This news post will be kind of a hodgepodge of information as I catch you up on what I've added to the mod over the last few weeks. The project's news page has been silent recently, but only because I've been bouncing back and forth between various small tasks and haven't had anything significant to display until now. Read on to see what I've been up to!
New Map: Cato Neimoidia
First up: a new map. Or more precisely, a few models that will be part of a new map. You may remember a while back when I showed this image:
As some of you guessed, that is a model for a suspended bridge that will be the basis of a map set on Cato Neimoidia, as seen in the Order 66 sequence in Revenge of the Sith. Since I showed that image, I've created some more building models. Below, you can see the beginnings of a Neimoidian mansion. When it is textured, it will have all the trappings fitting of a snobbish Neimoidian aristocrat - gold trims, red carpets, and fancy ornaments lining the interior.
Saleucami Gets Some Upgrades
Next, I revisited Saleucami. The map got some minor cosmetic upgrades with new textures for the large bulb plants. It also got some new sides, with the debut of the 91st Reconnaissance Corps, led by Commander Neyo and Stass Allie. During this time, I also gave the CIS Magnaguard a makeover. I had been bouncing around a lot of different ideas for the Magnaguard's weapon layout, and I wound up returning to the Bulldog RLR, one of the unit's stock weapons. The idea of a rocket-shooting pistol is inherently ridiculous, so I decided the weapon should have an equally ridiculous model. The result was four miniature rocket tubes strapped to a modified CIS rifle. I'm quite pleased with my handiwork. The Magnaguard is one nasty unit - in addition to the Bulldog RLR, it also carries a heavy blaster pistol, neurotoxin, and sticky grenades, specially designed to terrorize clone troopers!
Introducing the EVO Trooper
Last up is an update I made just within the last couple of days. I shifted my focus to the Galactic Civil War era and put together the EVO Trooper, a special unit for the Empire. The EVO Trooper first appeared in The Force Unleashed as an occasional enemy designed to operate in hazardous environments. In Battlefront Chronicles, the EVO Trooper appears on exotic worlds such as Felucia and Kashyyyk as a close-quarters infantry killer, carrying the FA-3 flechette launcher, a repeating pistol, and incendiary grenades.
I hope you enjoyed this update! Also, I want to give a big thanks to Mars Marshall, AceMastermind, kinetosimpetus, Delta-1035, CodaRez, and B.I.G_Cookie, who created the character models and skins for Commander Neyo, Stass Allie, and the EVO Trooper.
Looks really good. But why not give the Magnaguard the staff? I know you probably considered this, but can I at least know why you didn't go with it?
I did indeed try it, but I generally don't like non-hero melee units in Battlefront. They become a nuisance in the hands of the AI, and they just feel like watered down Jedi for human players. The electrostaff-wielding Magnaguard will certainly appear in the mod somewhere, just not in standard Conquest gameplay.