Awesome idea. I've just made a new map I haven't published anywhere, so I could contribute with an original map for this pack. (More new original maps could also be made if there were new terrain art files and new types of water, cliffs and trees.)

I'm not sure how much free time I will have, though, because I have some exams to take in the next 2 months. But I can still help when I have some free time.

this looks awesome and is quite a huge project

Here's an idea I have:

How about implement this mod based on the TWC executable file?

Because very few play TWC online and if you make it playable on TWC you can give people the choice to play both the standard old version of the game and the new version of the game without forcing them to install a mod over their whole game.

As far as I know, TWC has separate proto file and separate strings and everything, so it's possible to create a new game which is installed on TWC without changing nilla and TAD. This will increase the chances for your mod to be played in parallel by players who don't want to give up the standard version of the game.

Imagine that people could play the modern AOE3 without modding their nilla or TAD. That would be awesome, but yeah this means you can only put 11 civs. I think that would be a good compromise. More people will be willing to play this new game if they don't have to mod their nilla and TAD. Nobody cares about TWC so it can be used to create a new game on top of it.

[This message has been edited by Randomplayer (edited 04-25-2014 @ 03:50 PM).]

Thanks for your replies, and your compliments mean a lot, believe it!

How about implement this mod based on the TWC executable file?

The mod needs to be played in the TAD because of the same reason you can't play TAD in the Warchiefs. TAD was the latest expansion pack of AoE3 and therefore the most "full" game, in the matters of features and gameplay.

To give you an example, you cannot use consulates in TWC, not even if you have TWC modded, because the consulate was a feature added to TAD's exe, wich combines the "features" of nilla, TWC and adds the features of TAD.

That's the main reason, but the fact that you can only play with 11 civs at a time on TWC and 14 on TAD also helps this (altought I'm searching ways around this).

Awesome idea. I've just made a new map I haven't published anywhere, so I could contribute with an original map for this pack. (More new original maps could also be made if there were new terrain art files and new types of water, cliffs and trees.)

There are no plans to add terrain files, but I have already added new waters and some florests, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done, only I'm more focused to create the civs and the gameplay, this late days.

I'm also much appreciatted about your participation, althought I have to warn you, the maps that I'm looking for are Random Maps, they are done by scripting (coding) instead of AoE3 editor, if they are made in the editor, they are scenarios, and currently I have no need for scenarios. Random Map scripting's codding can be really..... difficult, if you don't know RMS you could help in other ways... there is texturing, simple coding and even research, any one of these are helpfull...

I'm not sure how much free time I will have, though, because I have some exams to take in the next 2 months. But I can still help when I have some free time.

No problem, to be honest I also have exams in the following months, so I understand, don't worry

The mod needs to be played in the TAD because of the same reason you can't play TAD in the Warchiefs. TAD was the latest expansion pack of AoE3 and therefore the most "full" game, in the matters of features and gameplay.

To give you an example, you cannot use consulates in TWC, not even if you have TWC modded, because the consulate was a feature added to TAD's exe, wich combines the "features" of nilla, TWC and adds the features of TAD.

That's the main reason, but the fact that you can only play with 11 civs at a time on TWC and 14 on TAD also helps this (altought I'm searching ways around this).

Well, the reason I suggested to install on top of TWC was because most people don't install mods because they are afraid the rest of the players won't join them, so they will continue to play the standard versions of the game (nilla and TAD). Some would be willing to install mods, but they think it's too much hassle to use a mod switcher or to uninstall and reinstall the standard version of the game. That's the main obstacle between the general public and mods.

So, I thought, since nobody is playing TWC (or very few), why not use the TWC executable and files to build a new mod, since this will increase the chance for more players to adopt it. It seems a smart strategy to me.

But I get it that some parts of this mod need building models and hardcoded stuff which was built into TAD. Is the consulate really that necessary? TWC also has some new buildings, like the firepit and the native embassy (?).

There are no plans to add terrain files, but I have already added new waters and some florests, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done, only I'm more focused to create the civs and the gameplay, this late days.

I'm also much appreciatted about your participation, althought I have to warn you, the maps that I'm looking for are Random Maps, they are done by scripting (coding) instead of AoE3 editor, if they are made in the editor, they are scenarios, and currently I have no need for scenarios. Random Map scripting's codding can be really..... difficult, if you don't know RMS you could help in other ways... there is texturing, simple coding and even research, any one of these are helpfull...

Well, coding maps was difficult at start, but after I made the first map it seemed less difficult.

The language is very similar with C programming languages. Anyone who knows a bit of C or C++ (or even Java) can learn how to code a random map.

It's more difficult to understand what the game engine can do, since I couldn't find any official exlpanation online on what capabilities this game has. It must be a custom engine... So, at start it can be annoying when your code is correct, but the game somehow fails to obey the orders.

I've also tried to understand the homecities scripting commands, but I haven't had any success yet to put new units in the cities. I only managed to make some units disappear until now.

[This message has been edited by Randomplayer (edited 04-25-2014 @ 06:55 PM).]

This looks amazing! I can't wait to see this develop further. You are really portraying it in a wonderful manner. If you need some help on Home Cities or icons just let me know.

wow amazing! you almost made aoe4, i hope you follow modding,and make this nice mod continues.

Well, coding maps was difficult at start, but after I made the first map it seemed less difficult.

The language is very similar with C programming languages. Anyone who knows a bit of C or C++ (or even Java) can learn how to code a random map.

It's more difficult to understand what the game engine can do, since I couldn't find any official exlpanation online on what capabilities this game has. It must be a custom engine... So, at start it can be annoying when your code is correct, but the game somehow fails to obey the orders.

I've also tried to understand the homecities scripting commands, but I haven't had any success yet to put new units in the cities. I only managed to make some units disappear until now.

So does it mean you coded it in .xs? If you've done that and want to see your map in my mod, you can send me to this e-mail account joker.the.riddler@gmail.com, I'll give it a look, and see if it can be used, if it is used, you will be credited by your map, and if you have more knowledge on .xs codding (RMS and AI), and wan't to join the project you can come aboard.

This looks amazing! I can't wait to see this develop further. You are really portraying it in a wonderful manner. If you need some help on Home Cities or icons just let me know.

Thanks checanos, I prefer sugestions above technical help, as I can do almost anything (unless it's advanced RMS, exessive .xs codding really gives me headaches)

wow amazing! you almost made aoe4, i hope you follow modding,and make this nice mod continues.

Thanks leon, I don't know if I almost made AoE4, but I hope that at least it is a fun mod to play. I hope this mod will be finished, and I'll work to achieve that, but some extra-hand would be gratefull... and don't worry, I promise If I don't finish 100%, I'll post whatever I have.

On other news, the War of the Tripple Alliance forums have granted me a sub-forum where I hope discussions will be constructive and benefitial to the mod, visit it here under the sub-forum The XX Century.

I've also made a moddb acount, you can also visit it here

[This message has been edited by Titan Joker (edited 04-26-2014 @ 05:46 AM).]

New ideas...

This is why I think new land textures will be needed:

Age of Empires 3 vanilla and TWC were set on the New World backdrop (the Americas) and it was about Europeans conquering and discovering a new world, inhabited by local natives (subcivs). The maps were from the Americas: Great Plains, Yucatan, Texas, Patagonia, Pampas, Sonora, Carolinas, Bayou, Saguenay, Great Lakes, etc. THe Asains Dynasties was about Asian nations fighting their wars for supremacy on Asian maps: Silk Road, Yellow River, Deccan, Indochina, Ceylon, Borneo, Honshu, and so on.

The 20th century could be set to take place in Europe and maybe Russia, Middle East and parts of Africa (?). So, there could be maps from Europe, Palestine, Russia, Turkey, Mediterranean Sea and North Africa.

The problem is these parts of the world can't be pictured in a map with land textures from Americas and Asia. I think new land textures will be needed. This also needs research.

I think it would be a cool idea to have new maps in cities too, not just the countryside, like until now in AoE3. Because many battles in the 20th century were fought in cities or next to them, like the Battle from Stalingrad. So, for cities maps, new ground textures will be needed too.

Just a few ideas.

@Randomplayer, I've edited my previous message to answer your previous one, but turns out you've answered before I could click submit, make sure you see it.

So does it mean you coded it in .xs? If you've done that and want to see your map in my mod, you can send me to this e-mail account joker.the.riddler@gmail.com, I'll give it a look, and see if it can be used, if it is used, you will be credited by your map, and if you have more knowledge on .xs codding (RMS and AI), and wan't to join the project you can come aboard.

Yes, it's a scripted map, not a scenario. I'm not sure if it fits the XX century theme... but it's an original map that has no code copied from any other random map. I made it from scratch when I was trying to see if I can find a new way to create land areas.

I haven't gotten into AI scripting much because I wasn't interested in playing vs computers, but it can't be more difficult than RMS. As far as I know, AI scripting takes way more time and the problem is you invest so much time in something only a % of players will use. So, not sure about the return on time invested in that.

I'll send you the map, but I have no name for it yet. Because when I started making it I didn't think it should look like a certain part of the world, I just wanted to create a map only based on an idea. So, the map can be adapted to look like any part of the world with a few small changes (land texture, tree types, underbrush).

Don't worry about not having a name, we will come up with a name later, just send it, I'll have it a look and see where it goes.

one question : do you plan to add atomic bombs ?

Ah, that, I'm still pondering on that, I've first thought adding it for some exclusive maps, like the Regicide in TAD, if that's the case I would have to make it as an ability, and I don't know how to make the AI use abilities...

you could make nukes, a very fast,invulnerable,single use unit, with very high attack but very expensive .

Maybe, I can only think like a petard unit type... anyways, I'm introducing new terrain types as advised by Randomplayer, I'll post pics tomorrow

[This message has been edited by Titan Joker (edited 04-26-2014 @ 04:09 PM).]

That sounds great. I've sent the map files to you, Titan Joker, btw.

I will try to think of new map layouts for a few more European maps

[This message has been edited by Randomplayer (edited 04-26-2014 @ 06:43 PM).]

my sugesstion for ages are:

I - 1886-1900
II - 1900- 1914
III -1914-1928
IV - 1928-1945
V-1945-1966

[This message has been edited by leon o duque (edited 05-01-2014 @ 09:27 AM).]

I was actually thinking about kicking out ages and replace them with Tech levels, in order so that countries like Austria-Hungary can be seen in the same map as a German 3rd Reich... yet I'm conflicted about this.

I'm not sure kicking out the age system is a good idea, because the whole game concept was built around ages. Even the name of the game says it so. If the age system is changed into something else, the game would have to be named as something else, not Age of ...

Btw, Joker, are you a guy or a girl? Because everyone on the internet seems to be a guy, so I have to make sure I know whom I'm talking to, so I don't say anything untoward...

As I said, I'm am conflicted on that matter, and the one of the main reasons would do such thing was in order to reduce inaccuracies, like having two civs that didn't share the same time-period...

Btw, Joker, are you a guy or a girl? Because everyone on the internet seems to be a guy, so I have to make sure I know whom I'm talking to, so I don't say anything untoward...

I'm a dude, but I could ask you the same thing, I don't know any female AoE3 modders, does such thing exist?

one question do the resource gathering will be same as aoe3? because i think that gathering berries does not fit the setting.

[This message has been edited by leon o duque (edited 05-02-2014 @ 01:35 PM).]

I'm a dude, but I could ask you the same thing, I don't know any female AoE3 modders, does such thing exist?

Well, I don't consider myself a modder, I think of myself more of a programmer and I don't know any girls who are programmers (though I'm sure there must be some somewhere). So, I'm a dude too.

one question do the resource gathering will be same as aoe3? because i think that gathering berries does not fit the setting.

We still have agriculture and farms in the 20th century. I think the resource system is hardcoded, so I don't think it's possible to add a new resource or take one out. It might be possible to change the name of one resource or to create new objects in the game which can also be gathered (there is a rock unit in AoE3 which can be gathere for coin; maybe that one could be modified to give more coin and called mineral, like in Starcraft2).

We still have agriculture and farms in the 20th century.

agriculture was still present xx century but hunting and berry gathering was no more a main food source

I think the resource system is hardcoded, so I don't think it's possible to add a new resource or take one out

there is a hidden resource called fame whose the UI can be used to make a 4th resource,like wotta`s faith.

Quoted from leon o duque:

there is a hidden resource called fame whose the UI can be used to make a 4th resource,like wotta`s faith.

That's interesting, but wasn't the fame resource transformed into the experience resource (XP) in the final version of the game? i think I saw some code on trade routes revenue which had fame instead of XP and then it was replaced with XP crates or food/wood/coin crates.

How did Wotta make fame visible in the game UI?

[This message has been edited by Randomplayer (edited 05-03-2014 @ 09:28 AM).]