ES Vol.II No.9 - Mod Focus: Arthurian - Total War
Interviewer: GrimSta
Arthurian: Total War representatives: Agraes, Ianofsmeg16, Kscott
GrimSta: Ok, let me start by saying thanks for taking the time out for this interview. Right, the project you’re working on - Arthurian: Total War (ATW from now on) is based in the dark ages of Britain. What made you want to make a project during this era?
Ianofsmeg16: I joined Agraes' project because of my love for the period, after reading the warlord chronicles and then seeing A:TW on the guild, I jumped at the chance to be involved.
Agraes: Since my childhood, I’ve been a big fan of the King Arthur, and since some years ago I have been very interested in WHO was behind the legendary king, the history of Arthur and the dark ages of Britain. I’m also from Brittany and I love my region’s history. I played RTS since I got a computer and did lot of scenarios on it, often based on Celtic backgrounds: on Age of Empires II, Empire Earth, Age of Mythology; now I hope my dream will come true: a real game dedicated to Arthur, or at least a mod.
GrimSta: I think the "little briton" in all of us wants an Arthur Mod. So what is the mod actually about?
Ianofsmeg16: says: Um...in simplest terms, the dark age of Britain and Brittany...for a more in-depth description, talk to Agraes.
Agraes: The mod will essentially feature the Saxon Invasion Era, and the Briton migration to Brittany, from 481 to 685 AD. No Vikings here, but a lot of battles, and those mighty kings and warlords that made up the arthurian legend : Arthur himself, but also Urien Rheged, Peredur, Hengist, Maelgwn of Gwynedd, Cerdic of Wessex, Brudei of the Picts and lot of more
GrimSta:
No Uther Pendragon then?
Agraes: says:
Yes, I chose to make the mod begin after Ambrosius and Uther death, simply to have real Saxon’s opponents.
GrimSta:
What are your main aims for the mod?
Ianofsmeg16: says:
To create a realistic mod that shows Britain and Northern france during one of the darkest periods of history for the British. We also aim to dispel this myth of the "Dark Ages" as an uncivilised time after the fall of Rome.
Agraes: says:
To have multiples challenges for the player. If he wants an easy faction, he will play Dyfneint with wealthier provinces, if he wants a harder game he will play Ynis Manaw, cornered by enemies. We are also aiming for the max historical accuracy, and in that way Ranika, our Celtic specialist well known of the community have helped us just like no one can do.
GrimSta:
Excellent, Ranika is indeed a fountain of all Celtic Knowledge. So who’s working on the mod, apart from yourselves?
Ianofsmeg16: says:
Well, we have just merged with Kscott’s Pax Brittania...
Agraes: says:
We got other well documented researchers : Hross and Spongly, our Germanic specialists ; Vortigern, our Briton historian, Trashaholic who writes unit descriptions, Ranika (without him the mod would be nothing) ; blindfaithnogod, so far our only skinner/modeler working a lot on our units, so just please do an act of charity, if you have time to do skins just join and this way he can sleep the night and have a normal life.
Agraes: says:
And Kscott, originally leader of Pax Britannia, who has just joined us as a mapper/skinner.
GrimSta:
KScott, why did you decide to agree to a Merger?
Kscott:
Well, I originally planned just to make my Britain map and have a few factions all balanced for gameplay. Then Agraes sent me a lengthy pm explaining why we should merge, and then we had a chat on MSN. I realised with the merger we could produce the ultimate Britain mod, that would not only feature a good map, but great units, and tons of history packed in there as well.
GrimSta:
How many new units are you adding to your mod?
Ianofsmeg16: says:
In a word? Hundreds. As many as we can, obviously there won’t be any "left over" units from the vanilla BI game, so its going to be reskinning and moddeling.
Agraes: says:
I estimate about 130 units, plus 2 or 3 models per Briton unit to add variety.
GrimSta:
wow....And Blindfaithnogood made all of them?
Agraes: says:
So far he is going too! But we have also received help from Lusted and Atilla Reloaded who let us use their modifications.
Ianofsmeg16: says:
And they have been a great help.
GrimSta:
I can imagine, the quality of their work is amazing. Ian, whats your personal role in the mod?
Ianofsmeg16: says:
Well, I originally joined the team as Mapper, but recent troubles with my computer have put delays on the mod, so I'm reverting to historical Research, with some text editing if I need to (which will probably be simple stuff like changing Faction/unit names etc). But with Kscott joining the team there is no need for me as a mapper.
Agraes: says:
And coding, I hope.
Ianofsmeg16: says:
I'm also the one who made Agraes put Ynys Manaw into the mod, being from the Isle of Man.
GrimSta:
So, apart from leading the project what else do you do for it Agraes?
Agraes: says:
I’m doing advertising, researching on different things, and I’m coding - so far simple stuff like units, names, quotes and such, until the map is ready.
GrimSta:
Do you have any interesting scripts planned for the mod?
Agraes: says:
We plan on spawning armies to represent new barbarian hordes coming to the British coast.
Ianofsmeg16: says:
We haven’t really talked about this much (if I remember), but as the mod progresses there should be some interesting stuff, I don’t know if Agraes has anything in mind.
Agraes: says:
Characters at certain dates, to have the powerful kings like Urien, Aedan of Dal Riada and such, and force alliances; but it's true we do not really have scripts in mind at the moment, we are focusing on units and the map.
GrimSta:
What faction are you most looking forward to playing?
Ianofsmeg16: says:
Ynys Manau.
Agraes: says:
Well, the choice is very difficult... but I would say Dyfneint to play Arthur.
Kscott:
Domnonia (Dyfneint), and of course Dal Riada.
Ianofsmeg16: says:
I am also looking forward to the Irish factions, the stuff Ranika has found for us is amazing.
Agraes:
Yes, the Gaels are unique in their way of war.
GrimSta:
What is your favourite unit so far?
Ianofsmeg16:
The Alternate Rherel, that is my favorite skin so far.
Agraes:
In our concepts, I really like the Marca Dumonyna (Dumonian cavalry), it will be probably the most powerful unit of the mod but very, very high cost I will really enjoy Gaelic champions, like the Fennacuradha for Connaght
GrimSta:
Could you describe your Mod in 10 words?
Ianofsmeg16:
Arthurian Total war pwns everyone else with it's Historical knowledge.
Agraes:
Arthurian : Total War is set in the Dark Ages of Britain, from 481 to 685 AD./
Kscott:
Ultimate Pwnage in a historically accurate package
GrimSta:
Do you have any favorite versions of the King Arthur story?
Agraes: says:
the movie King Arthur !
Ianofsmeg16: says:
Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles, but I like the classical poems.
Kscott:
I prefer the good old classic Arthur story myself, with Merlin and the whole team.
) Units look great so far, especially the Fennacuradha 
Originally Posted by GrimSta
Someone has got to show me that...
