All Under Heaven - A Medieval East Asian Experience - Preview #2: Emperors, Monks, and Ninjas; Viewable Now!

[Augustus Lucifer]

AUH

All Under Heaven is a total conversion modification for Medieval II: Total War - Kingdoms focused on the power struggles of the Far East on the eve of the Mongol Invasions; produced by Augustus Lucifer and Yelü Dashi.

Overview
Features
The Team
Media

Overview

All Under Heaven takes the game and transforms it into a Medieval Asian setting, in a period on the eve of the Mongol invasions of Asia, where the entire continent is about to be thrown into a period of warfare which will shape its history and determine the autonomy of many sovereign nations. In All Under Heaven, you may choose to control one of 15 nations from the start date of 1171 A.D. to the end date of 1271 A.D., with four turns in each year, meaning a total of 400 turns of Medieval Asian goodness. Hundreds of new units, buildings, events, traits, ancillaries, and other features will bring the mystique and splendor of the Far East into your home.




At All Under Heaven, our goals are threefold. First, we want to create a mod that is fun to play. Playability is very important to us, we want to insure that the player enjoys every moment of their experience of AUH and comes away with a new reason to pop in their copy of Medieval 2 from time to time. Second, we want to create a mod that conforms to a degree of historicity and respect for the cultures we seek to represent. Asia is an exciting continent with a very long and rich history, and the Mongol Invasions in particular were one of the most turbulent times in not only their history, but the history of the world. We want to create a game which will teach the western world more about the eastern world and hopefully kindle interest in furthering their knowledge of the region and the times, and give our audience from the eastern world a game which they can feel sufficiently represents their culture. Third, we want to have fun doing it. If a mod is not fun to make, then there's no real point in making it. The end product will hopefully be something that appeals to many users, but in the end we're creating this mod because we want to play it.




The year is 1171 A.D. Chinggis Khan, the man who would come to inherit the lands of the known world from the Pacific to the Mediterranean, has come of age in the steppes of the barren north. A series of military campaigns over the next few decades will set the stage for invasions on a scale that the world has never before born witness to. It is a time of much turbulence throughout the land, with power changing hands and again being consolidated in many of the great nations of Asia. The Jurchens, who overthrew the Liao and established the Jin Dynasty less than a century prior, have recently signed a treatise of peace with the Han Chinese Song Dynasty to the south. Peace is a curious thing though between civilized folk and non-, and the conniving Chinese ministers may spin an illusive tapestry of lies to surreptitiously invalidate the agreement and plunge the two empires into war once more. In Korea, the nation of Goryeo has recently undergone a coup d'état, and is now under military rule with the King in exile and a figurehead on the throne. War rages in Japan as the Minamoto and the Taira clash for control of the land after the downfall of the Fujiwara Regency and the Heiji Rebellion. Tibet has no central ruler after the death of Langdarma and has dissolved into many squabbling dissident factions. In Indochina, a tentative peace has been signed between the nations of Dai Viet and Champa, which may lead to a combined assault on the Khmer. From the west come the Khitans, seeking the land they lost be returned to them, and the Ghurids, who may have designs on the lush lands of the east after consolidating rule over northern India. The continent is in turmoil, and a strong leader could unite all of the nations under his hegemony, if he can stop the raging tide that will come from the north.

Features

New map with over 165 new regions in the Far East.
~ Rebel factions are largely non-present
~ Each faction has many cities, from a minimum of 6, to a maximum of 32!
~ Map size makes field battles the preferred form of combat, especially in the steppes

Re-vamped map textures bring your game to life.
~ Fertile areas feel more lush
~ Foliage appropriate to the region

All new cities, forts, generals, and agents add to the immersion.
~ Over 50 new structure models
~ Over 100 new agent/general models, including faction leaders and heirs

New strategic points make controlling the key areas of your empire even more important.
~ Certain key cities have cultural importance
~ Supply lines and populations can be cut off if regional points are enemy controlled
~ Powerful sea ports control the sea lanes

Two huge navigable rivers make conquest and control of China interesting.
~ Transport troops inland behind enemy lines
~ Cut off supply to the region by blockading the Yellow River

Ports and the trade routes to the west play a significant role in any economy.
~ Land trade with India hinges on control of the passes south of the Himalayas
~ The Silk Road carries eastern goods to the west and provides significant income
~ Sea trade with the middle east is controlled through the Strait of Malacca




Fifteen diverse factions throughout Medieval Asia
~ Goryeo
~ Jin Dynasty
~ Song Dynasty
~ Kara-Khitan Khanate
~ Kingdom of Dali
~ Mongol Khanate
~ Khmer Empire
~ Tibetan Kingdoms
~ Dai Viet
~ Xi Xia
~ Taira Clan
~ Minamoto Clan
~ Kingdom of Champa
~ Pagan Kingdom
~ Ghurid Sultanate (emergent)

Six New Cultures
~ East Asian
~ Pacific Asian
~ North Asian
~ Central Asian
~ Indochinese
~ Middle Eastern

Five New Religions
~ Theravada Buddhism
~ Mahayana Buddhism
~ Vajrayana Buddhism
~ Tengriism
~ Daoxue




Hundreds of new units from rank and file militia to warrior monks and tribal warbands.
~ Elite units are now much more precious
~ Different regions have different effects on your unit roster
~ Unique units only become available in certain circumstances

New administrative policy system changes the way you think about managing your empire
~ Your policy determines the buildings you can commission
~ Significant benefits and penalties come with each policy

Challenge factions represent a unique sense of adversity to the player depending on which faction they choose.
~ Minor oppositional forces can cause major damage
~ Every campaign has different adversities

Changes in the way we look at win conditions means there will sometimes be other ways to win than conquest.
~ Regional dominance can bring about faction specific victory
~ Peace and the maintaining of traditional borders along with cultural development can also bring about victory

Existent buildings like the Great Wall of China, The Grand Canal, and Heian Palace provide incentive to control those regions.
~ Every region has a story to tell
~ Control of a number of settlements that share a unique distinction can grant major benefits

Famous figures of the time wander the world providing prosperity wherever they venture
~ Schools of thought can be founded in your settlements
~ There's a chance to convince these figures to stay and provide even greater prosperity

And much more...




New interface to reflect an asian setting.

New splash screen, menu, and loading screens insure you never leave the far east until you press Quit.

New event pictures, ancillaries, buildings, unit cards, and more...

The Team

Yelü Dashi ~ Team Leader - Artwork
Augustus Lucifer ~ Team Leader - Textwork

danova ~ 2D Art and Media
RollingWave ~ Lead Researcher
Himitu(??????) ~ 2D Art
GrnEyedDvl ~ Scripting
B. Ward ~ Art and Consultation
Chaghatai Khan ~ Researcher
DerDiskusWerfer ~ Text work/Skinning
el_bandito ~ Researcher

Various Researchers




Charge ~ Map Textures Mod (Temporarily)
xeryx ~ XAI
gigantus ~ Mod Folder Elements
alpaca ~ Mod Folder Elements




Recruitment Status: Open
Preferred Form of Contact: PM Augustus Lucifer

Available Positions

Historian
2D Artist
Text Descriptions

(Note: Besides the listed positions, we will also accept help in other areas from experienced modders who know what they're doing and would like to contribute. The key here with helping in areas we are otherwise not requesting help in is proven experience. This includes Coding, Scripting, Modeling, Skinning, Mapping, etc., we don't need help currently in these areas, but we will not turn it down from valuable modders.)

In the future:

Text Translation
Voiceovers
Sounds Production Manager
Music Composer
Video Creation Engineer

Job Descriptions

Historian

Experience Requisite: No experience is required, just a general interest in the period we seek to address.

Your Job: The gathering of research material and interpretation of material into in-game equivalents. Raw research has to be of extreme quality if the researcher cannot also help convert it into game equivalents. Stagnant researchers are common and will be removed from the team if work is sub-par or lacking in investment.

2D Artist

Experience Requisite: Skill with GIMP or Photoshop in the creation of original 2D Art.

Your Job: Produce pictures to accompany events, buildings, ancillaries, officer/agent portraits, loading screens, and other manner of 2D Art. May also involve skinning, but main focus for 2D Artists is in the miscellaneous 2D Art of the game, rather than the units.

Text Descriptions

Experience Requisite: Comprehensive grasp of the English language.

Your Job: Take information provided by Historians, coders, and artists made into short descriptions of units, buildings, events, etc. and extrapolate and lengthen this into a proper in-game textual description, using both comprehensive facts and flowery rhetoric. Essentially you only have to be able to write about the information and provide comprehensive descriptions, and submit them, and they'll be added into the game after quality/facts check.

Media

Preview Scroll One ~ Faction Mini-Preview: Taira Clan and Minamoto Clan
Preview Scroll Two ~ Emperors, Ninjas, and Monks




Courtesy of AUH Team



Courtesy of [user]sud commander[/user]





More signatures and userbars coming soon!

If you would like to create signatures or userbars in support of the mod, you may contact me and they will probably be added here for others to wear around.

[Mathais]

Well this will be one mod I will look forward to seeing in the futher. Good luck there not to many mods with the asian factions out there though I must say am a bit of a samurai fan my self. Best wish's though look forward to seeing some units

[Asean]

I haven't checked these forums in months, decided to come by and thought... hmmmm i wonder why there aren't any east asian mods, checked this forum section and see this topic. Kind of strange. This is a mod I'll be looking forward too.

[Augustus Lucifer]

Originally Posted by Mathais

Well this will be one mod I will look forward to seeing in the futher. Good luck there not to many mods with the asian factions out there though I must say am a bit of a samurai fan my self. Best wish's though look forward to seeing some units

The mini-preview of Taira and Minamoto will probably be out tomorrow, and it will feature two units that have versions for each of the factions, and a special japanese unit, as well as some other information.

Originally Posted by Asean

I haven't checked these forums in months, decided to come by and thought... hmmmm i wonder why there aren't any east asian mods, checked this forum section and see this topic. Kind of strange. This is a mod I'll be looking forward too.

That's what I thought a few months ago when we first started work on this. I was lucky enough to have requisite enough knowledge to do my share, and find a great artist who had the same idea .

[Nakharar]

was waiting for this great job on it AU i saw that "unofficial" preview on the chinese forums, good luck, also if you need someone to do some correcting on English things i can help, i live in England

[Asean]

Originally Posted by Augustus Lucifer

The mini-preview of Taira and Minamoto will probably be out tomorrow, and it will feature two units that have versions for each of the factions, and a special japanese unit, as well as some other information.

Sounds awesome. Can't wait to see some of your work for this mod.

[Socal_infidel]

Glad to see this is finally out in the open! Can't wait for the unit previews!

[Augustus Lucifer]

Faction Mini-Preview: Taira Clan and Minamoto Clan

Introduction: Heian Japan

The rise of the Taira and Minamoto clans, both offshoots of the Imperial clan, was the culmination of the development of a provincial military class during the last two centuries of the Fuijiwara period. This milieu saw the steady erosion of state control, a growth in lawlessness with the formation of bandit and pirate bands, and the creation of military groups around temples, shrines, and local officials. Most of these local leaders claimed descent from lesser clan chiefs, the important ones were descended from provincial branches of Imperial and court families. Starting out from the more remote border regions of the islands, these groups coalesced into extended military clans often with real or pseudo-family ties. In truth, these clans were based on common geographical and economic ties. From 792 AD Chinese-style peasant conscription was abandoned and the task of policing border regions fell to pioneer families who used a professional, permanent militia to protect their land. The techniques employed by these militia, skilled mounted archery and the use of the curved two-handed katana slowly spread to the rest of Japan. A strong allegiance to lord and master within a Confucian model also gained popularity and led to the creation of the ideology of bushido, the way of the warrior.

The Taira Clan: Historical Overview

The Taira clan is often referred to as Heishi (??, literally "Taira clan") or Heike (??, literally House of Taira ), using the character's Chinese reading hei. Grandsons of Emperor Kammu were first given the name Taira in the early ninth century, thereafter descendants of Emperor Nimmyo, Emperor Montoku, and Emperor Koko were also given the surname. The specific hereditary lines from these emperors are referred to by the emperor's posthumous name followed by Heishi(i.e. Kammu Heishi).

The Kammu Heishi line, founded in 889 by Taira no Takamochi, became the most enduring and dominant line during the late Heian period with Taira no Kiyomori eventually forming the first samurai dominated government in the history of Japan. Taira no Korihira, moved to Ise Province and established a major daimyo dynasty. Masamori, his grandson; and Tadamori, great-grandson, became loyal supporters of the cloistered emperors Shirakawa and Toba, respectively. Taira no Kiyomori, son and heir of Tadamori, rose to the position of Daijo Daijin following his victories in the Hogen Disturbance (1156) and the Heiji Disturbance (1160). Kiyomori had become the first courtier of a warrior family to be appointed as a chief minister of the government, and the de facto administrator of the imperial government. But it was through his military success in these conflicts that saw the deep rivalry between the Minamoto and Taira clans develop.

By settling in Heian-kyo (Kyoto) and becoming in effect a new group of courtiers, the Taira clan have risen to their zenith under Kiyomori. However, this ascendancy has weakened their hold over the cliques in the provinces. Minamoto remnants are mustering their strength in the Eastern provinces and eventually they feel themselves strong enough to threaten the Taira's supremacy.

Unit Previews





















Map Preview

The Minamoto Clan: Historical Overview

The Minamoto clan, whose name means 'original town', was founded by Tsunemoto (917–961), grandson of Emperor Seiwa (859-880), and son of the Minister of War. The Minamoto clan was also called the Genji Clan (??, Genji Clan), using the alternate pronunciation of the Chinese characters for Minamoto (gen) and uji, or family (ji). The Sasarindo, the family crest of the Minamoto, is a blue wisteria flower.

Along with the Fujiwara, Tachibana, and Taira clans, the Minamoto were one of four clans which dominated Heian politics and court society. Originally an honorary surname granted by the emperor, the Minamoto initially served as agents of the court, suppressing rebellions and guarding the state's borders.

Power struggles emerged within the Imperial court during the 11th and 12th centuries, and by the middle of the 12th century, the conflict came to be primarily one between the Minamoto and Taira clans. The Hôgen Disturbance of 1156 saw members of both clans pitted against each other but set the stage for the great rivalry to develop between the Minamoto, led by Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the Taira, under Taira no Kiyomori. After the Heiji Disturbance, which ended in a Taira victory, several of Yoshitomo's sons were killed, and several exiled, Yoshitomo himself being killed shortly later.

Since that time, the Minamoto, once scattered and defeated, have gradually regained strength and unity. Minamoto Yoritomo and his younger brothers Noriyori and Yoshisune can no longer hide in the shadows and now seek revenge on the Taira. Are the Minamoto now powerful enough to support a usurpation of the throne, or perhaps to even create their own state?

Unit Previews





















Map Preview

The Shogunate Transformation



The time following the Genpei War saw the rise of the feudal system in Japan under the rule of Minamoto no Yoritomo. During the war, Yoritomo began to appoint stewards (??, jito) and governors (??, shugo) in the eastern provinces from his supporters. The culmination of the war saw his power unmatched, and while the court initially resisted him, on December 23, 1185 the court granted his petition which would allow him to appoint his own followers as stewards and governors. The court had granted a lord the power to control the public functions concerned with law enforcement and the collection of revenue; this was the beginning of the feudal era.

The governors and stewards were not acting as representatives of the central government, but as vassals of the lord of Kamakura. These offices of power were granted to them in return for military services. While the Throne still exercised power over some areas, the fidelity of the land was not theirs to command. Each jito handled the administration of a manor (??, shoen) and the farmers who worked on it, which was inherently not the jurisdiction of the federal government. These jito were administered by the shugo who had administrative authority over a province or multiple provinces in service to the shogun. The warrior-farmers who worked and reaped the benefits of the shoen owed their allegiance both to the jito they served and the shogun who secured their position.

In All Under Heaven, the player can gradually transition from the Ritsuryo system of the Heian Period to the Shoen system of the Kamakura Period and become a Shogunate. For the player to fully alter the system of governance of the region, control must be consolidated by eliminating the opposing clan and maintaining a military policy. This transition will have effects on the military make-up and its institutions as well as impact the civil appointments and economical tenure of the state.

Credits



Argent Usher's Real Horses
Charge's MapMod

Campaign models based on work from:

Three Kingdoms mod - waitcu
Blue Lotus - Rinsui (@ The Guild)
with permission

Advice & Support

The BC team (especially Strelac)
DisgruntledGoat
Ran No Jidai team
B. Ward

DISCLAIMER

Before I hear screams of 'Attack of the Clones' most of the units you see are still being developed, future previews will see much more unit variation being added. Thanks.

~ Yelü Dashi

[killerxguy]

What about settlements on the battle map? Will they look Asian or vanilla?

Nice preview, btw.

[GrnEyedDvl]

I doubt he can change those yet though Argantonio and KE are doing some great work with the .world files.

[Augustus Lucifer]

Originally Posted by killerxguy

What about settlements on the battle map? Will they look Asian or vanilla?

They will look european initially. We intend to change the battle map models to fit the asian setting and Yelu has been in communication with Argantonio and working on that line of implementation. However, due to the extensive process this entails, we are currently relegating the battle map models to a patch, and they will probably assume priority once the bug fixes from the initial release are resolved. It is to early to say now though, who knows they could make it in the first release if we end up having all our artwork done before all our bugs are fixed or textual implementations completed.

[Himitu]

good job.

long time no see~friend Lucifer.i'm glad to know those news.

my PC was broken before.

i'm 九月四日君助.

[Augustus Lucifer]

Originally Posted by Himitu

good job.

long time no see~friend Lucifer.i'm glad to know those news.

my PC was broken before.

i'm 九月四日君助.

Ah, good to know, I hadn't realized you had registered here. I added your name here to the first post, we're still communicating on the other forum at current.

[WTFM-GzZ]

Originally Posted by Augustus Lucifer

Ah, good to know, I hadn't realized you had registered here. I added your name here to the first post, we're still communicating on the other forum at current, though we will move ship here in a week or so .

why no have Thailand?:hmmm:

[Swagger]

Glad to finally see it here


looks very promising, good luck

[Aerrol]

HURRAH! Asia finally gets proper representation in Medieval 2! I eagerly await further updates. Looks great so far!

[Son of Mao]

Amazing! I am looking forward to this mod more than most mods.

[Stephan]

NICE

[Alexios Komnenos]

This is absolutely awesome! Congratulations for this great work you're doing!

[Lewagal]

Great! Sorry again for quitting the team, you know I was very busy
Anyway, it looks great and I can't wait to play it