Byzantine Guard Pikemen

**LAca** · May 09, 2007, 05:23 AM

Its my first MTW2 unit (not even skin, im using the default game textures for now) - byzantine heavy pikemen. The idea is a late unit armed with both pikes and swords and shields strapped on their backs (triangular shields a la mtw1 varangians) - when using their swords, they use their shields too. Some pics...

**gunnigolfer** · May 09, 2007, 05:31 AM

Oooh, nice, I want those. Great job.

**Holger Danske** · May 09, 2007, 05:35 AM

Overly Awesomeness! now do some firearms units.

**LAca** · May 09, 2007, 05:58 AM

Like this?

**GODzilla** · May 09, 2007, 06:01 AM

Hey LAca, your numidians are still among the best skins for rtw I've ever seen.

Hope you'll make some m2tw models as soon as there is a model exporter!

/edit: WOW, I didn't know CA finally made it possible to swap shields from the back into the hand of a unit. I know this was possible in rtw v1.0 but back then they took it out with the first or second patch for no reason.

I really wonder why they didn't do this for the archer-shields (or so to speak that little excuse of a shield some archers carry ^^). It always clipps into the arm when they shoot so it would be great if they had the shield on their back and took it off when they need it!

**LAca** · May 09, 2007, 06:08 AM

I am learning the basics for now... These models are for testing. I will add naffatun and cannons ( i was thinking about rocket launcher too (as there isnt flame thrower)but that might be a bit off). Anyway, is there a way to mod primary/secondary shots for cannons? I want to see if can be modded in canister shots (or grape shot?) for secondary instead of exploding/flaming stuff.

Tha ottoman infantry has it - that was my inspiration so to speak.

**zxiang1983** · May 09, 2007, 06:20 AM

Nice unit! One question though.

The texture of their pikes, is it intended to be so or it is bugged?

Edit: just notice the shield trick! How did you manage to do that? combine the sword & shield as one group and make it as a secondry weapon in milkshape?

**LAca** · May 09, 2007, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by zxiang1983

Nice unit! One question though.

The texture of their pikes, is it intended to be so or it is bugged?

Edit: just notice the shield trick! How did you manage to do that? combine the sword & shield as one group and make it as a secondry weapon in milkshape?

The texture is not bugged - i was lazy to to some photoshopping. I just used 1 attachment texture ( the byzantine shields one) and i just remapped the pike on that texture (it used another one). Its a test model so far, it has only 1 shield pattern, but i will add more.

The shield... No, i used some milkshaping on that one, the shield is a shield, it is not a group with sword.
Edit:
It has to do with the comments for the shield models. And the entry in modeldb.

**zxiang1983** · May 09, 2007, 07:24 AM

Hi LAca!
But how did you let those pikemen swap their shields from back to hand? It's very interesting! Could you tell me the trick, or you are going to realease the units and we shall know then? I'm so curious

**caprera** · May 09, 2007, 07:24 AM

You should talk with Whitewolf, to join your efforts...

**LAca** · May 09, 2007, 07:51 AM

I will release them. But i want to remodel/reskin them.

**CtrlAltDe1337** · May 09, 2007, 11:51 AM

Very nice LAca, I look forward to your future units

**Imperator_Maximus** · May 09, 2007, 03:37 PM

Dude very nice. I wish I had the resources you had to make some of those units.

You can check out my mod and see what you think, since I also have Byzantine Pikemen (Scutatoi Pikemen) and have added gun powder units. (By the way, I'm still fixing the bugs so I will have a complete bug free version by the end of today).

**Ahiga** · May 09, 2007, 05:42 PM

Holy crap, Laca is still around.

Glad to hear you are back. Are you planning to do any one faction reskinned/remodeled, or just specific units you wish to do? It's all up to you, but if the former, I'd hope you might give some care to other groups too (As byzantium currently has two/three on it, though yours would certainly give it's own creativity!)

**Chicken Man** · May 10, 2007, 04:38 AM

You should really consult with Whitewolf. Put your efforts together!

**LAca** · May 10, 2007, 07:40 AM

So far i want to make this unit, but i am thinking about the rest of them once i will be familiar enough with the .mesh modelling ( i am talking about models made from scratch, not reskinning). The byzantine faction has little diversity model and texture wise and a pretty ugly colour scheme - it is hovewer my favourite faction since mtw1 and i think it deserves some attention.

**GODzilla** · May 10, 2007, 08:26 AM

Just in case you don't know: There are already two good skinners trying to reskin the byzantines. This is Whitewolf with his "Byzantium Armor Progression" and Disgruntled Goat with "DGs One Faction at a Time".

Competition is always good, but at least it's not necessary to invent the wheel twice.

Of course better MODELS are always welcome. Speaking of it, please tell me what's your experience with the current mesh exporter. I thought it was quite useless in it's current state. I haven't tried it myself (because I only got 3ds max 6 which worked for rtw) but I assumed it is not working so good as there where no new models lately, not even work in progress. Before your approach of course.

**zxiang1983** · May 10, 2007, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by GODzilla

Speaking of it, please tell me what's your experience with the current mesh exporter. I thought it was quite useless in it's current state. I haven't tried it myself (because I only got 3ds max 6 which worked for rtw) but I assumed it is not working so good as there where no new models lately, not even work in progress. Before your approach of course.

The mesh convertor(and merger) is quite stable and useful now. IMO you definitely should try that! If you just want to use the scratches in vanilla such as changing one's weapon or helmet, etc. It would be a piece of cake! And also you can use milkshape to export the converted model in .3ds or .obj format which can be edited in MAX and import to milkshape again and finally into the game.

BTW, I guess there won't be a MAX importer/exporter for mesh file as the time being

.

PS. I myself has no experience in 3dmax and even no experiences in 3d tech before GOM made his convertor. but look at this:

I made a new helmet

I think you can do much better with more experiece(another modding legion maybe?).

**zxiang1983** · May 10, 2007, 09:59 AM

Nope, Milkshape is not freeware but $25 may be acceptable...

Speaking of the ghost helmet

, you remind me of that. I'll see what I can do. But very unfortunately, it is the only tiny bug of the convertor that when importing Chivalric Knights' mesh there will be something wrong and it's easy but a little troublesome to solve it. Chivalric Knight is the very unit that has the ghost helmet

Sorry for the mistake

And thank you for telling me the author. I can't believe I just know this though I love this mod...

**GODzilla** · May 10, 2007, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by zxiang1983

Nope, Milkshape is not freeware but $25 may be acceptable...

Speaking of the ghost helmet

, you remind me of that. I'll see what I can do. But very unfortunately, it is the only tiny bug of the convertor that when importing Chivalric Knights' mesh there will be something wrong and it's easy but a little troublesome to solve it. Chivalric Knight is the very unit that has the ghost helmet

Sorry for the mistake

And thank you for telling me the author. I can't believe I just know this though I love this mod...

ferres is still working on improving this mod: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...7&goto=newpost