Roma Surrectum 2: Hellenistic Generals preview

**chaney** · February 17, 2009, 05:35 PM

ye all of the previewed units look great !

**paradamed** · February 21, 2009, 05:47 PM

Wow! Very good textures!

**Milesy** · November 24, 2009, 01:20 AM

I've been wondering if the Modders trake inspiration from Movies and TV for the look or the units, especially generals. Like Hannibal: Rome's worst nightmare tv movie, ROME from HBO etc.

**Keravnos** · November 24, 2009, 01:45 AM

Well, there's this thing called actual archaeological evidence.

I think one of the best site for finding archaeological pictures and references online is flickr.

A big "Thank you" to the guys over at Cheiron group. All your effort is appreciated and will be put to use. As this thread indicates, it already has been.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/chiron/pool/

I must ask that those of you who have ventured here and haven't repped both tone and Leif Ericsson do so already.

**Milesy** · November 24, 2009, 01:55 AM

Yeh I get that they do thier research, but alot of the big budget period shows have world renowned historians on them. Especially on ROME. Sarcasm noted.

**Keravnos** · November 24, 2009, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by Milesy

Yeh I get that they do thier research, but alot of the big budget period shows have world renowned historians on them. Especially on ROME. Sarcasm noted.

I was just being factual.

For example, look at this exquisite Roman torsos of Augustus.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandiff...in/pool-chiron

and better detail,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandiff...in/pool-chiron

These finds indicate that very intricate bronze muscle thorakes (greek word for cuirass) would be forged and sculpted in, and sometimes even painted over. Then they would be worn in battle, making the generals and kings stand out just like the generals you see in this preview do.

I have the greatest respect for shows like HBO's Rome, but they can't show everything there is. You can't believe the wealth that the ancients left us. I try to look for it as much as I can in flickr and elsewhere and I am still amazed, daily at what exists out there, still in existence after 2000 years of looting and burning.

One of my highest hopes is that RS2 will help change the conception that exists of those times. Some parts of those years were downright evil, no doubt, (the image of unarmed people being fed to wild beasts in front of cheering crowds at Pagan Roman arenas keeps coming to my mind) but others really stood out.

**ray243** · November 24, 2009, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by Milesy

Yeh I get that they do thier research, but alot of the big budget period shows have world renowned historians on them. Especially on ROME. Sarcasm noted.

Why not try and look at the books written by historians instead? TV series isn't a reliable source, even if historians are involved. Most of the time, you do not know about the extend of a historian involvement in that project.

**Milesy** · November 24, 2009, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by ray243

Why not try and look at the books written by historians instead? TV series isn't a reliable source, even if historians are involved. Most of the time, you do not know about the extend of a historian involvement in that project.

I've read plenty of books, but what I'm getting at is the visual representation in the minor details. Sure the books can have sculptures and art with supplimented artists interpretations, but to be able to see in in the flesh so to speak can provide and angle they can't. ROME is the perfect example of staying accurate to an insane degree, this was a top priority on the show, as for movies like gladiator I could care less. Go watch ROME and it special features and you will realise the amount of research put into ever single one of the costumes. Now I'm not saying the books are wrong by any means, but there are more areas to get ideas an accurate info.

**tone** · November 24, 2009, 03:51 AM

yeah, flickr is a great resource. I've used it loads for the tree, ground and grass textures.

**Brusilov** · November 24, 2009, 04:09 AM

I'd agree with ray243 while movies can have historians attached the director does not have to follow the advice given.

**ray243** · November 24, 2009, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by Brusilov

I'd agree with ray243 while movies can have historians attached the director does not have to follow the advice given.

In fact, there are many cases where historians asked their name to be removed from the movie because they feel that their reputation as a historian is at stake.

Take Gladiator for instance.

**Eric the Great** · November 24, 2009, 03:23 PM

Awesome Job!

**tone** · November 25, 2009, 01:01 AM

The thing that puzzles me about ROME though is where they got the helmet idea for the legionaries from....now I know there are representations of helmets like that on various friezes and so on, but as far as I'm aware not one helmet has been found that actually looks like their representation of it....or have I missed something?

**Scarrus** · November 25, 2009, 05:23 AM

Bingo, what documentaries are mostly all about is making money by showing you something that really seems fascinating and thus though mostly the main idea is based on real facts it is then taken to ridiculously fictional levels.
I've once seen a documentary about the celtic culture and there was this woman who was supposed to be the historian explaining all the stuff and so on and then ridicuously her conclusion was something like, quote "I like to think of the celts as the first europeans". At that moment I was like "WTF?!" No doubt there was also something very political about that movie, too...
It's all about hype...