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Thread: Metal Mayhem : TW

  1. #1

    Default Metal Mayhem : TW

    For a previous history on the mod...see here : https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=45326

    For anyone too lazy to click the link, here is a rough storyline.

    It's the future, and the Earth has grown into the overcrowded, resource depleted shell the environmentalists have all been warning us about for all those years. Nobody listened.

    In order to survive, there was only one course of action to be taken, adn that meant expansion. The quest was on to find a planet suitable for habitation, or failing that, one which could be MADE suitable through basic terr-forming technology. This, ultimately was what they found.

    Plans were made, a vast ship was constructed in orbit ( you know the kind of thing... ) and despatched with the cargo on board needed to make a brave new world. Unwilling to risk life and limb, the cargo naturally contained no humans. What it DID contain was a vast array of modular droid construction factories. These units were designed to be air-dropped from low orbit, before the main ship extablished a more secure orbit from which it could relay instructions to the automated factories. These in turn would churn out robotic workforces to plant, build, prepare, mine and generally make everything the coming colonists would require. They even planned for recreational droids ( mainly to secure funding from certain high-profile corporations ) so that the first colonists could sit back and watch a game of cricket or football. They had thought of everything!

    Or so they thought.

    The ship guidance system malfunctioned, and after dumping what it could of it's automated factories, scattered across the surface, the ship broke up. The tougher, better shielded parts landed relatively intact, but so much was lost. The factories, designed as autonomous units began their production, units came off assembly lines as resource collectors started to turn raw materials into useful things. A crude atmosphere formed and earth seeded plants began to grow, but the untis lacked much of their design programming, and lacked the knowledge of the others existance. Each thought it worked alone. Each strove to gather all it could to fulfill it's mission. Units were adapted to fulfill new tasks, based on whatever information the factories could gather from their fractured databanks, and they spread out over the surface of the world. Then...they began to bump into other units....from other factiories. They saw them as a threat.... and in whatever primitive ways they could, they sought to eliminate the things that stood in the way of their goal. To make a new world!

    OK..you get teh picture ! Lots of robots churned out with makeshift weapons beating the silicon out of each other over a rough looking world. The colony does not include anything seriousely military, since it lacked anything by way of a technologically advanced population. So, no lasers, blasters, or heavy kit like that. Additionally, the oxygen starved atmosphere does not really lend itself to explosives or firearms of the more conventional sort. Simple electromagnetic railguns and catapult devices, do, however, feature! Nothing like a healthy dose of kinetic energy to shake a droid out of service!

    Anyway.

    Factions:

    Ship AI >
    A selected set of ship built units intended for maintenance of the vessel. Able to run on AG floaters since they were designed for zero-g operation. Armed with a variety of cutting and welding gear, the initial units available here have some combat potential. The 'rivet gun' is not pleasant, able to fire both hot and cold slugs of alloy. Some additional potential for the scout units intended for surface exploration.

    Factory 17 >
    Originally tasked with construction of sanitation systems and maintenance units for the services. Equipped largely with wheeled units, the sanitation droids are robust and rugged designs. Other units include tunneling units, infestation and pest control types. Some units have a 'bleach jet' which is as unpleasant as it sounds.

    Lucas Agribots > A combination of wheeled and tracked designs. Their primary function was agriculture. This ranged from rock breaking and compaction, through to ploughing and harvesting. Some bi-pedal units are also specified for forestry work, being far more able to work in wooded areas.

    Droidwerkz >
    This factory was the 'jack of all trades' factory turning out a wider range of support equipment. Mobile power droids, field generators and units able to perform those countless useful tasks that no-one else wants to do.

    Recreational Dynamics >
    Leisure and sports driods. Beware the giant sized tennis playing 'McEnroe-Bot'

    Cyberdyne Systems >
    Worker droids for other factories. Lifters, stackers, Also some civil defence machines for basic law enforcement and colony support functions. DEfinitely no cyborgs....

    Multibot >
    These guys were designed to perform the bulk of hte Terra-Forming. Rock crushers, demolition droids, and heavy machinery. Also available are service bots to field maintain the larger units and deal with clean up operations.

    Marshall Dynamics >
    Bipedal maintenance droids.

    Yamashita Electronics >
    Highly 'traditional' bipedal units. Primarily harvesting and agricultural units, with a variety oif nurturing and supporting tasks covered from fertilising to weeding and pest control.

    Alba Tronics >
    Roadbuilders. Bulldozers, tar-mac machines, road rollers, and some drilling and crushing units for hard-core production and levelling. They even get to wear 'hard-hats' for that proper construction worker feel.

    Factory 42 >
    Communications specialists. Largely wheeled units responsible for communications networks and infrastructure.

    'Production Rejects' >
    Not affiliated to any factory, but rather the throw-outs from them all. Maintained and 'put together' by the out-cast construction units, they are unusual and unpredictable.

    There will also be wonders!
    Not pyramids, of course, the factories would have torn those down and turned them into concrete by now.. but rather, some useful ship remnants.

    Atmosphere Plant ( bonus to farming )
    Ship Communications Fragment ( loyalty bonus )
    Seed Factory ( production bonus )
    Ship Power Plant ( production bonus )

    There will be lots of new units, new animations, and a whole new map ( done)

    done by me.... finished when it's done, and jolly different too
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Excuse the placeholder texture, that will be sorted soon.



    I give you ....the Mk VII Light Scouting Droid. Standard complement on the colony ship, designed for perimeter scouting and resource location. These ones have been adapted to carry a multi-barrel bolt-gun, adapted from a high speed rivetting device. Light, fast but a bit flimsy! Sharpened rotors give an additional 'edge' in combat ....


    Or, in rea terms.... basic missile unit for the Ship AI faction. New animation routines throughout for this puppy. The rotor blades spin... as does the gun barrel assembly when 'shooting'. I have set the thing up so it tilts forward when moving ( as a helicopter should ) It's kind of cute.... ~:D

    Soon, screenshots of the 'rolling' droid, complete with fully animated wheels which roll as he moves ~:D ( in game....just forgot the screenies and I can't be bothered to fire it all up again to do it... will post a pic when I get the textures done too )
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  3. #3
    The Lion Prince Member Sundjata Keita's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Wow! This has to be the most interesting mod in development at the moment, the helicopters look great, can't wait to see them firing. Are they able to fire while tilting though? I doubt it is possible but it would be a cool addition.

  4. #4
    Insanity perhaps is inevitable Member shifty157's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Its about time you updated again. This si a really cool mod. I cant wait to see more of it.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Took a while to get fully sorted with the animation, which is why the progress updates have been a bit quiet.... I also scratch built a whole new campaign map, and set up all the start regions / region selection screens.

    Animation wise, the guns don't fire tilted down. this is mainly due to the limitations of the RTW engine. You only geta single archer type of shooting, and they won't engage at very close range. They switch to 'rotor'. This involves a 'dipping' kind of anim, as they dive in.

    RIght now, though, I wish I had some way to make and post a video of them in action...I have given them quite a fast speed at full run, and boy, do they ZIP This is balanced by a natural fragility.

    Will post some pics of the 'rolling' guys, and the basic Tank-dozer unit which is built, but not working in game yet ( needs anims )
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  6. #6

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Good news for me!

    I have an extra member on the team. Alexander the Pretty Good has come on board to sort out the characters, vices virtues and assorted other text-file stuff while I focus on the models, anims and pretty bits!

    So...this mod now officially has a TEAM!
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  7. #7
    Insanity perhaps is inevitable Member shifty157's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    That is some good news.

    Keep up the awesome work.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Awhile ago I thought this mod had died, but at the time I had been watching since its such an interesting premise. In the beginning though Bwian you said you'd have no guns at all, moving around the problems that creates, with the creative mod plot itself (I thought that was the coolest thing about the mod, because it will be the first future mod to be successful, because its possible on the RTW engine and the low technology of a bunch of mining robots means the issue of what weaponry will future humans be using question is circumvented). At any rate if you can get the gun wielding units looking good then cool, I look forward to the release of this mod.
    Hegemonia Lead Modeller.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Gun units...not exactly ;) they are missile units, but not guns. I need to have SOME missile capability iincluded purely for the tactical interest it provides, but it will definitely not invovle guns.

    Anyway .... update time.

    Not much to show right now by way of eye-candy, but progress IS being made.

    With the services of Shifty to help out with the modelling on the way, I have been completing the design document, and outlining all the factions.

    The mod will be using a number of completely scratch built animation sets ( comprising approximately 10 new skeletons ) and some size variations, so you can see, we plan to have quite a diverse selection of units!

    We have a fully functional campaign map, but I want to stweak it some more before I post any pictures, since I am not 100% happy with the detail of it right now. It needs more work!

    Units are under construction, as are map decorations such as buildings. New map icons are done, and there will be some new models to show off quite soon!

    Don't be put off by the lack of outward progress...there is a heck of a lot going on, and a lot of groundwork needed to make a mod actually work. Units are quick and easy by comparison!
    Watch this space..... eye-candy inbound!
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  10. #10

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    OK...here's some shots of the map, complete with some of the custom buildings...







    The map is delivberately sparse on vegetation, and largely barren desert. The droids have begun terraforming, and the settled areas, where the factories and heavy construction have begun work. These have been seeded with life, and are green. They even have the beginnings of an eco-system.
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  11. #11
    Member Member Atheist_Peace's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Wow, this looks cool Bwian. You sure are one hell or a moddeller/modder.

  12. #12
    Could be your God Member Abokasee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    wow this mod has some of stuff already...sorry but i must ask this question....when is this mod done
    Now with transparent layers!

    Lost on the Internet? Go back to start.

  13. #13
    Insanity perhaps is inevitable Member shifty157's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Quote Originally Posted by Abokasee
    wow this mod has some of stuff already...sorry but i must ask this question....when is this mod done

    Not anytime soon. Thats for sure.

  14. #14

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    As Shifty says....there is still plenty of work to be done. This is more than just a simple case of adding a few new units.... we are going to have a load of new animation routines, and that alone eats up days of modding effort.

    I have been working on one set today, and to fully replace one complete skeleton takes roughly 2-3 man days of modding effort. We are going to use around 8 complete sets....

    It WILL be worth it though!
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  15. #15

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Some eye-candy for the masses !!



    Textures are not complete yet, and I want to slightly tweak the vertex allocation on the big mesh and remove the over-head charge attack animation...doesn't really fit here!

    Also now have a replacement for the 'army flag' over a city.

    Last edited by Bwian; 09-13-2005 at 20:05.
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  16. #16
    Come to daddy Member Geoffrey S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Looks neat. What sort of unit sizes are you considering, similar to RTW? Or are these battles going to be smaller, faster ones?
    "The facts of history cannot be purely objective, since they become facts of history only in virtue of the significance attached to them by the historian." E.H. Carr

  17. #17

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Battle sizes are pretty much controlled by the game engine. Some of the units will kill more effectively than others .... These are the big guys, and they will be hard to take down.

    They are the robotic equivalent of elephants, and are 'breakthrough' units.

    Some of the battles will be a bit more 'frantic' since I am not limited to human realistic movement speeds, but this sort of thing will be finalised when the final balancing is done.
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  18. #18
    Custom User Title Member zukenft's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    yay robots!
    some ideas:
    since these robots are primitive, let some of them go "error" when pressured too much...
    musics should be changed to techno or something like that ( Daft Punk's Robot Rock come to mind).
    all kind of talk and speech must be deleted! change it to "bleeps"

    a question : what will you do to population happiness, growth and taxation?

  19. #19

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    The harvesters rev and up and go .... Bzzzzzzzzzz




    Oh..yes....and the blade on the front DOES rotate
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  20. #20
    is not a senior Member Meneldil's Avatar
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    Default Re : Metal Mayhem : TW

    Great work Bwian :)

  21. #21
    Signifer, Cohors II Legio II Member Comrade Alexeo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Re : Metal Mayhem : TW

    You are too friggen talented man
    Signifer Titus Vorenus
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  22. #22

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW



    A little something to add....

    Next up, I need to build some basic units. The plan is to have all the factions able to build 2 or 3 basic designs. These are the 'start' units, and would represent units which were shipped out with the colony to actually construct the ground stations etc.

    They will be basic, simple, and of limited combat value. Different factions will get different skins to differentiate.

    I also plan on building a generic 'command sphere' general unit
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  23. #23

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Most of the time when a new mod comes out you look at it and say oh thats nice and come back once every six months to view its minimal progress. This mod is the opposite, everytime I look Bwian you've created something impressive.
    Hegemonia Lead Modeller.

  24. #24

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Hey Bwain do not let Games Workshop see that Space Marine Dread... lol
    I like it tho. 8)

  25. #25
    Texture Artist Extrodinare Member richyg13's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    very impressive must say, excellent concept too! and i think its just enough different from the Dreadnaught to be called unique :P

    Talented moddler and skinner we have here it seems, keep up the good work.
    2D & 3D Games Artist
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  26. #26
    Come to daddy Member Geoffrey S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    It's weird seeing mechs wacking hoplites... looks great, and very interesting!
    "The facts of history cannot be purely objective, since they become facts of history only in virtue of the significance attached to them by the historian." E.H. Carr

  27. #27

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    This is a simple tracked base unit. PArt of the standard complement of ships vehicles. Available to all factions. It is robust and durable, if a little slow.



    The unit can be customised by the addition of various top units through a standard drone docking interface. All manner of light mech and mechanised equipment can be carried.

    A heavier version has been developed by some factories for use with heavier terrafroming hardware
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  28. #28
    Assistant Mod Mod Member GiantMonkeyMan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    man those are great! and the romans riding them look soo funny half their legs are missing! this is a really interesting mod...

  29. #29

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    The tracks on these things were quite fun to do.... They are made up of rotating wheels front and rear, with a fixed 'joining' section underneath. You hide teh bits of track that would make it look bad by making the superstructure the shape it is. ( Shifty's idea ) I had planned tracks for some units...but was just going to leave the track static and rotate the wheels. This looks a lot more natural in game...though it is a bit fiddly to line up! You have to position the wheels on a reference model pose, then work out where they will end up in the animations....You effectively have to make the anims fit the model ! Still needs a little work on some of the transitional anims...they don;t blens as smoothly as I would like...but they work well in game!

    I had originally planned to just have them wheeled with balloon tyres.... but tracks are so much cooler!
    Careless Orc Costs Lives!

  30. #30

    Default Re: Metal Mayhem : TW

    Quote Originally Posted by Bwian
    Did you get inspiration from Warhammer 40K for them, they seem a lot similar.

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