What i think will happen with modding M2TW

[Throumbaris]

Good news that you guys are looking for ways to make an exporter possibly, even better news that we are getting the descr files soon.
But i have to disagree about the fact that it would take more time to create mods this way. If you notice units have a global scale that is applied to the whole culture. There is a basic torso from unarmoured to advanced plate, the same with arms, legs and heads. All the units are just a mix and match. You wont have to make 5 variations on all 150+ units but make variations on different armour levels and some other uniques like those spanish fluffy clothes. Im personally looking forward to mixing some bodyparts to add new units instead of messing around in 3ds max.

[Comrade Alexeo]

Am I the only one here who thinks that CA saying modding for M2TW will be more difficult than for RTW isn't because of inability to modify models - CA says it's looking into it, and I for one trust them to deliver - but rather the sheer number of models that a mod will require?

And skins too. Think about it. I saw somewhere that each unit has 3 torsos, 3-5 heads, 3-4 shields, and 2-3 legs/arms, or something to that effect; this allows the awesome variability within M2TW units, because when you do the math there's something like 1,000-plus possible variations.

That's fine and dandy for CA, which has the resources to have a zillion modelers and skinners. But the average mod doesn't have very many skinners or modelers at all.

I've made skins and models, and I know how time-consuming they can both be - and I'm not even very good at either task; really good ones must take forever. Now consider that you need to create at least 8 "skins" for an individual unit (2 each for head, shield, limbs, torso) with enough variations so as to justify making them in the first place - AND you either need at least 2 models for each unit (say, one with a hat/helmet, and one without), or you need one model and then rely on alphaing out the hat/helmet, which is horrid for performance.

Make no mistakes, boys and girls - M2TW modding, if it can happen, will be a slog.

[Throumbaris]

Read my post above, each unit doesnt have all those variations, in fact england has basically one unit with 2-3 different types of helmets for example feudal knights and a different torso for billmen. Modding will not take longer.