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Thread: XGM 4 beta

  1. #1
    DimeBagHo's Avatar Praeses
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    Default XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Apart from some bug fixing, if necessary, I don't plan to do any further work on XGM 3, so version 3.6.13 will probably be the last release for that branch. What I plan to do next is a series of XGM beta releases incorporating some of the new features like loyalty, and hopefully politics/religion.

    XGM version 4.0.0b

    Here is what I plan to do for the first beta release.

    (1) Drop support for the vanilla map.

    (2) Switch to version 3 of the Mundus Magnus map.

    (3) Convert the Brutii into the Independent City Sates.

    (4) Introduce loyalty for the GCS.

    The Independent City Sates

    This faction will be a rebel faction for the Greek City States, allowing for the introduction of loyalty for the GCS. The unit roster will be exactly the same as the GCS, and apart from differences in the map and banner colours I expect that all the artwork, including unit skins, will be exactly the same. The faction will not be playable, mostly because playing a shadowing faction causes CTDs under certain circumstances, but also because it would be just like playing an easier version of the GCS.

    The new campaign will be based on the current Unified Rome campaign. Pyrrhus of Epirus will be the faction leader, although there will be "sub-faction" leaders for a number of other important City sates, just like the current set up in the GCS. The stating regions will include Syracuse, Southern Italy, Epirus, Crete, Halicarnarsus, Byzantium and Nicomedia, Chersonesus, Massilia, and Emporion. It won't include Cyrenaica because that will eventually go a rebel faction for the Ptolemies.

    These are just tentative plans, so feel free to make suggestions.
    Last edited by DimeBagHo; May 09, 2006 at 02:37 AM.

  2. #2
    Kara Kolyo's Avatar Mikhail
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    sounds really good. maybe some new units mentioned in the feature requests would be good adition. Macedon especially looks like poor cousin compared to GCS and the shiny new thracians the only other thing that i would ask for is changing victory conditions for some factions that was mentioned too in FR. thanks


    under the patronage of Perikles in the house of Wilpuri
    Proud patron of Cymera

  3. #3
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Looks good to me, Only thing I would avoid is to give them settlements that borders one to another, this way it will represent better the "scattered" nature of the faction.

    Economic part:

    A revised economics extras is in advanced development, basically it is designed to avoid the "millionaire player faction by 200BC" effect from the game.
    Unit cost and upkeep is raised and military buildings will have a toll on your economy.
    AI factions will be balanced by having a better developed infrastructure and extra starting money through the starting script.
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  4. #4
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Suggestion for rebel factions:
    Their roster should be more mercenary based than the faction they shadow and have some other differences so that while challenging you aren't going to face mirror armies...

    Two quick examples:

    ICS (Independent City States) shoud imho have pirate ships replacing biremes (more effective start and historically pirates have been used by many factions), have an easier access to greek mercenaries and local ones but should have an harder time into getting elites (a single city no matter how powerful shouldn't be able to get an high quality standing army).

    Makimoi rebels (rebel faction for the ptolemies) should have a much easier time into getting "native" (desert) units but they shouldn't get the ptolemaic hellenistic units (after all they were trying to expel the greek invaders).

    Unlike others, persian rebels should be powerful (I might also experiment with having them shadowed_by parthia without partia shadowing them) but instead of getting seleucid elites they should get a mix of parthian, armenian and pontic units including some elite ones.

    If you like this setup I'll churn more ideas later for other factions.
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  5. #5
    Dejan77's Avatar Indefinitely Banned
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    how about - after taking setelment before u build a barack to build something like auxsilia phase in rtr
    it will be more dificuld and chalenging to play like that
    no need to be in 3 stages like rtr
    and i think that xgm dont neen any other tupe of units
    its more than nesesary(expesaly for greek fractions)

  6. #6
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    We might go for the cultural barracks solution, so that when you conquer a settlement you will only be able to recruit local mercenary units until you develop your own infrastructure.
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  7. #7
    Dejan77's Avatar Indefinitely Banned
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    thats sounds good
    and dont u think that greek fraction have to much units?

  8. #8
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Well, basically it's got one standard and one elite unit for all roles, most unique elites are limited to a single city so you cannot spawn too many of them at once, especially with the new economical system (try it in the experimental testing thread, you will find that elite armies are not really a good idea anymore)...
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  9. #9
    Locky's Avatar Centenarius
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    I really like it. Also fond of the cultural Baracks.

  10. #10
    Dejan77's Avatar Indefinitely Banned
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    i will try... downloading now
    i say this besouse AI (greek fraction)
    when i play this mod 1month ago always recruite Thureophoroi
    i think this its best to be removed also Thorakitai
    they r no use only for garnisoning porpuse
    byt they make AI so little competative

  11. #11
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Thureophoroi are designed to be a garrison troop, thorakitai in shield wall are excellent troops for absorbing flank charges, think about them as a more defensive version of greek mercenaries (lower attack but better defence and armour).
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  12. #12
    Dejan77's Avatar Indefinitely Banned
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    they i good for human player byt no good for AI

  13. #13
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Allright, if you tell me that AI tends to recuit too many of them after the economic patch I will look into AI profiles to discourage them.
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  14. #14
    Dejan77's Avatar Indefinitely Banned
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    OK i didnt play this mod more than month
    i see whats new with that economic patch

  15. #15
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    There's 3.13 for download and then the economical patch for it in the experimental thread...
    Beware, some factions will get EB-like start!
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  16. #16
    Dejan77's Avatar Indefinitely Banned
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    this discution is about what we like to see in xgm4?
    if that so as i remmember in utd roman camp
    senate was still there
    what is plans for next version..

  17. #17
    DimeBagHo's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Faction specific barracks are on my to-do list, but they won't be done for a while. Between the addition of loyalty and Zarax's economic changes you may find that expanding is already enough of a challenge.

    Zarax: Limiting the Machimoi recruitment makes sense. I'm not so sure about the ICS though. Some of the cities included were powerful and very wealthy, and of course Pyrrhus managed to put together an elite army (with a little help from his friends). For the Seleucids I am leaning towards making their rebels Greco-Bactrian with a unit roster made up of Seleucid units and AOR units looted from the Alexander expansion.

    BTW, if anyone feels like doing some historical research it would be nice to know the names of the rulers of the ICS cities in 280 BC.

  18. #18
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Well, I didn't propose to prevent ICS to recruit elites, just to make it harder for them...

    BTW, if you're going to include rebels on that style next thing the community will demand will be to have baktria as a playable faction, that's why I'm leaning more on a "persian successor" style which is imho more historical and suited to gameplay.
    I'm sure few would like to have a baktrian uprising in Sardis, something that happens often with seleucids on loyalty settings...

    You got final word on this of course but implementing realistic baktrian style rebels will require more work than the other solution imho.

    EDIT: roman rebels could take some "inspiration" from BI units, especially post marius.
    I think there are a few other units that can be looted too with some reskinning *looks east*
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

  19. #19
    DimeBagHo's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zarax
    BTW, if you're going to include rebels on that style next thing the community will demand will be to have baktria as a playable faction, that's why I'm leaning more on a "persian successor" style which is imho more historical and suited to gameplay.
    I'm sure few would like to have a baktrian uprising in Sardis, something that happens often with seleucids on loyalty settings...
    That's one reason why I like the idea of making all the bactrian/Indian units AOR. Anyone can recruit them if they invade the area. That way, if people want to play Greco-Bacrtria they can just play the Seleucids and move east. It also means that if a rebellion does spring up in the west, it will be manned by regular Seleucid units. Of course all this depends on what the expansion pack brings us. If the new units are as crappy as the BI units I may give up on the idea.

    Dejan77: The Senate will probably go. The problem is that they keep giving missions to the Roman factions even after you remove the superfaction status, and I think the hard coded Roman diplomacy may be causing some problems as well.

  20. #20
    Zarax's Avatar Triple Chaosmaster
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    Default Re: XGM 4 (plans for the first release)

    DBH, I would suggest to leave the senate and give an option to remove it, actually it's funny when they order on turn2 to attack the "roman outlaws"...

    About seleucid rebels, your idea now makes sense, I would still give the rebels some extra persian style units though... Having a rebel faction capable to use the "persian successor" elites (katapracts, Immortals, Kataphract Archers and Camel Kataphract) in addition to the standard seleucid roster would give a serious challenge to any player...

    Also, it gave me an idea for a new unit: Baktrian Cavalry, similar to median cavalry but armed with javelin, lance and shield.
    The Best Is Yet To Come:

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