Htw Spin-off Mod - Ancient: TW

[macsen rufus]

I hope it sees the light of day before another computer dies on me

I have got RTW + BI, but found it bit of a disappointment, and also I don't have the first clue on modding it (okay, so I didn't have a clue when I started on MTW either.... but wanting to get HTW BA working gave me a motive to learn.) Also, I have an NVIDIA video card, so need different drivers to play MTW and RTW. As it's such a pain to keep swapping over (I once left my machine with NO video output by uninstalling the wrong drivers ) so I've decided I'd rather have MTW + mods than RTW.

HTW was the first mod I ever tried, and I'll never forget that first battle, invading Messenia as the Lakadaemonians! It really knocked my socks off, seeing all those hi-res shields, javelins flying everywhere, and the battle maps are still some of the best I've seen. They'll be carried across into the Ancient mod when I work out how. I don't think it will be difficult, I just haven't looked into it yet. I think I'm going to have to make my own "hill fort" maps for western europe though

Latest news on Ancient-XL (my working title!):

- more Egyptian units added: Egyptian archers, Sherdan mercenaries (like Greek BA militia, but tougher), Medianite cameliers (from HTW) only available in Sinai and Arabia.
- proper Egyptian portraits for Pharaohs and princesses
- one "Famous king" added: Ramses II (charismatic leader)
- using HTW versions of nubian spears and guards, only available in Libya and Egypt
- building up a full Egyptian name list

Next faction to look at will be Assyrians, then Hittites.

I need to decide on a date for "iron age" technology to appear (maybe as a "high" period) but giving early access to the Hittites in Anatolia and Celts in Hungary / Halstatt homeland. I'm also making the pagan ("barbarian" tech-tree more drawn out so they have to do more developments in order to catch up with the "civilised" factions of the Middle East (not forgetting that early advantage in ironworking and maybe horse breeding )

[axel]

Wooow great mate if you got the change cane you show somme pics ???

[macsen rufus]

I've finally got ReadBIF again, so can do some more stuff like faction shields and review panel graphics....

[axel]

really nice mate really nice

[dimitrios the samian]

Brilliant stuff Macsen !! Winter will soon be coming here down under and when it sets in I'll look forward to helping you out on this one both in research & pic & portrait hunting & maybe even more ... ,, I just feel those battles in the sand will be fantastic without trees and shrubs in the way ,, This Bronze Age mod will be a first !! Perhaps eventually we can add Sumeria , Babylon & others for a "Dawn of Civilsation" add on campaign ? !! ,, Anyway my hard drive double very very soon so as soon as MTW + Hellenic is reloaded I'lll be in touch so you make sure I have all your little additions & extra's added to it ,, cheers for now ,, DTS ...
Axel ,, If I can't get to download FOR 3.1 before it disappears may I get a copy from you ? cheers 2u2

[cegorach]

Good work !

I can give you some (limited) help with the mod. There are many possibilities to explote with the mod, some are VERY easy to implement e.g. mounted infantry if you need it.

Maybe you should create a new thread right here within this sub-forum to develop the mod.

Some people could help you with the research which would be very useful in this modding project. Currently only some people notice the idea...

[macsen rufus]

Hi Cegorach - thanks for the kind words. I have to admit that some of your ideas from PMTW have already helped me! So far most of the "hard work" that's gone into this has been second-hand - VikingHorde's map, and the HTW team's units, so I can't claim a lot of credit, I'm just mixing up the toys in my toybox so they can play together

You're probably right about a new thread though -- but that would make it sort of "official", and I don't really want to make too many promises at this stage....

@DTS: I quite like the idea of a Mid-East focus, but that will require a whole new camp map. I'll keep looking to see if that MidEast map ever made it to the light of day. Can't remember where I saw it though....

And of course, the other project is continuing to get HTW-BA straightened out. One day I'll get to play the PM English Civil War scenario....