wackyserious

I agree, proper map making should not be done in this way, this is just an unconventional technique that can be used in making maps. Texture painting is just like traditional painting, but instead, you do mouse strokes when you paint terrain. On the other hand, this technique works like a collage, you just prepare your pieces and paste them like putting puzzle pieces. No problem with the current terrain textures at all, in fact, there is a wide variety of textures at the moment, IMHO. I will experiment more in creating maps using this technique (I might try and create new decals that will add more detail to the collage templates)

Found some cons, submerged farm fields. (and annoying grass props on cleared forests)

Map Making Technique - Using props and decals to easily create a detailed terrain. The Image below is an example of a terrain that I created without relying much on Atlas editor's terrain tool, the grass terrain seen below are just decal props located at the object tool section of the Atlas editor, and below it is nothing but dirt terrain, as you can see on the background. (I'll explain on the next image below, how easy it is to create a terrain by just copy-pasting and rotating decals and other props.) The things that you will need to prepare are sets of irregularly distributed props and decals. (What I prepared below are, 1.) Civic Center template, 2.) Forest templates, one with stones, and one without, plus a 3.) Stone and metal mine template) To prepare the templates, you will need to, First, make an empty field terrain using different decals, search it in the objects section under the props category (Right now, there very few decals, and you can only prepare very few types of biomes and I hope that by presenting this tutorial, the devs would consider this type of map making and create more decals that can be used in making maps like this) I used 3 decals as seen on the image below. Arrange the decals in a circular or irregular pattern as seen on the images above (Shapes like cresent and almond are good) Their shapes will be relevant because you will be copy-pasting those templates and rotate them, to easily create new detailed terrains without putting much time in thinking about the design, you will use the irregularity of the shape and create maps like adding puzzle pieces. Next, copy/duplicate the plain grass field decal template and try creating new templates like forest or grassland templates by adding new objects on the top of the copied empty field decal (You can see some examples that I made on the image above) Once you have a good amount of templates, put them all in the one corner of the map and you can use them as source/original templates You can now assemble your puzzle (I mean your map) Just copy-paste and rotate it. Good luck! PS: You can refine your map more by adding new things in the empty areas left by unmatched template edges.

Did the Iberian peninsula civilizations dyed their cloth/textiles? Celtiberians might have because of Celtic influence, I'm not so sure about the other two though? If yes, did they also used the most common ones?

Not really a fan of the Roman Republic = Red, part of the mini realism actor files mod that I'm currently working with. No new texture files, I just tweaked the actor file texture materials. Dyed and undyed tunics, plus, painted and plain leather covered scutum (Sacrificing player_color, playing Republican Romans vs. Republican Romans would be a total mess ) Note: My Mordor faction mod won't be out for quite some time, I'm sorry, I haven't worked on any contents for the Mordor faction mod (Planned release date was last December but I wasn't able to allocate time to work on it.

I believe the game Project Zomboid uses something called "memory" for their AI unit tracking behavior, where memory can be set to "high, medium or low" Where, the predator unit will store the last points or locations of the prey unit in its memory and memory fades away according to setting "high, medium or low" (example in game would be, civs or units that are known as good trackers will have good memory) unit speed is the key to outrunning predator units (If prey makes a good amount of distance and the memory faded, the predator would stop chasing the prey, in AI's case, AI would issue a new order to the predator unit) Plus an AI behavior where, "X" amount of distance that was ran will cause the AI to stop chasing prey unit (This = Smarter AI, no more kamikaze charge when AI chases you back to your territory)

Please re-categorize random maps according to terrain type and map size, ex: Random Alpine (giant), Random Savannah (medium), etc. Most of the time, I always end up playing as Ptolemies in a Snowy Alpine map, or the other way around, playing as Britons in South Asia (India) or as Indians in Arctic climate, which is kinda lore-breaking.

I also suggest that you download/use SVN version a.k.a, the developer version If you play 0ad on a regular basis. (Or if you really follow the game via, each alpha release) You can keep track of the latest changes here and receive it by updating your SVN copy http://trac.wildfiregames.com/timeline My personal experience, I've been following this game since alpha 11? or 12? I can't really remember, but I only switched to SVN last year, because of that, I was able to test/experience the new capture system and give feedback, before it was released in the latest alpha (Also less hectic, no need to uninstall the old version and install the new one, you just "update" and eureka.)

Anglo-Saxon helmets 1.) Sutton Hoo Helmet replica 2.) Shorwell Helmet replica 3.) Pioneer Helmet replica 4.) Coppergate Helmet replica 5.) Benty Grange Helmet replica

Morale points for each unit, so that you won't have to kill outnumbered units. (A "switch default to" capture or attack button would be nice to have together with this suggested feature) Ex. I will put my cavalry units to capture mode, so that they can capture outnumbered/routed infantry while my infantry units handle the fighting Support unit = Very low morale points Basic rank = Low morale points Advanced rank = Moderate morale points Elite rank = High morale points Champion = Very high morale points 1.) Captured units will only retain its armor/texture and will lose props like weapons, helmets, etc. 2.) Captured citizen_soldiers will lose its capability to attack and will be converted to a support unit (More like slave-worker prisoners) 3.) All captured units will have very low morale, so that capturing them back would be easy (upon recapture, they will return to their original state, with props returned together with the capability to attack) 4.) Captured units will not cost you population points, you can collect prisoners and use them to boost your economy, but "They will be terrible at everything", from building to resource gathering, etc.

For the capes, you just have to add a new variant below clothing1-4 (Make sure you leave one space in between, just like what you see above) Step 1: Set ratio and variant 1 name (ex. Cape) 1.) Double click on props 2.) Select attachment point shoulders 3.) Specify prop location Step 2:Set ratio and variant 2 name (ex. No Cape) 1.) Double click on props 2.) Select attachment point shoulders 3.) Leave prop location empty, do not specify anything It should look something like this,

Yeah, things about promotion are only a "little bit" complicated on the simulation .xml side As what niek said, you just look for or add the <Promotion> tag As for the actors you just have to match the visual actor tags (Ex. simulation file infantry_swordsman_b.xml should be matched with actor file rome_infantry_swordsman_b.xml) I really recommend that you use the ActorEditor.exe found at your game folder 0ad\binaries\system It is easier to understand and learn modding game objects using it. Here's what the interface looks like, you just double click on the areas to edit it.

Cavalry units use two actors, a horse actor and a rider actor The mount or horse is the main actor while the rider actor is attached as a prop Ex. art/actors/units/celts/cavalry_swordsman_a.xml = mount or horse art/actors/units/celts/cavalry_swordsman_a_r.xml = rider Do you use the ActorEditor.exe found at 0ad/\binaries\system? It is a very helpful tool, you should try it

Hmm, this made me curious too.. His name sounds African, must be South African? South Africa is Dutch-ish right? Just a guess Edit: Ah, too late.. he already replied, so my guess was wrong..

Image from the BBC website. Probably a Roman occupation period fort or walled town, occupied by Anglo-Saxons. More images and information about Anglo-Saxons @BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/anglo-saxon_life/

Ability system is a planned feature right? I hope it will be added to the current workload and be included in the next alpha release. It can buff the current gameplay, specially at this period, where some of the long time players have started to become less contented with the game. During the past months, most of the topics that were discussed here was about, how to tweak the current gameplay, whether economically or gameplay combat mechanics.. I'm thinking of something similar to the ability system of Battle Realms and Warcraft (as what was also suggested in trac), units from both games became special because of the associated ability on them. Aside from counters, units can also be useful because of their ability. Some examples, -Auto-cast upon enemy detection or manual shield/defend ability (this is where the armor bonus becomes active) Battle ready animation should still be different from defend animation. (i.e. battle ready anim. is more like a taunting anim.) -Temporary invulnerability (for for frenzied fighters like naked warriors and berserkers) -Critical strike and stun bonus with downed or stunned animation (Makes combat even better, charge attacks may cause an enemy unit to fall down or become disoriented, also works well with animals like wolves or dogs -More unit conditions like, disease infected or burning or affected with cowardice (Just like in Warcraft where, an UI indicator displays a certain spell or condition which affects the unit) -Throwing weapons with a certain cool down period -Active ability battle cry (Can stack with passive attack/defense bonus)

Now I'm the one confused ..Or you can just copy simulation files from other factions that have archer units, they are less complicated than templates. Just make sure you name files correctly, and address them properly in .xml files

Uhmm, did you addressed the actor files properly in the simulation files? I forgot to mention, if you want the unit to be a citizen_soldier type, you should use citizen_soldier simulation templates, (i.e. infantry_archer_b to e) vice versa, use champion simulation templates for champions units Simulation templates (or defaults) can be found here, https://github.com/0ad/0ad/tree/master/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/templates Also, if you want to use citizen_soldier "actor files" for champion units, you can remove the harvest animations and other props and things associated with gathering, champion units won't be needing it.

You can try a more direct approach, as what wowgetoffyourcellphone have suggested. You can download the necessary files here https://github.com/0ad/0ad/tree/master/binaries/data/mods/public if you don't want to use SVN (SVN file size is quite large, 5-6gb, I think? But is really worth it, you'll have access to the latest things.) Step 1 - Create a simulation file for your archer unit (Niek's tutorial will teach you how to make one) Step 2 - Copy the Persian infantry_archer_b, infantry_archer_a, infantry_archer_e actor files at https://github.com/0ad/0ad/tree/master/binaries/data/mods/public/art/actors/units/persians Step 3 - Replace the textures, props or anything else that you want to change (You just need the animations and some props from the files that you copied)G Goodluck!

Try to stick closely to the tutorial http://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/CreatingNewUnits It will teach you the basics, and you'll get more ideas as you advance further. The instructions there are very clear, just follow each step. and try to create a Gallic axeman. Then, see if it will appear in-game after you finish working on it. Goodluck

The last few releases became a game of "Rams and champs and other deus ex machina unit", other lesser units were getting pushed aside, specially during late game. It could get really boring since the unit selection/variety in able to achieve victory is very scarce. Even lesser chess pieces could be used to gain a win, if used smartly or strategically.

IMHO, battering rams.. (But.. as far as I know, game balance is not a high priority at the current stage of the game development, Wildfire's top priority, ATM is to keep on improving the pathfinder and game performance. Game balance can be tweaked after) Rams ramming infantry to death is just an unpleasant sight for me to see in-game. It breaks realism. I'm also a supporter of a feature similar to that, a "switch default action to destroy or capture" button, hotkey or game option. I mostly destroy low hp enemy buildings around the civil center with clumps of infantry or champs, and leave harder ones to rams. destroying them is faster than capturing, trying to capture buildings lead to more casualties. It would be easier to micro things if that kind of button, game option or hot key would be implemented. Or disable, "Ram to Infantry and cavalry" and specific "Infantry and Cavalry to Building" attacks for more realistic results.

Also from the Philippines, wacky + serious, two contrasting behaviors that somewhat reflect my personality. GMT +08

*Bump The work on the Saxon faction's design document was started. We are currently thinking about the faction's unit roster, and we would like to encourage everyone to join the discussion and help contribute to the research regarding Saxon military and warfare. Thanks.

Mapmaking 101 - Ecosystems 101 article @ Stronghold Haven