FUTURE PLANS for IB:FD

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

Several people have expressed a desire to build on Atilla Reloaded's Invasio Barbarorum:Flagellum Dei.
This thread will list features that are planned to be included in subsequent releases.
This will also focus the work being done by the several contributors.

to be included in next version (4/17/2006)
-new, more historical unit compositions for all factions (in progress)
-new map, making Sassanids stronger, adding Hephthalites to counter Sassie strength (available, needs minor tweaking)
-new faction logos (done)
-more new buildings (in progress)
-make smithy a prerequesite for recruiting armored troops (espescially for Barbarians), make smithy limited to a few regions? or make the build requirements higher? or both, can be built in low level settlement in some regions but only in higher level settlements in other regions?
-add Hephthalites (in progress)
-make WRR playable from the start (done)

Future prospects:
make several provincial campaigns representing:
-the Hunnic invasion
-the influx of the Slavs
-the Belisarius campaigns
-the rise of the Arabs?
prior to doing this make all/most factions playable in the BI main campaign
Ostrogoths should go back to being an emerging faction but shadowing the Huns instead of the Visigoths
if necessary, the ff factions will make way for new factions (in order of least importance)
-Rhoxolani (already became Hephthalites)
-ERR (no major rebellions in ERR at these times?)
-Sarmatians (by 410 AD, Sarmatians under Huns, units recruitable as mercenaries and by Huns)
the next two are unlikely to be gone but just in case a slot is needed:
-Berbers (units will be part of mercenaries/auxilia/rebels)
-Celts (units will be part of rebels)

possible factions to include
-Armenian/Persarmenian
-Avars/ Magyars/Bulgars
-Arabs (if we reach up to this time?)
-Suevi/Gepidi/Rugii

I know limit is 21 but can anybody point me to a tutorial on how to enable the other factions?

make historical battles?
-suggestions? info/links better

redo the auxilia/foederati system
-make foederati recruitable only when faction has alliance/foederati pact with given faction (is this even possible?) or use a modification of the Client Kingdoms script?...
-make local auxiliae (auxilia indiginae) representing an easily recruitable but weak military force, also for other factions
-modify upkeep/recruitment cost auxiliae/foederati 0 turn recruitable but has higher recruitment/upkeep than proper troops, proper troops have longer recruiting time, can be recruited in higher barracks only but has lower relative recruitment/upkeep costs

old thread
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current features for next version:

from Ramon Gonzales y Garcia:
-1 units for ff factions have new skins:
Alemanni, Burgundii, Lombardi, Vandals, Slavs, Goths (Visigoths), Ostrogoths, Huns
-2 officers and general for ff factions:
Franks, Celts, Sassanids, Saxons
-3 replaced "crews" for siege weapons (AR compliant models )
-4 Revised strat_map (this means only starting positions, province ownership, etc, not the "map" itself)

from Mylae:
-1 Tingi is roman, and has "historical garrison" by the commander and army reported in the Notitia Dignitatum;
-2 Port of Classe included in Ravenna
-3 Recruitment system for goth foederati modified - not more "bosphoran" recruiting
-4 eventual new building - a "statue" in monuments and the "caupona" in the inn building tree
-5 eventual new special buildings

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previews (please click on link)
Alemanni
Burgundii
Lombardi
Frankish officers
RGyG's Goths
Vandals
Slavs
new officers for Sassanids, Celts, Saxons
chosen axemen
Huns

here are full color in game caps (please click on thumbnail to view full picture)






=============================
future plans

Listed are the planned additions and the people who suggested the additions in parentheses and the present status:
1. New buildings (Mylae) - this should be released very soon (version released)
2. New strat map skins (Gershom Patmos)
3. New Religions (Mylae)
4. Region based Auxilia (Gershom Patmos) tied to buildings (this one was actually AR)
5. New Map (Mylae, SLK) - using the celt's map
6. 410 starting date, playable RB (Mylae)
7. Unit training edit: 10,000 people BUT i can recruit just 800 men (Mylae). 3-4 recruitment queues, first barracks/militamen, second cavalry, third missile, last special units? (Gershom Patmos) ability to train several units in tandem. ... 4 units together (RGyG)

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suggested releases
-incorporate buildings and 410 start date
-use new map plus auxilia plus religions
-strat map skins (take away the yellows!)

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Pls. feel free to include any other things that I've failed to mention, or any other people who are willing to contribute, or even to correct misrepresentations I have made

[Scamander]

Hello,

Thank you for this post. Very informative. May I ask about this 410 start date proposal: why? I tend to think more time is better than its opposite. 410 places the hordes already within the empire and Rome ready to fall to Alaric. Is this being propossed because a 368 Rome is too strong for its adversaries?

[Gazi Husrev-Beg]

Sounds good to me.I want to try how this will turn out.This way game might be more balanced.

[darkrider]

Hi!
nice u started thread for our goals...
i really would hlep more if i could, but i still say....we need to wait for vlads mod, cause he uses warmap, and a few other things...wich we could include...
but new buildings from mylae, are very nice, and all will be jelous:-)

you wouldnt belive how much i have to do....first study, than work, and than people want me to go to partyes...but im so tired..i have only a half an hour to sit front of my computer...

but i will plan my time better...

bye
:wink:

[caprera]

I confirm my desire to help, even if limited to text descriptions or something similar; sorry not a great modder

[Slaxx Hatmen]

I like that list. I'm pretty new to modding for masses myself so this shall be a new expearence for me.

[Atilla Reloaded]

I am glad to see that people are interested in continuing my work. What I have seen so far looks good and promising! Myself, I will not continue working on this mod, but if you willl be in need of any new skins or models, ask me.

Good luck!

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

May I ask about this 410 start date proposal: why? I tend to think more time is better than its opposite...

of course, personal opinions would always differ (which makes this a more interesting world to live in :wink: ) however, even at the 363 start in Vanilla BI, there is no way to guide the movement of the hordes, what usually happens is the hordes roam around eastern europe often times fighting each other. instead of WRE attacked by the hordes, it's usually ERE. Vandals never ever reach Gaul... some advantages of 410 is:
1) playable RB (either as RB left in Britain or as a faction representing Constantine the Usurper - I prefer the latter option).
2) the hordes are a bit scattered so they won't fight each other. they are also in fairly historical positions to really do damage to WRE (historically within half a century WRE would fall) and end up where they should end up.
3) 4tpy doesn't seem to work with descr_events. so if u use 4tpy, no emerging factions, and personally I think 4tpy is a must.
4) WRE is still not in an impossible situation, they can still recover their former glory.

@Gazi Husrev-Beg

thanks, we hope to do our best.

i really would hlep more if i could, but...

I'm sure ANY help WHEN you can, would be much appreciated

I confirm my desire to help, even if limited to text descriptions

Can you go over the unit descriptions, see if you can make more descriptive ones. can you also do new campaign descriptions for the factions? if the start date becomes 410 (or thereabouts) maybe some of the descriptions could be changed as befits the situation? If you don;t know how to integrate into the game don't worry somebody else can do that or can teach you later.

@ the celt

looking forward to working with u. I saw your map and I have some thoughts. some are conflicting thoughts actually:
1) I like the new map in the east, the Sassanids are better portrayed as they are, a very powerful empire. however I also like the map AR now uses (Seleukos's I think?) in western Europe (Britannia, Gaul, Spain) and a LOT of the action I think focuses on the decline and fall of the WRE which this region represents...
2) HOWEVER, I can recognize the economic balancing capability of putting less regions in the west (shouldn't be as rich)...
3) With this map the Sassanids have to be threatened from their Eastern borders by a potent military threat (Indians maybe?) if not then they can certainly just sweep aside ERE with ease. maybe we could get rid of ERR or Roxolani and convert them to this threatening faction? more history of the situation in this area at this time, any Nomad threats to the Sassanids?...

I am glad to see that people are interested in continuing my work.

that means it's something really good. and WE would like to THANK YOU for making all this possible.

What I have seen so far looks good and promising!

We thank you for your vote of confidence.

but if you willl be in need of any new skins or models

ANYTHING you decide to do would be very, very much welcome.

However, if you DO decide to do any modelling then may I be so bold as to make some suggestions in order of preference:
1) Goths/Visigoths(formerly Ostrogoths)
2) Alemanni
3) Vandals
4) Burgundii/Lombardi (if they'll be different then Lombards can be later)
5) Huns
6) Slavs

7) Berbers/Sarmatians/Roxolani last

there's no personal preference there on my part (I actually like the Sarmatians) but they are the most often encountered factions in the game AND (I am sure everyone will agree) putting your models/skins together with CA skins makes the CA skins an eyesore.

@everyone else

any suggestions for replacement models/skins in order of preference above? maybe use some of existing AR's models/skins of the Foederati for the barbarians?

BTW, I may not have internet connection for a couple more weeks so won't be able to update as often as I can.

[caprera]

Can you go over the unit descriptions, see if you can make more descriptive ones. can you also do new campaign descriptions for the factions? if the start date becomes 410 (or thereabouts) maybe some of the descriptions could be changed as befits the situation? If you don;t know how to integrate into the game don't worry somebody else can do that or can teach you later.

I can do everything u listed here. No problems in retrieving new informations or rebuld texts.
P.S. I also found some lost images wich can be used as documentation if we are in need to modify something in skins/models as someone said...

[Slaxx Hatmen]

looking forward to working with u. I saw your map and I have some thoughts. some are conflicting thoughts actually:
1) I like the new map in the east, the Sassanids are better portrayed as they are, a very powerful empire. however I also like the map AR now uses (Seleukos's I think?) in western Europe (Britannia, Gaul, Spain) and a LOT of the action I think focuses on the decline and fall of the WRE which this region represents...
2) HOWEVER, I can recognize the economic balancing capability of putting less regions in the west (shouldn't be as rich)...
3) With this map the Sassanids have to be threatened from their Eastern borders by a potent military threat (Indians maybe?) if not then they can certainly just sweep aside ERE with ease. maybe we could get rid of ERR or Roxolani and convert them to this threatening faction? more history of the situation in this area at this time, any Nomad threats to the Sassanids?...

1) I agree completly, infact I was working on trying to combine Atilla's map with mine but ran into errors plus I felt like playing RTR so I left BI for a breif break but i'm back now ready for orders!
2) I feel mostly the same though I think CA went alittle extreame with the "less provinces = less seiges" route. I think the best way to represent the West would be to have all the provinces with very little income on resorces such as Gold, Silver, Wheat, Tin,(one of the main reasons the Romans left Britian)Pottery, ect. Though maybe we can remove one or two of the French regions just to make room for some action becuase it always seems to me that France on Atillas map is where "Siege total realism" tends to happen.
3)One of the main reasons I did the map was so I could include another enemy to Sassanids since they were always either wasting the ERE or wandering around in the north.
I think the best chioce would be the Hephthalites(White "Huns")since they came close to destroying the Sassanid empire altogether even killed the Shah, but they became content when there conditions were met. The great thing is we dont have to have them appear as an emergent faction since they were already near the Sassanids Border in the begining of the 5th century, so we can have them as a horde north of the Sassanids that wander down into there land just as the Huns do in the West. A awsome gamplay scenario would be an ERE player being in constant war with Persia then all of a sudden the Saveran armys back off to fight the Hephthalites and the ERE player can focus on the coming hordes. So yes definetly the Hephthalites.

PS:I'm looking forword to working with you too.

[Mylae]

perople, could we open a "historical researche thread"?
i mean, it will be better to proceed to mod the game around 410 if we have a consistent historical basis to move...

[caprera]

Maybe a "Historical Resources Archive" thread : to start retrieving informations and so on...

[Mylae]

true, but should be organized in sub-thread etc, because a continue and senseless posting is unuseful and confusing. maybe we could ask for a "mod subforum"? we will have a thread for pictures, an other for historical infos, and space for suggestion too...

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

perople, could we open a "historical researche thread"?

I think it`s a very good idea. please do the honors, Mylae, and we`ll contribute. but I suggest to use "Historical Resources Archive" as suggested by Caprera.
btw, checked ur buildings and I have to say this again, they're simply marvelous!!! am trying to make a file to merge what I've done with the buildings, but am trying to curb the excessive economy of ERE, though.

@the celt

very good ideas, just continue on improving the map, try to make the West a bit more detailed, and how are the "limes" suggested by Mylae going?
I'm sure u would make something great

[Mylae]

I think it`s a very good idea. please do the honors, Mylae, and we`ll contribute. but I suggest to use "Historical Resources Archive" as suggested by Caprera.
btw, checked ur buildings and I have to say this again, they're simply marvelous!!! am trying to make a file to merge what I've done with the buildings, but am trying to curb the excessive economy of ERE, though.

very good ideas, just continue on improving the map, try to make the West a bit more detailed, and how are the "limes" suggested by Mylae going?
I'm sure u would make something great

@Ramon Gonzales y Garcia
1- good, approved the idea of a historical resource archive.
2- thanks for my buildings ERE needs balancing, BUT i will like to introduce more efforts in decrease population and so. economy seems not so good if you go back to old attila's upkeep costs, i assure you that in ERE i've just conquered 2 provinces in 20 years, sassanids are a strong problem and usually i have just money to build 1-2 building in my cities, because all need the lowest level of taxes and so...
3- about the "limes i've had an idea (to substitute the tower with forts with light garrisons), but i will expose in detail later, i need some experiment and question... by the way, it will be just some little graphic feature to enjoy it even if could have some repercussion.

i've tried a little reskin of goths (that also should be renamed as Visigoths) but obviously we need new models and so on, but after a good research. i mean, not only Angus McBride's images, but mosaics and images from museums and so on.

[Atilla Reloaded]

Well, if people want this mod to expand further, maybe those, who are interested should make a new team, recruit others, who is willing to support IB-FD, make some advertisment. All the models I had provided will be much more than enought as a base for new modellers.

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

...i've tried a little reskin of goths (that also should be renamed as Visigoths) but obviously we need new models and so on...

I've been using AR's existing models for Alemanni, Burgundii, Lombardi, Goths, and Ostrogoths (already renamed Visigoths) maybe we can compare/combine units. unique textures for each faction:
goths(clockwise from top left - goth warriors, goth raiders, goth spearmen and runaway slaves, goth lancers):

barbarians(clockwise from top left - Burgundii warlords and golden band, Alemanni chosen archer, Lombardi warlord and "Lombard archers", Alemanni Nobles and "Burgundian" Lancer):

I do not claim any historical accuracy for these units, but I feel it is better than CA models beside AR's, suggestions are welcome.

Here is a strat map result of a campaign I've been doing.
after a few turns:

after a few more years

I played as Roxolani so almost all are A.I. moves.
I recently shifted the Ostrogoth (Visigoth) to a province near Rome instead of Rome itself, If they aren't given a province they just wander around. and tried with Mylae's buildings (I balanced a bit), the ERE are less likely to revolt and have good economy, which is historical, WRE are mostly still the same.
I also weakened the Slavs a bit, so they couldn't destroy the Saxons.
the saxons taking a part of britannia doesn't always happen, but they have a presence at start of the campaign.

All the models I had provided will be much more than enought as a base for new modellers.

I'm beginning to see what you mean, hope we can get good modellers

[crjs1]

looks really good, dare i ask if there is a release date or estamite for the next version?

[Mylae]

good work. i've made some research around 410, soon i will try to post a drawing or a map with the general situation... huns should have territory but partially be horde, i'm not sure if is good to mantain roxolani - really few importance - vandals should be AS HORDE in nothern spain, but a little vandal horde should be on the frozen rhine, and part of france and spain will be under control of WRE rebels, under the command of Constantinus III. Britain should be in the hand of romano-british and/or WRE rebels, Visigoths under Rome but maybe recruitable as mercenary in illyria and Epirus, where they moved few years ago, Ostrogoths in the old "goth" dacia but menaced by huns; Huns should have lot of different units recruitable by ZoR that comprehend Alans, Sciri, Gepids, Roxolani, Sarmatians, Ostrogoths, Ruges;

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

please remember, the maps represented there are almost all AI moves after a few years. the situation is mostly replicable but not always, Ive had trials where the Visigoths just disappeared after death of Alaric and Ataulf. maybe will show you a map of the beginning provinces tomorrow or the next day.

- vandals should be AS HORDE in nothern spain,...

in the beginning of that campaign they WERE a horde but after a few years they have settled in southern spain

but a little vandal horde should be on the frozen rhine

easily done, was also thinking of introducing a vandal army in Africa? not historically correct but if we dont I dont think the vandals will ever cross into Africa.

part of france and spain will be under control of WRE rebels, under the command of Constantinus III.

I chose RB to represent Constantius III, maybe I can make WRR playable, though, as of now WRR not playable but allied to RB when they spawn. the Saxon presence was a conquest, there are no Saxon provinces in Britannia in the beginning (doesnt happen all the time, though)

Visigoths under Rome

I tried that but after Rome rebels, then WRE just leaves it alone so I shifted Visigoths to the province at right of Rome, and within a turn they usually lay siege to Rome. which they sometimes sack...

Ostrogoths in the old "goth" dacia but menaced by huns

will rename goths to ostrogoths, they are usually menaced by huns but huns usually go for Sarmatians instead, been thinking of getting rid of the Sarmatians as a faction, too.

i'm not sure if is good to mantain roxolani

most unnecessary faction, I think. good for testing how the AI behaves, though as they are so out of the way.
Huns should have lot of different units recruitable by ZoR that comprehend

Alans, Sciri, Gepids, Roxolani, Sarmatians, Ostrogoths

good idea.

looks really good, dare i ask if there is a release date or estamite for the next version?

if the map is approved, will do a little more testing with new models and textures (I have a problem with the alpha!! the officers alpha usu dont work) Mylaes buildings already incorporated. new map will have to wait till next time, lets say a couple of weeks, hopefully.