Mesopotamia

[abman]

I think that's a great mod of Cyrus! He looks totally different without the crown!
I think adding a mesopotamian civ should be the #1 priority for this mod after the 18 civ cap is gone. I hate how the cradle of civilization is all barbarian at the beginning of the game.
Question: I've looked into creating units with blender, but haven't checked how hard it is to add new leaderheads. If there is a sufficiently detailed model out there, could it be added as a totally new leaderhead? I was thinking Proog, one of the character's in Elephant's Dream would be a good start for a civ4 leaderhead. Since that cartoon is open-source, all the models are available and free for uses like this. It might be good to have a new model as the basis for a new civ.

 

[Prestidigitator]

It is a great work!

Thanks Elhoim!

For nitpicking I can say:
- Darken the eyebrows to a color similar of the beard.

* This will be done soon.

- Perhaps try to join the beard and hair.

* Samething, will try to do it soon.

- It would make it more different from Cyrus if you could remove the moustache.

* The problem with this is, deleting the moustache would leave two holes above the mouth, where the moustache should exist. So sorry, I can't do that.

- More detail in clothes, a darker or less saturated blue with gold trims perhaps would be nice.

* Will see what I can do, the dress looks Babylonian enough, but the colours do not, I will hopefully change them.

- Some more detail to the hat.

* The hat is modelled according to several pictures of Hammurabi, and it should have looked simple just like the one in the previous screenshot, so I guess I will leave it as it is .

If you want any help with it, talk to me. I have some experience with photoshop and textures.
But still, it is a great work!!! Keep it up!!

Well honestly, I'm not all too happy with the beard texture, it should be curly, I'll ask for you help when I finish the LH .

 

[Prestidigitator]

I think that's a great mod of Cyrus! He looks totally different without the crown!
I think adding a mesopotamian civ should be the #1 priority for this mod after the 18 civ cap is gone. I hate how the cradle of civilization is all barbarian at the beginning of the game.
Question: I've looked into creating units with blender, but haven't checked how hard it is to add new leaderheads. If there is a sufficiently detailed model out there, could it be added as a totally new leaderhead? I was thinking Proog, one of the character's in Elephant's Dream would be a good start for a civ4 leaderhead. Since that cartoon is open-source, all the models are available and free for uses like this. It might be good to have a new model as the basis for a new civ.

Abman, I've talked to Rhye and he said Babylon will be in the mod as-long as the Assets are provided, and this is what I'm working on right now.

In terms of LH creation and Blender, I use Blender alot, but right now it is quite hard and time-consuming to create a LH from scratch, or even change it a little. I think Cyrus would make a good LH for the mod, and I think it looks distinct after the alterations.

 

[SilverKnight]

This looks great! Although I sense some confusion in the future about Cyrus' brother's rival empire! They are so close to each other, they seem related. Great work, can't wait to see it in RFC!

SilverKnight

 

[Prestidigitator]

Thanks SilverKnight, it all depends when RFC for Warlords will be made. Rhye and ideas? If it'll be soon I'll have to hurry up my project !

 

[Elhoim]

There are also many unique units in Warlords, especially archers and stuff. Perhaps you could also find there one for Babylon.

 

[Prestidigitator]

There are also many unique units in Warlords, especially archers and stuff. Perhaps you could also find there one for Babylon.

Ah, for that I'm not sure, I haven't looked into units suitable for Babylon in Warlords. But I've seen a unit created by (I think) Ploepangel, which is a Babylonian Bowman and looks quite well. I'm thinking of changing it around a bit and then posting a screenie.

BTW, any more suggestions in regards of the UB AND the UP?

 

[abman]

Back to the UP for a sec: I like the Power of Law, but think it needs a better effect than just making courthouses cost less. What if there was no disorder in cities after conquering? Would that be TOO powerful?

 

[jbfballrb]

The problem with this is, deleting the moustache would leave two holes above the mouth, where the moustache should exist. So sorry, I can't do that

couldnt you lighten the mustache color? i cant see it well from that picture, so if it sticks out from the face i guess that wouldnt work....

Back to the UP for a sec: I like the Power of Law, but think it needs a better effect than just making courthouses cost less. What if there was no disorder in cities after conquering? Would that be TOO powerful?

it wouldnt be too powerful, i dont think, because they would still have to contend with maintenance. although it might be better as just 1 or 2 turns rather than none...

 

[Gunner]

Back to the UP for a sec: I like the Power of Law, but think it needs a better effect than just making courthouses cost less. What if there was no disorder in cities after conquering? Would that be TOO powerful?

I think that is a very elegant and useful idea for a UP. Its usefulness would also match up with the time when Babylon was historically powerful, as opposed to any bonus to courthouses.

 

[Prestidigitator]

I really like your idea Abman, and it was true, when Hammurabi united southern Mesopotamia he did it with the power of his famous code... So it would also be historically accurate to give the Babylonians this power, especially under Hammurabi.

Jbfballrb, the moustache does stick out abit, ie: it is a semi-attached object to the face... I tried doing the same thing again, but it didn't work. But I guess the moustache wouldn't be very much a problem.

Now that we got rid of the UP (thanks to Abman ), I just need to know what you guys think should be the Unique Building...
1. The Edubba (replaces Library).
2. The Ziggurat (replaces the Monument).

 

[abman]

Now that we got rid of the UP (thanks to Abman ), I just need to know what you guys think should be the Unique Building...
1. The Edubba (replaces Library).
2. The Ziggurat (replaces the Monument).

Oooh... tough call! What would either do?
Back at the beginning of the thread you suggested Edubba is a library that adds GPP to the city. I think that would be a bit overpowered. But that was probably because you were considering it a Wonder. No regular buildings generate GPP, do they?
Would a ziggurat be an obelisk with +1 happy? That seems okay.

 

[Prestidigitator]

Abman, no, the Edubba literally means "House of Tablets". It was a school and a library in ancient Mesopotamia (that is Babylon, Sumeria and Assyria).

I suggested that the edubba would be a building (not a wonder), replacing the library, it would generate more science, sort of like this:

+3 culture
+50% science
Can turn 3 citizens into scientist
Required to build University, National Epic, The Great Library.
... That's a little over what a library does, and it should be reasonable... what do you think?

 

[Prestidigitator]

Talking about UBs, I've already started a Ziggurat model in the last two weeks, it's based on the Ziggurat of Ur-Nammu. I thought if you guys decided upon the Ziggurat as a UB, perhaps we could use it for the mod.
Here is an incomplete screenshot... I hope to get some ideas about the UB , should it an edubba or a Ziggurat?
Ziggurat:

 

[Gunner]

Great job on that building! I would go with replacing the library. Egypt already gets a replacement for the monument.

Its stats need revison, however. Look at the types of bonuses that the other UB's in Warlords have received. They're all along the lines of about a 10-15% bonus over the original, not the 25% you have. I think better stats would be:
+3 culture
+35% science
Can turn 2 citizens into scientists.
Required to build University, National Epic, The Great Library.
Keep in mind that any bonus to the library building is really huge since just about every city in your empire is probably going to build one.

 

[Prestidigitator]

Thanks Gunner, I like the stats you gave, makes more sense, I will be using them. As for the building, I guess then we will have to go with the Edubba. So Ziggurat be gone!

I will have to start modelling the Edubba today, it shouldn't be something grand, after all, it was just a school. I have just found some good photos of Mesopotamian architecture, I will try to incorporate them to create a reasonably good Edubba .

I will be posting progress soon.
BTW, the Babylonian civ colour should be Dark Blue right? I think it is the most suitable.

 

[abman]

Bit off topic, but I think you should add an article on Edubbas to wikipedia. There isn't one right now! Sounds like you've done enough research to write something on the topic.

 

[UglyBoy]

I like the Edubba idea of replacing library but personally I would say the UB has to be the Ziggurat. It's much more iconic and recognisable as a Mesopatamian building. If you asked me, and I think many others too, what building they would relate to Mesopotamia the Ziggurat would be it. Edit: The Ziggurat should replace the temple I'd reckon.

Oh and Abman here's a small bit from wikipedia on Edubba: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia_schools

 

[Prestidigitator]

Abman, thanks, but I do not trust Wikipedia in anything. I prefer to take information (especially historical) from trusted encyclopedias and reference websites.

UglyBoy, I agree, the ziggurat has always taken its place in Mesopotamian history, and as you say, it is iconic. The ziggurat would replace the monument if it would be in the mod. The edubba, however, I think would fit well, the Babylonians (I mean the civilizations of Iraq), built the first schools in humanity, I should probably say schools that were open to the public. I think edubbas would be quite unique and would serve Babylon well.

With that been said, if I get good reasons to include the ziggurat instead of the edubba in the mod, I would certainly do it .

 

[Prestidigitator]

I present thee, the Edubba!
BTW, this is just the beta, my first incomplete attempt, this is not at all finished, I will be adding some stairs and possibly some assets on top.
The Edubba: