[PREVIEW] Wonders and ports in EB 2.2

[Rafkos]

In 2.2 you can expect a lot of changes regarding battlefield maps. Not only we have remastered all the existing settlements so they no longer have bugs like broken gate/palisade animations, pathfinding issues and units being deployed outside the city walls but also we have dozens of new custom tiles for the campaign map. There are also custom structures like small villages, houses, farms, temples spawning sometimes on the battlefield but these you can find on our twitter as they were already previewed (like this one). All of the maps you're going to see here you can actually find when playing campaign battles on specific tiles.

Wonders

Temple of Artemis

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Colossus of Rhodes

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Temple of Zeus at Olympia

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Pyramids

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

(we couldn't make custom settlement for this one and because of that the mausoleum isn't located inside the city)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Pharos

(same as with the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Pharos isn't located at Alexandria, you can reach it when fighting a battle on Alexandria's port tile)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Stonehenge

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Ports
(we have 47 of them, on the screens you can see 3-4)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Credits

Most of the models are ported from Rome 1 and from De Bello Mundi. xHolyCrusader did a great job doing all the wonders, both assembling them and mapping. I have fixed lots of issues in settlements maps as stated above. Ports maps were made 50/50 by xHoly and me. Pyramids were borrowed from Med 2 :X Stratmap wonders were placed on map by me.

[Malarkey95]

Will they have the scroll / mouse over bar detailing what they are on the campaign map?

[Skep]

It sure looks amazing. Do you have to stand right on it or just near it? Wouldn't want to miss it

[wojtekimbier]

It sure looks amazing. Do you have to stand right on it or just near it? Wouldn't want to miss it

This. I'd love if the wonder/port maps were available not only when standing directly on the one exact tile, but also on a few tiles surrounding it.

[romanius24]

Thats really impressive.
Cant wait to play 2.2

Nice work!

[Poppis]

Looks amazing!

[Hummer]

That's cool.

[romanius24]

You can see those from outside the map too? If i am fighting on Rhodos, any chance i can see the statue somewhere on the shore?

[Rafkos]

Will they have the scroll / mouse over bar detailing what they are on the campaign map?

Yes, you will receive a message when a wonder is discovered.

Do you have to stand right on it or just near it? Wouldn't want to miss it

You need to be on the same tile as the wonder model, you can still see some of them in custom battles tho

This. I'd love if the wonder/port maps were available not only when standing directly on the one exact tile, but also on a few tiles surrounding it.

That would be the best but we have reached a hardcoded limit of custom tiles so we can't do this.

You can see those from outside the map too? If i am fighting on Rhodos, any chance i can see the statue somewhere on the shore?

Not possible on Med2 engine, you can see it only when you fight in Rhodos' port.

[Boogie Knight]

These look magnificent! Utterly amazing. Really great work from everyone involved. I can't wait!

Has the issue with barbarian cities' battle maps causing a frame rate drop been addressed at all? I believe Roma Victrix mentioned it some time ago, but I don't think anyone knew what he was talking about. I've now experienced it every time I've fought in a Celtic city (largest settlement size they can have) - as the battle goes on the frame rate steadily drops to the point it's usually unplayable by the end.

[romanius24]

I gave up fighting on those barbarian maps as well. They destroy my framerate for some reason.

[Rafkos]

Has the issue with barbarian cities' battle maps causing a frame rate drop been addressed at all?

I couldn't reproduce this issue but I did some pathfinding fixes to the city so it might work correctly now.

[romanius24]

Gonna ask that annoying question.

Is 2.2 going to be released soon?

[Rafkos]

"When it's done"

[Wulfburk]

Awesome preview mate! Cant wait!

[Roma_Victrix]

WOW! These are so awesome! You (Rafkos) and xHolyCrusader deserve a million +rep for this. Now I can't wait for v. 2.2 to come out!

Guess I'll just have to play MOS until then.

My one and only criticism would be reserved for the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It just doesn't look very imposing, in my opinion, and it would look a hundred times better/more believable if there were far more surrounding structures. Otherwise it looks like a random palatial garden in the middle of a remote, barren desert. It just doesn't look right. Everything else is perfect, though, don't change a thing!

[General Maximus]

Goodness heavens, these are breathtaking! And those port scenes are good as well, better than those in Rome 2 in fact.

[Ἀπολλόδοτος Α΄ ὁ Σωτήρ]

Looks great, well done.

[Kravixon01]

The in-battle examples look great.

Some of the campaign map icons seem a little large for my taste, though. The hanging gardens and the statue of Zeus seem particularly large and out of place, whereas Stonehenge, the pyramid, and the great lighthouse look great. Just my $0.02.

[demagogos nicator]

Amazing work However, I have to agree with Roma_Victrix regarding Hanging Gardens.