Middle-earth: Total War Content Release

[Apoc]

Middle-earth: Total War

Middle-earth: Total War was the first LotR-mod for the Total War games, first started on Medieval, and then ported to Rome. Unfortunately work on the mod was halted some time ago, so Burns from the METW team has decided to put the mod out as a content release. The mod is for Rome: Total War – Barbarian Invasion v1.6, and it is fully modfoldered, so it will not interfere with the original game or other mods which may be installed. The custom battles are fully playable with all 11 factions (see previews below), but the campaign has a CTM (Crash to Menu) error. Other modders are free to use any of the work included in the mod, provided they credit the METW team. For more information and screenshots, check out the METW forum.

Download the mod (installation instructions included) here.

Also check out the faction previews:

• Gondor Preview
  
  Elven Realms Preview
  
  Erebor and Dale Preview
  
  Rohan Preview
  
  Isengard Preview
  
  Easterlings Preview
  
  Harad Preview
  
  Gundabad Preview
  
  Mordor Preview
  
  Beornings Preview
  
  Eriador Preview

[WImPyTjeH]

We have an announcement. After some hours of work, Aradan (of the Fourth Age: Total War) has found and eliminated the error that was blocking the campaign and we now have a base campaign map working.

Don't expect much though, this is a WIP version of the campaign map and it's made for modders who want edit or expand the current campaign.

README:
By Aradan:

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These are the files needed to make METW 0.98 campaign playable.
Just copy and paste the contents of the data folder inside your bi/metw/data folder. They will overwrite existing files, so a back-up is recommended.

Using these files won't trigger a CTD, KTM or an error message on campaign start-up or end. That's it though; don't expect to see a mod ready to be played. Far from it actually. Due to the inability of METW Team to have a working map the campaign is by and large a huge WIP with quite a few errors. Experienced or semi-experienced modders should know what to do in order to get the campaign into relevant shape. Thankfully there are also lots of tutorials around and METW right now is the perfect opportunity for experimentation!

Good luck!

KNOWN ISSUES:
- Like said, everything (except for the strat map models) is vanilla. There are no tech trees, no balance, no recruitable units, etc. The only thing these files do is making the campaign playable, nothing more.
- The Mordor ground textures are yet to be included.
- Some wonder/resource coordinates are wrong.

IMPORTANT:
- Just to be completely sure, delete the map.rwm (located in metw\data\world\maps\campaign\middle-earth).
- If the campaign still doesn't load, first try to delete the map_heights.HGT (map_heights.HGT, NOT the map_heights.TGA !!).
- If it doesn't load after that, try to "reinstal" (recopy) your METW mod folder or check your regular vanilla BI installation.

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Download HERE

NOTE: as said, this is a WIP version of the campaign map, so this thread is NOT meant for reporting bugs.

And also, thanks go to Aradan for this, and to Burns for all his hard work he has invisted in METW

[Apoc]

Burns has posted an update for METW (includes loads of new regions and off-map city models, amongst other new stuff): find out about it HERE.

[Flying Pig]

It downloads as a .rar - WTF?

[Apoc]

Use WinRAR to extract it.

[Myrddraal]

It's a shame this mod didn't go all the way, but the content looks great.

[Aradan]

There is still work being done on it, so we've not seen the end of it yet. ;)

[Burns]

Ive begun a consolidated updates thread. I encourage those people who'd like to add to METW in any way to post their stuff there!
http://www.chamber-of-records.com/fo...splay.php?f=95

A new two handed sword animation (and my first work with animations). Based off of Wles' animation but with very distinctive features such as a different ready stance as well as different blocking and modified attack animations.



Next up: New Variag skin variations. Scoundrel has done a nice job on giving the variags what I think is an improved look. Variags will come in a Sauronic, Haradic and Easterling flavor:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...etwvariag7.jpg

And also from Scoundrel: The Men of Nurn. They will appear chiefly as slave rebels in that region.

https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b.../metwnurn1.jpg

Next up: Two new units for the Beornings. Spearmen and Longbowmen. This is part of the process of making them a more rounded out faction.



Introducing Umbarian Heavy Infantry.



And lastly, this one is self explanatory:



The sails are coming up over the horizon...





Uhh... got kinda bored...



Haradic (Umbarian) and Gondorian pattern warships. By no means done. I am open to suggestions for improvement.

Finally Thor the Bassist posted some of his awesome work:

More screens. Have finished all the buildings and layout its now a case of getting AI pathfinding and collision data fixed and then the city is ready for the game. :D





The Statue of Elrond which you have to capture to take the city. Dunno if the figure should be made into sandstone but that can be easily changed.

The lack of pathfinding is currently hilarious. I've watched a unit run from the top of the hill, straight through the statue, down a steep hill, through a house, over a lake, down a cliff and then reach the bottom when there was a perfectly simple path it could take right next to the one it took.

[Red Spot]

very interesting stuff Burns ...

together with FATW and EOD II there's quite a bit of quality fantansy out there ... and I like it ...

hope you get your settlement up and running as you want (so I can ask you later on how you did it ;)) and must say I'm impressed by the change in look you've managed to create, eventhough the battlemap seems very vanilla for the rest ...


G

[Burns]

I have that hope too.

[Hound of Ulster]

why not ask if you can use the map from FATW? It works just fine.

[Burns]

METW campaign map has been fixed and hugely expanded. As of writing it includes 150 regions.

[Burns]

Just thought I'd post this.

Screens in game now:


I'll get rid of all that stuff thats on the ground later but need to focus on getting troops moving on the walls, getting siege equipment to attack the walls and putting gates in the walls.

There should be room for buildings within the burg but that can come later.

[Aradan]

As I said on COR, major respect to Thor - even more when his completes the pathfinding and put in the minor details. Already looks delicious though.

[Thor the Bassist]

"Hey how did you get there - go inside and do your homework"

I hope I get that working properly. Currently Rohan warriors are doing an amusing lemming impression and diving to their death off the back of the walls.

The attacking side will be the worst problem.

Yes the AI might just try to attack the wall like this.

[Burns]

More on Helm's Deep from Thor. Praise and worship the thunder god you heathens!!

This should make it clearer:



As you can see along the deeping wall the real (light grey) wall runs at the exact same level and path as the fake wall. I'll get the wall to eventually be invisible but at the moment it helps for it to be seen. The idea is the units will attack the light grey walls and when the end up on them they will seamlessly transfer onto the fake dark grey walls.



The same applies to the gate - although it isn't in the perfect place I can offset the placement a bit and have a really tall gate (I think) to place in the gateway.



This just shows the exact same model but the defenses have been raised to epic stone walls and this means that the real walls become invisible.

Hope that explains it! :hmmm:

[AqD]

Hi ME:TW team!

Just tell you that I'll add some of the variag units into my mini-mod for RTR (with credit to you guys of course), they would be good for eastern factions.

And Thanks For Your Great Models!

[Burns]

Noted, AqD. Hope they suit you.

[AqD]

Noted, AqD. Hope they suit you.

Well I finally decided the stats and gave them to parthia, as the private army of old Persian noble clans, with names like "Immortal Spears/Swords/etc".

Thanks again!

[carbz]

absolute quality, props to you guys for continuing this great work

[Burns]

More on Helms Deep progress from Thor:

BOOM OH YEAH!

The Deeping Wall now works. It's a little slimmer and now has stairs. But you can get onto it (sometimes) off it (again sometimes) fight on it (always) both by attacking and defending.



The new stairs which made UV mapping a pain (but worth it).



And some Uruks finally making it to the wall and fighting.



The lemming frequency is also reduced drastically although it has not disappeared altogether. However there is good news...

...Uruk blood has been spilled on the Deeping Wall. It is only a matter of time before it spreads to the Hornburg.

[Aradan]

Excellent job and props to Thor!! Awaiting the next step now! ;)

[christof139]

Deleted, I posted in the wrong thread. Sorry. Chris

[darth maul]

nice work their

[Thor the Bassist]

Ah this is where this thread went!

If you want the latest release of metw go here (it will always be posted in the first post of this thread).

[Thor the Bassist]

METW v1.00 is out. Still beta but now has a campaign that works.

Elves and Gundabad do not currently work - I am working on this so dont spam this thread saying they dont work.

[Apoc]

Here's an alternate download link for v1.0 for those having throuble with FileFront: LINK.

[ooredoo]

uHmmm is this barbarian invasion or rome total war??????

[ooredoo]

oHhh w8 i see its barbarian invasion =) is the mod has a helms deep like at the top or its the other mod?????

[Thor the Bassist]

oHhh w8 i see its barbarian invasion =) is the mod has a helms deep like at the top or its the other mod?????

Erm... dont exactly understand what you mean there. METW has a helms deep like at the top but it doesn't really work that well. We're going to work on it at some point.