Wheel of Time Total War

[SeekerAfterTruth]

The Wheel of Time: Total War

WOT total war is a full conversion mod based upon the epic fantasy series by Robert Jordan. The aim is to bring the military and political struggles of the world of the Wheel of Time and to implement them to the best of our ability into the Medieval2: Total War engine.

This project is a continuation of the one here after it died: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=325899
I have permission from Glowbal to use his work so much thanks to him
also thanks to y2day who completed some 2D art on the old project that I am using

Progress/Ideas:
I am currently working on a map that is about 1/3 to 1/2 finished. I have many ideas for scripted events including the hunt for the Horn of Valere, sophisticated political scripts for factions with governance other than monarchies and I have an idea as to how to implement waygates and their functions and dangers (for those who don't know they are in short teleportation-ish).

Units:
At least for the first release I plan to mainly reskin vanilla and other mods units (if permissions allow) but there will still be some abstract units that need both modelling and skinning.

Recruitment:
I am looking for anyone who is interested in seeing the Wheel of Time come to life (or just a nice helpful person). I need help with:

• modelling/skinning
• 2D art
• EDU/EDB/other text file coders
• Traits/Ancillary coders

Thanks for any help

[Glowbal]

I wish you all the best with this project. Perhaps, if time and some other things allow, I might help you out some time. I hope the work you got from me is usefull.

Glow

[SeekerAfterTruth]

I wish you all the best with this project. Perhaps, if time and some other things allow, I might help you out some time. I hope the work you got from me is usefull.

Glow

Thanks, it sure was helpful, I'm working on your map at the moment its really nice to have a base to work off

[Túrin_Turambar]

good luck with that

[Finch]

Goodluck mate!

[y2day]

I have permission to use art from the creator of the WoT graphic novel. If you decide to use his work for loading screens or whatever, its yours. I wish you luck.

Whats the time period?

I also have some work on faction banners.... I think and maybe some more odds and ends. I will send them to you if I come across them.

y

[tanit]

Hi there! First off I am very glad someone is taking up this project and I would be glad to help. The addendum to that is that I am an EB team member and my efforts and time go there first, so if I do not respond quickly it is because I am busy working with them.

I have read the WOT series and am actually currently rereading it (just finished Path of Daggers) and I have a lot of ideas on how to make this work, having participated in many discussions on mechanics and use of M2TW for EB2.

Idea 1: Magic. This is difficult to implement, but it can be done in two fashions. This first is heavy use of the trait system and possibly even of scripts to implement the effects magic users have on others, compulsion, remote listening, etc... This also includes healing, being a trait for spellcasters which could have a progression (they all could) which would improve healing after battles. The second is the more difficult and comes in the field of battle. This would require some custom animations (not entirely certain if new projectile animations can be created, but new projectile models can) and models to represent magic as an exhaustible ranged missile. In this instance you would have to pick one spell for any particular magic unit.

Idea 2: Start date: I recommend fully starting either at the beginning of the series, or shortly after Rand's birth. The reasons for this include 1: it is more open to those who have not read the series rather than trying to jump in partway through. 2:Everyone wants to be the conquering Rand capturing the kingdoms. 3: It offers a more open ended and less limited campaign.

Idea 3: Factions. It is always a tough call between 'more is merrier' and fewer is simpler. However, in the case of Randland I don't think having a large number of factions would hurt, because even with the minimal number they will border and there will be immediate tension. Borderlands: Saldaea, Kandor, Arafel, Shienar (Optional: Malkier, hording faction with scripts and triggers for possibly returning to life). Main Kingdoms: Andor, Cairhien, Illian, Tear, Murandy, Altara, Ghealdan, Amadicia, Tarabon, Arad Doman. Independant Cities: Tar Valon, Mayene, Far Madding, Falme. Aiel: Preferably two factions here to represent the later split, but not absolutely necessary. Other: Seanchan, Atha'an Miere, Shayol Ghul, The Two Rivers (To represpent Rand and the others), Ogier (No need to be rebel, and would present a faction everyone can trade with)

Idea 4: Map. The core of Randland is obviously necessary, next come the questions of Shayol Ghul, Aiel Waste, Seafolk Isles, Shara and Seanchan. Other than Shara and Seanchan I think the rest are necessary to include to represent faction dynamics and proper strength. Shara is kind of out of the question due to lack of information, the whole subcontinent is basically out of the story. You could make stuff up, but that would ruin it for a lot of people. Seanchan, there is just enough information that representing this land on the map is feasable, but it is not 100% necessary.

More to come hopefully.

[SeekerAfterTruth]

I have permission to use art from the creator of the WoT graphic novel. If you decide to use his work for loading screens or whatever, its yours. I wish you luck.

Whats the time period?

I also have some work on faction banners.... I think and maybe some more odds and ends. I will send them to you if I come across them.

y

Thanks for that y2day any 2D work is welcomed (I fail at making graphics)

Hi there! First off I am very glad someone is taking up this project and I would be glad to help. The addendum to that is that I am an EB team member and my efforts and time go there first, so if I do not respond quickly it is because I am busy working with them.

I have read the WOT series and am actually currently rereading it (just finished Path of Daggers) and I have a lot of ideas on how to make this work, having participated in many discussions on mechanics and use of M2TW for EB2.

Idea 1: Magic. This is difficult to implement, but it can be done in two fashions. This first is heavy use of the trait system and possibly even of scripts to implement the effects magic users have on others, compulsion, remote listening, etc... This also includes healing, being a trait for spellcasters which could have a progression (they all could) which would improve healing after battles. The second is the more difficult and comes in the field of battle. This would require some custom animations (not entirely certain if new projectile animations can be created, but new projectile models can) and models to represent magic as an exhaustible ranged missile. In this instance you would have to pick one spell for any particular magic unit.

Yes magic is indeed a tricky topic. I hard been thinking of a traits system as you suggested to provide benefits to Aes Sedai etc. I had thought about the whole battle element and had sort of put it off to the side as there were quite a few problems I am not sure about. However, hearing your suggestions I will defiantly take them into account

Idea 2: Start date: I recommend fully starting either at the beginning of the series, or shortly after Rand's birth. The reasons for this include 1: it is more open to those who have not read the series rather than trying to jump in partway through. 2:Everyone wants to be the conquering Rand capturing the kingdoms. 3: It offers a more open ended and less limited campaign.

When it comes to the time period I really have two options. #1 being the sort of thing you suggested above where the whole campaign is played out in the period of the books. There are a couple of problems with this though, not all factions would get control of Rand and his followers and not much else was happening in the world for example no epic wars. There also isnt much space in the timeframe so there would have to be heaps of turns per year. These problems can mainly be remedied by option #2. This is to start the mod earlier like suggested here:

Although my suggestion is 12 turns per year, 950NE to 1000NE, for a 600 turn game. This era includes (and by no means is this all) the blight taking Malkier (a borderland nation) in 955, the White cloak war (in 957), the Aiel war (in 976), and has the books (all of them), starting in 998 (the last 2 years, or 24 turns of the mod).

This option includes more major wars etc. before the books and gives some more interest for other factions. It is still quite likely though that I will make a compromise and not start as early as Tsarsies suggested but instead somewhere in the middle which will hopefully give the benefits of both options. An option after a complete release is to make a campaign similar to the of the Third Age: Total War fellowship campaign that closely follows the events of the books.

Idea 3: Factions. It is always a tough call between 'more is merrier' and fewer is simpler. However, in the case of Randland I don't think having a large number of factions would hurt, because even with the minimal number they will border and there will be immediate tension. Borderlands: Saldaea, Kandor, Arafel, Shienar (Optional: Malkier, hording faction with scripts and triggers for possibly returning to life). Main Kingdoms: Andor, Cairhien, Illian, Tear, Murandy, Altara, Ghealdan, Amadicia, Tarabon, Arad Doman. Independant Cities: Tar Valon, Mayene, Far Madding, Falme. Aiel: Preferably two factions here to represent the later split, but not absolutely necessary. Other: Seanchan, Atha'an Miere, Shayol Ghul, The Two Rivers (To represpent Rand and the others), Ogier (No need to be rebel, and would present a faction everyone can trade with)

I defiantly see what you mean about having more factions as It will make the campaign more intense and interesting for players on all sides. However, unless I can pull together a decent number of skinners and modellers (help me out guys) this won't be possible in an early release. Thus I was thinking of an initial release with the core factions so that we can at least get something out there and get the audience interested.

Idea 4: Map. The core of Randland is obviously necessary, next come the questions of Shayol Ghul, Aiel Waste, Seafolk Isles, Shara and Seanchan. Other than Shara and Seanchan I think the rest are necessary to include to represent faction dynamics and proper strength. Shara is kind of out of the question due to lack of information, the whole subcontinent is basically out of the story. You could make stuff up, but that would ruin it for a lot of people. Seanchan, there is just enough information that representing this land on the map is feasable, but it is not 100% necessary.

The map I'm working on at the moment is pretty much the same as that at the front of all the books.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

However I am expanding it quite significantly into the Aiel Waste as they are a really important aspect of the game. I am also likely to expand it slightly at the bottom to include the isles of the sea folk. I don't really have enough space to show the land of the Seanchan because my map is already pretty big so that I can include a lot of small towns throughout Randland. Unfortunately I will likely have to make up some town names using educated guesses in order to fill out the landscape to a satisfactory extent. Shayol Gul will defiantly be included, after all what is a fantasy series without the bad-guy!?!


Thanks for the interest and suggestions everybody

[tonplan]

However I am expanding it quite significantly into the Aiel Waste as they are a really important aspect of the game. I am also likely to expand it slightly at the bottom to include the isles of the sea folk. I don't really have enough space to show the land of the Seanchan because my map is already pretty big so that I can include a lot of small towns throughout Randland. Unfortunately I will likely have to make up some town names using educated guesses in order to fill out the landscape to a satisfactory extent. Shayol Gul will defiantly be included, after all what is a fantasy series without the bad-guy!?!


Thanks for the interest and suggestions everybody

I am currently rereading the series (the fourth time I'm doing this) and I could post names and locations of towns and villages if you need ideas about town names. I am not a modder but I really like these books and would love to help in any way I can.

Good luck with this.

[RidetheSpiral23]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on these forums as you can see but I have browsed for several months now. I play Medieval 2 constantly and find it much more engaging than any other game in the Total War franchise (I even have Shogun 2 and I still play Medieval 2).

I am a fanatic of the Wheel of Time Series and love the idea of a mod based around it. I have been experimenting and learning the basics of modding over the last month and actually decided on an attempt on a Wheel of Time mod. Which prompted my search of the forums and the finding of this thread.

I would love to help move this along and discuss what I could do to help. Bare in mind I am just learning so you may have to be patient with me but I will try my hardest.

[Jakethe_Snake15]

Hmm, I was seriously saddened when I found out that Glowbal's WoT mod had died, but now you've come and restored hope that some day, we will be able to experience the WoT in a game...
Between this, TATW and the Warcraft Total War mod, I am going to be very busy playing mods in a few years...

[Jonny Ringo]

Same here! I would love to help.

[Heathen Storm]

Good luck with this mate! I love this series, so I give you permission to use any units that I make for my mod in this mod. Obviously my units are historical but are better then Vanilla units, and I'm sure they could be adapted to the mod quite easily!

[RidetheSpiral23]

Im not sure when SeekerafterTruth will post here again but maybe we can start discussing what all we can do to help and any ideas we have?

JohnnyRingo what kind of modding are you capable of?

[Unanswered Question]

I would love to help out since I have really enjoyed reading the Wheel of Time and I would love to see it as a mod. I am inexperienced but I am beginning to learn how to mod.

[AJStoner]

Best of luck with this, I am a big fan of the books.

[RidetheSpiral23]

Hello everyone. Do you think we could get a list going of everyone that said they can help and what they can help with?

I know seekeraftertruth is working a the map which is a big deal and will take up a lot of his time. Anyone good at reskinning? I can do some modeling if someone can skin them for me?

[SeekerAfterTruth]

Ok, sorry guys been a bit busy lately. I got really frustrated at the map because of some unseen error which I haven't sorted out yet. However, sometime in the next few days I might get back to working on it
Its great to hear that there are more enthusiastic people out there! Thanks for offering to help guys when I have a bit more time I should get round to PMing you and discussing what you can do. If you have any suggestions or anything else useful you have done please post it on this thread.

Thanks everybody,
SeekerAfterTruth

[HappyGoodVibes]

Would love to see this happen, good luck man.

[tanit]

Any progress on this?