So what plans are afoot for modding RTW?

[Lucius Lucullus]

I have combed the dungeon but I cannot find any plans underfoot for modding RTW once it is released.
The only thing that comes close to discussing a much needed mod for RTW are the guys in the Europa Barbarorum, but it seemed more like a sharing of research thread, rather then a discussion of what needs to be modded.

Sure the game hasnt been released yet, and no one knows how easy (or hard) it will be to customize the files. But that doesnt mean one cannot discuss what needs to be changed, and into what it needs to be changed to.

Myself I do have experience in modding games, among them MTW, and my own files are heavily customized (for instance I have the Early era begin in 1067, with many changes done to the starting position to better reflect the date change, not to mention my unit modifications).

So anyone else interested in at least discussing modding RTW?

[IrishMike]

First thing is a total revamp of the eggys.

[Lucius Lucullus]

First thing is a total revamp of the eggys.

I take it you mean Ptolomeic Egypt ~:p , yes *shudders*

But I was also thinking along the lines of splitting up the United Barbarian Kingdoms of Gaul, Germania, Brettonia and Iberia into tribes of single provinces, and also to create a Campaing scenario with only a single Roman faction (unless of course the Senate must be in the game in some weird way.

[Al Khalifah]

From what we've been told by CA, it sounds like this game will be much more open to modification than M:TW so less will be hardcoded. I doubt that the senate will HAVE to be part of the game.

Afterall, in the game I believe it is possible to destroy the senate faction as Rome and continue on as Emperor. Or something like that.

For a first modding project I was thinking creating a Persian war mod so you could have the Greeks against Persians earlier on. Clearly the game engine is capable of this (TC) and it would be great to be able to play some of the TC battles yourself rather than watch idiots do their best to lose.

[Lucius Lucullus]

From what we've been told by CA, it sounds like this game will be much more open to modification than M:TW so less will be hardcoded. I doubt that the senate will HAVE to be part of the game.

Afterall, in the game I believe it is possible to destroy the senate faction as Rome and continue on as Emperor. Or something like that.

For a first modding project I was thinking creating a Persian war mod so you could have the Greeks against Persians earlier on. Clearly the game engine is capable of this (TC) and it would be great to be able to play some of the TC battles yourself rather than watch idiots do their best to lose.

Hmmm good idea, simply just draw back the starting date to say 500 B.C and then rock on could work quite well, just modify the starting positions.... one has to hope there is a way to give the Persians some incentive to attack the Greek cities and not instead go along the northern Black sea coast, or south of the Med

[Al Khalifah]

Perhaps the game will allow scripting, in which case you could force them to attack certain places.
Or like in MTW there will be a faction mentality setting which could be set to BARBARIAN_RAIDER or some kind of religious fanatic setting to make them hate the Greeks.
If the game will allow it (I'm sure it will) I'd move the campaign map Eastward anway, since provinces west of Italy aren't really of concern and perhaps south too, since the far north isn't really relevant for this period either. This way more of the Persian empire and Mesopatamia could be covered. More lands for Alexander to eventually conquer.

[Lucius Lucullus]

If the game will allow it (I'm sure it will) I'd move the campaign map Eastward anway, since provinces west of Italy aren't really of concern and perhaps south too, since the far north isn't really relevant for this period either. This way more of the Persian empire and Mesopatamia could be covered. More lands for Alexander to eventually conquer.

I truly hope it is possible to modify/expand/move the campaign map, as there are some glaring errors I have seen so far in the screenshots that needs fixing, and there are IMHO not enough cities on the map, so I hope one can add more cities/provinces such as Lutetia, Toletum, Saguntum and Miletos to name some I miss.

[Chimpyang]

How about converting the "Fall of rome" mod to the new Engins and you'll have a seamless campaign from start to finish.

Also, change the map slightly and revamp all of the units to Medieval ones and you have a spanking new MTW. (Or STW for that matter.)

How about, a massive campaign map that covers the whole world??? That'll be a massive undertaking and the very idea is very daunting to me.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I'm gonna check out the modding capabilities of Rome before I begin full work on my Eastern Promise mod. Maybe if there is no province limit I'd be honoured if my map was added to the original Medieval map and we'd be halfway towards making a world Medieval mod!

[Angadil]

Hard to say without actually having the game, but lots of ideas here... I'm (indirectly so far, can't post replies, although it seems I should be able to do it...) linked to the Europa Barbarorum project (doing joint research with OA on Scythians and Sarmatians), but as Lucullus said, this is more research on potential unit changes as this is likely to be the most immediately moddable aspect of the game. In this department a high priority of mine is "cleansing" the Egyptian faction...

Personal pet project is recreating as many historical Successors battles as I can find even a scrap of information... Not really a mod, but from the words of the developing team that is going to be doable for sure... Then, the big question: to what extent will the campaign map be modifiable? Considering how much info the campaign map now holds (think of the detailed topography), I really wonder if we will be able to expand it (rather doubtful, IMO). Maybe, however, it might be possible to "zoom in" and use just a small piece at a greater level of detail of the current map. If that is the case I'd love to try a Late (maybe Mid-late) Bronze Age mod. Centered around the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East and roughly starting around 1450-1400 BCE: Myceneans, Hittites, Egyptians and Sea Peoples and chariot warfare as major attractions...

In summary, I believe, that the extent and scope of mods will be mostly limited by how much we can play around with the campaign map. I'm no expert, but from my enormous ignorance, I'm guessing that changing the number of cities and their areas of influence seems likely. Zooming, might be possible, but adding new land not currently present, I'm not optimistic...

Cheers
A.

[Lucius Lucullus]

How about converting the "Fall of rome" mod to the new Engins and you'll have a seamless campaign from start to finish.

That is another one of the ideas Ive had, to prolong the main campaign at least to 256 AD, hopefully even longer.....


.....or maybe even (dare I say it) up to the to the fall of Constantinople in 1453

Also, change the map slightly and revamp all of the units to Medieval ones and you have a spanking new MTW. (Or STW for that matter.)

Aye, that would be a very fine mod indeed.

*Keeps dreaming of playing with the Byzantines before Manzikert*

How about, a massive campaign map that covers the whole world??? That'll be a massive undertaking and the very idea is very daunting to me.

I sure dont want to try and do that map, thats for sure

In summary, I believe, that the extent and scope of mods will be mostly limited by how much we can play around with the campaign map. I'm no expert, but from my enormous ignorance, I'm guessing that changing the number of cities and their areas of influence seems likely. Zooming, might be possible, but adding new land not currently present, I'm not optimistic...

Well let us hope that we can tinker with the campaing map endlessly

[Ar7]

Anybody going to make a MTW mod for RTW. All the info and units are already avaliable you just need to add them to RTW, it should be easy.....heh like i know

Or maybe like Lucius said, we begin playing during the Roman era and then after the fall of Rome medieval units become trainable, so the game continues like MTW. That two games in one

[massamuusi]

Would really respect a historically accurate mod... That'd be something. Get rid of the elves and orcs, and give room to the real stuff.
Also, if the map is editable, you could include a lot more east in it. For persian campaign, you'd need to make it all the way into india. Just make sure there is no reason going north of india, since there should be pretty much nothing. A bit like the big african province in MTW which was empty. Even if that one might've been wrong.

Will it have skirmishers in non-populated areas? Remember the 10000 men march? The returning to home, that stuff.