Developer updates (gameplay footage May 1st)

[Raz]

05/01/2007
Some gameplay footage to keep you happy.

Trailer coming soon!

Edit: Youtube links

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03/23/2007

Hello everybody, it's been a while.

I apologise for being absent for so long, but I haven't been idle in the meanwhile. I've had some work in the graphics and siege department (which is nearly finished now).

I toned down the colours of nearly all textures because they were too bright. Redid many alpha channels and cloth textures. Also added some new great helms (updated many of the muslim ones) and reins for all the horses. Lots of new Muslim shields as well, and some retextured Crusader shields.





Nearly finished the siege system:

The cost of setting up camp and maintaining the siege depends on the size of your army. If you run out of money you automatically loan it from the Templars with interest or a Muslim bank. (depending on your religion)






(Same applies for the battering ram)


Anyway, what's left is adding villages to attack (depending on the city's size) and balancing it all out.

I would like to thank everybody here for maintaining their interest, especially Merlkir and Ron Losey who kept leading the sub-forum.

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11/15/2006

I'm back from away, but I haven't excactly been standing still.

At first I made the neccesary Ghulam/Mamluk equipment that was missing previously. I made some more turban helms, and added a variety of lamellar cuirasses.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/armours.jpg

I optimized Belvoir Castle's terrain, wich looks a lot better now with 5x less polygons. I reduced the whole scene's polycount from 15,000 to 10,000.
While playtesting I made a couple of shots:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/belvoir_attack.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/belvoir_attack1.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/belvoir_attack2.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/belvoir_attack3.jpg

Lastly, I messed around with the planned siege system a bit, and it turned out better than I'd expected.
Here's the deal: The castle consists of 3 layers of defence. The outer walls, the inner walls and the keep.
You can either frontally charge the keep's outer walls with ladders, as pictured above, wait a couple of days for creating some protective siege equipment like a siege tower, or create a battering ram in the meantime (for opening the gates obviously). Or do all three at once, as I modified the siege script for the AI to follow 4 paths of waypoints.
The best option however is, to build a trebuchet in the meanwhile. It will destroy the whole outer wall.
I will try and complete this part as soon as possible at provide you with some better screenshots.


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11/02/2006

Today I finished the Ibelin faction troop tree. Including new shields and armours. I will add banners to lances and spears for the various factions later.
Some battleshots:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/Normancharge.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/Ibelin1.png
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/Ibelin2.png
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/Ibelin4.png

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10/28/2006

While playtesting some things of the new version, I got myself into a really big battle. Yeah, half of the units are behind the hill.

So I decided to post some screenshots of it. Note the fixed glare and some new animations, armours etc. It was to playtest some balance and AI functionality. It works pretty good, while the Seljuq's heavy cavalry charges straight onto the infantry, the the horse-archers (mainly Turcoman) circle around the enemy and wear them down. Behind the heavy cavalry come the foot archers and Greek peltasts wich pick off lonely targets and crusader cavalry, and eventually charge into the infantry. Atleast in big battles like these (I tested some 3 of them).

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle2.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle3.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle4.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle5.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle6.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle7.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/bigbattle8.jpg


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10/22/2006

It's been too long since I updated. I'm currently rewriting the Seljuq troop tree.
Since it's army consisted roughly 50% of Turcoman horse-archers, I created some armours especially for them. (Thanks to Triglav for 2 textures)

I'll eventually make modifications in the mesh, when I receive my Milkshape account. Then I'll make their fur trimmed caps too, and round cane shields.

So here's some pictures of them surprising some Templar scouts:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/turcomanvstemplar.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/turcomanvstemplar2.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/turcomanvstemplar3.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/turcomanvstemplar4.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/turcomanvstemplar5.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/turcomanvstemplar6.jpg

Comments are welcome

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First update:
I made a short movie about one new attack animation. Download here.

Below are 2 screenshots, respectively about the couched lance tweak, and one about new attack stance and Bedouin helm.


I'll try to make it look more like this.

Here's the new right attack ready stance:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/khaya/newhelm.png

As you can see I still have some work on the grass and rocks.


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09/18/'06

Hey guys, I finally got a new subforum
Keep checking this thread as I will post all updates and media here. You may also reply and give me advice, but that can be done in the development thread.

[AijaxLost]

Yes, finally some reigns . I can steer my horse with my legs, but it is always nice to have the reigns handy. Beautiful armour. I've been trying to figure out how to add some more horses to the game, but I think I'll just download this mod when its finished, and save all the work! THANK YOU !

As far as I'm concerned, add as many horses as you like! More horses!

[Raz]

The siege and war system is as good as done. Just some touching up now.

[Scrat]

Preparing Carcass

Sweet stuff Raz

[oguzcan]

Raz, You are great man

[messenger]

These Trebuchet's have 30% more rock slinging capacity then the previous leading brand. Nice stuff Raz .

[Yoshiboy]

Looks brilliant indeed!

[Raz]

Thanks guys!

I made the Ghulams and Mamluks more distinct:

[messenger]

Wow, sexy models there Raz, when do I get to kill them ?

[Merlkir]

Looks cool. I recognize the first shield and like the second helm in particular. Since these are just posing, I guess the round shield won't hang that low while on back, right?

[Raz]

Messenger, you'll get your playtest tomorrow 'mkay? I especially need the siege system tested.

Yes some shields hang low, like heater shields and small round shields.
I didn't get it from this pic! I just thought the helm is sweet.

[Lord_Chiller]

First of all:
very very nice work Raz,looks like a new game of M&B 
why aren't you a member of the develop team? 
Hope we will get this great mod soon

Best regards

[Merlkir]

Raz: oh, is it really possible to have different shields hanging differently? great. variety = better

And if you need betatesters, I would like to test too. When I'm not texturing and painting, (apart from eating and sleeping), I play the devs version of TLD. But my char is quite strong and it's not that much fun playing it all the time.
So if you want some more testers, I'm your man

[Raz]

Great, I'll send a version over to you then too. That'd be quite close the finished version.

First of all:
very very nice work Raz,looks like a new game of M&B 
why aren't you a member of the develop team? 
Hope we will get this great mod soon

Best regards

Thanks Lord Chiller, but I don't think they would hire any non-Turkish game designers. I also think they have enough of them already, and I by far don't meet the standards

[Lord_Chiller]

Great, I'll send a version over to you then too. That'd be quite close the finished version.

okay i guess we get the mod soon