Why don't any of the factions have unique mechanics?

[Ask]

What if every kingdom had a unique set of more expensive policies on top of the regular policies, they could go from boring ones like "your butter fiefs produce more butter" for Vlandia to more ridiculous end-game super policies like "executing prisoner lords gives 100 influence" for Battania or "you can marry with multiple ladies and have an harem" with the Aserai?

I suppose they'd have to be bound to each culture in order to define which policies a player made kingdom would have, and it would be amazing

 

[Antaeus]

Every aspect of the game could be fleshed out, but in most cases there are specialist games that do each aspect better. There are better diplomacy simulators, better strategic simulators, better trade simulators etc. But Bannerlord seeks to have a plausible amount of each aspect - enough to make something unique, but broad.

So in that context, we could have more unique factions. Even different animations for troops that might represent local martial styles and techniques - and it wouldn't be that difficult to include in game. But like all other 'in-depth' features, it is a question of whether it is necessary to have them for the game to be plausible enough.

The unfortunate side effect of this jack-of-all trades approach to the game, is that most people want more depth in some area or another - because we all play other games that specialise. I play Total War games... and they are far better at the tactical battle space. But they are terrible at capturing close in FPS action. I play Civilisation, which is great at allowing you strategic freedom to grow your empire. But it doesn't even try to simulate combat. Building a game like this is about managing where you focus.

Thankfully we have a modable game, because that allows us to each push the game towards our own favoured in-depth features. This is where I put increased uniqueness. Modders can add more-unique animations for style, more-unique weapon and armour fitouts, more-unique lore and unique traits. I'd rather the devs focus on the overarching gameplay than get caught chasing everyone's individual in-depth desire.

 

[TengriBless]

The issue of faction balance is completely unrelated to the player. The issue was that for a very long time the campaign progress without the interference of the player was very unfun. Namely, in most cases certain factions would fold extremely quickly, while others would snowball out of control. When you want to play as Vlandia, it becomes rather unfun when half the map is controlled by Khuzaits and they steamroll over everyone. Even if you and your faction stand fast, it is boring when everyone else folds and all you get to fight is endless hordes of horse archers.

So the idea of balancing factions itself is without any doubt a good one, and it is absolutely necessary for the good health of the campaign.

That's not it. I mentioned in the post you replied to that "balancing" too often comes at the cost of depth, not because it has to, but because it's the more effortless shortcut, and TW are lazy. The case of Bannerlord is one of it taking priority over actual depth, and in doing so inhibiting the inclusion of further suggested improvements. I was going to elaborate on this but didn't because the universe is inherently meaningless, life is suffering and attempts at enlightening an internet forum are ultimately futile. I'm not going to recite the list of games that have factions / classes of varying strength without any one snowballing over others in ten minutes of play time all the while keeping them unique, interesting and viable, but trust me it's a long one, and the reasons Bannerlord is not on it are many and won't be truly solved with once-over-lightly adjustments to arbitrary numbers but with meaningful additions and improvements that address the issues at the root and stem of the system.

Now that they more or less attained it, it is time for them to go the extra mile and retain it while making the factions unique, which, if they undertake it, will not be a simple effort.

So again, their strategy of "balancing" the campaign depends on factions playing essentially the same except for very marginal differences like geography and terrain that otherwise wouldn't have mattered tangibly in the current state and the obvious one of course being the battles; when so much of the weight of decisiveness is put on this single feature that couldn't conceivably handle it without jettisoning any semblance of variety and uniquity, you get the sort of uninspired, lazy and worst of all deathly boring gameplay, for which TW demands 40-50 whichever Western currency you use, the shameless gits..

The unfortunate side effect of this jack-of-all trades approach to the game, is that most people want more depth in some area or another - because we all play other games that specialise.

It's not nearly as implausible for enough depth to be implemented in the relevant areas to somewhat satisfy just about every discontent player without abandoning the M&B spirit. It was never a discussion of ability anyhow, it's not like the game would change genres just to cater to the fans of mods, since there's everything for anyone attracted to the core principles of the game to appreciate in the game becoming more and better of what it is. Unless I guess that game was a fAsT pAcEd aCtIoN rPg or something.

 

[Warlord123123]

Stop hounding the devs. It’s early access. Give them a break. If you don’t like it, go make your own game. How dare you come on THEIR forum and call THEIR game ****?

This has to be sarcasm. Nobody is that much of a fanboy, like nobody.

 

[Askorti]

snip

What good are unique factions if they get wiped off the face of the map in a couple decades from the start of the campaign?
They decided it is more important to first ensure that factions are actually viable on their own. Lets be real, we all know that TW's pace of change is glacial. Expecting them to make factions both unique and balanced at the same time is beyond foolish and unrealistic. And making them unique first, and balanced later, would be pointless for the reason I mentioned at the beginning.

This is why In my opinion they did the right thing in making them balanced first. On the condition that they intend to actually make them unique as well at some point...

And no, the factions being balanced was not predicated on them being generic. They were generic to begin with, so obviously they only needed to balance them in the already existing state, unless they wanted to do both(balance plus added uniqueness) at once, which I already covered. For TW that's just unrealistic.

 

[Roy1012]

This has to be sarcasm. Nobody is that much of a fanboy, like nobody.

https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/bannerlord-was-a-grift.443728/page-49

Here's 94 pages of it.

 

[Warlord123123]

https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/bannerlord-was-a-grift.443728/page-49

Here's 94 pages of it.

Ah, that guy. Yea, I've seen him around, he's the golden defender of mediocrity.

 

[mujadaddy]

https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/bannerlord-was-a-grift.443728/page-49

Here's 94 pages of it.

Lol stay mad