Japanese Faction mod [WIP] V0.89a released! (9 December 2011)

[MuwuM]

good idea, but maybe a bit smaller flag would be even better. I think the flag should not be larger than the unit itself.

[Mr War]

I think the size looks quite realistic.

Does the unit also have it's own attack capability? And is there a build limit on them?

Ming faction will have an equivalent banner bearer

[Pizza90]

Nice model hagekura! But does the boost effect work only when the standard bearer stays in a point? Or also when he moves (with the others units)? And does it have an attack? And if yes, how did you manage the fact that the standard bearer doesnt stay in the front of the fight? (it should stay behind the other units  i think, otherwise it would be easily i suppose) sorry for the many questions aha

[Hagekura]

good idea, but maybe a bit smaller flag would be even better. I think the flag should not be larger than the unit itself.

This "Nobori" type of japanese flags usually have about 3.6 ~ 5meters heights. It's almost three ~ four times taller than the average height of Japanese men(about 1.6 meters) at that time.
But now that you mention it, I made the standard too big indeed. I've fixed standard size a bit smaller now.

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[URL=http://img339.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer5.png/][IMG]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4306/standardbearer5.th.png[/img][/URL]Thanks!

Does the unit also have it's own attack capability? And is there a build limit on them?

Ming faction will have an equivalent banner bearer

Yeah, to defend themselves and to prevent running from enemy (Units without attack skills run away when enemy approaches), the unit have attack skill. but very weak.

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[URL=http://img207.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer4.png/][IMG]http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7357/standardbearer4.th.png[/img][/URL]Standard bearer is defending himself.

Currently the unit doesn't have build limit. If a player has many standard bearers, that won't doubles boost effect, so there is no merit of having many of them. And the boost effect range is large(I set it 15). But if CPU will spams too many of them, I'll think to make them max-unitcount (probably 4~6 around?).
I'm looking forward to see the banner bearer of ming!

Nice model hagekura! But does the boost effect work only when the standard bearer stays in a point? Or also when he moves (with the others units)? And does it have an attack? And if yes, how did you manage the fact that the standard bearer doesnt stay in the front of the fight? (it should stay behind the other units  i think, otherwise it would be easily i suppose) sorry for the many questions aha

I welcome any questions. 
I've assigned attack boost for every skills of the unit (Except dead skill), so what ever the unit does, the boost effects units around him unless he's dead.

As I told to war above, the unit has attack skill.
But I've made his sight very close, so unless enemy really closes to him, he won't charge to enemies. Besides players can order him hold position when it is needed.I'm steadily developing japanese faction now.
If everything goes well, I could release next version of the mod in this weekend.

 

[MuwuM]

smaller banner fits much better

Thanks

[Ishmaru]

Awsome! Standard Bearer look great!

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[URL=http://img339.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer5.png/][IMG]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4306/standardbearer5.th.png[/img][/URL]

I just noticed something, Why is front row of spear men are in a different stance than the back row of spear men?

Also do you notice any slowdowns from having too many Bearers?

[Omega]

Awsome! Standard Bearer look great!

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[URL=http://img339.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer5.png/][IMG]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4306/standardbearer5.th.png[/img][/URL]

I just noticed something, Why is front row of spear men are in a different stance than the back row of spear men?

I do believe it's a hold position model, and a very well done one at that (though they should watch where they're swinging dem sticks, they're gonna poke someone's eye out ).

[Hagekura]

Awsome! Standard Bearer look great!

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[URL=http://img339.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer5.png/][IMG]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4306/standardbearer5.th.png[/img][/URL]

I just noticed something, Why is front row of spear men are in a different stance than the back row of spear men?

I do believe it's a hold position model, and a very well done one at that (though they should watch where they're swinging dem sticks, they're gonna poke someone's eye out ).

 lol Certainly.
I've made special poses of holdposition for some of the units, so that players can distinct easily the units whether they are holding positions or not.

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[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/holdpositions2.png/][IMG]http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/2576/holdpositions2.th.png[/img][/URL]

Also do you notice any slowdowns from having too many Bearers?

Yeah, When having too many (In my test, about over 70 units or around of them appears in game at once) of them, the game slowed down in my PC(Core2Duo E8500, 4GB memory, GTX560 VGA).

[Psychedelic_hands]

Those units look fantasic! Also really digging the unit stances... Might have to look into doing that myself.

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[URL=http://img339.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer5.png/][IMG]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4306/standardbearer5.th.png[/img][/URL]

What a nice picture man, looks really good with all the units set up like that..... Too bad neither MG or GAE have formations. 

[Hagekura]

Those units look fantasic! Also really digging the unit stances... Might have to look into doing that myself.

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[URL=http://img339.imageshack.us/i/standardbearer5.png/][IMG]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4306/standardbearer5.th.png[/img][/URL]

What a nice picture man, looks really good with all the units set up like that..... Too bad neither MG or GAE have formations. 

Thanks. Yeah formations feature would be fantastic. Even the very basic formations like automatically arrange melee units on 1st line, missile units are 2nd, cavalries are 3rd etc, would be very good if implemented.
Now Wariior Monks gain fighting bonuses when they are near temples.

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[URL=http://img835.imageshack.us/i/boostwarriormonks.png/][IMG]http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/2429/boostwarriormonks.th.png[/img][/URL]
And Ikki Mobs gain fighting bonuses when they are near farmhouses.

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[URL=http://img43.imageshack.us/i/boostikki.png/][IMG]http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/694/boostikki.th.png[/img][/URL]
Next release will coming soon!

[Omega]

Thanks. Yeah formations feature would be fantastic. Even the very basic formations like automatically arrange melee units on 1st line, missile units are 2nd, cavalries are 3rd etc, would be very good if implemented.

But also would be very complex. And don't cavalry usually strike first?

[Hagekura]

Thanks. Yeah formations feature would be fantastic. Even the very basic formations like automatically arrange melee units on 1st line, missile units are 2nd, cavalries are 3rd etc, would be very good if implemented.

But also would be very complex. And don't cavalry usually strike first?

Yeah maybe. although I don't know how difficult to implement formations feature in glest, it would be nice, at least from visual aspects. I love military formations.

In some countries in some periods, cavalry would strike first. that depends.

For example, in the Late Heian (794  to 1185/1192 A.D.) period of japan, battles usually start with one-to-one duel of Samurai cavalry archers. then their retainers and foot soldiers join the battle.

But in the Middle - Late Sengoku period, battles start with fire fight of Musketeers, while Archers cover them, both armies close in and when their distances are close enough, melee battles of foot warriors begin, and finally, Cavalry charge into wavering enemy troop, and if enemy runs, pursue them. Cavalry is decisive force, they were used at crucial moment.

[wyvern]

How did you make it so they get bonuses from fighting close to their own stuff like the temple, did you use GAE or is that a new Megaglest Feature

[Hagekura]

How did you make it so they get bonuses from fighting close to their own stuff like the temple, did you use GAE or is that a new Megaglest Feature

I'm using a MG's new attack-boost feature, not Emnations of GAE.

[Hagekura]

This is a renewed tech-tree map image of Japanese Faction.

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[URL=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28217581/JP_Glest_NewTechtree.png][IMG]http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/4721/jpglestnewtechtree.th.png[/img][/URL]
New release of japanese faction alpha is coming soon.
With four new untis. And a lot of new and improved animations of units.
Overhauled units and projectile perticle effects like more realistic muzzle flares, battlefield smokes.
New aspects of gameplay using some new features of megaglest (attack-boost, AI-behavior option).
And more polished sound effects including new arrows and muskets and cannons sounds. also fixed some units and buildings models, better balancing.

[titi]

new version is in MGs ingame download center now.

[Hagekura]

Thanks a lot for the prompt action, Titi!
[big]Japanese v089a Released.[/big]
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28217581/Japanese_V089a_20111209.7z

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[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/31/v089acrash1.png/][IMG]http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/4899/v089acrash1.th.png[/img][/URL][URL=http://img208.imageshack.us/i/v089aswordsmenfight.png/][IMG]http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9716/v089aswordsmenfight.th.png[/img][/URL][URL=http://img97.imageshack.us/i/v089abesieged1.png/][IMG]http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/719/v089abesieged1.th.png[/img][/URL][URL=http://img585.imageshack.us/i/v089abesiegedcannon.png/][IMG]http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/8818/v089abesiegedcannon.th.png[/img][/URL]
Change log:
V0.89a, 9 December 2011

-Four New units: Standard Bearer(The unit inspires nearby military units by the Large Battle Standard and increases their attack strength by 20),
Tsubute(Slinger), Taketaba Archer(Archer with large bamboo siege shield), Taketaba Gunner
-Added variety of new units animations for more units, also Improved some units attacking animations.
-Largely Improved units perticle effects and projectile perticles: i.e. Perticle Muzzle flare effects of muskets and cannons, Battlefield Smokes.
-New AI direction by using megaglest's AI-behavior option: Now CPU plays much better than the previous versions.
-Now Ikki mobs/Warrior monks gain fighting bonuses when they are near the Farmhouse/Temple.
-Improved sound effects include more realistic Shooting/Impact sounds of Matchlock Muskets and Cannons, Bows.
-Improved models/textures of some units and buildings.
-Two New upgrades:"Siege Engineering" -Requirement for building siege shields and cannons-.
"Anatomische Tabellen" -Purchase this German Medical Textbook in European Trader allows you to increase physical resistance of all units in the faction-.
-Now some units have building limits: i.e. Shinobis.
-Changing in several stats/costs of units and upgrades.
-Removed normalmap textures for reduce filesize.
-many more.

[Mr War]

truly awesome, loving it.

[TotalNoob]

This looks really nice and promising. I got one suggestion, since I am not the follower of unit amount constraining, maybe shinobi bomb attack can be constrained by not allowing them to throw a bomb if enemy shinobi is near?

[Omega]

This looks really nice and promising. I got one suggestion, since I am not the follower of unit amount, maybe shinobi bomb attack can be constrained by not allowing them to throw a bomb if enemy shinobi is near?

How?

[Hagekura]

This looks really nice and promising. I got one suggestion, since I am not the follower of unit amount, maybe shinobi bomb attack can be constrained by not allowing them to throw a bomb if enemy shinobi is near?

How?

Yeah, Although I think your idea is good, There are no methods to implement this in both MG or GAE for now.

To prevent shinobis break into your base, put some spear ashigarus and bow ashigarus nearby your base. They would work well as the guard, and enemy shinobis will get beaten up before throw their bombs to your castle.

[tomreyn]

The Japanese version which is available on the mod menu gives me this:

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[2011-12-11 23:23:08] *ERROR* In [/home/softcoder/Code/megaglest/trunk/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/model.cpp::loadMeshTexture Line: 438] Error v4 model is missing texture [/home/tomreyn/.megaglest/techs/japanese/factions/japanese/units/teppo_ashigaru/../castle/models/muzzleflash.tga] textureFlags = 1 meshIndex = 0 textureIndex = 0

Remember that you can use the --validate-* options on the command line to check for missing / badly referenced files.

Aside of this minor issue: this faction is really impressive - still.

[Pizza90]

The new version is very good hagekura! I played it online with some people and i really liked it A suggestion to improve the realism of the smoke when the building falls. Currently i think the smoke looks too "flat" it's just grey and without transparencies, so i think you could improve it making one of these two things:

- make it a little more transparent.

or

- mix some darker smoke to the grey smoke and make the smoke more transparent.

These are two options i dont know which would look nicer (but i think the second in my opinion) or which would be easier to tell, but i wanted to gave you my idea

Greetings

[Hagekura]

The Japanese version which is available on the mod menu gives me this:

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[2011-12-11 23:23:08] *ERROR* In [/home/softcoder/Code/megaglest/trunk/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/model.cpp::loadMeshTexture Line: 438] Error v4 model is missing texture [/home/tomreyn/.megaglest/techs/japanese/factions/japanese/units/teppo_ashigaru/../castle/models/muzzleflash.tga] textureFlags = 1 meshIndex = 0 textureIndex = 0

Remember that you can use the --validate-* options on the command line to check for missing / badly referenced files.

Aside of this minor issue: this faction is really impressive - still.

Thanks for the notification!
Ah, that's the file I used to make "fake" muzzle flares in previous versions.
since the current version is no more properly works on GAE, I will think to use mg's validate option.

The new version is very good hagekura! I played it online with some people and i really liked it A suggestion to improve the realism of the smoke when the building falls. Currently i think the smoke looks too "flat" it's just grey and without transparencies, so i think you could improve it making one of these two things:

- make it a little more transparent.

or

- mix some darker smoke to the grey smoke and make the smoke more transparent.

These are two options i dont know which would look nicer (but i think the second in my opinion) or which would be easier to tell, but i wanted to gave you my idea

Greetings

I will fuss around with the building falling smokes with your suggestions in mind.
Thanks for the playing mod! Arrivederci!

[titi]

I played the new version a lot now and its great! The AI is really really tough and you need to use everything from the japanese techtree to win . ( I love the flag carrier! )

some minor issues I saw:
- Nagae Ashigaru has different standing animations which obviously have different start states which doesn't look good. And there is one animation where his head grows .... this looks strange.
- The smoke particle texture does not look really good, I bet you can do better ;-) .
- About the missing texture tomreyn mentioned above. When I uploaded the japanese mod to the mod menu I called megaglest with the option for remove all unneeded files form the japanese techtree. Maybe this did something wrong?
I had no time to check if its in your original  package too.