77 BC - Feedback, suggestions and screenshots

[Salvor Hardin]

I am currently working on version 2.0. of the mod: reworking some factions, adding features to the script...so please add anything you would like to see improved or added to the game.

[Emperor of Europe]

It works smoothly for me, and the objectives really make for a fun, fast-paced game.

My only really minor peevee is with some of the skins. Those glossy red Roman shields don't look like they've blocked barbarian swords from Gibraltar to the Caucasus. A bit less saturation and more grime wouldn't hurt. But then again: It's no biggie.

rgds/EoE

[Salvor Hardin]

Thanks for the report. It looks like the evil interaction of the original shield's colour and the skymod we are using has produced this unwanted effect. The 2.0. version will have less bright shields for the SPQR thanks to Candelarius, who has been so kind as to re-work the unit.

Here is a sample of how the new unit looks:


SPQR legions facing Numidian "immitation" legionnaries.

Did I mention that LAca has been so kind to let us use his excellent Numidian units for 77 BC? Of course, they were badly needed for the Marius campaign too.

[DaVinci]

Short comment: Excellent Late Republic Mod

[DaVinci]

Lol, cannot resist to give another comment: ... good to see FRRE projects being alive and kickin' again. There is no better way to play the classic period than with TFT/FRRE modifications

TFT/FRRE label = my old love, before Chivalry came into my life, i stuck as well deep into the "Roman history affairs" ... my greetings to Bucellarii, the greatist and most diligent Rome TW Historian (who started his mod historian career within my old RTR submod MRR - Middle Roman Republic).

Although (the original) FRRE (since TFT also switched back to RTW) had the intention to invent everything new on BI 1.6, i agree, that it is a good decision to building the FRRE mods (or some of them) on the RTR basement, so you can focusing on the actual important things/tasks to give the mods the special historical gameplay, and that was indeed the core-idea of FRRE (since it got further prioritized through my and Bucellarii's influence on the original FRRE development under Orb's genious directorship, who unfortunately gave up to mod his "baby" further).

And i really really enjoy the fact, that such a skilled (new) team took over this old "corporate identy"

KEEP IT UP!

[Salvor Hardin]

Hey, DaVinci, I thought I was Bucellarii's first and true love. Now I am feeling jelaous . I agree with you: he is the greatest historian in the RTW community.

Concerning the FRRE project, we are currently discussing the possibility of applying some of the things invisioned by the great Orb. Scripted recruitment for the AI factions will feature in Marius/Sulla, as I have tested its work in 77 BC and it is possible (and desirable). A new economic model is also in the agenda and if we had some more manpower it would surely also appear in Marius/Sulla.

[DaVinci]

Salvor, one suggestion:

Display the special objectives (that appear in the game = goals), as trait of the faction leader. Campaign SPQR: I for example am at the stage that i have to achieve the Asia Minor campaign goals (as Luculus), the goals appear as event-message one time, but after this i cannot see anymore which settlements i have to occupy ...

[Candelarius]

Thanks for the report. It looks like the evil interaction of the original shield's colour and the skymod we are using has produced this unwanted effect. The 2.0. version will have less bright shields for the SPQR thanks to Candelarius, who has been so kind as to re-work the unit.

Here is a sample of how the new unit looks:


SPQR legions facing Numidian "immitation" legionnaries.

Did I mention that LAca has been so kind to let us use his excellent Numidian units for 77 BC? Of course, they were badly needed for the Marius campaign too.

I dimmed the red shields as much as possible, any further dimming makes them look too maroon for my taste. With that said, I still don't like the SPQR shields that much. I'd like to suggest using the wonderfully done Roman skins that are already in RTRPE.

Just a suggestion. Maybe you can just "re-stress" them instead of totally recoloring them?


EDIT: After playing with this mod all weekend, I want to retract my above suggestion. Your skin really has grown on me now (eww, that sounds weird).

[margio]

Hi Salvor and Everybody. Just installed 77BC mod and looking to all factions, as normally done before to start playing. I'm playing a BI period Mod, anyway I thought that start some hundreds year after than other RTW period Mods could be fun, more than just different (and challenging too to play two so much different on all aspects Mods...) Still really undecided, I like Egyptians for menus, Arverni for my far far ancients, Pontus for the economic potential... :hmmm:
By the way I found that Egypt have a building which icon looks like Market, but there is only (Roman) written while pointing it, and it allows to train Machimoi Toxotai and Phalangitai, Rhodian Slingers and Kretan Toxotai. I check also Arverni and same icon look, same descritption and allowing training of Luctos, Gaesumuiros, Batroas, Gallic Light and Noble Cavalry. For both no descritpion of the building.
See you on thread once chosen faction to play

[Salvor Hardin]

That is a very good suggestion. Although I do not know if I will be able to do it as I am not too skilled with traits. It is, perhaps, the most important of my several modding lags.

Nevertheless, a message should appear a couple of years prior to the end of the mission reminding you the settlements that you have to capture.

[DaVinci]

That is a very good suggestion. Although I do not know if I will be able to do it as I am not too skilled with traits. It is, perhaps, the most important of my several modding lags.

Nevertheless, a message should appear a couple of years prior to the end of the mission reminding you the settlements that you have to capture.

... actually, that is not too hard.
Stuie did this for the special TFT campaign-goals as well ... i guess you can take over the structure of these traits, just take a look at them ...

Edit:
Hm, after thinking about it once more, it is not that good to have the goals as static traits, as the goals appear during the campaign, and the appearence adds really to the immersion and historical play flavor. So, if you have them as static character traits from the start would destroy this thing ... perhaps you can enable a scripted appearing goal-text by demand, if you (in the case of the Asia Minor campaign) click on Pergamon.
Oh wait, you could make a trait anyway for the destruction of the Sertorii, and then you could make the Asia Minor trait depending on this former gained trait as appearence ... hope you understand what i mean.

[sOhei]

Ok, so here is my little list with suggestions or I guess its rather a
personal "wish list" for the next version of 77 BC Mod. Here we go:

# A way of tracking missions and objectives in game

# Optional script for those who want to play the romans historically and have/recruit legions with 10 cohorts. (for players, not for AI)

# Forts - should be free for romans to build (Like in EB)

# The naval reskin mod (see the skins in EXRM)

# Named legions with different skins (like the concept in Imperator II Apocalypto)

# The brilliant voice mods from EB. Gallic, Greek and Latin.

# MCMs Player Formations mod 1.6 for RTRPE 1.8
http://forums.totalrealism.net/showthread.php?t=4150

Note: I saw that you already are working on, with help from Candelarius,
to change the shields of the SPQR legions. The first thing I did was to change
them back to the original RTR skins.

Im sure everyone would not agree but in my opinion these features would
make this great mod even better :-)

[Salvor Hardin]

Good suggestions, sOhei. Let me comment some of them:

1. Mission tracking: already in the work. Yesterday I finished transferring version 2.0. to mod_switch and this is going to be a priority.

2. Script for 10 cohorts: I might add another recruitable unit -roman equites, for instance-, that spawn the ten cohorts army.

3. Free forts: I will have to get some inspiration from EB to do this .

4. Naval Mod: I personally would like to see it added. As this is debatable, I would like to have some more opinions. I also have to get permission from the creator of the mod, of course.

5. Named legions: A good idea, already considered, but historically difficult to justify. I think that all the names for legions started in Caesar's period (Ferrata, Alaudae, et al). So the only convention at the start of the game should be a number, like the famous X Legion. And we cannot change it mid-game. But I will submit the issue to our historian as soon as he comes back (he is currently moving).

6. I should ask EB permission for that and I prefer to reserve their generousity for asking some of their units, really.

7. Are they better than Darth's? I have not used them before, so I will be trusting your word.

As you say, the shields are already changed. They looked well in GFX, but not so much with the skymod.

Thanks for the suggestions, and please feel free to comment.

[sOhei]

Thanks for answering and commenting my suggestions.

Regarding:

1. Great, that was the most important and only change that really "needs" to be done.

2. Great. I use 10 cohorts. Its no problem really but it would be good to get rid of the extra micromanagement.

3. I tried to change this myself - no success - I have no talent in modding whatsoever ;-)

5. Its a bit ambiguous this one. Adds lots of flavour and spice to the game but also adds to micromanagement with all the fuzz of supplying the correct legions, knowing what legion fought where etc. Still, its very nice to have legions with different skins as you have already done with the Fimbrian legion, Sertorius legions, Hispanic etc.

An alternate variant could be to add a new unit of "reenlisted veterans". I know EB feature a unit like that called Cohors Evocata. In that way one could keep the 7 cohort recruit and also recruit 3 cohorts of reenlisted veterans. This would add a new skin and some flavour to the legions. These cohorts could have a higher cost and have slightly higher defense and also start with some experience.

7. MCMs player formation mod is in EXRM. It has to be activated manually by the player. It doesnt change the default formations for players or AI (Darth, I believe) Im far from an expert in this field but in my humble opinion its the best formation mod for the romans I have tried so far. (Havent tried it with any other faction)

Btw, I´ve started a new campaign and this time I am following the advisors advice. Makes life a lot easier :-)

[Salvor Hardin]

Hey, I love the idea of the reenlisted legions!

By the way, I am planning the release, with 2.0., of an alternate script with no missions for the player. What do you think?

[sOhei]

Hey, I love the idea of the reenlisted legions!

By the way, I am planning the release, with 2.0., of an alternate script with no missions for the player. What do you think?

With my first campaign in close memory that would be a really good idea ;-)
This timeperiod is so interesting and exciting and Im sure people would like
to play a "regular" campaign without the missions as well. And also its after the reforms which im sure alot of people find very attractive.

Ability to turn the script off would be great when playing another faction.

More questions:

1. I love the campaign...will it continue to "guide" the player to the end? I would like to try and play as historically as possible til the end of the campaign. Otherwise I guess I have to study a bit of history :-)

2. Lucullus died Im afraid (the year is 69 or 68 BC). Guess that means I wount be able to complete the "Pontus mission" fully? More penalties?

3. I had a look at the family tree. If Pompey dies, is that the end of my campaign?

4. Glad you like the idea about the reenlisted veterans. (An EB idea of course (I think) - I have no original ideas, lol) Would be really cool to have them in the legions. Not sure what the best way of recruitment would be. 3 cohorts with a "0" turn recruitment perhaps, so you can get them at the same time as the 7 cohort legion? Dont know how the AI would respond to that though. Steamroll the map with lots of very small stacks of reenlisted veterans?

Thanks again for an excellent mod and sorry for spamming your threads with all these questions :-)

[Salvor Hardin]

I do not really need to test, if the feedback is that good as you are saying. Now, I have to move to get Marcus Camillus' permission.

[Salvor Hardin]

Weird double posting.-

[Salvor Hardin]

1. The game will lead your path until Caesar's appearance. If you choose to play as Caesar, your campaign will still be slightly guided too. Otherwise, you will be free to follow any direction you want.

2. I am not that cruel, man. Just conquering the required settlements will do it.

3. It should not. In fact, the game mechanics should choose a new faction leader when Pompey dies. And you already should have a new heir although, as he probably is not related to Pompey, he does not appear on the family tree.

4. I have started the debate with the team as how to add these units. Most probably I will make them randomly appear in those settlements that historicaly had colonies of veterans. Some sort of a Client Kingdom script.

Finally, so that you can see how much the 77 BC team appreciate the suggestions you excellent people make to us:

[sOhei]

Finally, so that you can see how much the 77 BC team appreciate the suggestions you excellent people make to us:

Wow! That was fast. I hope you get some time to enjoy your own work
as well, the game is really good you know ;-) (Dont forget to state the
year the mission is supposed to be finished, for instance something like: "Destroy Sertorius armies and retake the settlements before spring 73BC"
or "Destroy Sertorius legions and reclaim the land for the Senate and the people of Rome before spring 73BC")

Thanks for the answers. Regarding the reenlisted veterans Im looking forward to have them in my legions and Im sure you will
find a way to bring them into the game in a realistic manner.

The year is 58 BC and the game gets even better. Awesome that you can
choose to play as Ceasar - which I did, naturally :-) Im playing with the modswitch version and hotfix 1 (forgot to install hotfix 2) so hopefully everything will work as it should?