Unit diversity (or armour re-use)

[Shaggy1973]

Hi all,

Here is something that has been growing in my mind for some time now. I love the unit variation idea. Especially the more barbaric unit types being a total mix-up of different armours and clothes. However, are all the correct hemlets/armour being used.

I'm no historian at all, so look forward to the more learned comments to come, but have we been using some helmet/armour types as unit variation in the wrong places? Sometimes I feel a little robbed of distinctive flavours you get from fighting different cultures in different parts of the world as there is fair amounts of re-use. Do you think that sometimes, with less unit variation, it may add to the feeling of greater variation between cultures and regions?

This isn't perhaps specifically a DEI issue, but more an observation of modding in general on TWC.

[Butan]

I'm no modder but I guess they can choose/select what kind of item variation they want, and only use correct armor parts within one unit.

There can be some discussions on the correct or not armor parts, but I think they didnt use a random generator to do that in DeI

[Shaggy1973]

I'm no modder but I guess they can choose/select what kind of item variation they want, and only use correct armor parts within one unit.

There can be some discussions on the correct or not armor parts, but I think they didnt use a random generator to do that in DeI

No of course, there is no random selector, the unit variation is created by the modder. My main concern is perhaps the overuse of certain armour parts, and I wondered how historical this is for the time period? A question rather than a criticism (although I admit to disliking seeing the more common armour parts re-used).

[Butan]

I didnt see that post like that.

From the number of models I've seen, its certain that there can be some discrepancies. You'll have to talk to modellers though

[GourmetGorilla]

I'm not sure how this mod defies your expectations. This game takes place during the Hellenistic Period, and Greek culture had spread across the map. The people who made this mod have stayed relatively faithful to what we know of soldiers at the time, and it improves vastly upon the Vanilla roster; it differentiates pretty dramatically between the appearance of many otherwise identical units between cultures. That being said, there will be plenty of crossover between similar units from similar cultures, more so in Vanilla than with this mod, since this rising level of uniformity is reflective of the continuity between cultures during the Hellenistic Period. That being said, if you're using DEI, compare some units for yourself. Try hoplites from Baktria vs Hoplites from the Seleukidai, or the Antigonidai. Even their Epistratoi units are differentiated. Check it out in detail and you'll see that even among "common" armor components there is a noteworthy degree of variety and attention to detail, especially considering the sparseness of historical accounts and depictions compared to other time periods. People have put a lot of time, and thorough research into making this happen, and I'm pretty grateful that they did. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ng-for-DEI-1-0
^ A few of the units that have been polished up
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...Texture-Corner
^ Some of the varieties of armor are displayed here. Check out some of the pictures on pages 2 & 3 as well to see suggestions that have been made.