boyar.png

In the second screen, you see the new Feudal Sergeants re-named to Light Sergeants:

https://img88.imageshack.us/img88/63...tsergeants.png

**drone** · 11-02-2011, 21:01

Looks pretty interesting. I definitely like the reskinned Boyars.

Regarding the Slavs, are you looking for more historically accurate units, or just better skins and aesthetics?

Also, let me know if there is anything the Org can do for you. We have media hosting, so if you want to post sample game vids we can set that up for you, and we can host files on our server (AtomicGamer) if you want.

**Leith** · 11-02-2011, 21:18

Thank you very much, drone! I would be honored to have my mod hosted on your server. But it's still too early for that since I started working on it two weeks ago and I will not release it until I'm 100% happy with it.

Historically accurate units or fancy ones are welcomed. I'm just having a hard time choosing the names. I don't want to have generically named units like Slavic spearmen, Slavic bowmen, etc. That goes for the other factions as well. Any help would be appreciated.

**Axalon** · 11-06-2011, 12:48

Hello Leith....

I like what you done with the Boyars, cool stuff... Anyway, some remarks and thoughts regarding unit/troop-names in general for you (including Slavic ones)....

The way I see it, you are at a crossroads of design-doctrines. You either take the "XL-path" or the "Redux-path". Many of the major mods have chosen the "XL-path", so far, and from the way it sounds, it seems you are bent on following the XL-path as well.... Now, to me, the "XL-approach" basically means that you actively seek to rely on a bunch of potentially "historically accurate" names that lazy guys such as myself will just get scared of and don't even dare try to spell - let alone to successfully understand what the hell it means or what it actually signifies both in reality and within the game.

The term "Kataphraktoi" is a good example on what I mean. I know what it means, that is not the point, the point is that it is screwed up and weird term for many people, and thus it is unrealistic to expect or assume that people do know what it means. Or for that matter that people even want to know such obscure stuff. Using names/terms like that essentially demands time and effort from the player to actively figure out what things means and what unit X is good for - when they should be focusing on playing the game instead. At least one is forced to read the unit-descriptions to hopefully get a clue. I have in the past jokingly described it as "spending more time searching specialized dictionaries, then playing the actual game - just to get some sort of understanding of all the names in the first place, so you can play the darn game without all those annoying question-marks swimming around in your head"... It's a joke on historically ambitious games like XL, of course, but for guys like me, it does have some truth to it all the same.

Then you have the "Redux-path", which to me, is about using plain and simple names that is in effect self-explanatory to everybody. Thus gives the player an instant understanding what the troop is essentially used for and what the hell it is about. This means no weird and strange names, the terms are unproblematic and we can get rid of all dictionaries for a change and focus directly on playing the darn game - as supposed too... Of course, the downsides are that many people regard it as too "generic" and "dull" - and it has no "historical accuracy" or such association what so ever. It's plain and sheer fiction only created to serve as a label of distinction and orientation. Personally, I am fine with all that, as I simply don't care about that stuff - and that may possibly be very TW-unorthodox of me, but there it is....

Now, we all know which design-path/doctrine I chose for my work, but we are discussing your project and thus it is your choice on it that matter here. All I am saying is that - if you have not done so already - take some time to consider the all the aspects of whatever doctrine you decide to apply here, as it will somehow influence the final result and how that is experienced. If it still is to be the "XL-doctrine" and all what that brings - excellent, fine and ok. If not, yay for that....

Anyway, all the best on this venture regardless.

- A

**Leith** · 11-07-2011, 19:02

Thank you, Axalon, for your feedback. I agree with you for the most part but then again don't you think that "Kataphraktoi" has a better impact on your ears than, say, Byzantine Cavalry ? I will probably take the middle road here, using a mixture of generic names, e.g English Sergeants, and more creative ones, e.g Chevaliers, etc. Now time for more screenies!

In the first one you see Italian Sergeants:

https://img810.imageshack.us/img810/...nsergeants.png

In the second, you see Armenian infantry to the right fighting Spearmen and Genoese Swordsmen to the left:

https://img534.imageshack.us/img534/...speargenoe.png