How to bring back old Cataphracts skin?

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
1

Hello,
I would like to make a small post about AoE II:DE Cataphracts and ask if someone know how to bring skin of old cataphract back.
So, during, early gameplays, beta testing, some time after release of AoE II:DE Cataphract helmet looks different - It was more historically accurate - Cataphract helmet had that “bell shape” and wasn’t flat.

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For unknown reason Cataphract helmet was changed to look more like original Cataphract from Age of Kings - helmet became flatter.
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But oddly enough if You check user icons that you can unlock for winning with Byzantines 10 and 100 times, Cataphract on image has previous [ beta ] look.
PR5-012PR5-011
Do anyone know how to bring back old skin or if he is still in game files ? I was looking at mods, but I could’t find anything.

Small bonus:
Did You known that Inca Warchief portrait from AgeIII has the same face as Aztec from Age II The Conquerors expansion cover ? :slight_smile:
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14 Likes
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Someone with the beta files might still have it.personally I like the vanilla cat rather than the new one.
Interesting observation btw.

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Yeah I was kind of surprised they went so hard with the redesign for such a popular unit.

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If they were going for historical accuracy should have changed all the uus not just one.

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Maybe not all, Boyar is pretty accurate. And Leitis. Maybe some others. But some of them are pure fantasy (Im looking at you, Throwing Axeman!)

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6

Yeah, the game with scimitar throwing camel riders, rider-less war elephants, automatic siege units really doesnt need historical accuracy. The new Cataphract is cool and all but it feels weird that its the only UU that got a massive visual redesign

7

Lets not forget the magyar hussar who got wings,perfect example on how to ruin a unit look.

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8

The redesign of the Mameluke is much worse, now they look like Tuareg tribesmen.
latest latest

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Overall appearance is still the same unlike the cat.

Another huge issue with a unit skin is the archers of the eyes.They should be black bowman not european arbs.

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I hadn’t noticed, but now I can’t un-notice it.

The beta version was definitely far far superior, both aesthetically and historical accuracy wise.

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I personally found new Mameluke looks great :sweat_smile:

Hah, small detail, but really important 11.

I was looking at my Steam screenshots and indeed even few days after release Cataphract is using beta model. Really courius why they changed it.

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Here is another pic of chad [ Beta ] Cataphract from E3 scenario
2021-05-15 (1)

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beta cataphract: link to download
i have the unit, but some smx doesnt have the same number of frames as the current design.
When the game as released, a made a backup of the game graphics (just in case). I also, liked more the old design to the new one, by the way.

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Anything else that is different in beta?

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Check if the alternate version of “Savaran” also there in those files?

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16

We need this unit!! In Game!

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I have not been in the beta, the backup has made in the official realize of the game, and sadly the only graphic left from that unit has de idle animation.

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18

Ah sad. :frowning:

Thnx for preserving the Cataphract variant though! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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19

I could have sworn I’ve seen a mod called “original cataphract” (or something similar) before.

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Is anyone able to make a player-colored icon for the old cataphract? I have the files and I can do the mod. But the only problem for me is I do not know how to make player-colored icons.

1 Like