News on multiplayer for M&B, and Expansion details

[Benny Moore]

Yes, we'll see who was exaggerating about their skills.

Indeed.  I am looking forward to the prospect of making all those "there's no bug, you just suck" people eat their words.  With steel.

[Dryvus]

Great news .   We should all have our names the same as the ones on the forum so we know who is who.

Ha ha, you'll be Moronic.

[Benny Moore]

I wonder how the difficulty options will be handled.  Will players be able to host servers and determine the settings?  Or will there be (God or fate forbid) official servers only, with regulated settings?

In my opinion, the greatest challenge for Taleworlds will be the netcode.  I have seen so many good games with terrible netcodes.  If the netcode cannot handle fraction-of-a-second actions, then all skill is for naught.

[Seff]

We'll see.

I'm looking forward to battles where my enemy uses the range of his weapon as an advantage.

[Weren]

Maybe they could make it so, that you need to be registered to TW forum, before you can start playin online.

[Gabeed]

We'll see.

I'm looking forward to battles where my enemy uses the range of his weapon as an advantage.

In addition, I hope that all the current weapons in the game are being closely examined before being allowed in multiplayer.  Many weapons are just plain awful (battle fork, etc), some not working correctly (military scythe, double sided lance), and others are probably too powerful or ridiculous (iron staff).

[Benny Moore]

Maybe they could make it so, that you need to be registered to TW forum, before you can start playin online.

Yeah!  And you would have to do the Hitler salute before connecting, and wear a swastika armband while you play.  That's a great idea!  [Brief skyward glance.]

[Ronan]

I'm looking forward to this, but I'll propably get my ass kicked a lot.

[Benny Moore]

In addition, I hope that all the current weapons in the game are being closely examined before being allowed in multiplayer.  Many weapons are just plain awful (battle fork, etc), some not working correctly (military scythe, double sided lance), and others are probably too powerful or ridiculous (iron staff).

I am more worried about a certain exploit I have observed in another multiplayer melee game, which is currently also possible in Mount & Blade.  Players on foot can begin a swing and immediately spin their character ninety degrees so that the weapon hits the enemy, so quickly that there is no time for the foe to parry or block.  There needs to be a realistic limitation on how fast the character can turn.  Right now, however fast you can spin the mouse, the character can turn.  A real human can only turn so many degrees per second.

I dread seeing Mount & Blade go down the Rune route, with players jumping and spinning around all the time, hitting you with a blow which would never have scratched you in a real sword fight, before you ever had time to do anything for hitting them first with the same impossible move.  In Mount & Blade, it generally does not work against a heavily-armoured opponent, but a lightly-armoured one is highly susceptible to this.  It is not right.

[Zaro]

Multiplayer might be good fun, but it means the team will neglect the world map. It also means we're going to get more fps "pwn" types. Dark days ahead.

The expansion will also improve the world map AI and add new diplomatic options.

It's very easy to improve in those areas, and we have no idea to what extent they may be improved. My statement still stands, as time spent implenting multiplayer is time not spent improving single player.

*slaps Zaro*

What's wrong with you?! *appalled face*

Multiplayer M&B is like foreplay, entrees, tennis against a brick wall etc. It's good, but it's not the meat of it, at least not for me. My idea of fun is leading a challenging campaign against a dangerous foe, not having jumping headshot fps idiots running around shouting "pwnd".

[SootShade]

Although the thing that interests me most is new strategic AI

Yep, that's for me too.

But still... M&B multiplayer... I really want to try if I can handle players as easily as enemies in current M&B with my bow. Well, of course I can't... I probably get killed before I can shoot once.

*slaps Zaro*

What's wrong with you?! *appalled face*

Multiplayer M&B is like foreplay, entrees, tennis against a brick wall etc. It's good, but it's not the meat of it, at least not for me. My idea of fun is leading a challenging campaign against a dangerous foe, not having jumping headshot fps idiots running around shouting "pwnd".

Too true...

[Benny Moore]

Multiplayer M&B is like foreplay, entrees, tennis against a brick wall etc. It's good, but it's not the meat of it, at least not for me. My idea of fun is leading a challenging campaign against a dangerous foe, not having jumping headshot fps idiots running around shouting "pwnd".

Well, good for you.  As for me, since the moment I laid hands on Mount & Blade, I have fervently wished for the ability to spar with my friends.  The gaming world has never before allowed me to do so in a reasonably realistic manner, and I have desired it greatly for many years.

[Weren]

And you would have to do the Hitler salute before connecting, and wear a swastika armband while you play.  That's a great idea

Sounds reasonable

[bravesirknight]

Oh God this could keep me playing for years like I did with games like BF1942 and Tribes. It definitely needs full siege equipment mode though, and maybe some kind of persistent campaign fighting for the server option.

[Zaro]

Multiplayer M&B is like foreplay, entrees, tennis against a brick wall etc. It's good, but it's not the meat of it, at least not for me. My idea of fun is leading a challenging campaign against a dangerous foe, not having jumping headshot fps idiots running around shouting "pwnd".

Well, good for you.  As for me, since the moment I laid hands on Mount & Blade, I have fervently wished for the ability to spar with my friends.  The gaming world has never before allowed me to do so in a reasonably realistic manner, and I have desired it greatly for many years.

Multiplayer battles would be fun if they played out the way I wanted, but it's doubtful that they would. I suppose there would be a group of people who would want to play battles in a more realistic manner.