Unit Mini Preview: Ildütei Saicud

[Strelac]

(even if AlphaDelta wanted to release them, Strelac locked that down even if he didn't create all of the units, funny enough!)

Only thing that's funny about this is integrity of this information. The material made for BC belongs to the BC and original artist. So above and beyond BC's decision, an artist makes decision where and whom to give his material.

My apology to the thread owner for the off topic respond.

[dragonsign]

[Walkman810i]

Don't you think that the original unit makers are the ones to judge this? If they approved this then what's wrong? I have seen the original unit and this looks quite different in my opinion.

[sumskilz]

As per Blackleaf-Wille's request:

Here's a close-up of my work. The heads without helmets are the original Rusichi ones. The heads with helmets are the ones I modified. The braids were taken from different Rusichi models and reworked to fit. The goal was to make faces that look more Central Asian rather than East Asian. The head textures were modified a bit, but most of it was done by changing the face shapes.

[Basil 11]

'It is actually possible to get around the 500 unit limit by making use of armour upgrades. Armour upgraded units can use different models, allowing for 1500 units'

This was recently posted by our good friend Banzai! in the EBII forums.
I was wondering if DOTS was planning to take advantage of this...

[sumskilz]

'It is actually possible to get around the 500 unit limit by making use of armour upgrades. Armour upgraded units can use different models, allowing for 1500 units'

This was recently posted by our good friend Banzai! in the EBII forums.
I was wondering if DOTS was planning to take advantage of this...

Yes, actually. There are some basic types of soldiers that existed throughout the period in particular cultures (militias, knights, etc.). By giving them generic names, ones that don’t invoke any specific period of time, we are able to use armor upgrades to make them evolve over time. I don’t know if I’d go as far as saying that it allows us to overcome the 500 limit, because we are still limited to 500 entries in the EDU, but it does offer some interesting possibilities.

[AnthoniusII]

Yes, actually. There are some basic types of soldiers that existed throughout the period in particular cultures (militias, knights, etc.). By giving them generic names, ones that don’t invoke any specific period of time, we are able to use armor upgrades to make them evolve over time. I don’t know if I’d go as far as saying that it allows us to overcome the 500 limit, because we are still limited to 500 entries in the EDU, but it does offer some interesting possibilities.

That is mostly corect...
For example all knights were feudal ones and they were equipted with diferent armors/weapons according to the era...
An other example are the sergeants...
There is no need to have two sergeant units (simple and armored)...
Sergeants can easily start as unarmored and finally reach a armor level of heavy chain/leather-padded armor combination at their higher rank...
Crossbowmen are an other example...
There were no other crossbowmen in cities or castles but they were the same...
The upper examples save 3 unit slots to present other unique units...
Also the mod remains realistic and accurate...

[TuCoT]

As per Blackleaf-Wille's request:

Here's a close-up of my work. The heads without helmets are the original Rusichi ones. The heads with helmets are the ones I modified. The braids were taken from different Rusichi models and reworked to fit. The goal was to make faces that look more Central Asian rather than East Asian. The head textures were modified a bit, but most of it was done by changing the face shapes.

Wow, great face models and skins! All of our support is with you...

[sumskilz]

Wow, great face models and skins! All of our support is with you...

Thanks, but I can't take too much credit for this particular unit because it's mostly the work of the Rusichi team which I just modified a bit. I have some completely original Central Asian Turkic faces that I'm going to post sometime soon though.

[TuCoT]

I have some completely original Central Asian Turkic faces that I'm going to post sometime soon though.

Really? Waiting impatiently.

[paradamed]

Maybe I overreacted a bit. I know you guys have spent some good time in the units previewed. I have made some personal projects myself and I know it demands a lot of work. I really like what you proposed with your mod and I liked the other previews. You have done a great job so far for sure. I will surely play your mod when it comes out. I apologize if I offended you. It was not my intention.

[Basil 11]

This unit is beautiful.
I had never expected that DOTS would be able to produce such high quality skins, even with the help of Rusichi TW - this preview has further boosted my confidence in the future of the mod...
Well done Sumskilz, Hross, and Ronin and Lance.

[sumskilz]

Would be interested to know how you're going to differentiate these Central Asian units from the Mongols themselves ? Do you plan to intregrate other Rusichi units to create the Mongol roster ?

The ethnically Mongol units (at least those from the thirteenth century) will be represented by the Rusichi units pretty much unmodified. I might change a few minor details. The Rusichi ones are sort of color coded, which is not an approach we're taking with DotS. For example, not all of their felt coats would be brown. Modern nomadic Mongols have natural dyes that they use, and if we are to beleive the pictorial evidence from medieval Persian sources, they wore colorful clothing back in the day as well. I've also found some references on Mongol/Turkic embroidery and leather work that I might try to emulate to add some details. Certain patterns are more associated with certain Altaic ethnic groups. Ronin and Lance already did some of this, but here's the inspiration behind example from the Ildütei Saicud:

[AnthoniusII]

1st of all...Leif was right...
CBUR results are a team work...
I am just one of the researching team with crazy ideas and crazy requests to the modelers,skiners and all the rest of the CBUR team...
After all i am a total noob in modding and every one knows that...
Now...I was reading the coments about Sumskiltz's work....
It is true that RuTW team with their work gave a real boost to modding comnunity with their exelent work...
But from the 1st moment i contacted them they said that they feel proud to help the twc modding comnunity...
Fortunatly they are not the only one around twc...
That does not make Sumskiltz's work any less...
In order He had to work with some material in order to make a unit that would fit in this mod as the modding team felt that should do...
In my 2 years around twc 70% of work has been done to original material that many worthy modders have gave us...
Take for example the CBUR's 1st roster...
80% of the skins and units were modified by the exelent previus work of members like DG and WW but in a diferent way to give the "result" we wanted to offer by our research...
No one can claim that CC did not do any work just because he use some worthy material of the past...
A modder uses materials and ideas given by the twc members trying to present a work of his vision...
By that prospective Sum's work is great and worths our encouragement...
What we must never forget afcourse is to mention the "original" providers of the "materials" or the advices that help us all to enjoy meny unique versions of our favorite game...

[Copperknickers II]

1st of all...Leif was right...
CBUR results are a team work...
I am just one of the researching team with crazy ideas and crazy requests to the modelers,skiners and all the rest of the CBUR team...
After all i am a total noob in modding and every one knows that...

Yes, but you were the founding member and 'director' were you not? Sorry if you were not. But i would take no offense to DotS being refered to as 'Hross's mod', as it has often been.

Of course all the team of a mod does most of the work, but that is really implied. For example, you don't say 'the amazing work of the Shining team'. You say 'Stanley Kubrick's amazing film the Shining', when in fact although he directed it, the actual appearances were done by the actors, not to mention all the behind the scenes staff. Terrible analogy i know.

[AnthoniusII]

Yes, but you were the founding member and 'director' were you not? Sorry if you were not. But i would take no offense to DotS being refered to as 'Hross's mod', as it has often been.

Yes i am the "crazy" guy that started all this allright......
No worries,Leif was joking about it my friend...

[Scandal]

The models are great, the alterations you've made just add another level of depth.

[JonathanB]

Nice work Sumskilz! I am a huge fan of the RuTW models and am happy that you are using them for this mod. The unit in the preview looks fantastic.

Please don't let the negative stuff get you down. The community appreciates your work so please keep it up.

I am now excited about the release of Dots.....even though it is far away.

PS Don't harass Strelac......his work on BC2 is very impressive!

[sumskilz]

PS Don't harass Strelac......his work on BC2 is very impressive!

That was a conversation between Achilla, Yelü, and Strelac. I appreciate Achilla's support, but I don't actually know what they were talking about specifically. Probably belongs in the BC forum, anyway. Thanks for the kind words; I am a fan of the Ronin and Lance's work as well (obviously).

Therefore your Mongols must be free for anyone to use.

---Carefully bookmarks this post for later use----

Might want to double check that permission via PM just to be sure.

[Tadzreuli]

this is most awesome unit models, what I have seen on TWC ! ! Bravo!