NEWS

[ROFL Copter]

OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! January 1st? I was expecting a year or two at least! Amazing!

[Zhuge_Liang]

I felt like a break from units today, so the Aristeia Trailer may get released tonight.

[Zhuge_Liang]

Aristeia Trailer out now!!!

Go watch it fool!

go now!

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Pretty damned good!

[Petroniu]

Your main idea for the mod was really beautifull. Those cuts simplify it in a major way. I hope that after it's release you will consider building an Aristeia 2 based on the original project. And I hope that more modders can join your team after playing this first release. The idea of a new script - the Trojan war script - may be the core of the future mod ( if you consider in building it). Great work to you and your modding team!

[Zhuge_Liang]

Your main idea for the mod was really beautifull. Those cuts simplify it in a major way. I hope that after it's release you will consider building an Aristeia 2 based on the original project. And I hope that more modders can join your team after playing this first release. The idea of a new script - the Trojan war script - may be the core of the future mod ( if you consider in building it). Great work to you and your modding team!

The trojan war script sounds like a great idea in principle, that is why I implemented it, however once in place the flaws became apparent.

Firstly it badly unbalances the game (especially for the Greek factions). If you choose not to go on the trojan war then even if I reduced the treasury to 0 and the option of war with the fellow Greeks was triggered the game was still too easy. The large Greek forces at troy simply cost too much to maintain for the other greek nations and they can't afford to defend their homes properly. In the new version without a script everybody starts with an army at troy, so if you plan to go to war with your allies you had better bring your heroes home first (this gives all the other nations a time to establish themselves more).

Secondly - such a large script caused problems with the loading and saving of campaign games. This is unavoidable, simply a necessary evil when scripting in RTW. Personally I find this very annoying. It means that after loading a campaign (even perhaps clicking on the wrong campaign game), in order to load another one you need to restart the entire game in order for the script to work. If you forget this then the characters ages and the date will get badly messed up and an entire saved game would be useless. There are also far more instances where the script doesn't trigger than when it does. This would be a nightmare after release, and would cause a massive backlash from those who would be of the thinking that a trojan war script wasn't needed.

After removing the script I decided to start the mod in the 10th year of the trojan war, effectively the start of the iliad. This is certainly true to our aims for the mod. Each of the factions have their diplomacy set and their armies in position - the trojan war can progress at troy - a massive improvement over TTW in itself.

As for the other cuts, many weren't announced in the initial brief for the mod, so could hardly be considered a loss. The only real loss is the lack of an illyrian faction, which I'm willing to bet the majority of users won't even have played as anyway.

Being in the unique position of knowing what the mod was like before and after I can honestly say that the 'cuts' are no great loss and the mod is looking more like our initial aim and objective with each passing day.

[Petroniu]

Well, I don't have modding skills so I didn't knew what a new script involved (now I think it is horrible-it makes savegames useless). But the other cuts, in my opinion are a loss ( you shouldn't have mentioned them in the first place because it made me think at a mod involving them too - that's ironic because I don't know how the actual mod is ). The emerging faction that threatened Atreus's house is a real loss for the gameplay after the Trojan war because it could have led to being the reasons of the greek factions to break their old alliance and turn on each other supporting this new faction ( the factions jeaulous on the mycenean wealth, influence, culture and trade routes owned ) whilst the rest staying loyal to the old bonds strenghtened in the Trojan war. This new diplomatic situation ( I don't know how it could be implemented to appear automaticaly in the game and always the same maybe -better so I think - because I do not understand the modding work required so this depends if it is achieveable at all ) in lower greece sets the base for ( maybe ) another emerging faction ( a couple years later i'd say ) of the Illyrian ( Dorian ) faction ( invaders ). This would really improve the gameplay after the Trojan war ( even if this is the main/major event of the mod and I and many other love the mod for ). But, after you have explained me the difficulties that modding brings ( with the script example ) i am afraid that my opinions/suggestions ( for an Aristeia 2 maybe ) could get to be a myth of the Aristeia's mythical age . Great work though! And BIG THANKS FOR NOT GIVING UP ON THE MOD! It would have been a great lose for me (umm, and the community - I don't want to sound selfish ).

[Zhuge_Liang]

Well, I don't have modding skills so I didn't knew what a new script involved (now I think it is horrible-it makes savegames useless). But the other cuts, in my opinion are a loss ( you shouldn't have mentioned them in the first place because it made me think at a mod involving them too - that's ironic because I don't know how the actual mod is ). The emerging faction that threatened Atreus's house is a real loss for the gameplay after the Trojan war because it could have led to being the reasons of the greek factions to break their old alliance and turn on each other supporting this new faction ( the factions jeaulous on the mycenean wealth, influence, culture and trade routes owned ) whilst the rest staying loyal to the old bonds strenghtened in the Trojan war. This new diplomatic situation ( I don't know how it could be implemented to appear automaticaly in the game and always the same maybe -better so I think - because I do not understand the modding work required so this depends if it is achieveable at all ) in lower greece sets the base for ( maybe ) another emerging faction ( a couple years later i'd say ) of the Illyrian ( Dorian ) faction ( invaders ). This would really improve the gameplay after the Trojan war ( even if this is the main/major event of the mod and I and many other love the mod for ). But, after you have explained me the difficulties that modding brings ( with the script example ) i am afraid that my opinions/suggestions ( for an Aristeia 2 maybe ) could get to be a myth of the Aristeia's mythical age . Great work though! And BIG THANKS FOR NOT GIVING UP ON THE MOD! It would have been a great lose for me (umm, and the community - I don't want to sound selfish ).

The dorian invasion isn't part of the epic cycle, and getting it to work would be difficult without the horde ability (not possible in Alex). I do intend to include the problems in Mycenae somehow, but not as an independent faction.

[ROFL Copter]

They dont really screw up saves directly. Its like EB. Rome has to be restarted if you want to change factions.

[Petroniu]

We started our debate when I reminded of the cuts and my ideas are to be an inspiration for a possible Aristeia 2 ( if this one is succesfull and the fans request it and if the modding team believes it has the resources for engaging in a new project ) that can make the aftermath of the Trojan war more dynamic, interesting and chalenging. I never wanted an alteration of the mod that will be released soon (Sunday, isn't it?), because I really like the focusing on the Trojan war and I can't wait to lay siege on Troy's walls.
Regarding the mycenean problems, I hope that you will find a way to include them in the game, because they are narrated in one of the Trojan war's epic poems, the Odyssey (if I recall right) and Aristeia is built based on those two poems(wich makes it so exciting) . Good work once again!

[Petroniu]

Oh, and when I wrote inspiration, I meant that they could worth considering, if you are looking for some ideas for an Aristeia 2. So everything is about a possible Aristeia 2 where you can build most of your original project (without cuts).

[Nikolos]

Aristeia 2 sounds waaaaay to holywood

[Petroniu]

Eheheh. It should't sound at all, because we haven't even tried Aristeia yet. So let's just don't mind those posts refering to an Aristeia 2 and make comments upon the actual mod that is coming out (especially me!).

[Zhuge_Liang]

If somebody else wants to make Aristeia 2 then feel free, I would enjoy posting on the forums as a fan rather than developer lol.

[Petroniu]

I read some posts on the thread What faction will you begin with? where I asked in what faction will Athens be and someone said that it might not be in the mod at all. Is that true? And if it isn't, what faction does Athens stands for?

[Zhuge_Liang]

I read some posts on the thread What faction will you begin with? where I asked in what faction will Athens be and someone said that it might not be in the mod at all. Is that true? And if it isn't, what faction does Athens stands for?

In one of the other topics we explained why athens would not be included. Salamis is included instead.

Will there be a feature to simulate the difficulty of a journey across the Aegean?

Rebel fleets, enemy fleets, chance of storms and large distances between coasts. That is all we can do.

[Claudius the God]

Will there be a feature to simulate the difficulty of a journey across the Aegean?

[ROFL Copter]

How long will it take to sail the Aegean this time? In most mods it would take several turns, but really it shouldnt take very long. Will this be changed at all?

[Zhuge_Liang]

How long will it take to sail the Aegean this time? In most mods it would take several turns, but really it shouldnt take very long. Will this be changed at all?

The starting admirals will have a trait which increases their movement points (they will need to be protected as new fleets will have only regular movement points). Each Greek faction starts with a fleet at home and one at troy. With the added movement it would take maybe 4 turns on average depending on how far away you are (obviously). We want the crossing to be a challenge, but necessary if the Greeks are to be reinforced.

The second Greek landing zone south of troy (headed by Idomeneus and the Minoans) has a greater chance of securing some local provinces but even these will only yield the local types of troops until a port is built and so the Greek varieties will still require reinforcement from across the Aegean. The local types will be approximately just as good (different strengths and weaknesses) but the initial Greek army will be whittled down over time.

[Zhuge_Liang]

The new Aristeia forums are now up, be sure to bookmark them here.