So, how could the main quest be salvaged?

[Ironking]

I could be wrong but wasn't there confirmation a while ago that they are planning to include a "sandbox" start for the game when its finished which starts the game without the main quest?

 

[Timmortal]

I could be wrong but wasn't there confirmation a while ago that they are planning to include a "sandbox" start for the game when its finished which starts the game without the main quest?

Im not sure its been confirmed, but i think there was a sentence somewhere that at lauch there would be a sandbox mode.

 

[Anushtegin]

• option to start without family
• option to start without already beign in a clan and the ability to join another clan through marriage
• the banner story is just awful and unsalvageable

 

[black_bulldog]

I'll have to agree here, Viking Conquest really spoiled me as a good example of a well made mainquest meshed in a sandbox game, it feels real and gives you enough reasons to travel around and make a name/fortune and rise an army for yourself, the companions you get along the storyline are also one of the parts of it.

bannerlord goes like we were moving towns with your family for...reasons, slavers attack kill your dad and mommy and kidnap your younger siblings, from there you quickly forge a fake family name for yourself and become a kingmaker either supporting or destroying the empire as the legendary "bannerlord", it jumps too much too quickly to feel real or give you enough reasons to really care, atleast you can get your siblings back and that is the best part of the quest for now that i hope will be expanded with more dialogue atleast, Varic and Alda don't even know who you are the first time you speak with them lol

I felt like VC main quest was good for a play through or 2 but I didn't really want to do it after that because even though it had plenty of branching paths I just didn't want to go do it all over again.

 

[HugoTheFrenchMan]

I felt like VC main quest was good for a play through or 2 but I didn't really want to do it after that because even though it had plenty of branching paths I just didn't want to go do it all over again.

Same for me it was fun the first 2 times and despite how branching it was by the point where you got there it was just plain boring and i just didnt wanna do it again i also never realy did VC sandbox i only did the story twice and tyen sandbox just felt boring due to how weird it is going from the high stakes of engame VC story to warband with ships and differrnt units like yeah thats a lot and a lot of other things but after the story it wasnt fun and even starting sandbox i never really had fun in sandbox VC thats just my opinion though

 

[Timmortal]

I felt like VC main quest was good for a play through or 2 but I didn't really want to do it after that because even though it had plenty of branching paths I just didn't want to go do it all over again.

I tired on the quest fast because i had to redo the first hours of it several times because of how broken it was the first 6 months, but i dont mind VC or Bannerlord having a quest, so long as theres a sandbox mode, it adds to the game.

 

[black_bulldog]

I tired on the quest fast because i had to redo the first hours of it several times because of how broken it was the first 6 months, but i dont mind VC or Bannerlord having a quest, so long as theres a sandbox mode, it adds to the game.

Agreed I had about 150 hours in VC and about 1k in unmodded WB.

 

[vonbalt]

I felt like VC main quest was good for a play through or 2 but I didn't really want to do it after that because even though it had plenty of branching paths I just didn't want to go do it all over again.

All mainquests suffer from this, if they are good you play once or twice and forget about it in new playthroughs (just like i have some 5000 hours in skyrim but only finished the mainquest some 2 or 3 times), a sandbox mode in needed for people that don't want any sort of mainquest or are tired of it.

another reason it would be better if they focused on more side quests, companions and lore bits that aren't tied to the mainquest.

 

[Timmortal]

All mainquests suffer from this, if they are good you play once or twice and forget about it in new playthroughs (just like i have some 5000 hours in skyrim but only finished the mainquest some 2 or 3 times), a sandbox mode in needed for people that don't want any sort of mainquest or are tired of it.

another reason it would be better if they focused on more side quests, companions and lore bits that aren't tied to the mainquest.

Making a main quest often make them make innovations for the regular quest system though. So it could be a benefit if it leads to better quests.

 

[livingcornelius]

Personally I think the concept of a main quest in a game that is famous for its emergent gameplay is kinda pointless but **** it, we've got it, might as well do something with it. It's my view that the main quest should be:

1: Primarily a tutorial for people who are absolutely brand new to M&B- introducing them to concepts like recruiting, finance, combat etc via the questline. The main quest tries to do this right now but it's kind of vague and doesn't give much solid direction besides "go talk to these random dudes about a battle that happened like 30 years ago." and boom woah look at that dude holy christ now I have the dragon what huh who what where why??

2: A vehicle for lore, perhaps? One of the things I liked about M&B is that even though it's well grounded with no magic: it's still fantasy. The main quest is a perfect way to give the fantasy LARPers like myself some neat tidbits of info- perhaps, you have to convince religious folks of your Heaven sent nature due to your possession of the dragon banner, IDK, something. Some information about previous emperors, the kind of person Arenicos was, some tidbits about the history of the various factions etc etc. It could be an interesting way to get people invested in the world if the emergent gameplay doesn't entirely hit the spot for them.

 

[llib]

Not really once you choose to skip the tutorial you miss out on part of the story. Then once you get your clan built up you get forced into aiding the bandit leader in rescuing your family. After that you still have to deal with the banner thing and always have a quest marker on your brother who goes back to the town you completed the build your clan objectives, you have family now too with a younger sister and brother to deal with on top of your other brother. Its annoying you can't escape it. Ignoring it won't work in the end. In Warband you just choose not to help the merchant. That's it, now its time to go do whatever. No more forced main story type of junk.

>Not really once you choose to skip the tutorial you miss out on part of the story.
If you complain the story is there, then you should not complain you can miss on it.
>Then once you get your clan built up you get forced into aiding the bandit leader in rescuing your family.
Forced, really? You can leave that bandit nest untouched forever and ever.
>After that you still have to deal with the banner thing
No you don't have to.
>and always have a quest marker on your brother who goes back to the town you completed the build your clan objectives,
I noticed there is dialogue option to brother but last time I tried was just "have you thought about... " and not sure what that's about anymore. But it does not really interfere with anything.
> you have family now too with a younger sister and brother to deal with on top of your other brother.
Which is free very decent party leader that does not take from companions slot, and two nearly mature additional family members that you can start have practiced in combat. And you are complaining about getting that practically for free? Why?
> Its annoying you can't escape it. Ignoring it won't work in the end.
Whaat? Allright, so basically I guess for you complete solution would be to have option to abandon quest and you would be happy. Right?

 

[Maneuverer]

The crazy goose chase to talk to all the lords is handy for new players to explore different parts of the world. If that wouldnt be in, most players would stay in the kingdom they spawn in.

So the idea is good, but the execution is boring as hell. Its just a goose chase.

If every lord had a quest related to its kingdom, culture and with a link to the main storyline. And you had to first complete that quest in order for him to spill the beans and point you to the next person you'd need, then it'd contribute something to the story.

But maybe that'd be too much for a sandbox experience.

I believe this is the only way to salvage the quest.
Yes, That'd mean 6 different story lines (they could possibly lead to a single end/shared quests) would have to be made for each faction but why not? That would be a great way to give initiative to explore the lore and multiple playthroughs. Something other to do then joining faction and their warfare or making your own faciton.

I am sure the devs realize the situation and state the quest is currently. The only questions is how they handle it if they handle it.