Ahriman
Tyrant
Good to hear that you're interested in making this a serious ongoing project.
None of the kind of brainstorm ideas are things I would expect to show up in a basic proof-of-concept version or initial release, they're ideas for future development, and a test to see if any of this can fit into your design vision.
[Even if I get involved, this will still be your mod.]
I look forward to seeing your initial release, this would give me an idea of the direction you're heading, and seeing if its something I can help with.
I would imagine that a project of this nature would proceed something like:
1. Initial version with map, core factions, heavily based on vanilla units and tech tree and the like as placeholders.
2. Adopting some total conversion aspects; eg replace tech tree, units, or buildings with a new core (used by all factions).
3. More complex version with some UUs, UBs, and variation across factions.
4. Consideration of new mechanics, events, tuning, etc.
With iterative releases at each stage.
One suggestion I have for your current design:
Think very carefully about how many of those factions you really need, and how many city states you want to create.
Its cool to have lots of historically accurate factions, but adding them risks creating a big gameplay problem.
With lots of splintered enemy factions and city-states, it risks being very easy for the human player to pick them off piecemeal, and the game becomes too easy.
Whereas if you merge them into culturally linked factions (even when they were not historically under a single leader) then they can act as a coordinated whole, keeping their army in a coherent chunk that is harder to fight against.
So for example it might be worth considering merging some factions into super-factions. So maybe you have one cisalpine gallic tribe, and then merge all the other gaulic and belgic factions into a single enemy. That way, once you declare war on them, that war is hard, because they're throwing big armies at you.
Having city states that begin allied with enemy powers is a compromise, but not one that works particularly well, because city states are lousy at contributing to warfare.
I'd also suggest that you consider separating into Rise and Fall scenarios and mods. The barbarian invasion expansion for Rome Total War is a great source of inspiration for a Fall scenario; constantly struggling to defend farflung outposts, struggling to maintain happiness levels and discontent,
[I don't think you really want Vandals, Ostrogoths, Franks, Visigoths, Cimbri, Huns etc. present in a Republican Rome era.]
I guess what I'm asking is; over the next few weeks, is it worth me spending some time sketching out some design ideas on things like unit design, tech tree, buildings and wonders?
I don't want to intrude if you already have a pretty advanced design in mind, of if you already have strong design opinions, or if you prefer to work alone.
Maybe I should hold off until your first release, and then we could talk.
