Highland clansmen

[Acronym2]

Hey now Badgemagus, don't be too tough on Lindsey. One can't help but smile when Lindsey sometimes writes with a Scottish accent.

Although, I do remember reading or watching something about the ancient "Highland Charge" tactic during the battles of Prestonpans and Culloden. Some of the Highlanders do appear to have carried an axe that resembles a long handled meat cleaver (Lochaber axe?) along with (as you affirm) the more numerous Claymore and Targe armed men.

Incidentally, I was wondering when we might be able to download your highlander? I'm anxious to take a close look at your texture.

 

[Lindsey]

yeah it was the lochaber ax. Nothing wrong with being scottish haha. Although im not, Im Canadian. But my gran was scottish-she was great.

 

[Bagdemagus]

Sorry if I was hard on anyone, the lochaber axe was utilised often, basically it is a billhook with a longer shaft. There is one at the Culloden visitor centre. There is a hook on the inside of the shaft used specifically to up skittle horsemen.

I have tried to download it just says currently, "unauthorised". I think maybe i didnt create a link? I am pretty new to all this and I will make schoolboy errors, lol. If by tomorrow it is still not on the forums I will attempt top put it on download website and provide a link. Apologies for the wait. My textures come from various sources. Firaxis, The internet- especially the tartans, a book on tartans I have scanned, i have tried not to use anyone else's textures (from the forums) but there may be an arm or a leg that is Bakuels. Iam not sure on that. One of the guys faces is a photo of Pepe Reina (believe it or not) that I have doctored to look less like a photo but more like a firaxis face. Weapons used are again mainly internet textures (the targe in particular). The sword textures I think are firaxis'. Most textures i have drawn over with the mouse by hand to fit in to the look of the game. One of the guys faces (texture) is a tga (not entirely sure what that is) and was originally on an iberian unit by "The Capo". In my attempt to download I thanked all these people.

 

[Bagdemagus]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=17012

Is this the link to the file?

 

[Acronym2]

Hey, slow down Badgemagus! Nobody is going to put you on trial or pick your work apart. (Some of the posters here do little more than snatch a model/texture from another game and post it as a unit they "created" for CivIV.) Don't be so nervous about it, the CivFanatics Forums is not "a cruel mistress" when it comes to experiments in moding.

Your unit is in the Moderation Que so we should be able to download it pretty soon (although you may want to add that download link to your first post) and I wasn't neccessarily insinuating you were hard on Lindsey. I just didn't want Lindsey to get discouraged as Lindsey is obviously a big fan of the Scotts and very interested in your Highlander units.

Lindsey, of course there is nothing wrong with being Scottish. I simply thought it was very interesting and amusing to see someone write with a Scottish accent........and quite appropriate to this thread.

In addition, that BBC Video Series called "Battlefield Britain" with Peter and Dan Snow shows a nice re-enactment of the "Highland Charge" with all its blood curdling ferocity. The series was produced in 2005 and the both of you would probably find it quite interesting if you haven't seen it already.

 

[Bagdemagus]

Thanks Acronym as ever your post is really informative. You are dead right, having read a lot of the conversations on the forum people here are very encouraging and accommodating. I suppose to me the important issue is that i dont see myself as a plagiarist but actually now i'm beginning to see how everyone is helping each other and lending textures/models etc for the good of the civ community. And of course if it ever transpired that anyone would want to re-use any of my work id be very chuffed. Also please do not think i was being nervous about your intentions i just got a bit bamboozled (great word?) by the correct way to upload stuff.

I have seen that documentary which is excellent. My dad is Scottish so I have been, "schooled" in all the Scottish history,politics etc. I don't know if you are aware but in 2015 Scotland has a referendum on independence from the UK. Apparently as i have recently discovered i may be eligible to vote in this.

 

[Acronym2]

Really? A referendum for Scottish independence.........well, I shouldn't be surprized. In the post Cold-War age many European peoples have felt a desire to re-establish themselves as independant nations along cultural or ethnic lines. I would expect that the Welsh also may have some sentiment toward a similar such move. Although, on some level it might be a little disappointing as the world has come to think of the Britons and Great Britain as a combination of the Scotts, Irish, English, and Welsh. Together they created an empire (willingly or unwillingly) that rivaled that of the Romans and was just as historically important in its effect upon the world. It is hard to estimate whether the Britons are better off together or apart. (This, of course, is coming from a man who lives in a country where even today essentially the old debate over "Confederation" versus "Federated Union" has flared up once again.)

On another point, I would agree that in the professional art or artistic world modifying or copying another's work is just about the greatest heresy one could ever commit. However, Civfanatics is almost legendary compared to other game moding sites in its tradition of free use as long as one remembers to credit the original Civfanatics author. Asking for permission first is also what I would consider a sort of "professional courtesy" if one could call it that. In a technical sense, the License Agreement that comes with the game claims the rights to any content created for or from it to be the property of Firaxis/2k Games unless superceded or modified by another agreement or registered copyright.

Well, lets see if your Highlander is out of the Moderation Que.............

 

[Bagdemagus]

Apparently yes you can downlaod it now. Anyway hope you find some use for the download. They look good in game, in nifskope they look like a hotch potch of all sorts of things. Such as the bobble on the tamoshanta (beret) once being the great artist's skull. I have always thought too that the great prophet's face is underused by modders, he has in my mind at least an effective "grizzled" veteran's face.

It's a complex issue the issue of self rule, not sure if i personally know enough to make an educated comment. However there would be so many ponderables that have to considered before the referendum starts. For examnple the military situation (over 12000 scots serve in the modern UK army), the rights to the North Sea oil and gas fields, what happens to the union jack?, passport rules etc etc.

 

[Lindsey]

At last it is downloadable. Cool. Read your last post, wow! That is serious man. A free scotland. Its about the size of Rhode Island or something isnt it? We all deserve to be free.

 

[Acronym2]

So, having examined your unit....I would say it's nice. Although I am disappointed that it is hard to see exactly what was painted by Badgemagus vs the rest. I would say that over time, if you learn Blender and Gimp, you will be able to create a unit with one single dds and not need to use RabbitWhites old "shrunken head" technique. Such things cannot be seen in-game, of course, but I hope you will continue as I think a new "star" may be in the process of being born.

Have you considered a skinning project of simply just repainting an entire existing unit as a practical exercise? Nifscope real-time auto-updates the model skin. Which means that if you're working on a nif's dds, you can save it to dds from gimp and it will immediately update on the open nif in Nifescope. In effect, you can examine your work on the model as you paint the skin.

 

[Bagdemagus]

Thank you so much for your kind comments and also constructive feedback. It is most helpful. I will take your advice about just doing a reskin as a helpful exercise but also it will be easier to see my work. My work will improve loads once i have learnt some blender that i can effectively put in to practice. I guess regarding civ this is my main ambition and considering how obsessed ive become with the game its a pretty big ambition for me. Forget the day job eh?! Lol. I bought "blender for dummies" and I will try to slog through it when i get chance. Unfortunately my day job is very time consuming so its a case of "if" i get the chance to go through it. But I will definitely do a reskin soon and put it on the forums. Once again thanks for the feedback.

To "Lindsey". Yeah Scotland is tiny but so is Europe. Looked on wikipedia and its land area is 33,000 square miles. Have no idea how big Rhode Island is? Canada by comparison is massive, its mind boggling.

 

[Acronym2]

Eh, who has the opportunity to persue a hobby full time? Although, while you learn, doing some reskins of the original game units will later become a blessing once you are able to alter the meshes. A good paint job along with a few small changes in the mesh detail can really make some very unique looking units........the skin art being the most important factor! The concept of which is demonstrated below in two of my unfinished "experiments" where only the headgear and cartouche meshes have been altered. (In addition, the first picture also shows how much better the detail and color of the blue cloth tunic and it's folds appear when "hand painted" as opposed to a simple color overlay of the desaturated original as seen in the second.)

 

[The Capo]

You know, there are already really good (lol, I made one of them) Turkish and Union riflemen out there that you may want to check out before continuing with this, even though it looks like you are finished, they are really well done and look exactly like what you are trying to create yourself.

 

[Bagdemagus]

yeah they are cool Acronym ( the creases on the sleeves look good) and i have to say I probably downloaded the Capo's versions at some point and have enjoyed using them. I don't think you can ever have enough units on the forum. I've skinned one of Sezereth's units to make a gaelic style spearman. So when i'm happy with that I will put it on the forum.

I do agree that sometimes a "simple" reskin can look very effective. The version of FFH im currently still playing has quite a lot of cool reskins.

Any technical help or info is most welcome thanks Acronym.

 

[Acronym2]

Those units haven't been worked on since last year. (Capo's release of a Turkish Industrial set at the same time made it a little redundant for me to post another Turkish Rifleman, so I never finished it.)

I posted the pictures to simply illustrate my point in that I feel learning how to paint a nice skin is more important than the mesh itself.

 

[Anaerin]

Dude, these look great!! I am currently working on a full Pictish civ, and when I'm done, was going to convert a few of my units into a Scottish civ. Nice to see someone else out there creating Scots units! Well done!

 

[Bagdemagus]

Thanks!! Your more than welcome to use them. In fact would be chuffed if you did. I have quite an interest in Scottish and Pictish history so I had to make them. What unique units are in your pictish mod? I have also made a Pictish beserker but havn't posted it, complete with blue tattoos. What are your ideas on a UB? I made a Scottish civ which i wont put on the forums i don't think especially since now you have said you are doing one.

However Im thinking of learning how to get Gaelic voices and convert them into wave sounds for my civ. Although the Picts (for your mod) obviously didnt speak Gaelic.

If you want any more units for your mod just ask. Would be happy to help.

Thanks for the compliment again

 

[Anaerin]

Thanks!! Your more than welcome to use them. In fact would be chuffed if you did. I have quite an interest in Scottish and Pictish history so I had to make them. What unique units are in your pictish mod?

Trying to make all units unique, so no standard units at all. So far it's looking pretty good. Got some help on here which has been really appreciated. had a thread going, which I will post some pics to soon: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=414386

I have also made a Pictish beserker but havn't posted it, complete with blue tattoos.

Cool, would love to see some pics of it

What are your ideas on a UB?

Haven't got around to doing buildings yet, but thinking Stone Circle, Standing Stone, Crannog, Heather 'Fraoch' Brewery...

I made a Scottish civ which i wont put on the forums i don't think especially since now you have said you are doing one.

Thats a shame. I am pretty much doing the same as you, re-skinning models. I am on a Mac which makes creating models difficult as blender and nifskope do not really work. Lucky for me this forum is such a helpful place so I have managed to get a few edits to models. Don't think you can have too many Scots or Pictish Civs, as there really are not any out there, just a few units.

However Im thinking of learning how to get Gaelic voices and convert them into wave sounds for my civ. Although the Picts (for your mod) obviously didnt speak Gaelic.

I added Scottish voices to my Pictish Civ so far which sound great, but think I will use those for the Scottish civ. As the Pictish language is a lost language, it is impossible to get correct voices for them. As we now know that Pictish was close to Welsh, the best I can think would be to use Welsh words spoken with a Scots accent... but do not know any Scots who speak welsh. So, may need to either use Gaelic words for the Picts, or do another Scots accent saying different words

If you want any more units for your mod just ask. Would be happy to help.

Thanks for the compliment again

Will definately bare that in mind!! Cheers.

 

[Lindsey]

Yes would defo like to see your Besreker, Bagdemagus. And agree with Anaerin the more the better on the units and civs.

Could a pictish UU be a Druid? Maybe replace the Great Prophet? And give it combat experience points to dish out?
What do you think guys?

 

[Anaerin]

Just took a closer look at your images, wow, those Targe's have spikes on them? That's awesome! I am impressed and would love to use these!

You created these in blender?

Have you thought of adding a Dirk to the shield hand? ... Clansmen often fought with a dirk in the Targe hand to stab and slash backwards at the same time or just after blocking with the Targe.

To show what I mean, this is one of my Pict Raider's under construction (replaces swordsman), and a couple of images of the Dirk and Targe.