A Discussion About What CAN Actually be Done with Villages

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stevepine

Sergeant Knight at Arms
@mexxico, because you said in a different thread that you (please yes) will work on this .... and we can discuss it in the forum .. I thought we should do exactly that: discuss it in the forum, like you suggested.

(If you think this thread isn't helpful in any way - just say - and we can have it deleted)

Mexxico : "I will try to make a proper design something like increasing number of projects especially new projects effecting bounded villages (ie. saving them to be raided consequently) - it should be easy to implement to get approved - for making things better for villages / castles and go with that suggestion. We can discuss it in forum too. Then we will see what will be happened."

Now we know that the old design with villages having several slots ( that you told us about ) is not going to happen / can't happen now.

So here the question is : what CAN be done now for villages in Bannerlord?

@mexxico, I know we would all love to hear any ideas you have.

Please everyone let's try and keep it as constructive and positive as possible - We all know Mexxico is on our side and he is more than your average programmer / scripter.
 
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I will repost what I wrote in another thread:

I think gaining a fief should be a much more signifikant event in a BL playthrough, and the game should communicate that better.

Right now it is an uneventful event, if thats possible. It's just not that significant.

The fief upgrades should be meaningful and offer significant effects (improvements , maybe disadvantages depending of balance). They should make the player care for the fief and what happens to it. If some AI lord comes and raids the fief, that should make a good intrinsic reason to search them and make them pay. Maybe put even an extrinsic reason to it - autogenerate a quest every time a player fief is raided: Lord A has raided your fief, get revenge!
It could work to other way, too - if the player raids an enemy fief, they will paint a target on their back fo the enemy lord.

This would lead nicely into the larger political landscape, when the player owns more fiefs, has a few parties in their clan. Make the fiefs the base of the players income - via nurturing them or oppressing them - make them their economic lifeline. And then make them have issues to resolve, with consequences, some based on the upgrades you built. And then let the player deal with them, or send someone else to do it (make them feel they are powerful, they are in control, take can make others to solve those problems). This could be made mostly via menus - even though I would like visual development in scenes, that train seems to have left and gone.

There are already foundations for something like this implemented - there are quests issued by notables in fiefs, there is a messaging system in place, there is a system to choose policies which have consequences.
What is missing is

- make owning a fief important game-wise (important source of revenue, raise the social status of the player if the fief is managed well)
- Make it feel important, present it to the player attractively, make them feel the positive and negative consequences
- tie it togehter with the other campaign systems, the clan system, the ploitical system, the social- and relations system.

I will quote a response from another thread, as I feel it fits the questions discussed in this thread here very well. Please excuse me if this against the forum's etiquette.
 
To play devils advocate I always hated the border gore you got in warband when fief villages were handed out seperate to castles; I am glad they are held together. Sure a little more interactivity with the village scene; and maybe some 'village' projects might be nice. But I am kind of glad they operate as a single entity now with the castle/town.
 
mexxico said that the upgrading villages to castles, etc. was scrapped. This implies that they are not really interested in any ideas that are too drastic or anything that might take a lot of time to make/implement.
That being said, I think the best way to make villages matter is to work with what is already in place or relatively easy to add. IE:
- (Already posted in another thread) Having option to order villagers to retreat to stronghold. Would stop all taxes, drain food from the keep(like garrison), while making the village unraidable. Hearths would not be damaged, but would not increase.
- Change production of village? Land might be suited to produce multiple commodities, like plains could be default grain, but option would be available to change to horses, cows, hogs. I don't know if it's possible, it seems like they are hard coding what villages produce, but just an idea.
- Ability to make adjustments in tax rate for a village. Lower taxes for increase in recruitable troop replenishment rate. Higher taxes = less available troops plus a hearth penalty.

Just some ideas.
 
I have to say that I also like the fact about villages being binded to castles and towns. I do not like much the idea about making them like in Warband. I am maybe one of the few players who think on this way but I do not like the idea about independent villages.

On the other hand, I would love to have more control about making more prosperous my villages, and not just defend them to be raided. I would love to have access to projects which would improve villages and some quests which directly impact villages prosperity.
 
To play devils advocate I always hated the border gore you got in warband when fief villages were handed out seperate to castles; I am glad they are held together. Sure a little more interactivity with the village scene; and maybe some 'village' projects might be nice. But I am kind of glad they operate as a single entity now with the castle/town.

Look, we have a developer here who has influence within TaleWorlds saying he will work to improve the way villages are managed and give it both more depth and make it more meaningful.

I usually wouldn't say this, but considering the context, this is not the place for 'Devils Advocate' arguments. To use an English idiom "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth".
 
I have to say that I also like the fact about villages being binded to castles and towns. I do not like much the idea about making them like in Warband. I am maybe one of the few players who think on this way but I do not like the idea about independent villages.

On the other hand, I would love to have more control about making more prosperous my villages, and not just defend them to be raided. I would love to have access to projects which would improve villages and some quests which directly impact villages prosperity.

It's not about making them exactly like Warband. This is a place for ideas and positivity about what could be done with villages for the future.

It's about adding more interaction with villages. Right now they are a shallow part of the game and here we have a developer being open-minded about actually changing this - to give villages more reason to exist and increasing our motivation to interact with them.
 
It's not about making them exactly like Warband. This is a place for ideas and positivity about what could be done with villages.

It's about adding more interaction with villages. Right now they are a shallow part of the game and here we have a developer being open-minded about actually changing that - to give villages more reason to exist and increasing our motivation to interact with them.

Yes, sure, do not think that I find villages perfect as they are now. My suggestions:

- Add some projects focused on villages. Should these projects be adquiered from Towns/Castles or directly from Villages? I personally do not care about it, but there are people who probably prefer the feeling of getting these projects directly from villages.
- Villages issues... Have these issues any impact for castles’ villages? I can see these issues being a problem for towns, but I have the feeling that does not happen anything if you ignore issues in Castles’ villages. Would be great if resolving villages issues would have more impact than just remove a -X prosperity in Towns.
- Quests like training we have in Warband related to train villages’ milita or deal with villages infested with bandits would be pretty welcome.
 
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Let me underline the most important thing. I will go with a proper suggestion but this suggestion should be easy to implement (like adding new projects to castles which effects villages) and it should not damage existing mechanics. I see some ideas in forum which suggesting changing basics of game. What I know these kind of ideas have no chance. I will read all your ideas and join discussion when I find time. Somedays I cannot find time to write in forum. In a day I try to watch streams 2-3 hours (Italian Spartacus, lionheartx10 and even a Russian guy's (DreadzTv) stream at twitch to see where players suffer) and 7-8 hours development so not much time remains.

Seperate village design had also its problems too it was not a perfect design but we did not tried to correct it or discuss it, suddenly it changed 4 years ago. Now we all know what we have in our hands. We can make it better with small additions.
 
Let me underline the most important thing. I will go with a proper suggestion but this suggestion should be easy to implement (like adding new projects to castles which effects villages) and it should not damage existing mechanics. I see some ideas in forum which suggesting changing basics of game. What I know these kind of ideas have no chance. I will read all your ideas and join discussion when I find time. Somedays I cannot find time to write in forum. In a day I try to watch streams 2-3 hours (Italian Spartacus, lionheartx10 and even a Russian guy's (DreadzTv) stream at twitch to see where players suffer) and 7-8 hours development so not much time remains.

Seperate village design had also its problems too it was not a perfect design but we did not tried to correct it or discuss it, suddenly it changed 4 years ago. Now we all know what we have in our hands. We can make it better with small additions.

That's cool man. I understand....... and I think most people here understand too.

Small changes can make all the difference with a game though. So a few small changes could really help to make the Bannerlord feel like the game we all hoped for.

Let me underline the most important thing. I will go with a proper suggestion but this suggestion should be easy to implement (like adding new projects to castles which effects villages) and it should not damage existing mechanics. I see some ideas in forum which suggesting changing basics of game. What I know these kind of ideas have no chance. I will read all your ideas and join discussion when I find time. Somedays I cannot find time to write in forum. In a day I try to watch streams 2-3 hours (Italian Spartacus, lionheartx10 and even a Russian guy's (DreadzTv) stream at twitch to see where players suffer) and 7-8 hours development so not much time remains.

Seperate village design had also its problems too it was not a perfect design but we did not tried to correct it or discuss it, suddenly it changed 4 years ago. Now we all know what we have in our hands. We can make it better with small additions.

Would love to hear your thoughts about which small changes could realistically work:

Hmm...adding new (village focused) projects to castles sounds like a really good first idea. (y)
 
Let me underline the most important thing. I will go with a proper suggestion but this suggestion should be easy to implement (like adding new projects to castles which effects villages) and it should not damage existing mechanics.

Allow a player to:
  • Place companion as a landowner notable.
  • Spend influence and/or money to increase a notable's power.
 
This:
Allow a player to:
  • Place companion as a landowner notable.
  • Spend influence and/or money to increase a notable's power.
I love.
But I think that the influence part could be determined by a limit, like you shouldn't be let to spend a lot of influence and increase a notable's power for ever(could be the same with money actually).
As mexxico said there are many suggestions for villages and so on and I'd love to see some of them implemented,(for example adding a hunting aspect and making some villages depending on them for food) but said suggestions could impact other aspects of the game thus bringing new issues and bugs..
Kind of a risky move really
 
But I think that the influence part could be determined by a limit, like you shouldn't be let to spend a lot of influence and increase a notable's power for ever(could be the same with money actually).

I was thinking it would be a constant burning of your daily influence, rather than pulling from your existing stockpile.
 
I was thinking it would be a constant burning of your daily influence, rather than pulling from your existing stockpile.
Oooh, that's actually way better tbh, and I can't see how it would break anything else..Hm... Maybe wait and see what mexxico thinks of the appointing a companion part as that may be the risky move, not adding said burn of the influence
 
- Separate village upgrading, like school and such
Warband flashback intensifies.
Damn those projects in WB were really money consuming(to me the economy in WB always seemed harsh, i wasn't the best economist). Not to mention the amount of days it took them to be build without good 'ol Artimenner
 
@mexxico, because you said in a different thread that you (please yes) will work on this .... and we can discuss it in the forum .. I thought we should do exactly that: discuss it in the forum, like you suggested.

(If you think this thread isn't helpful in any way - just say - and we can have it deleted)

Mexxico : "I will try to make a proper design something like increasing number of projects especially new projects effecting bounded villages (ie. saving them to be raided consequently) - it should be easy to implement to get approved - for making things better for villages / castles and go with that suggestion. We can discuss it in forum too. Then we will see what will be happened."

Now we know that the old design with villages having several slots ( that you told us about ) is not going to happen / can't happen now.

So here the question is : what CAN be done now for villages in Bannerlord?

@mexxico, I know we would all love to hear any ideas you have.

Please everyone let's try and keep it as constructive and positive as possible - We all know Mexxico is on our side and he is more than your average programmer / scripter.
warband had a simple system that castles and towns had, which was to build some projects (watch tower etc).
This in the least could be good. IE both continuous, and build projects that offer modifiers.

I think a granary could be really really good, that keeps food stocks, or can 'deliver' them to castles when they are out of food (or your own caravans / lords can pickup to keep food supplies of their party/towns in check) ... the projects should have to do with logistics so raiding villages has an overarching effect, but protecting them even more so for keeping a war machine). (of course balance has to be played with). This would allow small factions (with just parties) to bring big factions (with large armies) to a more level playing field. Think 'guerilla' tactics.

Also, of course a village project that allows it to recover quickly from raiding, but at the expense of income/production etc. would be a welcome one.

and maybe some sort of workshop type project (where they keep resources for you, for trade and maybe for your OWN CARAVANS to make extra profit...) I think looking at it in this light is a good start.

If it has to be done, the 1-3 villages could be included in the castle / town UI (and only have 1-2 possible options (max 4) to be chosen from - like continuous ones. Or it might require a UI that can manage all fiefs from (instead of having to visit - in fiefs tab i guess) -> this is probably best. And on this page, we have construction options, and continuous projects (more recruits, more production etc.)

Also, this could be a great one - TIE castle/town upgrades to village LEVELS (like castle/town have walls 1-3, make a 1-3 'size' village maybe? Something to do with hearth size, like cant upgrade past 400 prosperity without level 2, 600 without level 3), and this prosperity then allows the other castles/towns to upgrade. This should further, have the effect for troop tiers? It needs to be something where villages are equally important in a sense. So meeting the enemy on the field, keeping castles, breaking sieges / raids and not only going for towns is a major aspect... Currently, towns dominate (for influence, income...) ---- (these look like could break game... re : mexxico)

GJ OP.
PS: Willing to discuss these in PM or format and add into OP (@stevepine ), perhaps you can compile the best suggestions at the top and subdivide them by implementation.

Let me underline the most important thing. I will go with a proper suggestion but this suggestion should be easy to implement (like adding new projects to castles which effects villages) and it should not damage existing mechanics. I see some ideas in forum which suggesting changing basics of game. What I know these kind of ideas have no chance. I will read all your ideas and join discussion when I find time. Somedays I cannot find time to write in forum. In a day I try to watch streams 2-3 hours (Italian Spartacus, lionheartx10 and even a Russian guy's (DreadzTv) stream at twitch to see where players suffer) and 7-8 hours development so not much time remains.

Seperate village design had also its problems too it was not a perfect design but we did not tried to correct it or discuss it, suddenly it changed 4 years ago. Now we all know what we have in our hands. We can make it better with small additions.

I think if you have time to play it more (if you dont already..?), and watch slightly less, you can understand it from yet another perspective. I know when I watch and when I play, I see 2 different sets of problems - both are important.
 
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I don't even know what they were for, like, improve relations?
Well there was the mill that increased prosperity by like 5% but i don't know if it was only increasing when you built it or periodically. Then the school i think brought you relations, there was the manor(i think) which if you waited in the village i think you paid no army wages(not quite sure really)
Other than these 3 i can't remember
 
Forgive me if these are more invested than I would expect (I have 0 coding experience) but I have few small ideas.
1. A way to invest money into a village to recover faster after raiding or just for small prosperity/growth bonuses for a limited time. Something like: 5k for 10% hearth growth and tax revenue for 15 days. 10k for 30 days etc.
2. Simple special quests that are only available to the owner of said fief. Something like: Bandit Extortion from nearby bandit base, raid it for small temporary prosperity buff.
3. Ability to install companions as village warden or something with a small contingent of troops, maybe up to 20 or 30 max. While there they provide small boost to village security and fortify villager parties with stronger militia but damage food production. Letting them also slow down the raiding speed/ deter enemy lords so we can get back from the war on the other end of the map in time to help.
 
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