Faction Re-textures by Massive_attack (not compatible with V4)

[Massive_attack]

Im sure conchubhair is most pleased with that piece of news about the artillery crews

[Daraunon]

I have neither issues nor ideas for the Faust M_A,for me they're cool as they are. So I'll just sit back and await your results (now,who said "as always"...? )

the Privateers no longer use the V3 redjacket skins

D:

TFON,how could you do THAT? I loved those guys...

[jan_boruta]

This means the new Privateers will be better

@M_A, I didn't think that those changes (for Pioneers and Kaiser's Pikes) would cause a change in the models file. I only though about a simple texture adjustment in both cases, and as TFON said, those are vanilla skins of plated guys with just the Faustian cross added. So I've gotta ask: does creating a separate skin for, let's say, Kaiser's Pikes have to be accompanied by altering the models file?

[Massive_attack]

I can make a seperate skin easily. The problem is that the game needs to be told that "this model uses this skin" in particular. The file that handles this is called battle_models.db.

The problem with editing said file is that it makes compatability become problematic. Ill explain: for the Barka, i had to make a V3 and V3.5 version. Eventually ill have to make a V4.0 version as well, (once V4 goes stable and testing ceases).

If i had to edit battle_models.db again for the Faustians, i would need to make 4 versions of the file: One if the player is using just vanilla V3, one if the player is using V3 with the barka, another if the player is using v3.5, and one for v3.5 with the barka.

The amount of work increases exponentially like that. It becomes a bigger problem than you'd think. Especially when the file itself is a royal pain in the arse to edit without causing crashes. I mean, ive been using it a long time so i know most of the tricks i need to know in order to prevent crashes, but i swear that file has broken my game *many* times.

Its not a question of "could I ?" but rather one of "do i want to go through the trouble ?" essentially.

[Daraunon]

Since v4 is being made,and the 3.5 patch is pretty much a must-have,I'd stick with making a 3.5 version only,to spare some trouble. Everyone gets the 3.5 patch sooner or later,being it for the crashes when fighting the Gaelics,or to get the new Faust units or whatever.

It's not like you have some pros to NOT having a patched Thera,so people wouldn't have anything to complain about IMHO.

[Massive_attack]

@Daraunon: Honestly, you would think that, except EVERY SINGLE DAY we find another person who "never even heard of the 3.5 patch", so version 3.0 compatibility is an absolute must. Remember, my mod has to be setup so that noob and pro alike can enjoy it.

[The Holy Pilgrim]

What kills me is the fact that the patch is literally right under the main download and people still don't find it. I can understand having downloaded version 3 a long time ago and have only recently come back to the forums, but just now downloading the mod and not knowing there is a patch (which is, once again, literally under the main download) is something I have trouble understanding.

[Massive_attack]

...and yet, here we are

Anywho, The faustians are coming around in a big way I think when im done you'll really like it, but im going to let it be known now, i intend to take my sweet time with the reich. I want to make them perfect.

Also, how do you guys feel about me using iron crosses for the reich ? Its technically a Teutonic symbol (the iron cross was originally envisoned as a homage to the teutonic knights who created the state of prussia, and while it sort-of fits into the timeframe of the faust, its a bit awkward since the teutonic knights are still kicking, just a couple small islands/continents away. And the faustians are in no way related to Prussia.

So yeah. As a side note though, one of the old faustian 3/4 plate troops actually had one, but it was yellow so you probably didnt bat an eye (BUT I DID !)

(by "3q plate" i refer to the full plate troops the faust gets. Think upgraded forlorn hope)
Also, the 3q plate troops dont have the old faustian fists on them. I stupidly forgot to incorporate them on the new ones. I could freehand them, but they would look like crap and the way the armor looks now, it would feel tacked on and crummy.

[TheFirstONeill]

The yellow Iron cross was used because it appears on the faction symbol the Faustians, a 'normal' Iron cross would be drawing them too close to WWI germany, something I have tried to avoid (despite pressure )

[Massive_attack]

So... if i coloured them yellow somewhat it would be all good ? Since theyre already kind of there... :\

Visually speaking they do look very nice

Edit: Is it okay if i use imperial eagles (see austrian empire, holy roman empire, imperial germany) in my designs ? They are very germanic symbols of power.

[Daraunon]

I'd be okay with eagles,but they don't seem to fit IMHO. In truth,I'd resent the lack of fists...same thing for the crosses,I'd keep them yellow,you know I think it's important that factions keep their own colors on them.

[Massive_attack]

The crosses dont scream "WERE TEUTONIC" so dont worry. You would never ever ever ever ever ever mistake a faustian soldier for a teutonic one. Just trust me, it would not happen.

[Conchubhair]

Maybe you could roll with Branderburg style to an extent i dont want to see faustians blazing in red.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg

Or Maybe even better would be Silesia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silesia

This is my way of keeping away from ww1 - go back 100-400 years lol.

As for the Faustian Cannons - I think of them (forgive me) as the elite cannonmen of the Sweedish Army 18th centuary i think, the Sweedish had great success in russia poland and even northern Germany - the problem and possibly why a large Block of Northern Europe isn't know as Sweeden today was these units were elitests and with sweedens small population came a small army so the casualties added up.

I would really hate if any armor ever went near any cannonmen - what i had in mind was cloth which is embelmised and bold black.

In the 16th Centuary the concept was voiced that any military unit to be a military unit need to be unifromal - this had three reasons;
1) in combat men panick, they often look to thier peers for hope ect. which would be better looking at your comrade in dribs and drabs a filthy commenor or a man looking proud in his uniform looking back at you in your uniform as you bombard your enemies to the ground.

2)It is more Demorilising for the enemy.

3) it inspires the commen people on the steet. They look upon these men - i wish i could be part of that ect.

i would quate you the sources but for the life of me i could find the name of the person who said it. But it is a very German thing to have uniformal armies. it started with the Liebenzliche(check spelling) pikemen which were formed for the HRE.

"Im sure conchubhair is most pleased with that piece of news about the artillery crews " -

[jan_boruta]

I can't imagine Faustians with eagles. Golden fists and crosses are way better for them. Of course, they've got an eagle/gryphon head on their cavalry banners, but we've never seen an entire eagle on a Faustian character.

[Conchubhair]

To be honest i dont think the eagle thing is all that important, it would be nice to see here and there, but i do like what has already been set for the Faustian Reich.

[Massive_attack]

You guys are picky about the reich, huh ? Now im afraid of releasing these teaser shots i have, I dont want to get stoned to death or something.

[Daraunon]

Teasers may be good for feedback,and somehow I can guess there will be A LOT of that...

The artillery crews could use Pioneers models maybe? Just an idea...it would sort of make sense.

[Massive_attack]

Ill put forward the teasers in a few days. Im still working on perfecting the units i intend to show off (the basic pike and shot units). So far thiings have been going well, but I need ideas for details to add on, especially for the un-upgraded pikemen.

Also, as far as uniformity goes, there wont be *as much* of it as you've seen in the previous Faust texture pack. I mean, when you see a Faust battle line its awash with yellows grays blacks and occasionally some (very dark, dull) red (and I KNOW what you're thinking- "oh God, enough with the red !"- but its actually less instrusive than the red was in the old texture pack. Think about the same ammount of it as you saw there, just with a duller less bright colour- it looks good) Its just that Faustian armies look less like they marched out of a factory assembly line, and look more like *Actual Renaissance Troops*- an example: the 3rd quarter plate upgrade armors draw heavy inspiration from real renaissance knight and pikemen armor (note: dont worry, the pikemen armor fits perfectly). Granted, i take numerous artistic liberties, but still.

So yeah, Ideas for adding stuff onto the textures would be appreciated. Its less important for the 3 quarter plate units, since they cant really have much going on anyway by necessity, and due to the fact that the way the textures work, editing it so that a sword appears on the side of one armoured soldier would look awkward and bad on the cuirass of another unit using the same texture.

And yeah, Daraunon, im sure the images would stirr up alot of.. things. Im just not sure if its worth it

Honestly, reading alot of the comments posted here is somewhat depressing. You guys do realize im the same person that made and released the barka, which was a preety damn good texture pack. I realize the Faustians are alot of people's baby, but consider this; they were the very first faction i retextured, way back when i just started this thread. And frankly, my skills then were still very much in a developmental stage. I had thought revisiting that old work and re-doing it would garner much excitement and support. I mean, like, you guys DO like the barka, and all (okay well, almost all, most people rightfully felt iffy about my take on the privateers, ill admit that) of my previous work. so there isnt much to worry about. Im not some second rate fool that would pump out anything less than my best work, everything i send off to TFON is checked thrice-over for quality. Its why i take *months* to finish a texture pack, and its also why, to date, every one of my submissions to TFON has been accepted (with some caveats, of course).

So.. yeah, have a little faith, guys. I already told you im not deviating from the originals in terms of theme, colour pallete (well, i told you id make the tones duller, but thats about it), and style. Im not going to touch the signature reich units like the line infantry, and as always, all of my changes are entirely optional, and if in the end you dont like what ive done, you can just ignore the work and use the old stuff.

Also due to intense POPULAR DEMAND *all* faustian soldiers will now sport eagles ! Tons and tons of them ! And iron crosses, too ! They shall wear entire cuirasses of iron crosses, aranged into an eagle shape ! Certain shirts will even include eagles having sexual relations with other eagles, with iron cross backgrounds, upon a platform hoisted by eagles ! yes !

[Daraunon]

Also due to intense POPULAR DEMAND *all* faustian soldiers will now sport eagles ! Tons and tons of them ! And iron crosses, too ! They shall wear entire cuirasses of iron crosses, aranged into an eagle shape ! Certain shirts will even include eagles having sexual relations with other eagles, with iron cross backgrounds, upon a platform hoisted by eagles ! yes !

Apart from that...I do have faith in your skills,but I'm satisfied with your previous work as well,so you'll really have to do something really cool to impress me.

I liked the all-black-and-yellow armored Faust anyway,forgive me if I'll be acting picky.

[Conchubhair]

Maybe you dont relise just how much i appressiate your work M_A, you made fighting the Barka and the Bon Chevaliers such a priviliage - Will i'll never play either in the Campaign just the sheer difference in feel from fighting them with your texture makes Thera so much more enticing. Your Barka work is truely amazing, it were my Reich has been campaigning resently, and i truely http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLnWf1sQkjY

So Thank you very much for all your efforts, Reich, Barka and Bon bons are Visaul Spectral heaven.