(268) 268 B.C. suggestions and ideas / item requests

[Legionary]

I suggest you lower the price of mercenaries

[lostone84]

Hey, congrats on the release and sub forum.  I registered here pretty much just so I could contribute to this excellent mod somehow.
I've only got a couple of suggestions after playing for a couple of days now since it seems like you have many good and concrete ideas for the direction of the mod.

Since several factions have similar troop trees, sometimes with exactly the same units use names to differentiate between different races units. eg: Macedonian Toxotai/Hellenic Toxotai, Macedonian Levy/Hellenic Levy

Since many battles are now more focused on infantry, a good thing I think, maybe move the starting point of armies in battle scenes a little closer together to save empty running time at the start.

Also want to support the idea of more varied and useful towns/villages and forts and I'm intrigued to see what different style of settlement format you have in mind.

Every mod I've seen for M&B as well as the native seems to have completely random items in the various shops.  It's always seemed strange to me that buying the best Swadian Plate was just as easy in Nord towns as it was in Swadian ones.  Is it even possible to have region specific vendors?  If so it would be a great idea to help make the different parts of the map feel more uniquely cultural as well as making it easier to more reliably kit your character out according to a certain theme.

Thats all I got for now.  Congrats on making such a great start to the mod and I hope it continues to progress well!

PS. Just had another, somewhat stranger, idea that directly corresponds to how tired I am.  I think there's opportunity to have real variety in the arena competitions.  If you can model elephants into the game you can do lions and tigers too, right?  Did the Iberians have bullfighting at this time?  It wouldn't be too hard to add that as well.  The most far out there idea is for the Greek influenced cities instead of fighting in an arena perhaps you can compete in scripted debating competitions where your persuasion, charisma and intelligence are used to provide dialogue to outwit an opponent.  Not sure about historical or cultural accuracy but it's certainly thematic   I've seen it scripted in RPGs such as Baldur's Gate and so forth and from what little I know of M&B it should be possible.

PPS.  Just wondering if plans for any sort of backstory or quests have been made?  It's rather strange to see Zendar transported to 270bc Mediterranean.  I have an idea for turning Zendar into a slave trader/gladiators camp.  You have to fight for the 'trainer' to earn your freedom, then you get sent to hunt down escaping slaves.  Would add a lot of flavour to the start of the game and provide direction for new players.

PPPS Horse Races!  Hippodromes!  Can it be done?

[Xenophon]

I know it's not exactly with the time period, but could you lads produce a praetorian armor with navy cloth and shields and navy cloaks? (and hellmet crests, etc)

Perhaps they had them in 272.. Since Praetorians were probably outfitted by the VIP they were protecting.

And yes, I am thinking about Gladiator...

[Xenophon]

There also seems to be some issues with the phalanx...

Well, if you have a siege going on with a tower, and you have the battle size at say, 200, then while the tower is heading for the wall your men will line up 3 or 4 deep and about 20 or 30 across, and all put their shields up... and it looks very impressive! I don't know if you could somehow use that code to go off at a location where you command your men to hold position... I think it would work well with all spear-armed infantry.

Just a thought...

[SPQR]

Just an idea.  Maybe the mod can expand on gameplay inside the arena.  Maybe include animal fights (gladiator vs lions) and one on one matches with ranked gladiators.  As you progress you eventually could win "Rudius".  Maybe the wooden gladius can bring extra skill benefits if you maintain in the inventory.  Also maybe include the old M & B training ground on the world map and turn it into a gladiator camp where you can purchase gladiators at various levels. 

[ealabor]

Every mod I've seen for M&B as well as the native seems to have completely random items in the various shops.  It's always seemed strange to me that buying the best Swadian Plate was just as easy in Nord towns as it was in Swadian ones.  Is it even possible to have region specific vendors?  If so it would be a great idea to help make the different parts of the map feel more uniquely cultural as well as making it easier to more reliably kit your character out according to a certain theme.

Thats all I got for now.  Congrats on making such a great start to the mod and I hope it continues to progress well!

PS. Just had another, somewhat stranger, idea that directly corresponds to how tired I am.  I think there's opportunity to have real variety in the arena competitions.  If you can model elephants into the game you can do lions and tigers too, right?  Did the Iberians have bullfighting at this time?  It wouldn't be too hard to add that as well.  The most far out there idea is for the Greek influenced cities instead of fighting in an arena perhaps you can compete in scripted debating competitions where your persuasion, charisma and intelligence are used to provide dialogue to outwit an opponent.  Not sure about historical or cultural accuracy but it's certainly thematic   I've seen it scripted in RPGs such as Baldur's Gate and so forth and from what little I know of M&B it should be possible.

PPS.  Just wondering if plans for any sort of backstory or quests have been made?  It's rather strange to see Zendar transported to 270bc Mediterranean.  I have an idea for turning Zendar into a slave trader/gladiators camp.  You have to fight for the 'trainer' to earn your freedom, then you get sent to hunt down escaping slaves.  Would add a lot of flavour to the start of the game and provide direction for new players.

PPPS Horse Races!  Hippodromes!  Can it be done?

1. Having equipment regional is a goal.
2. Elephant models are based off the Horse models. That in itself is a stretch. I dont think animals can be done. Theres several other things that can be done to spice up the arena, but thats not going to be a priority right now.
3. I left Zendar in place so that people would have something they are familiar with. Next patch i'll probably rename it something Roman, and slap a Roman city icon on it. Turning it into a gladiator/slave scene certainly is food for thought.
4. Hippodromes.. I can see it being a possibility. Thats going to require some clever scripting though.

I know it's not exactly with the time period, but could you lads produce a praetorian armor with navy cloth and shields and navy cloaks? (and hellmet crests, etc)
Perhaps they had them in 272.. Since Praetorians were probably outfitted by the VIP they were protecting.
And yes, I am thinking about Gladiator...

I dont see that happening. I may implement some out of date equipments to achieve via quests. I havent jotted down a list of sorts yet.

There also seems to be some issues with the phalanx...
Well, if you have a siege going on with a tower, and you have the battle size at say, 200, then while the tower is heading for the wall your men will line up 3 or 4 deep and about 20 or 30 across, and all put their shields up... and it looks very impressive! I don't know if you could somehow use that code to go off at a location where you command your men to hold position... I think it would work well with all spear-armed infantry.
Just a thought...

I'm playing with Mirathei's formation script right now. I doubt formations are or could  be as elaborate as people would hope for, with different groups of formations going on at the same time etc. The best one could hope for in this version is non skirmisher infantry forming some semblance of box formations etc

[Israeli_IL]

man I still wanna see a testudo formation could any one make this it will be a dream come true 

[Jackamo]

Well some soldiers could have a shield as their helmet and some with a shield attached to their right and left arms..and for rear end put the shield on their backs and the front..you know the usual.

[UBERMANN]

maybe larger javelin inventories... im thinking a guy throwing like maybe 20-25 javelins and maybe some accuracy and damage added to said javelins (me likey da roman sword/ javelin types)

[QuailLover]

The one suggestion I have right now is to work on scene models, and scenes.

It's a little weird knowing I'm in Rome, but it's a Medieval City.

[RayvenQ]

Hell, getting them into a line with a consistent 2-3 ranks deep, with the front or all having shields raised would be brilliant.

And yeah A Testudo in M&B is pretty much out of the question, unless drastic measures (I.e Jackamo's Idea) are taken, even as the player, you can't raise a shield above your head.

[Jackamo]

I said put a shield on your head a.k.a Make a helmet with a shield on top of it.

[RayvenQ]

I said put a shield on your head a.k.a Make a helmet with a shield on top of it.

Yes, I know, while this would help with a testudo, when those soldiers aren't in that formation it'd look rather silly.

[Rosacrux]

Gonna redo my suggestions here:

Since the roman armor is named properly latin, I'd say the Greek should also be named properly Greek. Linothorax instead of "scale" (which is not accurate anyway) and Spolas instead of leather armor.

Include short stabbing swords-daggers (Greek machera, Roman pugio etc.)

Please correct hellenistic to hellenic.

[RayvenQ]

The Pugio is already in the mod, at least the model and texture is.

By the way, anyone want a new Scutum (or at least, texture)?