Devs are asleep, Post Ponies - Mod for CK2

[Keanon]

First off: Square geography. Boo.
For the rest I guess it'd work fine for mainland Equestria, but it still needs expansion in all directions if we want it to be a functional/fun game. Also, still feels relatively large in comparison to the CK2 map. Needs to be smaller, methinks - but that depends on how much other territory we want to add, ofc.
In any event, we need to design the minimap before we can make the map itself, so to speak.

Square geography? What does that even mean?

Of course it needs expansion, and I'd go with Snowy Nights since he has based it off a globe found in the series.

I did this: Trace over the official map, expanded the canvas till it was ck2 vanilla size and uploaded it. The whole point was to show how big it'd be and then how it could be expanded, I didn't draw anything there not on the official map because that wasn't what I was trying to do in the first place.

And for each species you'd have to do all that, yes(And that's a huge amount of work), but also tons of events, more graphics and we're still not on how many bugs and silly scenarios it will be the cause of.

 

[SnowyTale]

This project has me, but I still feel like we need to change the map a lot, like the location of certain races and we still need to discus the shape of the map a lot. Since this is an MLP mod and should stay as true to the MLP universe canon as possible.

But yeah, for each new race we add like griffons it is practically making a whole new way of playing the mod, since griffons would play drasticly diffrent to ponies. So we should keep races to what we need then add more after version 1.0 of the mod.

 

[Keanon]

Spoiler warning: Huge images inside.

Spoiler

These are some maps found just searching google quickly, and the only ones I'd advocate for would be the 2nd or the 4th, not that the two others aren't interesting, but they're very liberal with the actual lore provided.


So I hold to the idea that the commonly known map is expanded up and down following roughly the in-the-series globe, giving the straight lines some details along the way.

 

[NejinOniwa]

Aside from the Griffins, who clearly are straight eastward and thus over a sea of some sort, we'd be able to place most things on a top-down scheme, then. Opting for inclusion of griffins would give us an additional overseas continent, otherwise we'd simply run on a one-continent map from top to bottom slightly tilted. I imagine we'd split up the population with Minotaurs alongside the Griffins on the eastern continent too, possibly.

Dragons would be somewhere equator-ish on the main continent. Zebras would be on the southern hemisphere. This'd give us a northern hemisphere to fill up with ponies et al.

For balance reasons, I still stand by the layout of the Equestria sector of my map, though (including the isles to the north, with the Changeling Kingdom and Pone). Roughly the big difference from my map would be shifting the central leg of the "horseshoe" (where dragon/minotaur territory is) to connect to the southern part of the map instead.

If we're making a top-down map, though, I'd suggest making it pretty tall. Especially if we leave out the eastern continent. I believe the Westeros map is pretty much like this, yes? Tall as fuck and all that.

Regarding making of portraits and such, there should be well more than enough resources around the community to skip on the drawery part entirely. All we'd need is element classification and compiling the code for the portrait system. Which is probably pretty big nonetheless, but hey.


Again, an open question:
How big, relative to vanilla CK2, is Equestria? On one hand, going from Canterlot to the extreme north of the Crystal Empire didn't seem to take much time at all (unless it actually was a full day and we just didn't see any of it), whereas going from Ponyville to Appleloosa probably took most of 24 hours. This is travel by old type steam train (run by ponies, sure, but I'd estimate the speed from that), so perhaps upwards 40-50km/h running speed. Ponyville-Canterlot is very close. Manehatten on the other hand seems reasonably distant, and Rainbow Dash has to spend quite some time on her round trip to safeguard Equestria in "It's About Time". So how far, exactly, is it from the west coast of Equestria to the east? How far is it from the Crystal Empire to Canterlot, and south to Appleloosa? Is Equestria about the size of 1066 HRE, or is it more like Spain?

Gimme your answers, people.

 

[Texda]

To note the Canon map is just the US but a bit different, if they are going for the whole "map makers not getting it right" (look at a map from the 15th century) it might just be the US (landmass wise).

So if we did end up using that Western Hemisphere map*, we would be quite close to the canon anyway (or more near than one would think anyway).

There is also the advantage that we can base the scale of kingdoms Duchies (and even in some cases locations) and the like on a known landmass than trying to figure out the scale on a map what has no scale.

also i would cut down to just the "major Civilized" races so Ponies (Europe), Griffins(Byzantine), Changelings(da Horde) and Zebras (Africa).
S3 spoiler

Spoiler

Horses (Middle East) maybe

Unless there is this Huge demand to add the other minor races (bar them appearing in events) it just adds more work for little gain

*http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?613715-MOD-Western-Hemisphere

 

[SnowyTale]

To note the Canon map is just the US but a bit different, if they are going for the whole "map makers not getting it right" (look at a map from the 15th century) it might just be the US (landmass wise).

So if we did end up using that Western Hemisphere map*, we would be quite close to the canon anyway (or more near than one would think anyway).

There is also the advantage that we can base the scale of kingdoms Duchies (and even in some cases locations) and the like on a known landmass than trying to figure out the scale on a map what has no scale.

also i would cut down to just the "major Civilized" races so Ponies (Europe), Griffins(Byzantine), Changelings(da Horde) and Zebras (Africa).
S3 spoiler

Spoiler

Horses (Middle East) maybe

Unless there is this Huge demand to add the other minor races (bar them appearing in events) it just adds more work for little gain

*http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?613715-MOD-Western-Hemisphere

I agree, minatours, dragons, mooses etc. They should only be in events not landed, that is far too much work.

Also about the maps, I stills tand by we eather use the western hemisphere map we could easily edit it to add the griffon kingdom island in the eastern sea. Or we use my map which is the closest to canon and being an MLP mod we should stick to MLP canon as much as possible.

 

[Tsar Monarchist]

I agree, minatours, dragons, mooses etc. They should only be in events not landed, that is far too much work.

Also about the maps, I stills tand by we eather use the western hemisphere map we could easily edit it to add the griffon kingdom island in the eastern sea. Or we use my map which is the closest to canon and being an MLP mod we should stick to MLP canon as much as possible.

I also agree. About the map - caligulabob (from Western Hemisphere mod) have stated that he started the new map for his mod, with west coast included - that's what we would need for our purposes Just need to (finally) gather the mod team and ask him for permission to use it.

@ htilden42 - would you be possible to edit the map once we get it?
@ Snowy Night - how's your experience with event modding?

I can work fine with everything that's not graphics - landed titles, characters and other 'history' folder files, traits, religions... rest of I would need to learn first, especially events that seem terrible to me.

The worst thing for me is lack of time, divided between practising in Public Prosecution and last year of master studies - not much for rest, so as working on mods.

 

[SnowyTale]

I also agree. About the map - caligulabob (from Western Hemisphere mod) have stated that he started the new map for his mod, with west coast included - that's what we would need for our purposes Just need to (finally) gather the mod team and ask him for permission to use it.

@ htilden42 - would you be possible to edit the map once we get it?
@ Snowy Night - how's your experience with event modding?

I can work fine with everything that's not graphics - landed titles, characters and other 'history' folder files, traits, religions... rest of I would need to learn first, especially events that seem terrible to me.

The worst thing for me is lack of time, divided between practising in Public Prosecution and last year of master studies - not much for rest, so as working on mods.

I have no exspiriance but have plenty of spare time to learn and improve my skills.

 

[NejinOniwa]

I really don't see the Changeling=Horde connection. Why would we do that? Dragons seem like a much better race for the purpose, in all ways.

Regarding modding I'm probably not the best at event modding, but I have done some work on them in the past. I'm reasonably skilled at most static code properties (Common/Titles/Characters/Flags etc). I'm also a good writer, so localization text would be a welcome effort.

 

[SnowyTale]

I really don't see the Changeling=Horde connection. Why would we do that? Dragons seem like a much better race for the purpose, in all ways.

Regarding modding I'm probably not the best at event modding, but I have done some work on them in the past. I'm reasonably skilled at most static code properties (Common/Titles/Characters/Flags etc). I'm also a good writer, so localization text would be a welcome effort.

If anything changling would be more like the homosexual trait, with the ability to exile discovered changlings but they would also hold their own kingdom of course. If anything there is no real horde representation in ponies unless you count Discord and the spreading of his chaos.

 

[NejinOniwa]

That seems like a much better idea, in my opinion. Or maybe more like the Jews implemented in CK2+ and TPatT? With a whole lot more plotting powers, of course. Random events with mysterious courtiers turning up out of nowhere, who may or may not stay loyal to your kingdom. They might be exiles, or they might be spies from the Changeling Kingdom...

If we're going to have a "horde" like vanilla, it should be either dragons and/or Discord. Definitely not changelings.

 

[SnowyTale]

That seems like a much better idea, in my opinion. Or maybe more like the Jews implemented in CK2+ and TPatT? With a whole lot more plotting powers, of course. Random events with mysterious courtiers turning up out of nowhere, who may or may not stay loyal to your kingdom. They might be exiles, or they might be spies from the Changeling Kingdom...

If we're going to have a "horde" like vanilla, it should be either dragons and/or Discord. Definitely not changelings.

Or events when you notice one of your courties acting strangly, as if taken over. Can only happen to courtiers married or who have lovers?

 

[NejinOniwa]

Feels a bit obvious to me. We'd want changelings to be good plotters, not amateurish ones.

 

[OneWingedDevil]

I might not be familiar with modding beyond poking around in the files occasionally , but I could help with writing the new events to be added. I'm getting close to my long breaks for college, too, so I'll have time to coordinate with others on it.

 

[Tsar Monarchist]

Changelings should really be considered as a horde IMO. They wouldn't have they own society, and surely they need to be implemented as different race. The race that can attack Equestria and take a rule on some territory.

I thought once what about discovering someone at your court turns out to be a Changeling. It would even be your own child, why not? Changelings are replacing other ponies and act like them. That would work with events, some visible and hidden traits/modifiers*, and while discovering we could get the new Changeling-character we decide what to do with. And get information where he keeps original character.

About *, I thought about using bastard and legit bastard traits for the purpose, but I'm not so sure if it would work right now.

 

[SnowyTale]

Changelings should really be considered as a horde IMO. They wouldn't have they own society, and surely they need to be implemented as different race. The race that can attack Equestria and take a rule on some territory.

I thought once what about discovering someone at your court turns out to be a Changeling. It would even be your own child, why not? Changelings are replacing other ponies and act like them. That would work with events, some visible and hidden traits/modifiers*, and while discovering we could get the new Changeling-character we decide what to do with. And get information where he keeps original character.

About *, I thought about using bastard and legit bastard traits for the purpose, but I'm not so sure if it would work right now.

True, also it would be a lot more fitting in the traditinal sense to have changelings go after anypony. But really nothing fits horde in my opinion.

 

[Texda]

I really don't see the Changeling=Horde connection. Why would we do that? Dragons seem like a much better race for the purpose, in all ways.

They require "positive emotions" and use it in a very uneconomical way.

less an actual horde more "invaders from a far away place"

 

[Tsar Monarchist]

We should consider horde as tribes from outside of the map, who are invading in-map territory. And that's what Changelings fit.

Dragons don't take any territory to rule, only as a place to stay and terror citizens. More like a plague, I think.

 

[SnowyTale]

We should consider horde as tribes from outside of the map, who are invading in-map territory. And that's what Changelings fit.

Dragons don't take any territory to rule, only as a place to stay and terror citizens. More like a plague, I think.

ahving them as a pleague type thing is a brilliant idea. But also it depends on what size map we go for since the changling having a kingdom is canon so having them on map would make sense. Really we do not need a horde.

 

[Tsar Monarchist]

ahving them as a pleague type thing is a brilliant idea. But also it depends on what size map we go for since the changling having a kingdom is canon so having them on map would make sense. Really we do not need a horde.

Yes, but I also think it doesn't need to be playable nor included on map. Also, still think that they work like a tribe, cause they're even called a 'hive'. It wouldn't work good with feudal mechanics.

Actually, do we even know where to put it, or it would need to be random? I've found some fan description only:

It is a vast, depleted country, characterized by a desolate mountainous landscape which, during its infamously long, vicious winters, is always blanketed by thick layers of snow. It is estimated to be four times the size of Equestria, due to covering vast areas that include plains, deserts and even glaciers.

(from: http://wormtail96.deviantart.com/art/MLP-FIM-Changeling-Kingdom-Bio-314484440)