[community project] Elf race [released]

Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

[community project] Elf race [released]

This mod has been released, see

https://forums.elementalgame.com/398661

This thread is the result of an idea I've been tossing around lately. This run is an experiment - either people will show interest, or the project will wither and die.

TL;DR: We need your help to design Elven city tiles.

A selection of a few of the completed buildings:

Right now, we have a few modders doing a lot of work on big projects. Joining a project can feel like a big commitment. The individual modder can sometimes feel that he wants to do something, but don't really have the time to see a project to the finish line. He wants to contribute, but not sign away his soul. Enter the community project. Your participation and contributions are just as much as you want them to be. A community project is many modders doing small parts to form a greater whole. The intention is to push content to the end-user as soon as possible. Rather than a few modders doing work on mods over many months, a community project is intended to reach maturity within a week or two. Once the project is done, the mod becomes public property and anyone can use it in the future for anything they want to.

For the first community project, I thought we'd put an elf race in this fantasy game. More precisely, I thought we'd put something that LOOKS like elves in the game.

General outline for mod to meet release conditions:

- Elves play as Kingdom with Kingdom technology and Kingdom magic (no custom technology or magic planned at this stage). This will ensure that the mod stays viable after the community project is finished.

- Elves have unique unit textures - they will look like elves ( http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn195/summersong/Elemental/Gaediila_0_2106408875-24.png )

- Elves live in Elf cities. In this case, they are Sylvan or Wood elves, so city tiles should look like they were built inside a forest. See more info below. (examples: https://forums.elementalgame.com/396593 )

- Elves ride Elf mounts (a larger variety of horses, including white ones).

- Elves wield elf bows. They have kingdom stats, but look elven.

- (Additional outline, not required for release): Elves wield elf melee weapons. They have kingdom stats, but look elven.

- (Additional outline, not required for release): Elves wield elven armor and elven shields. They have kingdom stats, but look elven.

Nit-picking stuff: For this community project, I will be the moderator. Translated to reality, that means that if a situation appears where the community is split between two choices, I choose one. It also falls on me to make sure that tasks are not duplicated (update this thread), and that the project stays usable after the game is patched. In extreme cases, I may turn down contributions if they lack quality.

If you are interested in helping out, post in the thread what you intend to contribute with. You can also e-mail me at outelf@gmail.com

Required Tasks

Red means the task has not been assigned

Orange means the task has been assigned, and you should preferably choose something else to contribute with

Green means the task has been completed (and the files have reached me)

Note: You don't need my permission to start working on a tile. This is just so that if you want to take your time working on something, you can reserve that task so noone can steal it from under your feet.

XML framework (Heavenfall with ideas from Wintersong). The mod requires an XML framework to link everything together. Specifically, the framework should include a non-invasive way to link the buildings together, a raceconfig, and a racetype so that custom factions may use everything.

Unit Textures (Raven X). Both female and male elven skins need to be made, I strongly suggest that you adopt the skins from fallen units, as they fit the models with pointy ears. In particular eyes, eyebrows and mouths need to be cleared up to appear less goth.

Bow models (3dgrunge)

Melee Weapon Models. In this area, anything is welcome.

(3dgrunge)

Extra assets:

New colours for apple trees and swamp trees

Example of completed buildings: http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5113/elemental1285328784.jpg

City tiles. By far the largest part of the mod, and the part where we will need the most contributions. There is a HUGE freedom here for contributors to put their own flavour on buildings, but keep in mind that the theme you go by will not be reflected in all the other buildings.

There are two key words that I want to stress here. First, the elves live in the WOOD. That means their city should look like it could be part of a forest - elves are one with the forest, and all that. No cleared fields, no huge arenas for training. And please, try to mix the trees you use - both leaf trees and pine trees. Secondly, the elves live in a CITY. They do NOT live in tents, or miniscule huts on top of large trees. Buildings are absolutely okay.

I strongly recommend that you do NOT use a ground decal, for example something that makes the ground look beige or dusty. These decals have significant clipping issues in game, and frankly look off in a forest city.

I strongly suggest that you use LESS than thirty models in total. This is to make sure that the city can be viewed like any other city. In this area, I will be rather strict and may edit buildings.

Buildings MUST be built on the right amount of tiles. If a building requires 1 tile, it MUST use 1x1. If it requires 4 tiles, it MUST use the 2x2 format. Any building that doesn't follow this rule will be instantly rejected.

I must also insist that you provide TWO tiles for each building. The game can use a different tile while building something. I recommend that you first construct the final building and save. Then load, and remove some parts, add workers and ropes and whatnot, and save as something else.

I strongly suggest that you use the following colours when using the tile editor

While the colours may change for release, they will not change a lot.

City Cores (all are 4 tiles!):
Being Built (oddrheia)
Level 1 (oddrheia)
Level 2 (oddrheia)
Level 3 (oddrheia)
Level 4 (oddrheia)
Level 5 (oddrheia)

Regular Buildings:
Workshop (Heavenfall)
Watchtower (Jharii)
Study (Jharii)
Arcane Laboratory (Jharii)
Merchant (Novaburst)
Hut (crystlshake)
House (Kalin)
Barracks (Kalin)
Command post (Kalin)
War College (Kalin)
Market (Kalin)
School (4 tiles!) (jshores)
University (4 tiles!) (John_Hughes)
Trade Center (Kalin)
Bazaar (4 tiles!) (Kalin)
Pub (HooblaDan)
Inn (Kalin)
Great Theatre (oddrheia)
Town Hall (Heavenfall)
Palace (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Irrigation System (Heavenfall)
Guild Tribunal (Kalin)
Mining Guild (Kalin)
Smelter (oddrheia)
Blacksmith (oddrheia)
Farming Guild (crystlshake)
Granary (crystlshake)
Great Mill (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Construction Yard (Heavenfall)
Temple of Essence (oddrheia)
Monastery (Heavenfall)
Tower of Ereog (fairwater)
Abbey of Izil (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Missionary Hall (John_Hughes)
Embassy (oddrheia)

Harbor (crystlshake)

Super-unique buildings
Mint of Ruvenna (4 tiles!) (oddrheia)
Hosten's Library (4 tiles!) (John_Hughes)

Wall buildings (the improvement built to make walls - these automatically upgrade)
Hedge Wall (oddrheia)
Fort (oddrheia)
Fortress (oddrheia)

City walls
Citywalls (level 0) (Heavenfall)
CityWalls_Hedge (level 1) (Heavenfall)
CityWalls_picket (level 2) (Heavenfall)
CityWalls_Advanced (level 3) (Heavenfall)

Shards (all these are 4 tiles):
Fire Shard (Kalin)
Water Shard (Djohaal)
Earth Shard (Djohaal)
Air Shard (Djohaal)

World Resources (all these are 4 tiles):
Iron Mine (John_Hughes)
Ventri Mine (John_Hughes)
Stone Quarry (John_Hughes)
Clay Quarry (John_Hughes)
Marble Quarry (Heavenfall)
Farm (Heavenfall)
Wheat Farm (crystlshake)
Apiary (crystlshake)
Orchard (crystlshake)
Stable (crystlshake)
Crystal Foundry (Kalin)
Scenic View (oddrheia)
Refugee Camp (John_Hughes)
Oasis (John_Hughes)
Gold Mine (Heavenfall)
Lost Library (oddrheia)
Ancient Temple (oddrheia)
Lumbermill (be gentle!) (John_Hughes)

Diplomacy buildings
Shrill (Kalin)
Drath (Heavenfall)
Dragon (oddrheia)
Spider (oddrheia)

Contributions are mailed to outelf@gmail.com or uploaded and linked here in this thread.

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

I think that might be possible if you do a very complex quest. Personally I'm holding off quests for now until they give us the quest creator.

There's another idea, from fairwaters. We could do a mod that adds a significant amount of notable locations to the game. Say a 100 or so. Frankly, I think it's extremely boring to see the same bloody notable locations in every game I start.

We could also do a mini-project that introduces Elementium resources and mines into the game.

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Like the Natural wonders in Civ 5!! Good idea. Maybe we could also add civ wonders (wonders that were built in cities) but that would change game blanace.

Personally i would like to see a kind or random event from these places, or maybe they could act as hubs from quests further down the line.

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

Oooh great wonders. We could have a resourcetile that appears randomly across the map, and allows each faction to produce their own great monument. You'd have to find the resource location first, and then you'd have to research a tech, and then you'd have to spend a fairly long time building it.

The great wonder could enhance each faction's current traits - say DOUBLE the effectiveness.

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How about for the sake of diversity we have multiple kinds of resource tiles that appear across the map and each fraction has a specific building that they build on each diffrent resource tile.

So lets say you have 5 special notable locations, each of the 10 races has a specific building to be built on each tile. For a total of 55 tiles needed.

There could multiple kinds of bonuses that are dependent on the resource tile that you found.

Bonuses like:

- doubling the effectiveness of racial traits.

- Maybe providing a special kind of race specific unit (balancing issue) ( a high mountain keep that produces the finest warriros who all must pass through a sacred flame)

- A kind of special item. ( a special forge or workshop for each race)

- A really speical bonus that aids the closest city.

hmmmm i cannot think of other ideas for bonuses but i am sure there must be some others.

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

We could also have great wonders that don't require any resource tile, but are just buildable once per faction in a level 4 city. This would promote levelling up your town.

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We would want the wonders to fit the lore of each race, and unfortunatly I am unfamilar with the lore. LoL the part of the game I am most familiar with is the tile editor .

Now, I must admit I am fan of there being requirements for these wonders (wonders that do not require tiles), so that we do not end up with every level four city with a wonder in it. The requirments could be dependent on geographical location. Say, the city must be n number of tiles close to a mountain range. Or the city must be built on the coast, or on the edge of a forest.

For some reason today I am all about geographical significance.

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You could limit it by making them one per faction, but have a few different ones available. Kind of make the player choose how to specialize each lvl 4 city with them. Not sure if you would want to limit it to one of that group to a city (or how it would be done) though.

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Just throwing out some ideas for some races:

Celestia:

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/222/elemental1286587450.jpg

Basically Angels. It's a kingdom based faction that is unique in having its cities float above the ground. I've been playing around with this idea for a while (as you can see from the above) and it's probably the most unique thing we can throw at the system right now. It's somewhat of a challenge to design buildings without the ability to hide stuff by pushing it into the ground, so it'll most likely be somewhat simple buildings on floating platforms.

Or, alternatively, Demonica:

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/310/elemental1286592700.jpg

Basically Demons, or a cult who worships demons. An empire based faction that uses more stone work than the current woodshack empires. Colors doesn't have to match the above, I was just playing around with it to offset Celestia. It's a mix of dark elf + cultist with a nice spin on it. Best of all, the demon is already taken care of for us like the dragon. Maybe reskin some trees to dark wood with red leaves for some extra flair.

Side by side:

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9374/elemental1286592833.jpg

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Alright so lets plan this thing out.

First lets deal with the Resource Tiles Wonders (RTWs).

I propose there be six tiles resource tiles, one for each of the five tech tree's and one for the race bonus. That means 66 RTWs. Once a race builds a race specific wonder on the tile they gain access to a special ability that is dependent on the tile they found. We could have it so that you would have to research to gain access to the specific ability, but for balancing issues it might just be too time consuming to be worth developing these things unless the bonuses they provided were gigantic.

Civilization – A resource tile that improves the closest city in a way that is related to the lore of the race.

Military – Gives each race access to a new kit that can provide troops with a special new ability.

Magic – Gives each race a race specific spell.

Adventure – Each race gets access to a special item – weapon, armor or accessory for a champion.

Diplomacy - Gives each race a special new unit. Does not need to be monster. Eg. A paladin sent from the gods.

Race – Doubles the racial bonus.

We could get started on these tiles and once we figure out what we want to do with the city oriented tiles start on them later.

What we need to do now is figure out what kind of resource tiles would logically fit each tech tree. For example maybe for the adventure tech tree, it could be a volcano that allowed you to build an supreme forge that allowed you to craft these items. For the military it could be an old keep that you restore to life.....

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

We're still discussing options.

Edit: But those are all great ideas for unique unlocks. It looks like the Civ would be the same as the Race building there.

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oddrheia

Join Date 11/2007

Just dropping a few notes... I'm going to be gone most of the next week on a trip, so I won't be around. However, future community projects, I'd definitely like to chip in.

If Raven X wants some help with undead, I'd love to try my hand at those tiles. 'course, like I said, I'll be gone a short while, so can't jump right in.

Orcs: Can be fun. Sure, empire architecture can pass for orcish, but there can be a different spin on it: Bone fences and walls, War banners, and grim totems, stone pits with few actual buildings. (Edit: I meant, few advanced looking buildings. The emphasis could be less on architectural structures and more on fearsome symbols of prestige kind of thing. ) They're all very doable, and can be made looking distinctly different from standard empire set. In fact, the more I talk about it, the more I'd like to give them a pass at one time or the other

A rather lengthy and involving project could be giving all stock races their own look. Like, in case of kingdoms, Capitar can use the stock one, Pariden can be remade into kinda ivory towers of sorcery type of thing, Tarth can have buildings made on top of the wooden platforms/rafts or supports raising over the swamp, Altar can be gypsy camps and make-shift architecture, and Gilden could use sunbleached look with the desert set and crumbling brick fences, cactus trees, etc. I'm sure Empire themes can be broken down similarly. But that'd be one race at a time kinda thing, and it may get boooring to do them over, and over, and over.

Me, personally, I've been playing with the idea to make a kinda crystalline city theme set. It's not entirely viable, poly count would be over the roof... but it can look very, very pretty

Anyway, I'm easy. Name a theme and I can probably come up with something for it.

And, you guys thank you for being such a cool community! It's been amazing to work with you .

See you in a bit

-R

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Regarding the wonders idea, I'm not sure it's something we'd want to tackle right now. I'm not completely against it, but there's 3 glaring problems that comes to mind right away:

1. V1.1 is coming soon-ish. It looks like it's going to change a lot of core mechanics. As such, any mod that needs serious balancing is probably going to be doing it again when that comes out. The idea of balancing 66 wonders once is dreadful as it is, twice? Ouch.

2. The tech tree base approach is quite frankly, a nightmare. Right now, to make the factions unique in this manner, we'd have to duplicate the techtree x 10, and cross-mod compatibility is completely dead. It would be much more manageable to add 10 (or 11 if you include elves) tech (AltarWonders, KraxisWonders, ElvenWonders, etc.) and use known starting tech to make this possible. Still, we'd need to figure out someway to prevent these from being captured or it's going to be really cheesy really fast.

3. AI. How will we tell the AI to build these things in a timely manner, and in the right situations? Even if we raise it's priority, will the AI actually build their cities high enough? Now maybe 1.1 addresses some of this, but I can't help but feel that it we make these wonders, we'll only be giving the players a massive advantage.

In the end, it's probably best to wait atleast until v1.1 comes out before trying this idea out. Until then, it's probably best to stick to non-balance needing mods so that we can just copy the changes when it comes out.

Edit: with regards to Orcs, I think I'm with Heavenfall on this one. The empire wood shack look is too similar, and we don't have enough tools to make it really stand out except with the minor details which most people will never see. I think we'd need some more wood assets, and the ability to scale x y z independently before being able to make this work.

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

I'm going to do the elementium mine during the day, it's small enough for one person.

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Wonders might work. I could see a 4-5 tile(s) phase build up to the final Wonder.

Can that be done?

Say every 40-50 turns a new "Build/UC" tile is introduced until at turn 160-200-250 it finishes and provides some specail racial bonus.

Some may say OP but as is currently in game, by then you have either won or lost anyways.

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

It wouldn't work well.

The primary way to use different tiles for different stages is based on population, like the first cityhub.

You can also use a slowly upgrading building that, when finished, upgrades into the next building which is under construction. That way, you can provide a series of different tiles that are "under construction". The first problem with this method is that it doesn't require the city to actually be building. The second problem is that the "upgradesto" tag isn't checked regularly - in fact it's only checked when you discover a technology that unlocks a building, or when the city the building is in levels up. Needless to say, there is a big chance that neither of those will happen late-game.

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It's possible, just use the city level up mechanic to do it. Basically build a "base" and it levels up as the city grows. Giving more and more bonuses as it completes. Of course the city won't actually be "building it", but we can put a negative on build time on all the lower level (1-4) to simulate that the city is currently investing its resources into building the wonder.

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Population would be OK. As the City grows, so does it's ability to actually create a Wonder. So does that mean it would be best done within a city boundary "Wonder" and using the city tier level growth trigger ?

How many "Wonders" might a Faction have? 1 or 1 per Tech Tree perhaps?

Just curious if these ?'s seem odd...

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

I don't think anything but levelling up with the city is viable. And even then, it would be a bad idea to have "building" stages beyond the initial construction. There's too many ways it can go wrong.

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Oh I didn't realize that's what you were talking about. I don't think we need to have the building stages at all. Rather, it would be like how the tiles for city hubs is handled. 1 initial construction tile, then 5 tiles for lv1-5, with lv5 being the finished wonder. To mimic the "under construction" feel, lv1-4 would just LOOK like it is still under construction by tile design. As such you could have something that looks like it's growing as the city grows.

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

Oh yeah that's cool. But anything other than a graphical solution for that probably wouldn't work.

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Leveling is fine. Are we going to Test the Wonder idea yet. Perhaps some beta tiles to try and get a focus going? Rules of engagement?

My thumb is getting numb, and brown....

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Heavenfall

Join Date 07/2008

+441

I would really like to see someone else do the moderator stuff. The elf race ended up taking a lot more of my time than I thought it would, and I have some people I need to make up for it now.

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Well, that leaves me out at this time. My coding skills are also numb and rather brown.

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