New units of actual need?

[Jazz-Sandwich]

Hi folks, modeller-to-be here. I've spent quite a long time learning how to use 3DS Max, and I've got a few pet projects tucked away for DoW1 soulstorm, all incomplete. The main reason that they're incomplete is because of the demands of my coursework this past year. However, once this month is over, I will have my last ever Summer holiday before I (hopefully) graduate and obtain my bachelors. I intend to put this holiday to good use.

To the point: I would be highly interested in developing a DoW2 model. I greatly admire what ELITE mod has achieved, and I would like to do my part to provide new and interesting content for it. (I was initially unsure if DoW2 permitted the introduction of custom animations, which put me off the idea, however I have recently been assured that this is indeed possible.)

So, I would like to ask the forum: is there anything that is of particular need in ELITE? (Or indeed anything that would produce the most interesting/valuable changes to the game, should the above question be missing the point in your opinion)

Recently there has been a sizable influx of ideas for new units, but none that particularly address the key questions of what the actual utility of the new unit would be, and/or why it should be introduced. For instance, I personally would adore the idea of wraithblades for the eldar, however if they cannot be designed to provide something that is not already offered by, say, the seer council, then that to me seems like a lot of wasted effort.

I'm rather hoping for intelligent, detailed discussion here. Many here understand DoW2 far better than I ever will, and I would value their input on the matter.




(inb4 centurions. A preemptive, earth-shattering 'no' on that front. No matter how adorable they look.)

[Dark Riku]

I think that you better contact Caeltos in Steam or in another way directly for this.

[sterling]

I don't think there's anything for the current factions that is really needed apart from finishing off the Dreadknight perhaps.

Maybe thinking more about the future needs of the mod, something....Tau?

But yeah I imagine asking Caeltos would be best.

[Indrid]

iirc Caeltos has a design taped out for a Tyranid BioVore (use Tyrant Guard as base) and a Nemesis Dreadknight, and has some possible thoughts for a Sanctioned Psyker. Some/all of these models were being worked on at some point but as is often the case have not come through (yet?).

Whether he still sees them as viable additions only he can say, but seeing a nice model might urge him into action in terms of thinking about them more.

[Caeltos]

The only real units that I really had a rough draft and concept for were

Psyker (IG related) <-- Altho this is possible, but a more "unique" model would be more appriciated.
Eversor Assassin
Biovore for Tyranids

and Dreadknights

Any other then that, it'd be more possibly related to Dark Eldar/Tau units, whereas Necrons are a much larger undertaking and I'm not going to see them likely to be added anytime soon more then the Tau/Dark Eldar possibilities.

[Jazz-Sandwich]

Noted. Thanks for the feedback, gents.

The tyrant guard -> biovore potential had occurred to me before, and I would be very interested in seeing it develop.

I think that and the sanctioned psyker will be the most feasible options. I will contact you directly, Caeltos, when (/if?) something actually develops. Like I alluded to earlier, I can't really start immediately, however following my finals I intend to start asap.

[sterling]

Perhaps have a go at the Eversor if you're going to pick one?

I'm sure someone over at the Codex mod already has a Biovore model and I'm sure that me and Orkfaeller would be able to come up with a decent Sanctioned Psyker with existing retextured assets - at least our work on the Acolyte leads me to believe so.

Eversor would be a bit beyond our reach though - may as well use your skills on something no-one else would currently be able to pull off. Ultimately its up to you of course - just my thoughts on the matter.

Edit: Yeah here it is...
http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?239552-Dawn-of-War-2-Codex-Edition&p=1045490756&viewfull=1#post1045490756

[Swift]

Tau and Dark Eldar? The future looks more promising on the forums everyday.

[Jazz-Sandwich]

Very interesting, Sterling... I had NOT seen that before. It's about time I loiter around the relicnews DoW2 section more often

Okay, so biovore and psyker are in safe hands, then. Eversor assassin it is, I guess!

I have also seen a completed mesh for a nemesis dreadknight, made from scratch and intended for DoW1. However, given it's high poly count, and lack of textures and animations, it hasn't garnered too much attention. It may, however, be suitable for DoW2. http://www.moddb.com/members/mauritos/i ... t#imagebox

It may be worth contacting the modeller, mauritos, investigating if he has the intention/capabilities of animating it. He's recently started texturing his units, also.

And lastly.... funny you guys should mention the eldark. One of my long term goals is to revamp them in Soulstorm, and update their models and rosters. Get rid of the bugs bunny warriors, you know. When that day comes, I'll see if a high-poly version of these models may be suitable for DoW2. That's not exactly going to happen today or tomorrow, however.

[viggih]

Just an FYI, if anyone is going to tackle the Sanctioned Psyker I would recommend the Heretic animations. Only because I noticed that their idle animation includes a "headache" where they put their hands on their head in pain. Also worship would suffice for casting animation.

now I'm just rambling

[Orkfaeller]

Yeah, wanted to make the same suggestion.

Heretics have some nice headache animations.

[Torpid]

Dark Eldar are my dream. In all honesty though they really do seem perfect for this game with their hit and run combat style. Way more so than IG -_-

Implementing IG over DE was colossal laziness on Relic's behalf.

[Swift]

I notice you have some very nice models on Moddb, I would like to see some more.

[Jazz-Sandwich]

I notice you have some very nice models on Moddb, I would like to see some more.

Were you speaking to me? If so, I must sadly say that those models aren't mine - they're Mauritos' (or Demetrius, which is his relicnews forums name). All of his models that I know of are the ones featured on his profile page, to which I linked earlier. My own stuff is all quite preliminary and unfinished, and I haven't really published any of it yet. Not yet.

For more very nice models, well... there are two other modellers that I know of that are active in the DoW community atm: Cosmocrat and Boychaos. With regards to the former, you'll see his work in the UA mod, in current or future versions (he's the fella behind the necron tomb stalker, for instance, and other things I won't spoil ), and other stuff on his profile page: http://www.moddb.com/members/cosmocrat

With regards to the latter - he too has some nice designs, four of which can be found in a mod - the Helldrake, which is in UA, and three necron vehicles which are in Titanium Wars Mod (Ghost ark, doomsday ark, and annihilation barge). His profile is here: http://www.moddb.com/members/boychaos

Plenty of eye candy to keep yourself occupied

[Darkbulborb]

Meganobz global for warboss

[Barrogh]

ITT: people mixing up "units to be implemented that lack models" and "units I would like to see in the game because reasons".

Well, kinda off-topic too then.

Psyker (IG related) <-- Altho this is possible, but a more "unique" model would be more appriciated.

What is his supposed role? Is there a chance that we'll see a psyker chorus for IG (yes, this question again)?

[Lost Son of Nikhel]

The only real units that I really had a rough draft and concept for were

Psyker (IG related) <-- Altho this is possible, but a more "unique" model would be more appriciated.
Eversor Assassin
Biovore for Tyranids

and Dreadknights

Any other then that, it'd be more possibly related to Dark Eldar/Tau units, whereas Necrons are a much larger undertaking and I'm not going to see them likely to be added anytime soon more then the Tau/Dark Eldar possibilities.

No Daemonnettes? Poor, poor Slaneesh.

Eversor Assassin? I suppose is going to go to GK army, but... another melee squad for GK?

[sterling]

There's already a Daemonette model - I posted a pic of it on my thread a while back.

It looks pretty good and used the Banshee animations. I have an idea for where it could be used, but it will depend on whether Chaos get a 4th commander and what it is.

[Orkfaeller]

Meganobz global for warboss

Yes please.

[Swift]

Dark Eldar are my dream. In all honesty though they really do seem perfect for this game with their hit and run super combat style. Way more so than IG -_-

Implementing IG over DE was collossal laziness on Relic's behalf.

Agreed. Dark Eldar would not only be a more fun faction to have, but they have so much at their disposal to make them different from the other factions.
Warning: noob/ignorant post following: Dark Eldar are my favourite faction with Tau and Chaos being joint second, so seeing as there are already some Tau models could it be possible that they will be implemented at some point in the future?

I think this discussion might also set off Aertes into making more of his "new unit" posts.

[Swift]

Meganobz global for warboss

Yes please.

Nice, but isn't that a little powerful? Just saying, but thyen again, we are only brainstorming, not balancing.

Looks very lore-like. And very good.

[ChrisNihilus]

What is his supposed role?

My guess is that Caeltos want the Psyker as the 4th commander for IG.

A good choise, if you ask me.

[Aertes]

What is his supposed role?

My guess is that Caeltos want the Psyker as the 4th commander for IG.

A good choise, if you ask me.

It didn't seem to soud that good when I exposed my ideas for that!

[Darkbulborb]

I see meganobz as the equivalent of terminators. I think meganobz would provide tankiness (possibly clankyness) to the ork army. I once already wrote my whole idea for meganobz but that got blown to bits by almost all people xd.

The model looks very good indeed, I think this really could be something. Please do continue even if it's just for awesomeness

[Swift]

What is his supposed role?

My guess is that Caeltos want the Psyker as the 4th commander for IG.

A good choise, if you ask me.

It didn't seem to soud that good when I exposed my ideas for that!

I have actually been trying to push that for a while now.

[Swift]

I see meganobz as the equivalent of terminators. I think meganobz would provide tankiness (possibly clankyness) to the ork army. I once already wrote my whole idea for meganobz but that got blown to bits by almost all people xd.

The model looks very good indeed, I think this really could be something. Please do continue even if it's just for awesomeness

At least make the model, that would be nice, then we can discuss the trivialities behind balancing.

[ChrisNihilus]

It didn't seem to soud that good when I exposed my ideas for that!

It's not about how good an idea is, but how good you ehxibit it.

[Aertes]

Even I agree. One thing at a time.

And yes, Mega Nobs are the orks Terminator kounterpart. In the board game they are more vulnerable to plasma weapons and attack that can deny their armor (they havent a secondary special protection like terminators do) but they can take more wounds before dying, and are even more deadly in melee.

[Cheah18]

I still want a Culexus assassin for gk... No I will not shut up about that already.

(for anti-melee/disruption, but low damage perhaps?)

I mean pffttt why is the Eversor getting all the attention.

[Aertes]

The Eversor is easy and relatively obvious: a fleshcrushing machine and little more. He could use Space Marine's sergeant animations (with lightning claw, since he has a similar glove-like melee weapon) and his Executor Pistol.

Culexus would need much more work, and his role is more difficult to bring to DoW II. He basically is a living plasma rifle that shoots more when he has more psykers around him, and there's plenty of plasma rifles around here already.