Age of Empires: Beyond the Indus Expansion

Highwing
Clubman

posted 09-13-16 10:53 PM ET (US) 26 / 304

Could I suggest Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) for the Indian set? It was founded in 377 BC, so it may fit better than a Malay civilization. I'm finding only AD stuff for actual Malay kingdoms/empires, though I could be missing something.

I would also suggest just adding four civs all with one architecture type. It'd be nice to see an expansion pack more or less in the spirit of the RoR expansion.

[This message has been edited by Highwing (edited 09-13-2016 @ 10:58 PM).]

Epd999
Scout

posted 09-14-16 00:01 AM ET (US) 27 / 304

The Chola Empire is also be a better fit over Malay and maybe even Anuradhapura. I think it would be nice if it was an OP. Phatfish could you do the honors?

Possible Civilizations for Indian Set
Mauryan
Indus Valley Civilization
Dravidian (Was thinking of using Dravidian for the unnamed Indus Valley Civilization)
Anuradhapura
Chola
Funan
Hồng B�ng
Malay - good links were very hard to find, as the were a nomadic/tribal group up until 300CE and there isn't much information on them, the best I could find is this.
Pyu

Ancient South-East Asia (You can manually change the dates)
200BCE Map of South-East Asia

♚Lost Empires Mod♛
Maybe it's only a fool who'll perilously journey out to what might not be there. But if you want to solve problems, you don't just solve the ones that are there, you find more and make more and go after the impossible ones.
The neanderthals never ventured into the unknown and they went extinct, so who are the fools?

[This message has been edited by Epd999 (edited 09-14-2016 @ 00:14 AM).]

Highwing
Clubman

posted 09-14-16 00:06 AM ET (US) 28 / 304

I just thought Anuradhapura would add some variety since it's an island civ, as opposed to the large number of existing continental civs. That's why I was suggesting that Anuradhapura replace Malay (another island civ). Chola sounds great too, though. Chola, Anuradhapura, and Mauyra seem the most essential to me (though we still need a fourth).

Hong Bang is too far removed from India in my opinion, they are more East Asian. Indian architecture would not fit with them.

Once the architecture set is voted on, though, maybe there could be another poll for the actual civs to include for that architecture?

[This message has been edited by Highwing (edited 09-14-2016 @ 00:14 AM).]

Epd999
Scout

posted 09-14-16 00:22 AM ET (US) 29 / 304

Sure, if the moderators don't mind I'm all in for choosing what civilizations we should use. Though there will be problems such as not adding civilizations to the list, everyone choosing the same 1-3 civilizations or having 2 civilizations with the same amount of votes. Though for some of the architectures a poll would not be necessary if something like Meso-American or Polynesian architecture were to be chosen.

♚Lost Empires Mod♛
Maybe it's only a fool who'll perilously journey out to what might not be there. But if you want to solve problems, you don't just solve the ones that are there, you find more and make more and go after the impossible ones.
The neanderthals never ventured into the unknown and they went extinct, so who are the fools?

Jan dc
Clubman
(id: Den cekke)

posted 09-14-16 04:23 AM ET (US) 30 / 304

Did you guys already consider who you need for this project?

-Several balance testers
-One data editor
-One exe editor

-One or more researchers
-One concept artist

-One or more people who can model building
-One or more people who can model units
-One or more people who can model/create terrains
-One or more people who can do the post processing (turn a render into a game asset)

-Several scenario designers
-One or more AI designer(s)

-One or more sound editors

yohomes2
Clubman

posted 09-14-16 12:17 PM ET (US) 31 / 304

Epd999, could you post the poll that I made in the top post? It will help us decide which architecture set to make.

[This message has been edited by yohomes2 (edited 09-14-2016 @ 01:08 PM).]

Highwing
Clubman

posted 09-14-16 02:25 PM ET (US) 32 / 304

Yeah, on second thought, a poll for the actual civs to choose for the architecture set probably wouldn't work since there are four civs being chosen. It would be better anyway to just discuss what the most befitting and realistic civs would be for the architecture set that is voted on. Voting wouldn't give you the best results for that.

PhatFish
Mr. Beta

posted 09-17-16 10:37 AM ET (US) 33 / 304

How about letting AoEH's visitors choose as well. I've added the same poll on the main page (and can be edited if necessary).

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knightse72
Clubman

posted 09-17-16 11:55 AM ET (US) 34 / 304

I wonder if the Arabians especially the Nabataeans of Petra and the Sabaeans should be included

[This message has been edited by knightse72 (edited 09-17-2016 @ 11:55 AM).]

todler
Clubman

posted 09-17-16 12:21 PM ET (US) 35 / 304

South Arabians could fit into the african set.

chab
Clubman

posted 09-17-16 12:29 PM ET (US) 36 / 304

are you planning to add a tileset for the new civilizations ?

I believe that the number of tilesets is hardcoded in game EXE, are you aware that fixing that could be something huge (supposing it's possible) ?

Jan dc
Clubman
(id: Den cekke)

posted 09-17-16 02:07 PM ET (US) 37 / 304

How about letting AoEH's visitors choose as well. I've added the same poll on the main page (and can be edited if necessary).

Sounds like a good idea.

I wonder if the Arabians especially the Nabataeans of Petra and the Sabaeans should be included

Arabs could be included but idk if it would be worth it to make a new set for them. And if you'd give them the African set which other civ would you replace? The ones I proposed are at least as important. Unless you'd group the Berber ones together.

are you planning to add a tileset for the new civilizations ?

I believe that the number of tilesets is hardcoded in game EXE, are you aware that fixing that could be something huge (supposing it's possible) ?

I actually already went ahead and added 4 new civs and a new building set (data-wise) using the great userpatch. I'm getting a crash in the campaign menu but other than that it seems to work fine.

Epd999
Scout

posted 09-17-16 02:27 PM ET (US) 38 / 304

Creating Mods for UPatch HD

UPatch HD now allows you to add entirely new tilesets (which was previously impossible), as long as you create all the necessary graphics.

It also has other features like granting the ability to add new civilizations, easy modding layout etc. Which probably makes Upatch an ideal interface to use to make the expansion. Don't get me wrong chab, you've made lots of breakthroughs as well with the ai & triggers. I just think Upatch is more user friendly and already has made the patches you except to see in an age of empires expansion.

♚Lost Empires Mod♛
Maybe it's only a fool who'll perilously journey out to what might not be there. But if you want to solve problems, you don't just solve the ones that are there, you find more and make more and go after the impossible ones.
The neanderthals never ventured into the unknown and they went extinct, so who are the fools?

todler
Clubman

posted 09-17-16 03:02 PM ET (US) 39 / 304

I meant Nubians or Axumites as one civ, or it can be called Punt even if you consider that half the Egyptian civ cover Nubia anyway and Axum is a bit late.

Most of the proposed civs doesn't give me the thrill of say Sumerians or Hittite, they were long gone at the time of these classical age civs.

Jan dc
Clubman
(id: Den cekke)

posted 09-17-16 05:27 PM ET (US) 40 / 304

Well the location of Punt is still debated and can be either Arabian or Somali which doesn't cover Ethiopia or Nubia.
The new civs might not excite you but they might for other people. Most great ancient empires are already covered by the base game.

Fisk
Champion of AoEH
(id: Fruktfisk)

posted 09-18-16 07:13 AM ET (US) 41 / 304

I kind of like the premise of an Ancient Berber civ. I think that and Nubia would fit great for the ancient setting (my opinion is in no way biased).

//The warrior of Isola

"I lack quotes that demonstrate Humor Intelligence or anything about me."

Pineapplefish
Cleidopus gloriamaris

Suppiluliuma
AoEH Seraph

posted 09-18-16 08:03 AM ET (US) 42 / 304

Southwestern Arabia and the Horn of Africa+Ethiopia have always had close links to each other. I don't know much about the Minaeans, the Sabaeans, or other ancient Yemen groups, but I won't be surprised if culturally (and so architecturally) they were closer to Northeastern African cultures than to those further north in the Arabian peninsula.

Also I think Ancient Peruvian civilizations are as worthy to be in as the Mesoamericans: they were the first cultures in the western hemisphere to build cities (Norte Chico/Caral) and at least the Norte Chico, Moche, Vir� (the name Per� comes from them) and Chav�n developed in the historical period of AoE.

Maybe instead of Mesoamericans only, we could look for a more inclusive 'Ancient American' architecture?

chab
Clubman

posted 09-18-16 10:06 AM ET (US) 43 / 304

I actually already went ahead and added 4 new civs and a new building set (data-wise) using the great userpatch. I'm getting a crash in the campaign menu but other than that it seems to work fine

OK I didn't know someone already worked on that.

What I was refering to was unstabilities like the one you're talking about.
Basically this might work quite easily, but it seems likely to me to get crashes, or other memory data being corrupted, etc. Overflows may be hard to detect.

Maybe UPatch fixed some, but not all ? If so that's still good news

Jan dc
Clubman
(id: Den cekke)

posted 09-18-16 11:57 AM ET (US) 44 / 304

What I was refering to was unstabilities like the one you're talking about.

The crash was caused because of missing files actually so it was my mistake. Seems to work fine now.
Don't get me wrong the work you've done is really awesome but since an expansion relies on adding new civs, userpatch seems to be the best option here. Maybe you two can coop to help with this project? A lot of the things you made would also be useful here.

Highwing
Clubman

posted 09-19-16 01:46 PM ET (US) 45 / 304

What do people think of Urartu (Armenia)? I would really like to see them represented in one of the proposed architectural sets, perhaps replacing the Huns. The Huns were a little later in time, are already represented in AoK, and may be the same people as the Xiongnu anyway, so I'm not so sure they would be worth adding (in my opinion).

knightse72
Clubman

posted 09-20-16 08:52 PM ET (US) 46 / 304

I think one of the Scythians civilisation traits is that Horse Archers and cavalry cost no gold but cost 40 extra food for Horse Archers and 20 for cavalry.

Jan dc
Clubman
(id: Den cekke)

posted 09-21-16 04:57 AM ET (US) 47 / 304

What do people think of Urartu (Armenia)?

I don't think they'd fit as a Nomadic civilization. Replacing the Huns with Cimmerians would make more sense imo.

knightse72
Clubman

posted 09-21-16 06:56 AM ET (US) 48 / 304

I think there should be a middle eastern architecture that serves as a middle ground between Egyptian and Mesopotanian style to represent the bronze age and early iron age people of the middle east.

PhatFish
Mr. Beta

posted 09-23-16 08:27 AM ET (US) 49 / 304

Currently in the lead: Indian (33%, 10 Votes)

2nd: Northern (23%, 7 Votes)
3rd: Nomadic (17%, 5 Votes)

The Heavenly Escort � Night of the Dragon � Corlis (DE) � Dark Forest 2v2 (DE) � New Random Maps � Night Mode � Lengthen Combat Mode � The Big Hill � 512x512, 768x768, 1024x1024 map sizes � All Map Sizes � All Map Sizes (AoK) � BTI Soundtrack

yohomes2
Clubman

posted 09-23-16 10:54 AM ET (US) 50 / 304

We have started working on the Indian set, I'm not sure if we've fully decided it yet, but I think it's the best route. Here is the stables as they are so far. I have to fix the lighting, play with the textures, and add some more embellishment, but this is near to what they'll look like.

Jan DC also has some images he's made, but I will ask him before I post those.