Exilian

Game Design and Project Resources: The Workshops Quarter => The Hall of Lost Designs => Total War Mods - The Engineer's Shed => Mods, Maps & Game Add-Ons - The Bazaar => Talletta: Total War => Topic started by: Siffite on February 23, 2012, 04:17:12 PM

Title: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on February 23, 2012, 04:17:12 PM
Hello everyone, I've just started her so there isn't much mod to post. But here is a load of information that you need to know if you want to be a part of the Talletta mod. Hurray!

A mod team has roughly been put together. So far we have...
bones899: In charge of unit text and other text files.
ruthless: In charge of promo banners and such.
Caesar15: Emotional support.
So thanks to you guys for believing in the cause! Not many do...
...but wait! We really need someone... anyone... who can do modelling! Until then, we will be stuck with units that look suspiciously like the ones from vanilla Rome Total War.

Now a problem has arisen in recent days that has been nagging at my soul... no one has any idea what the heck Talletta is. So I feel the need to tell you all the most I can tell you about it in words. The story has actually undergone changes since I first started this mod thread, so it be time to update it officially.

Talletta is a continent of the mythical world of Yarzon. There are poorly drawn maps attached of both the entire world of Yarzon and just Talletta.

Two reasons I am not making a mod of the whole thing. First, it is way too big. Second, only Talletta and parts of Mariaba contain cultures similar to those in Rome Total War. Talletta is primarily Graeco-Roman and Celtic based, making it ideal for a RTW mod. The mod will also include the western part of Mariaba, which is based on desert cultures. This is where the Siffites live!

On to the storyline. This is skeleton of the plot on a national level, so no character development here. If you want more detail, just say so and I would be more than happy to tell you more than you ever wished to know about the world of Yarzon.

It is a fantasy world that is undergoing an unfortunate modernization, in the sense that cultures are diminishing in favor of a universal influence of Patenian ideals. Where once a great hall of kings stood, now there is a bank or federal bureau. (Just so you know, there aren't any electricity or planes or anything. The technology is still mostly medieval and what they had in Roman times.) The center of the new age movement is the central Patenian city of Athenopolis. There are, however, people who resist the new age movement. These people are thought of by Patenians as barbarians because they practice a different way of life. These people include the Siffites, Targathiites, Himikoi, Aarons and Tolovs, to name a few.

People who resist the new age movement are generally very spiritual, warlike, or both. In responce to the new age movement slowly encroaching on their ways of life, they have grown increasingly hostile and distrustful of outsiders. Their isolationist policies are another reason they are hated by the "civilized" peoples of the Patene and to a lesser extent the Chaniir.

The political climate in the Patene (which is considered to be the center and capital of the world) is mostly two major parties in power. The one with less power is the dreaded Knights of Athris, who are basically an order of wizards who live in a huge tower called Yarz Keep, which is located a few miles south of Athenopolis itself (The capitol building of "civilized" folk is in Athenopolis). Their mission statement is to keep the histories and preserve the ways of life of the peoples of Yarzon. Because of their strict adherence to their code of preservation that stands against the new age movement, they are regularly verbally assaulted by the masses of Patenians and government officials of the other party. The other party is the New Age Party, secretly under the control of an evil oligarchy with its "CEO" Cinnagon. Their major goal is to bring the world together under a global technocracy (rule by scientists) and a single modern culture in which the government takes the lives of everyone under its wing and forbids religion and cultures of "antiquity" (meaning anything that's not the modern culture).

Cinnagon manages to drive the Knights of Athris out of power, taking complete control of Athenopolis. However, the Patene is not a united nation, and Cinnagon does not wish to reveal his plans in a fashion of conquest. So he secretly pulls strings (he's able to do this because he has new age agents all over the world) to cause two imperial powers to emerge to conquer the Patene and unite it, only to be easily overthrown by Cinnagon. One, the Nyanmian Empire, was created by a wicked and powerful king called Skalos. After being oppressed for many generations by a city called Kynopolis, Skalos' own city of Nyanmia rose in rebellion and took over Kynopolis. Skalos wasn't done, however, and wished to burn the rest of the world in a mad rampage he and his bloodthirsty followers called their "Final Freedom". The other imperial power was the Clixolian Empire, which began in a single Patenian city state called Clixolia. Under the leadership of Clixolian Quartus, they conquered a sizable empire in the Patene overcoming many difficult obstacles until being held up at Alaran and Tabaran.

The two empires allied and began a brutal war of conquest that seemed was destined to take over the Patene and maybe even the whole world. The war became known as either the Imperial War or the War of Nyanmian Aggression.

After destroying Celesta, ravaging the Himikoi, and burning Maegdala, the Nyanmians advanced on Verana. The Clixolians took over Alaran, Tabaran, much of the Chaniir region, and even Athenopolis itself. Despite losing his city, Cinnagon was not intimidated. He actually had control over the situation, as the current Clixolian emperor, Clixolian Septimus, was under the influence of one of Cinnagon's men being Septimus' advisor. The Clixolians then join the siege of Verana.

Verana is the last stand. Resistance forces gather from Alaran, Tabaran, other Patenian city states, the Targathiites, Aarons, and even men from the Chaniir region. Using the "Sword of Divine Rule" borrowed from the Knights of Athris, the Alaranian commander slays King Skalos and halted his hellish rampage. The day was won, but little did the resistance forces know that they were merely plan B pawns of Cinnagon. Soon after the battle, the Knights of Athris are massacred by Cinnagon's agents. Only one manages to escape, and hides out in Yarz Keep for the next few years. The heroic Alaranian commander is also murdered by Cinnagon's agents, because he is seen as a threat.

In a post-war celebration, Cinnagon and his glorified party members announce the founding of a Tallettan Union, built on the great alliance formed by the Imperial War. Similar events happen in Kamura and Vindella, and those become united as well. Cinnagon then unites the governments of Talletta, Kamura, and Vindella. Only Mariaba remained, which was already mostly under the control of Cinnagon's ally, Che. One of the only nations left that wasn't in Cinnagon's government was Safa, which became part of it through a political mishap.

During the siege of Verana, Nynamian ships sail into Siffite waters and are ambushed by Siffite ships. The Siffites destroy their adversaries, and are welcomed in as heroes by the Patenians during the victory celebration. Lured in by women, wine, and a good time, the Siffite sailors attend and are given awards. The Siffite king is also invited, and comes to see his brave sailors in such a position of honor. Then the Siffite king disappears mysteriously and a Siffite official who supports Cinnagon signs in Safa as a member of the Tallettan Union.

The world belongs to Cinnagon now. The technocracy rises, the size of government exponentially increases, and the cultures of the world begin to die out. People who oppose the new global Union either disappear or are brainwashed and released as a "free person of the Union". Power is held by the Patenian bankers, bureaucrats, and scientists. Population is controlled by a mix of genocide, infanticide, and mass sterilization. Areas that the Union would want more populated are populated by artificial birthing pits called human nests that are designed to make people that are ideal for the Union. They take separation of labor to the next level, by creating types of humans that are designed for certain tasks. Public support is kept by heavy use of propaganda, blaming the Siffites, Aarons, Tolovs, and Himikoi for their problems, and mind control (one thing that their technology is able to do that's not medieval). Seeing the Siffites as too set in their old ways, a genocide takes place to wipe them out. The survivors gather in the desert and think of a way to end this reign of evil.

The only survivor of the Knights of Athris bitterly wishes to exact revenge upon the Unionists. He gathers opposition to the Union from all over the world to Yarz Keep, which he believes is kept hidden from the eyes of the Union by a sympathizer who has power in the Union. For several years the army of rebels musters. About 2 million soldiers muster to destroy Athenopolis and take down Cinnagon and his government.

But wait! Before the final battle begins... there is more information!

At the time of the Imperial War, there were 3 mystical artifacts of power that connected the world of men to the world of God. These artifacts allowed magic to happen due to the spiritual energy that passed through them into the human world. They also allowed souls to pass through them into the realm of God, should a man die. These 3 artifacts are the Sword of Divine Rule, the Crystal Ball owned by the grandmaster of the Knights of Athris, and an ancient Siffite artifact known as Zeqekiya's Tablet.

Now Cinnagon wished to destroy these 3 artifacts because if he did, then the world would be cut off from karma, universal laws of God, magic, and the rest. Cinnagon, who had already achieved immortality through technological advance (another thing they didn't have in medieval times, I know, nor will they ever have I believe), would become the god of the world he controlled. Nothing on earth could stop him, and he would reign forever over a world where the screams of mortals echo after death, their souls trapped in a boring, uniform world ruled by those who only care about themselves.

The Sword of Divine Rule was destroyed when it was plunged into the heart of Skalos, whose hellish soul and the divine sword cancelled each other out. The Crystal Ball of Grandmaster Sphincter was evaporated in a special anti-magic acid pool by Union scientists soon after the massacre of the Knights of Athris. The last artifact, Zeqekiya's Tablet, was hidden under the sands of Safa like it had been for hundreds of years. When the Unionists took control of Safa, they began a relentless search for it. Then they found it. The Siffite prince, Parsios, intercepted the Unionists and took the Tablet, seeking to return it to the ground to preserve it. He was then captured and sent to Athenopolis to be brainwashed while the Tablet was sent there to be destroyed in the acid pool...

Now back to the main story! The rebel army was gathering at Yarz Keep, 2 million men strong. After realizing how close Zeqekiya's Tablet was to being destroyed, the army rushed out to attack Athenopolis. However, this was Cinnagon's plan all along. He had the rebels all gather in one place so that he could kill them all at once, and in a self-defense scenario so that public support would be on his side. The Unionists call the rebels "The Forces of Chaos". The Unionist army was then ready. 3 million men strong, many of them grown for battle in the human nests. And so the most awesome battle ever happens. Things begin to look grim for the rebels, though. The Siffites, Tarqiites, Targathiites, Aggars, Himikoi, Aarons, Tolovs, Knights of Merqott, Talia, Tularas and Athris, Nyanmian remnants, Kamurans, and even Clixolians fight bravely, but are menaced by a larger force of Unionist soldiers that have done almost nothing but train for war their whole lives.

Meanwhile, Parsios manages to escape and runs after Zeqekiya's Tablet. He comes in when it is about to be destroyed and tells the scientists and Cinnagon and Che, who are present, to bow before the Tablet. Parsios is then beaten and mocked. The Tablet is then lowered into the acid, but just before being killed, Parsios quotes the words engraved on the Tablet. Parsios says that anyone who will not bow before the divine power inside the Tablet will surely die, and then proceeds to bow himself. Then the Tablet is activated, annihilating everyone in the room who did not bow, Indiana Jones style. Even Cinnagon, who up to this point proved invincible, was destroyed. The power in the Tablet was beyond that of human potential. It was an other-worldly thing.

The only two survivors in the room were Parsios and a Unionist official who decided to humble himself. Parsios then tells the Unionist survivor that if he didn't call off the Unionist army, Parsios would kill him. So the Unionist army surrenders, and a treaty is written up. The lands of the peoples who participated in the rebel army were given their lands back, and the rebel armies went home. Life began back as it had years ago, but a new era had begun. The Union was still intact, as it was only weakened by the Siege of Athenopolis. The free peoples also fought amongst themselves as they had before. And who knows... the Union could rise again...

The End.

Now the mod takes place during the events of this story, not after it.

Now the playable factions are...

Allied Forces -- At first, this term refers to the epic twin cities of Alaran and Tabaran. Later, it refers to the alliance against the Nyanmian Empire. They are based on Golden Age Greeks.

Nyanmian Empire -- Warlike empire with a gladiator-like army. Lead by the hellish King Skalos, they wage war on the world known as the "Final Freedom". They are based on gladiators mostly.

Clixolian Empire -- Extremely militant nation that seeks to create a world of strength and military might. They are based on Romans and Nazis.

The Union -- Centered in Athenopolis, the Union is the embodiment of the new age movement. But many are not aware of the evil heart of this mammoth government. They are based on Greeks, Elves, and modern culture.

The Confederacy -- The alliance of rebel armies who oppose the Union. They are only present in the Siege of Athenopolis, so they will probably only be available in historical and custom battles. They are a mix of several different factions.

Targathiites -- People who live south of the Patene. They were an important factor in the defeat of the Nyanmian Empire. They are based on Bronze Age Greeks, the Mycenaeans.

Himikoi -- People who live on an island south of the Nyanmian Empire. They live for battle, and are great craftsmen of weapons and armour. They are based on Easterlings, Aztecs, and gladiators.

Siffites -- People who live in the desert. They are lovers of their history, and usually mind their own business. They do, however, become bloody and vicious when their way of life is threatened. They are based on Persians, Berbers, Saracens, Haradrim, and Easterlings.

Aarons -- Happy people who live in the north. Their warriors feast and drink in the great hall of Balgard. Balgard's walls have never before been penetrated. They are based on Celts and Norsemen.

Tolovs -- People who live in the north. They begun to migrate southwards as Aggars invade their lands. Many dream of creating a great Tolov Kingdom, something they have not yet been able to do. They are based on Slavs and medieval Slavic kingdoms.

Non-playable factions are...

The Patene -- The many city states of the Patene. They do not form a united nation, but adhere to the new age movement. They are based on Greeks.

The Chaniir -- The region east of the Patene. It also is made up of city-states that adhere to the new age movement. They are based on Greeks, Turks, and Indians.

Slaves and Rebels -- ...Obviously.

Factions that may become available in a later version of this mod...

Celesta -- The nation that almost took over the world many years ago. Now much humbled, they seek to rise again... if they can hold off the Nyanmians. They are based on Macedonians.

Tarqiites -- Fierce horsemen from the east. Although a very small population, they managed to take control of the Aggar tribes due to their military prowess. They are based on Parthians and Huns.

Aggars -- Horsemen from the east. Seek to gain full independence from the Tarqiites. They are based on steppe people.

Narmalon -- Seafarers from an island off the west coast of Talletta. They are based on Vikings.

Achigon -- Located south of the Aarons, they are regularly raided by Narmalonians. They constant peril has caused their warrior prowess to evolve though. They are based on Anglo-Saxons.

Kazad -- Desert nation north of Safa. These dark-skinned people are mighty warriors, and have tamed the giant scorpions that dwell there. They ride these beasts into battle. They are based on Tuaregs and Sub-Saharan Africans.

Knights of Athris -- They live in a great tower called Yarz Keep, located south of Athenopolis. They are the keepers of the histories, and oppose the new age movement. They are based on Severus Snape.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Jubal on February 23, 2012, 04:24:22 PM
In terms of units, don't underestimate what a good skinner can achieve and don't underestimate the value of begging and borrowing from other mods, either. For example, in Narnia TW the vanilla Egyptian archers have been reskinned so their cylindrical hairstyles are flat-topped helmets and given different faces/clothes, so they now look fully medieval in style. That said, if any of Warhammer TW's Empire, Chaos or High Elf units would be helpful (I can't offer you many of the others since I had to get permission for them myself), then do just ask.

Can we have a list of factions and their general look/theme, perhaps?  :)
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on February 23, 2012, 04:46:21 PM
I have added the list of factions.

Yes, I was considering just reskinning, but there are a few fantasy elements that would require full modelling. If I went without them, this would look alot like Vanilla RTW.

But borrowing... that's a really good idea. The Lord of the Rings Mod would be a really great resource if I could get their permission. But I think I'll leave the really advanced stuff out until a later version. First I need to make a beta version.

The things that would really be nice that require modelling are things like the cannons I was going to try to implement eventually, big elephants with better looking towers on their backs, giant walls that don't wrap around cities, and most importantly, characters with very unique appearances.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Jubal on February 23, 2012, 05:36:41 PM
I've got two different cannon models implemented for Warhammer, either or both of which you can use. Modified Elephants would need modelling, you're right. Giant walls could be very difficult indeed, not sure how that could work. As for special or unique characters, I suspect you'd have to make the game think it was an elephant unit and do it that way... though that might mess up at large unit sizes. I've been looking into the idea for Narnia though, so I'll happily share with you any work I get done on it.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Son of the King on February 23, 2012, 06:08:39 PM
What exactly do you mean by giant walls? Like the Great Wall of China giant walls or the Black Gate of Mordor giant walls?
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on February 23, 2012, 09:37:03 PM
Both I guess. Big wall going from one mountain to another with a Mordor type gate in the middle.

For the first version, I'll reskin things, so hopefully I'll attract some more experienced modders to help me make it alot better.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Son of the King on February 23, 2012, 11:00:08 PM
Well in CG's Orcs and Humans mod there is a big gate between two mountains, but it isn't very long.  Theoretically you could make a massive wall between two mountains on the strat map, but units would be able to cross it and it wouldn't appear on normal battle maps. However if the gap covered by the wall was just 3 tiles (ie a settlement and its obstruction radius) then you could maybe (and its a big maybe) use a new settlement plan to make the wall "settlement" appear on the battle map as a wall and have units sieging is like a city. Like I say its a big maybe, I've never actually tried to do anything like that but if I was going to try and make a giant wall thats where I'd start...
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: comrade_general on February 23, 2012, 11:44:28 PM
Theoretically you could make a massive wall between two mountains on the strat map, but units would be able to cross it

Simply set the ground type under the area it covers as non-passable low mountains. The area would still be flat because only map_heights changes the depth of the land. Then set the settlement model as the big gate/wall model or whatever, which is set by culture (so you can't use that culture for any other settlements or it will look like the wall as well). Also it's best to start the settlement as a huge city with the custom model in place so that it never changes from that (because if the custom model is set to say the Greek culture, and the settlement is a town, then if a Roman culture faction upgrades the settlement its model will change).

But yeah the battle map is a totally different story... don't ask me about that one. :P

Lastly, the Lord of the Rings Total War is an open beta, so you can use anything from it as long as you give credit (particularly to wlesmana).
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Son of the King on February 25, 2012, 01:57:52 PM
Could you potentially add a "big wall" culture to get around the problem of using up a culture to make a big wall?
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: comrade_general on February 25, 2012, 02:07:55 PM
I have no experience adding new cultures, but yes, that might be a viable solution (if not horribly tedious).
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Jubal on February 28, 2012, 04:21:18 PM
Any screenshots of skins out yet?  :)
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on April 02, 2012, 04:50:46 PM
I have some screenshots for the Nyanmian Empire faction in the thread on Total War Center Forums so be sure to check that out! http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?p=11260368#post11260366

Also, I have thought of an idea to make a gate in the campaign map. I think it would make sense to make a level of city (like village, which is hardly used and doesn't have to be used at all) and call it "gatehouse". There is maybe one building or so and a large wall with two gates, one facing north and one facing south. Two mountains intrude on the "city" from the east and west sides, so that the gatehouse can only be besieged from the north and south. The only problem I can see is preventing the village from growing into a town, then it wouldn't be a gatehouse anymore.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Jubal on April 02, 2012, 05:10:28 PM
You could see if it's possible to make a hidden resource that's a requirement for the town level core building? That way you could just give all regions bar your "gatehouse" region that resource, so it would never be able to grow.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: comrade_general on April 03, 2012, 12:29:50 AM
I essentially did that very thing, Siffite, in TWOH. Except I made it a huge city for a culture that isn't used any where else so that it can't be upgraded. But the village/hidden resource method would work too.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on May 05, 2012, 05:03:34 AM
Just when the mod was coming to the point where I could post some serious screenshots, my data went missing. I realized that I had not backed it up and so there is sadness. I shall endure, however, and recreate what has been destroyed. Just so you know. This mod is not yet dead.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: comrade_general on May 05, 2012, 12:36:01 PM
That is most unusual and saddening. :(
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: debux on July 13, 2012, 09:17:06 PM
Are you still working here man? I just saw this (somehow I skipped it, maybe I got discouraged at the fantasy setting), but I read the story and it really is interesting! I was going to ask you on your source (like, on what you based the story, be it a book or a movie), but it's amazing you built it all!
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on September 12, 2012, 10:06:01 PM
Hey! Sorry for the late reply...

Actually this story isn't based on anything. The cultures are inspired by historical and Lord of the Rings cultures, but the storyline is original. It contains alot of aspects of dystopian situations, though. But I am not really a big reading type, so I don't have too much to get inspired with.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: debux on September 15, 2012, 12:26:41 AM
No worries for the belated response, I understand it completely (it takes me a rather similare time to answer mails, but it might be because I'm plain lazy). The storyline is quite original though, at least from my point of view :P are you planning on continuing?
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Siffite on December 31, 2012, 12:43:14 AM
Yeah I'm definitely still developing the story but I think I'll try to make a mod out of Age of Empires 2, mainly because I am able to make killer campaigns on it that will develop the story quite nicely.
Title: Re: Everything you need to know...
Post by: Jubal on January 03, 2013, 03:19:17 PM
Finally replied to your PM Siff, sorry it took so long.