[MOD] Path to the Throne

[raystuttgart]

Well, after a few weeks of "Not-Modding", I have decided to start a new project.
(Yeah, I know I wanted to totally quit, but I am an addict and I got bored by the games I had tried so far. )

The title of the new project is Path to the Throne.
(The basic idea was first mentioned publically here.)

It is a SciFi Total Conversion of Religion and Revolution.

Spoiler :

I had created first ideas and concepts for this over a year ago at the time when I started discussion with other modders to create a new CivCol-Modding team,
which basically lead to the Religion and Revolution project.

At that time I was considering 2 Alternatives:

A) Create a ModMod of TAC -> Religion and Revolution
or
B) Create a SciFi TC of TAC -> Path to the Throne

I had decided to first do A) and then maybe try B) as a long term goal.

I am currently in the progress of setting up everything.

• Preparing the (discussion and development) forum
• Outline of the vision and writing first lore
• Checking Civ4 SciFi-Mods for ideas and everything I could reuse
• Creating concepts and first experimental prototypes of features
• Collecting graphcis (background images)
• Lots of discussions
  ...

So basically the usual things, when a project starts.
(Quite similar to what I had done with Ray's Wishlist as preparation for Religion and Revolution.)

However, this project will be quite different to everything I have done before ...
I will not reuse / expand a given setting / story but try to create a totally new "SciFi-Epos" (which is a bit inspired by "Frank Herbert's Dune").

Thus the project will have 3 major phases with a distinct focus:
(Which does not mean that I will not mix these phases a bit.)

1. Lore and Storyline
2. Technical Conception and Prototyping
3. Implementation

However, don't expect a public version soon.
It took a year of preparation (Ray's Wish List) and a year of real implementation with a team until a first version of Religion and Revolution was published and this project is planned to be even bigger.

So maybe I will even fail completely.
But I guess, I will at least have fun modding.

I will keep you guys informed about my progress.
(At the weekend I will probably also be able to give you the link to the new forum.)

 

[raystuttgart]

I have been asked if I want to do this project alone or if I already have partners.

No, I don't want to do this alone.
In fact I could not even do it alone.
(I am a programmer and need help from graphical modders, writers, testers, ...)

I don't have any partners yet.
Most people I have been talking to said that they are too busy to do intensive modding but a lot of them said that they would help from time to time.
Others directly said, that they are not interested.

-------

Currently it is quite hard for me to have serious detailled discussions about my plans and ideas,
because I first need to set up my forum in order to explain things thoroughly.

So maybe when this is done, I might be able to convince some others.
But even if I completely fail and never publish the mod, I will at least have some fun modding.

 

[Ronnar]

 

[Sanotra]

Is PttT a Sci Fi Dune mod? Or is it medieval?

 

[raystuttgart]

Is PttT a Sci Fi Dune mod? Or is it medieval?

See here.

It is a SciFi Total Conversion of Religion and Revolution.

But it is not a "Dune mod".
It is only inspired by "Frank Herbert's Dune".
(The complete story line and lore is new.)

So basically there are only some similarities:

Several Great Houses come together on a single planet and are drawn into a monumental conflict.
Ultimately resulting in a great final showdown, where the Player will challenge the Emperor for the throne.

 

[orlanth]

Wow, Voll krass! That's really exciting Ray!

(Yeah, I know I wanted to totally quit, but I am an addict and I got bored by the games I had tried so far. )

haha I know what you mean Well I'm glad you are back and modding. Modding should only be enjoyable/relaxing and never a chore; but in the long term there's nothing more satisfying in gaming than developing and balancing your own custom strategy game.

(I am a programmer and need help from graphical modders, writers, testers, ...)

Over the past year I've slowly been collecting and preparing a very extensive set of scifi art and graphics for Civ4Col. My ambition has been to redevelop the 2071 mod, but lately I realize I can't realistically accomplish that on my own, especially as my job has gotten worse. If you're really going to start this scifi TC mod, it's so inspiring that I will gladly grant you any of these graphics you would like (as well as anything in the existing 2071 mod version), I hope this could be a big help for development.

Here is a big set of 2D scifi art collected for backgrounds, Events and FF images:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/col2071/files/2dart

And a very large set of scifi nifs including many scifi buildings, units, ships, resources, improvements, and buildings:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/col2071/files/nifs

Inside the many subfolders in /nifs/human which start with _ , you'll see I have converted each of these building varieties into a set of three buildings (A B and C) which each become progressively more advanced; I set this up especially for making the production building chains in Civ4Col.

The design document I had started is below. Maybe you will have different ideas than I had, but it includes some nice lists of English names of interesting scifi yields, terrains, professions etc which may prove useful.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/col2071/files/docs/

I also have a large set of good quality scifi leaderhead nif and kfm graphics which I can upload later.

And of course you're very welcome to anything from the 200 Terrains Pack you would like! Because the state of Civ5 modding is so limited (barely able to mod graphics at all); my hope was that making this pack can help out everyone interested in creative new total conversion modding projects for Civ4 and Civ4Col.

 

[raystuttgart]

@orlanth:
Thanks a lot.

Edit:

It's really great material.
Most of it is new for me.

A few of these graphics I already had and plan to use.

e.g. the one I have attached
-> Background for the Homeplant-Screen of Tartarus (Homeplanet of the Great House Harduk.)

Just as a small spoiler, here is the list of names for the Great Houses (the Nations that are playable):

Spoiler :

• Belgarat
• Cathon
• Devianus
• Harduk
• Loriand
• Ravano
• Taranos
• Vedra

 

[AbsintheRed]

Hehe, I was right
And much sooner than I expected

 

[raystuttgart]

As long as my forum is still not set up yet, here is another small spoiler.

Spoiler :

The 3 Religions:

• The Path (dominant Religion of the Empire)
• The Flame (relatively new but increasingly strong Religion within the Empire)
• The Prophecy (Religion of the Natives on the Planet)

As I said, I would like to create a "SciFi-Epos" and pack that into a mod.
Thus I will try to create a lot of lore around all the "facts" of the mod.

A piece of lore called "The Book of Kyme" for example will explain "The Path".

"The War of Heresy" is another one of those pieces of lore.
It describes the emergence of "The Flame" and the impacts on the society of the Empire.

"The Prophecy" is supposed to be discovered through playing the mod.
(e.g. by EventSystem, GoodySystem and contacts to the Natives of the Planet)

 

[raystuttgart]

I am currently working on Soundrack and Flags.

Soundtrack is almost finished.
Flags are a bit mor problematic for me, because I am not very good with graphics.

 

[orlanth]

That looks good!
Here are some more possible tracks for your soundtrack if you like them. These aren't the same ones I used in 2071 since those have more of a peaceful "deep space" feel. From what you had written I'd guessing you may be looking for a darker and more epic atmosphere with some militant overtones representing the struggle for the planet. These are some I had from working on the Civ4 Warhammer project, many of them are from the German martial-industrial artist Christian Erdmann known as Triarii.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/col2071/files/PTTHmusic.zip/download

 

[raystuttgart]

Here are some possible tracks for your soundtrack if you like them.

Thanks, I will take a look.
But actually the Soundtrack is almost complete already.

From what you had written I'd guessing you may be looking for a darker and more epic feel with some militant overtones representing the struggle for the planet.

Yes, "dark" and "epic" describe the basic atmosphere I want to create pretty well.

However, I am quite far away from something like "Warhammer 40k".
(As I said, it is inspired by "Frank Herbert's Dune".)

There won't be any aliens (except maybe some Wildlife on the Planet).
In Path to the Throne humanity basically struggles with itself.

Also, the mod will not be that much about "massive open war".
(Except for the final showdown.)

Diplomacy, Economy, Religions, Treachery, Espionage, ... are just as important.

 

[raystuttgart]

So ok, I have got the base flags for Great Hous Taranos ,Great House Belgarat and Great House Devianus now.
(They still need a few improvements - especially on the sides - to look as good as the first one.)

 

[raystuttgart]

@orlanth:
Some of the music from your download fits perfectly into the soundtrack I have so far.

Good examples (from your download) considering style of one part of the Soundtrack:
"With Great Power", "Son of the Sun" and "Ultramarine Chant".

The other part of the Soundtrack is a complete contrast to that like sad piano music with violines.

Oh boy, I guess the Soundtrack alone will already make the download of the mod really huge.

Edit:
Once I have my SVN set up, I will send you private message.
Currently everything is a bit hectical because I am doing 10 things at the same time (Soundtrack, Writing Lore, Flags, Collecting Graphics, ...) and my new forum is not set up yet.

 

[orlanth]

great I'm glad u liked it I had those from several years ago, I haven't listened to more recent work by Triarii or Immediate Music but maybe I should since it seems a perfect fit for epic games or mods.

Oh boy, I guess the Soundtrack alone will already make the download of the mod really huge.

lol I am the same way.. at this point the majority of the 2071 download is composed of mp3s maybe I went a little overboard, but I enjoy listening to or remixing a variety of unusual music

I'd also made some looped mp3 tracks using Audacity for use as diplomacy screen background music; many may be too alien or "deep space" themed for your mod, but perhaps some could be a good fit as music for tribes or the special "parent" civs.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/col2071/files/sound/diplomacy/diplomacy.zip/download

 

[raystuttgart]

... Immediate Music but maybe I should since it seems a perfect fit for epic games or mods.

Immediate Music is great.

Once I started searching it simply did not end.
I found one cool piece of music after the other.

I'd also made some looped mp3 tracks using Audacity for use as diplomacy screen background music; many may be too alien or "deep space" themed for your mod, but perhaps some could be a good fit as music for tribes or the special "parent" civs.

I use Audacity as well sometimes.

Considering music (Diplomacy and Soundtrack) I think I even have too much now. (So that part is done.)
Considering sound effects, I simply don't know yet what I need.

I think I will focus on graphics (Homeplanet Backgrounds and Flags) and on writing lore again.

 

[Sanotra]

I listened to some of the music. Crazy epic. Hope the game is as cool as the music.

 

[raystuttgart]

I tried to create some more flags (House Signs) but I will probably need somebody more talented for the long run.

There's a new flag for Great House Devianus, a base flag for Great House Loriand and a base flag for Great House Harduk.

Edit:
I have also attached some first impressions of Great House Ravano and Great House Vedra.

 

[raystuttgart]

My forum (at infracta) is up and running now.

I am currently filling it with all the lore and concepts I have written so far.
(I am publishing them step by step.)

For everybody who is interested:
Here you can read "The Setting".

 

[raystuttgart]

As you might known, I am currently focussing on creating the setting and lore of the mod.

I have just recently finished the basic lore for the Imperial Church of the Path and the Order of the Flame.
(Although I am planning to add even more details, as work on the mod continues.)

The lore for these 2 major factors in the mod can be found in Religions and Religious Organisations .