[WIP] The Siege of Firebase Zulu

[MichaelEssien]

What is it what you are most in need of?

 

As in roles it doesn't seem you are in big need of voice actors, however it does seem to be a lack of roles somewhere, where would that be?

[TemplaricLegion]

Welcome!

 

As promised here's the list of some of my ideas, mainly oscillating around the art direction & weapons department.

My hubmle self can do all practical work in the 2D department, whether it's basic textures or in-game art, including slide-shows (expect FAR better stuff than the vanilla bland screenshot narration, something at least on par with the Old World Blues opening :] ).

 

Let's start with a set of some neat-looking lore-friendly modding resources already posted on the Nexus that just beg to be negotiated into the mod:

 

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/4303 - Classic Spear Mod – just what those lower-tier Legionaries needed! F1 & F2 sharpened spear ported as a 3D resource – I'd gladly re-skin it should the original author greenlight its use in TSoFZ

 

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/17080 - Spear – another spear, not as lore-enhancing as the former, but the mesh is OK, and it's nothing I can't re-skin :]

 

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/48045 - Arm Blades – a set of cool looking arm-blades, especially the Khutar, and the deathclaw versions; seems like a good, jury-rigged alternative to costly Ballistic or Power Fists, constructed within Legion ranks from scrap materials; if it goes green, I'd be happy to give them a more dirty, tribal look, with lots of straps, leather elements and decals;

 

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/43698 - Pointy Machete – could be a sharpened version of the vanilla ordinary machete, which, TBH is on par with a dull kitchen knife – how can Legion win in a single fight, when their primary weapon can't even scratch trooper's armor? This could have come with a nice damage boost. Also, it would make a badass spear tip, if someone could make a 3D model.

 

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/47798 - Wasteland X-Bow

 

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/47976 - Pre-War X-Bow Addon

 

- Crossbows - that's where the fun starts! Appropriately clunky for the Wasteland, made from plain materials, easily-craftable, silenced and packing quite a punch, they are a truly Road Warrior's choice! An excellent, lore-enhancing weapon for low-tier Legion recruits and scouts to make them more formidable foes.

 

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/43767 - Wasteland Hoods - some very fitting hoods, perfect for some Legionary assasins or scouts.

 

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/38055 - Tribal Power Helmet – the cult helmet that appeared on Fallout 2 loading screens. Since the Legion is composed almost entirely from former tribals, it could be claimed and adorned by one of the grizzled centurions as a spoil of war or passed down through generations and kept as a memorabilia of some long gone pre-Legion war (the early conflicts between BOS and tribal Vipers perhaps? Hauled east, as the battered remains of a once-great, snake-worshipping tribe fled for their lives... Some embraced civilization and resorted to petty raiding, in time forgetting their roots. Others made their way as far as Arizona, where their descendants were pressed into the Legion... A lot of possibilities for a climatic backstory here!).

 

Since it's still a conceptual phase, I've yet to ask the respective authors for permissions.

 

And here's some of my own concepts:

 

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r146/Lenin-Grad/LegionLightScoutArmorConcept001_zpscd9931fe.jpg

 

Legion Comitatenses Armor – think of Mad Max 3 desert dregs meet Arcani from Rome: Total War; got inspiration after playing Dragbody's awesome mod Caesar's New Regime. As he's currently working on armors for Firebase Zulu, I followed his logic of introducing more proper, Ancient Roman look to the Legion. While his higher-tier armors, especially the Centurions', Caesar's, Luciu's, Praetorians' and Vexilarii, shine with detail and badassery, visibly made from bronzed and polished metal plates, the lower-tier ones seem to be more “refined” than the warriors' rank would suggest – especially the chainmail and the glass/plexi elements, which are extremely costly to make in RL. I set do design a piecemeal armor, that would be something in-between the original Raider gear (since many tribes were basically roving scavs and raiders) and an early Roman Legionary/Gladiator outfits, plus an obligatory tunic (I think JE Sawyer mentioned somewhere that Caesar deliberately wanted to differentiate the Legion's look from surrounding cultures. Even if it meant they had run around in drag. : [ ) all while still retaining light weight and prevalence of leather and cloth over metal reinforcements. It's made roughly from thrown together and modified vanilla meshes and textures, to minimize any 3D modeling from scratch. I'll PM a detailed sheet where everything's properly described. :]

 

As the mod is said to be dependent on GRA, I whipped up some quick concepts for retexturing GRA unique weapons for mass-production:

 

 

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r146/Lenin-Grad/LegionDesertRifle001_zps6d556112.png

 

#1: Velites Rifle (working title, something like “Rubikon Rifle” sounds more cool, be a unique version of it) – retextured Paciencia, with more rusted, worn-out looking elements and a small legion flag wrapped around the grip. Idea: a mid-to-long range rifle, rechambered for more popular 5,56 ammunition, losing some of its power and precision, though sturdier and even more fool-proof than the popular Hunting Rifle. Manufactured from spare parts in large quantities in the Legion territory, it serves mainly the Exploratores (Legion scout troops and “external agents”), Speculatores (“internal agents” or special policing forces), Frumentarii (Caesar's spies and messengers) and various auxiliary units like the fledgling corps of Velites – (light skirmishers tasked with harassing enemy formations with precision fire, counter-sniper actions and providing long-range support for the regular infantry), recruited mostly from various keen-eyed hunter-gatherer groups roving the outskirts of Caesar's Empire (gotta dig that ol' war philosphy – both a simple fighting man's rifle and a proper tool for a sharpshooter).

 

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r146/Lenin-Grad/ScorpionGauntlet001_zpsfb20d12c.png

 

#2: Scorpion Gauntlet – a retextured version of the “Embrace of the Mantis King!” - just your regular Radscorpion's sting attached to a warrior's forearm with straps and pieces of metal. Packs a nasty punch and poisons the target with a limb-crippling venom. Typically found on crazy Legionary recruits who still very much remember their tribal ways – the kind that sometimes barks at the moon when nobody's looking and knows how to carve a giant scorpion's carcass so that nothing will be wasted.

 

I'll take the liberty to PM some of my other ideas, concerning gameplay and plot devices, just in case of possible spoilers should any of them be deemed worthy of the Mod. :]

 

Radioactive regards!

 

Dr Gurgul

That armor is what sent me here, that is probably some of the coolest armor I've ever seen and I'm practically salivating with excitement! That armor alone would be reason enough for why i would download this mod (if its integrated).

[bigaslinky]

Best of luck to you on this project! I finished the Inheritance today and was left wanting more. I was wondering if you are ever going to make a sequel to the Inheritance, or perhaps a follow up?

[MrTaters]

Would love to contribute to the voice acting (If you still need actors) when you get to that part! Also I just finished playing through NVBI, it was great! About to start 2.

[uaciaut]

The current status of 40% seems to not have been updated, for a while, would you mind either updating us with how much of the mod is completed by now or a potential ETA on it? :P

[someguy2000]

The current status of 40% seems to not have been updated, for a while, would you mind either updating us with how much of the mod is completed by now or a potential ETA on it? :tongue:

Really, it still stands at ~40%. Until I wrap up Russell and the New Vegas Bounties updates (all of which are still in beta), FBZ will wait. I'll be sure to make an announcement once I'm back on it.

[cdfe3388]

The title and general plot seem like an homage to "The Siege of Firebase Gloria," and I recall the best scene from that movie, where the whining embedded reporter objects to being handed a rifle, saying "Hey man, you can't do this! I'm a f*#@ing civilian!" To which R. Lee Ermey smiles and replies, "Yeah, well you just got f*#@ing drafted, sweetheart!"

 

Is there any chance we might see a similar event in Firebase Zulu?

[someguy2000]

The title and general plot seem like an homage to "The Siege of Firebase Gloria," and I recall the best scene from that movie, where the whining embedded reporter objects to being handed a rifle, saying "Hey man, you can't do this! I'm a f***ing civilian!" To which R. Lee Ermey smiles and replies, "Yeah, well you just got f***ing drafted, sweetheart!"

 

Is there any chance we might see a similar event in Firebase Zulu?

It's true that the title is a nod to The Siege of Firebase Gloria (kudos for recognizing it) and Zulu, but I can't promise whether or not specific scenes will be adapted. Some of the characters and themes will definitely show up, though. It's also going to be heavily influenced by literature dealing with WWI and the Vietnam War, particularly Storm of Steel, The Things they Carried, and Matterhorn, just to name a few. If you have even a faint interest in either one of those conflicts (and the works they've inspired), you'll be seeing references left and right. ;)

 

Thanks for the support - I should be resuming work on FBZ once I get Russell patched up.

[cdfe3388]

 

The title and general plot seem like an homage to "The Siege of Firebase Gloria," and I recall the best scene from that movie, where the whining embedded reporter objects to being handed a rifle, saying "Hey man, you can't do this! I'm a f***ing civilian!" To which R. Lee Ermey smiles and replies, "Yeah, well you just got f***ing drafted, sweetheart!"

 

Is there any chance we might see a similar event in Firebase Zulu?

It's true that the title is a nod to The Siege of Firebase Gloria (kudos for recognizing it) and Zulu, but I can't promise whether or not specific scenes will be adapted. Some of the characters and themes will definitely show up, though. It's also going to be heavily influenced by literature dealing with WWI and the Vietnam War, particularly Storm of Steel, The Things they Carried, and Matterhorn, just to name a few. If you have even a faint interest in either one of those conflicts (and the works they've inspired), you'll be seeing references left and right. :wink:

 

Thanks for the support - I should be resuming work on FBZ once I get Russell patched up.

 

Let me know if you need a voice actor. I love both NVB mods, and would be glad to help!

[someguy2000]

Let me know if you need a voice actor. I love both NVB mods, and would be glad to help!

Will do - thanks!