Nescio

Keep in mind 0 A.D.'s current timeframe is 500-1 B.C. All of the civilizations you suggested fall outside this timeframe. E.g. Sumer peaked around 3000 B.C.; if they were included we might as well include the USA, which is closer to the year 1 A.D. than is Sumer. However, this game is not Rise of Nations or Civilization. Nevertheless, it is possible to modify the game and create your own factions. Feel free to try it yourself

Fishers were typically poor people, yet this one has a leopard-skin (a luxury) loincloth. Perhaps you could give him a more appropiate, plain, linen one instead? Also, I'm not sure hexagonal bassins or any buckets at all were actually used. My guess is the nets were simply emptied into the boat and fish would be scattered all over the bottom.

All Roman heroes already have a different icon, each with a different helmet. The old Scipio icon is only used by the Scipio hero. I'd recommend replacing the old placeholder with the new icon. The placeholder mace_hero_alexander.png is a duplicate of hele_hero_alexander.png. Let the Alexander hero use the new mace_* icon and let the Ptolemy I hero continue to use the hele_* placeholder.

Not that many: scipio.png is only used by the Scipio hero, alexander.png by the Alexander and Ptolemy I heroes. And place-holder means they can be replaced when a better image is available (i.e. now).

In your list order: ptol_merc_archer_nubian.png belongs to ptol_infantry_archer_nubian.xml (rename icon to without "_merc" then commitable) ptol_merc_cavalry_spearman.png belongs to ptol_cavalry_spearman_merc_b.xml (rename icon to without "merc_" then commitable) rome_hero_scipio_1.png belongs to rome_hero_scipio.xml (rename to without "_1", commitable, replace old icon) sele_cavalry_militia.png might be an alternative to sele_cavalry_javelinist.png, which belongs to sele_cavalry_javelinist_b.png (DE?) sele_cavalry_spearman.png belongs to sele_cavalry_spearman_merc_b.png (do not rename, commitable; probably needs to be green) sele_merc_cavalry_galatian.png has no template counterpart (DE) spart_infantry_slinger.png has no template counterpart (DE) cart_cavalry_spearman_ital.png might belong to cart_cavalry_spearman_ital_b.xml (?) mace_champion_cavalry_e.png might be an alternative to mace_champion_cavalry.png, which belongs to mace_champion_cavalry.png (DE) mace_champion_infantry_ranged_gastraphetes.png belongs to athen_champion_ranged_gastraphetes.xml (commitable) rename icon to mace_gastraphetes.png (cf. mace_thorakites.png and mace_thureophoros.png) before committing move art/actors/units/athenians/champion_unit_gastraphetes.xml to art/actors/units/macedonians/gastraphetes.xml delete athen_champion_ranged_gastraphetes.xml template and replace it with: mace_gastraphetes.xml mace_hero_alexander.png belongs to mace_hero_alexander.xml (do not rename, commitable, replace old icon) mace_merc_cavalry_1.png might belong to mace_cavalry_javelinist_b.png (?) And also assign the existing tarentine_cavalry_e.png to the ptol_cavalry_javelinist_merc_b.xml template. PS The pers_champion_cavalry_archer.xml still needs its own icon.

There are other blue mercenaries as well, including: Macedonian javelin cavalry Ptolemaic javelin cavalry Ptolemaic spear cavalry Seleucid spear cavalry Seleucid archer infantry

“Available population” is typically a subset of a population (all the inhabitants of a particular place), not a superset, therefore it seems a bit odd to use it differently in 0 A.D. Also, “cap” (3 an upper limit on spending or borrowing) is not an abbreviation for “capacity” (the amount something can contain or produce). As has been pointed out before, cap, limit, and maximum are practically equivalents.

This is not just good, interesting, and useful, it's real quality. I'm looking forward to the pdf you announced earlier

Instead of using the default Debian version of 0 A.D., you could also decide to download the source code and compile it yourself. https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/BuildInstructions describes how to install the latest svn development version (currently A23) but it should work for earlier versions (e.g. A22) as well.

There seems to be an angle in the middle of the horse's crown, is that supposed to be so? Also, the horse chest barding (peytrals) end in nowhere, while the ends should actually be connected, e.g. tied behind the horse' neck.

Oh, that's because there is a mismatch between the actor called in the template (units/gaul/champion_axeman.xml) and the actual location of the actor file (units/gaul/gaul_champion_axeman.xml). So either rename the actor by removing `gaul_` or insert `gaul_` in the template. Try again with this: testmod.zip Which should get you:

Try using this in your local mods folder: testmod.zip

Then apparently something else is wrong as well. Could you post your mod somewhere? E.g. a zip attachment or a link to a github repository?

Be careful where you get the files you base yours upon. Let's have a look at line 11 again: yours: <SpawnEntityOnDeath>decay|rubble/rubble_stone_5x5</SpawnEntityOnDeath> A22: <SpawnEntityOnDeath>rubble/rubble_stone_5x5</SpawnEntityOnDeath> A23: <SpawnEntityOnDeath>decay|rubble/rubble_stone_5x5</SpawnEntityOnDeath> The "decay|" part is problematic in A22. Remove that and see what errors you'll get then.

Are you using A22 (the latest stable release) or A23 (the svn development version)? Line 11 could be the problem, cf. A23's https://trac.wildfiregames.com/browser/ps/trunk/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/templates/structures/gaul_barracks.xml with A22's https://github.com/0ad/0ad/blob/be68a3098fb0158772cd363207a29d97e3c6d364/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/templates/structures/gaul_barracks.xml .

To make a mod available in game you need to put it in the correct location and have it containing a `mod.json` file. Is it only your mod which isn't working or are there problems with other mods as well? Try loading something basic, e.g.: https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/topic/23904-global-multipliers/ This screenshot suggest you're working inside the game data files, not in your local files, where you ought to be. (The mods folder you need is supposed to be in the same directory as the replays, saves, and screenshots folders are.) Also, whenever you encounter errors or warnings, please look them up in your logs (see https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/GameDataPaths ) and copy them verbatim, instead of posting hard to read screenshots. PS https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/topic/21083-how-to-start-modifying/ contains a lot of modding questions and answers.

With “solid wood” I didn't necessarily intend to imply it was made from a single piece of wood, I meant to contrast a shield that had a layer of wood everywhere (“solid wood”) with those that had only a wooden frame (rim and one or two central beams made of wood, not the space in between) or used wicker instead of wood. Very few ancients shields have survived indeed, but we also have a few descriptions (e.g. Polybius). And yes, wooden shields could be made from glueing together vertical wooden planks or by laminating thin layers of wood. To clarify, my “solid wood or wicker” question is about these oblong shields: Not about the shorter shields with a horizontal bottom (which do seem to be made from wood). Thanks for the clarification, I was inquiring out of curiosity, not because I disagreed with metal

This shield is curved, the version used by 0 A.D.'s Kushites is flat. Solid wooden shields covered by painted leather were used by the classical Greeks (aspis), Romans (scutum, clipeus), and in the Middle Ages (kite shield), but they were uncomfortably heavy (e.g. 10 kg); a wicker frame covered with leather is strong but much lighter. Are they? Could someone post a screenshot of the back of the shields? Metal? Wouldn't leather or cloth be easier to work with? Not just in Kush; elsewhere pure coloured cattle existed but was rare too; they were typically valued and had cultic importance (e.g. a spotless white cow as a sacrifice for Iuno; a pure golden cow in Israel; etc.).

Forgive me for interrupting again Those look too red to me. Intense red dyes (carmine, crimson, scarlet) were produced from the Kermes lice and related species; the technique seems to have originated in ancient Armenia; the “kermes oak” they feed on occurs in large part of the Mediterranean but not in Egypt or anywhere south of it. In short, I'd recommend changing the red to a shade which could have been produced from henna, ochre, or another dye won in Nubia, but not the Kermes-derived colour of red M&Ms (unsuitable for vegetarians). Given the size of those shields I guess it would make sense if they're made of wicker or perhaps a wooden frame covered by a cowhide, but not from solid wood (which is not impossible but very heavy); cf. Mycenean figure-eight shields or 19th C Zulu Nguni shields. What kind of feathers are those? Ostrich? Falcon? Vulture? This is a really valuable image, not just for the shields (leopard, cowhide, and giraffe patterns can be easily distinguished), but also for the animals shown below (e.g. the cattle). It's probably better to avoid solid colour cow-hides and use white-with-black/brown/red patterns instead (as it seems you're already doing).

Thanks for the clarification. The ancient Egyptians used henna to dye their hair (traces are preserved in mummies), the plant is native to that part of the world, but ochre was also widely known and used for painting since prehistoric times, so I figured both were possible, hence my asking.

Ochre or henna?

0abc updated again: re-added females to centres, because the AI had often (but not always) difficulty in the Village phase; apparently there is some strict build order (e.g. first females, then houses, then town phase?) Market is available in Village phase; Town phase requires four economic class structures; City phase one temple class structure; metropolis phase (available to mace, ptol, sele) requires one theatre class structure tweaked food gather rates: female: 0.5 grain, 0.75 meat slave: 0.35 grain, 0.8 meat melee citizen infantry: 0.3 grain, 0.9 meat ranged citizen infantry: 0.25 grain, 1.0 meat mercenaries cost 60% less food to compensate for their silver upkeep siege weapons can be constructed twice as quickly Have a look at 0abc-readme.pdf for more detailed information.

Would it be possible to give cavalry a (short) loop rein? Minor details such as this make the game more enjoyable, at least for some people. Closed reins are well attested throughout Eurasia (even for horse archers): Greece: Romans: Han China: Bactria: India:

You do realize you could also just have had a look at the unit templates? E.g. https://trac.wildfiregames.com/browser/ps/trunk/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/templates/units/rome_mechanical_siege_ballista_packed.xml Yes, I agree, it would be better to move these civilization bonuses out of the templates (which can be easily overlooked) into a separate civ bonus technology.

It's great to see everything Kushite is being concentrated in a single location! Also, one faction, one mod is helpful if it is decided to incorporate them into another mod (or 0 A.D.'s main distribution). Is there also a Han repository? And another for the Xiongnu?