Byzantium Total War

[edyzmedieval]

Hello all modding freaks and RTW players.

I just want to announce the Byzantium Total War mod for RTW:BI 1.6. The thread will be updated regularly,with the latest progress, screenshots and everything else needed.

Let me present you the mod.

The mod, as you might expect, is about the Byzantine Empire. Asia Minor, Europe, Syria and other parts of Asia and small parts of Africa will compose the campaign map. All the units of BI will have to be removed, because of different starting dates. There will be lots of hard work, and we need skinners and modellers so we can do the mod. The focus of this mod will be the wars with the Muslims, Slavs, Sicilians and other enemies of the Byzantine Empire.

Basically the map is done, we thought about the provinces. The map will be similar to the MTW mod.

We thought about the units and some of the buildings. The Byzantine tech tree will be very detailed so the player will be imersed into the awesome history of the Byzantine Empire. If you wish to see the tech tree, come to our official forum.

The starting date will be 976, the beginning of the reign of the greatest Byzantine Emperor, Vasile II the Macedonian. The ending date will be 1453, when Constantinople finally fell, and it marked the end of the Byzantine empire.

The Factions
===========
Ealry Era

The Byzantine Empire
Norman Kingdom of Sicily
Italian States
Papacy
Seldjuk Turks
Bulgar Kingdom
Cumans
Pecheneg tribes
Hungarian Kingdom
Kingdom of Kiev
Khazar Khaganate
Holy Roman Empire
Polish Kingdom
Crusader States
Fatimid Caliphate
Kingdom of Serbia
Rebels

High Era

Latin Empire of Constantinople
Empire of Niceea
Empire of Trebizond
Norman Kingdom of Sicily
Italian City States
Papacy
Seldjuk Turks
Bulgar Kingdom
Cumans
Kingdom of Armenia
Kingdom of Georgia
Hungarian Kingdom
Kingdom of Kiev
Holy Roman Empire
Crusader States
Polish Kingdom
Mamluk Sultanate
Kingdom of Aragon
Kingdom of Serbia
Rebels

Late Era

Byzantine Empire
Empire of Trebizond
Ottoman Empire
Emirate of Karaman
Norman Kingdom of Sicily
Italian City States
Papacy
Bulgar Kingdom
Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Hungary
Wallachia
Moldavia
Holy Roman Empire
Mamluk Sultanates
Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Kiev

Mod progress(will be updated regularly)
=========================
Historical research: about 65%
Planning tech trees: about 60%
Campaign map: 10%
Units: 40%
New factions: 0%
Coding: 15%
Scripting: 0%
Testing: 0%
Multiplayer: 0%

Detailed stuff about our work
====================
Historical research - about 65%
- we have done lots and lots of historical research
- we started researching for the High Era

Campaign map - about 10% done.
-working on the terrain and geological stuff

Units - about 40% done
- we are still searching for more historical resources
- we have about 115 units made

Byzantines: 100% completed
Crusader States: 35-40% completed
Bulgars: 30% completed
Normans: 20% completed
HRE: 5% completed

New factions - we decided on them, have to implement them

Coding - we implemented most of the units we've made

Scripting - testing our unique ideas

Testing - not yet

Multiplayer - fortunately, we might have this thing implemented

We need skinners, modellers and coders.
We need one more modeller, 1 more skinner and 2 more coders. If we get these guys, the team will be complete.

We will need some extended research. If you could help, don't hesitate to post. We need info about the Khazars, Cumans. Pechenegs/// and other nomadic people.

Please visit our official forum, for exclusive screenshots and other exclusive info.
http://s15.invisionfree.com/Byzantiu...ex.php?act=idx

Members
======
Modding team
Main Leader
Edyzmedieval -Project and team leader;
- buildings, campmap and settlement plans
- Public Relations
- Coding

Skinning/Modelling team
Blindfaithnogod - Modeller and skinner; second leader
Palissa - skinner
Lord Rahl - Portraits, graphical tidbits, banners
Polski Orzel - Skinning

Coding team
Swampthing - coder,scripter

Other modding
DARTH VADER - Formations

Research team
therussian91 - Slav researcher, faction descriptions, beta tester, Head of the Research team
Arcabagatur - Bulgar research
Kataphraktos - Military researcher
Nickpes - Byzantium researcher
Digenis - Byzantium researcher
Laran - Reseacher, plates and illustrations

Special thanks
============
Atheist Peace - forums and guiding
Dromikaites - coding and guiding
Dimeolas - banners
Shogo - modeller/skinner for creating

If anyone is interested in joining, post in this thread or PM me.

Special thanks to Dimeolas for creating banners for us. Thank you!

Cheers!
The Byzantium TW Mod Team

[caesar44]

GOOD LUCK !!!
Bty , Iustinianus (Justinian) was the greatest Byzantine emperor...

[edyzmedieval]

GOOD LUCK !!!
Bty , Iustinianus (Justinian) was the greatest Byzantine emperor...

No. And I'll tell you why. In a topic in the Monastery. The Forge is not the place to discuss history.

Thanks!

[edyzmedieval]

Although BI is a bit away, I want to be prepared for the release of the expansion pack. So, I have started recruiting members.

Any skinner and modeller not working for any mod and also interested in this mod reply to this thread or PM me or King Henry V.

Don't worry, you will have work to do before BI comes out. You shall create help on creating the new units and buldings and will be implemented directly, if the BI files will be the same.

Any skinner and modeller interested in participating?!

[edyzmedieval]

Anyone?!

Oh well. May I have some suggestions from you regarding buldings?!

We have thought until now of Theme Level 1,2,3,4,5 and the Mercenary Recruitment Centre.
Is there any chance of many regional specific buildings?! I mean, for Constantinople, to make more palaces in the city, like it had.

And also, we need historical info about the units. We already thought about the Byzantines and Turks.
We need info about: Bulgars, Cumans, Khazars, Armenians, Papacy, Venetians and Normans

Can anyone provide this info?!

Any modeller, skinner and coder interested, please join.

[King of Atlantis]

Well sounds great, but as a person who is/was a newbie modder, you need to show some solid evidence first. Your concept is wonderful, but not to many people want to join a mod that isnt already on its way(graphics wise). I wish you guys the best of luvk though, this mod soundes great.

[Seleukos]

The Factions
===========

High Era

Byzantine Empire
Empire of Niceea
Empire of Trebizond
===

Guys ,there is a mistake here.
We cannot include both Byzantine Empire and Empire of Nicea.
In 1204 there is no empire in Constantinoupolis(i m sure u know this)

So,either the player should start the High period as Byzantine Empire but not controlling Constantinoupolis,
or this:
There could be separate factions:Epirus,Trapezounta,Nicea and the player can choose one of them.The faction among these which takes Constantinoupolis changes to "Byzantine Empire"-and if it looses it is renamed again in epirus,nic,trap)

I think this is the most historically correct,but i dont know how and if this can be programmed.

[Helgi]

Guys ,there is a mistake here.
We cannot include both Byzantine Empire and Empire of Nicea.
In 1204 there is no empire in Constantinoupolis(i m sure u know this)

So,either the player should start the High period as Byzantine Empire but not controlling Constantinoupolis,
or this:
There could be separate factions:Epirus,Trapezounta,Nicea and the player can choose one of them.The faction among these which takes Constantinoupolis changes to "Byzantine Empire"-and if it looses it is renamed again in epirus,nic,trap)

I think this is the most historically correct,but i dont know how and if this can be programmed.

Around that time, don't you have the Crusader State Latin Kingdom or Empire in control of Constantinople and Macedonia? just a small question of sort's.

[edyzmedieval]

OOPs!!! My mistake!!!

Sorry, will edit.

[kataphraktoi]

A suggestion for the Patriarch issue.

Create a unit like the orthodox priests in BI.

This Patriarch "Unit" will have an entourage of priests around him with the Patriarch as an "officer" unit.
In addition, the cost training and upkeep of a "Patriarch" will be expensive for two reaons:
a) discourage stupidity of training more than one Patriarch by players for watever reason
b) because they were leeches of Imperial revenues - in history, imperial patronage of church was quite an expensive exercise

This Patriarch unit should have absolutely no combat ability....no duh!!
But it should have the historically correct ability to raise morale.

Now, if only they could gain vices and virtues

[kataphraktoi]

hmm... are priests units abvle to be modded to carry relics and icons?

[edyzmedieval]

Funny. You seem to have gave me a modding breaktrough....

We can do the Patriarch like a character, with his own unit card. He will be able to get vices and virtues. He won't be able to construct or recruit mercenaries. He will have Mounted Orthodox Priests. They will be much more powerful Orthodox Priests.

They will be recruitable, and have a huuuge training cost. And only 1 time, if that's possible.

They can be modelled to have a relic.

We'll see what we can do with these guys.

[Csatadi]

Magyar faction

Taksony
931-972 AS A DEAD LEADER!
wife Katincsa
932-

1. son Gyeicsa faction leader
940-
wife Sarolt
954-
influential wife
short-tempered
made sacrifices to two gods - the Christian one and the old Hungarian god.
dont attack neighbours ->governor type character

2. son Mihály faction heir
944-
wife: Bulgarian princess
we know nothing about him. died very early not known the time.
he can be also a dead character or ill etc.


3. daughter Judit
946-
husband Zoltán
946-
we dont know him. the only known fact he was a relative of the Árpád family and was very old in ~1010.
my suggestion ->governor type character




Gyeicsa's daughter
Judit
972-

Gyeicsa's son István
974-

Mihály's son Vászoly
975-


Most of the names appear in old style.




Strategic map
-------------

The Hungarian army should start with (at least) one German knight unit. Their leader was Vencellin.

In this age arrived more and more missionaries - both Catholic and Orthodox. Athrough the forced baptism start
from ~1000.

I suggest Transylvania to be a rebel province with Magyar culture. Leader character: Gyula.
It shouldn't be very easy to capture. Orthodox temple.
The old Hungarian name of Transylvania is Erdőelve.

Rebels
997 Kuppány character in Pannonia near the lake Balaton. Strong pagan "rebellion". In the reality he was a member of
the regal family but very distant relative of the people above.
1003 Gyula character in Transylvania. see above
1018 Ajtony character southern part of the country. Orthodox christian. If the southern part of Hungary will be a
separate province he can own it from the beginning.
1046 Vata character pagan revolt, peasants and warriors
1076 János character pagan revolt, peasants and warriors
other 3 lesser rebel army in 977, 987, 990.


TEch tree idea
Knights who can be build only where catholic church is built.

Mercenaries:
In Hungary can appear German knight units. Their leaders wear German names of course.

[edyzmedieval]

Sorry to dissapoint you, but in the 9th century, there were 3 small factions in Transilvania.

Gelu, Glad and Menumorut. :)

Thanks anyways, and we'll figure it out. A new update is coming!!!!

[Csatadi]

Sorry to dissapoint you, but in the 9th century, there were 3 small factions in Transilvania.

Gelu, Glad and Menumorut. :)

Thanks anyways, and we'll figure it out. A new update is coming!!!!

Yes I heard in your country historians belive in these fantasy tales.

Sorry to dissapoint you, but even if you belive it this tale tells the relations before the Magyar conquest.

[edyzmedieval]

*rolling on the floor laughing*

You Hungarians mentioned these factions... It's called Gesta Hungarorum.

And it's no tale. It's very well known. There are even historical sources and archeological evidence.

Sorry, but you made a mistake here.

[Csatadi]

*rolling on the floor laughing*

You Hungarians mentioned these factions... It's called Gesta Hungarorum.

And it's no tale. It's very well known. There are even historical sources and archeological evidence.

Sorry, but you made a mistake here.

Not we Hungarians but master P. (who called generally as Anonymous) was who made these states-tribes.
The Gesta style in itself is rather a tale than a historical accurate work.
Master P. obviously hadnt already real infos about the conquering. This is understandable he wrote about things what happened 200 years before his era. The modern historians dont belive him because he made a lot very-very important mistakes. Only a little bit: archeologists find Avar presence in the Carpathian basin in the time of the Magyar conquering but master P. dont know about them.
I will translate his major mistakes into English but nowadays I have a lot to do.
I have no time and no reason convincing you.
In 976 Erdőelve (Transylvania) is under the rule of the Gyula who was a separate Magyar tribe leader. (There were more Gyulas. Sarolt, Gyeicsa's wife was the daughter of either Gyula.)