What are your thoughts on this? I see 3 paths that Taleworlds could take here given the current MP situation. I created the poll options under the assumption that we are all in agreement that the multiplayer is in a dire state and at a critical crossroads in development. If you think multiplayer is *chefs kiss* as is, I am not legally able to stop you from queuing for skirmish with the 5 other people who agree with you.
Option 1: Stay the course. Continue to create multiplayer content at the pace they are currently at. Multiplayer *eventually* receives Duel and Battle mode, but with the current class system. The multiplayer playerbase slightly increases on 1.0 launch to see whats new but steadily declines again back to current levels once they see the same class system and gear hierarchy is present.
Option 2: Cut their losses. Recognize that the playerbase is closer to being nonexistent that it is healthy. Start native MP essentially from scratch and rerelease it with a friendlier Server Browser, new Class System, and conceptually better gamemodes and maps for said gamemodes. The playerbase temporarily explodes for multiplayers 2.0 rerelease and will either stay healthy or decline again depending on how good of a job Taleworlds does.
Option 3: Assign a skeleton crew to the current MP. Let that small MP team continue to implement duel, spectator, voice chat, and other "framework" multiplayer mechanics. Meanwhile, a larger team begins working on a multiplayer themed expansion to the main game. The expansion would (SHOULD) directly address players main problems with the class system, gear balance and core mechanics. Most importantly, the expansion will provide a framework for many of the multiplayer mods people are hoping to see. The expansion including a functional custom server browser and a map maker that allows mappers to show assets and custom textures on multiplayer servers (something we fear may not be possible yet with the current map editor and how porting scenes works) will allow the multiplayer community to actually gain some traction and form the baseline for future growth.
I partially suspect that Taleworlds is beginning the early development of option 3. The absurdly slow production of new multiplayer content relative to singleplayer, along with the game breaking and under normal circumstances unacceptable bugs (sound of doom in multiple otherwise very small patches, screen flickering, floating t-posed dismounted horseman) would suggest that not only is the current multiplayer team very small, lacking even basic QA testing, and simply doesnt have the manpower required to keep up with what the higher ups are demanding of them.
There is also the 4th option where Taleworlds has just decided that they do not care at all about multiplayer, and the same skeleton crew from option 3 is present, not because of an expansion, but because of a lack of interest in further developing the module. If this is the case, and Taleworlds really has thrown in the towel on meaningfully developing the module, the Taleworlds needs to release custom server files and the proper mod tools *yesterday* so that people can get to work on the projects we want to develop. If they elect not to do this, then the fate of Bannerlord multiplayer is no longer our problem.
Option 1: Stay the course. Continue to create multiplayer content at the pace they are currently at. Multiplayer *eventually* receives Duel and Battle mode, but with the current class system. The multiplayer playerbase slightly increases on 1.0 launch to see whats new but steadily declines again back to current levels once they see the same class system and gear hierarchy is present.
Option 2: Cut their losses. Recognize that the playerbase is closer to being nonexistent that it is healthy. Start native MP essentially from scratch and rerelease it with a friendlier Server Browser, new Class System, and conceptually better gamemodes and maps for said gamemodes. The playerbase temporarily explodes for multiplayers 2.0 rerelease and will either stay healthy or decline again depending on how good of a job Taleworlds does.
Option 3: Assign a skeleton crew to the current MP. Let that small MP team continue to implement duel, spectator, voice chat, and other "framework" multiplayer mechanics. Meanwhile, a larger team begins working on a multiplayer themed expansion to the main game. The expansion would (SHOULD) directly address players main problems with the class system, gear balance and core mechanics. Most importantly, the expansion will provide a framework for many of the multiplayer mods people are hoping to see. The expansion including a functional custom server browser and a map maker that allows mappers to show assets and custom textures on multiplayer servers (something we fear may not be possible yet with the current map editor and how porting scenes works) will allow the multiplayer community to actually gain some traction and form the baseline for future growth.
I partially suspect that Taleworlds is beginning the early development of option 3. The absurdly slow production of new multiplayer content relative to singleplayer, along with the game breaking and under normal circumstances unacceptable bugs (sound of doom in multiple otherwise very small patches, screen flickering, floating t-posed dismounted horseman) would suggest that not only is the current multiplayer team very small, lacking even basic QA testing, and simply doesnt have the manpower required to keep up with what the higher ups are demanding of them.
There is also the 4th option where Taleworlds has just decided that they do not care at all about multiplayer, and the same skeleton crew from option 3 is present, not because of an expansion, but because of a lack of interest in further developing the module. If this is the case, and Taleworlds really has thrown in the towel on meaningfully developing the module, the Taleworlds needs to release custom server files and the proper mod tools *yesterday* so that people can get to work on the projects we want to develop. If they elect not to do this, then the fate of Bannerlord multiplayer is no longer our problem.
