What do you think about Bannerlords atmosphere?

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

I am simply baffled by how well TaleWorlds managed to give the maps a realistic atmosphere. The snowy maps let you feel the cold harsh winter on your skin, almost letting you taste the snow on your toungue. On the rainy maps you smell the wet foliage, feel the rumbeling thunder in your bones, you feel the warm sandy wind in your face, when going through a desert map. I never seen a game which managed so well to capture the natures atmosphere!

That is at least my opinion. I want to ask, what you guys think about the games/maps atmosphere so far?
If you think there is still improvements to be made, feel free and write your suggestions down below.

 

[FlowDream]

Good,but can be better. I bet that some smoke、fog、dust、rain can make the world map more alive. See https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/world-map-still-looking-dated.374670/post-8929829 for more information.

 

[paladinx333]

The smell of the peasants toiling under the lash of their betters is almost unbearable.

 

[Memoefe]

Imo rain and snow effects are poorly done. I can hardly understand if its raining of snowing

 

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

Imo rain and snow effects are poorly done. I can hardly understand if its raining of snowing

You tried to change graphic options already?

 

[Gurkhal]

I find it buttery. And I would have it no other way.

 

[Memoefe]

You tried to change graphic options already?

Its all at highest

 

[Al_Mansur]

Atmosphere was the weakest point of Warband. You truly felt an empty 3D world. Bannerlord is a huge, huge improvement regarding this issue, it has a nice atmosphere that helps immersion a lot. Still, it could be better, I remember older games whose atmospheres were even more striking and really marking.

 

[Phalnax811]

I'm excited to walk around in peace in Single Player, checking out all the towns/villages/castles.

 

[Revverie]

I was in until you said realistic. I honestly dont care about that, the atmosphere in Bannerlord is perfect for me, seeing gameplays of players going into towns and castles, going through all the people with their beautiful clothes and into taverns with all the activity in there, it feels like a nice place to be, and that is what makes it immersive.

Still, it could be better, I remember older games whose atmospheres were even more striking and really marking.

Better in what? I feel like the atmosphere here is really marking

 

[World's Coolest Old Guy]

I almost said "can be better", but when you get down to it, any game's graphics can be better. Even RDR2 could be better than it is. So I rephrased the question of whether or not it can be better in my head: "Should it be remarkably better, all things considered?" I'd say no. What we have is beautiful without destroying the hardware running the game. It does a great job of grounding us in the atmosphere of Calradia and making us feel like we're actually populating a world. While things could always improve, I feel that what we have is worth a "beautiful and realistic" (or more precisely, "believable") vote.

Still, it could be better, I remember older games whose atmospheres were even more striking and really marking.

This is true, but ironically I feel that being less "memorable", if you will, is actually the strength of Bannerlord's scenes. For example, High Hrothgar is a memorable terrain feature from Skyrim, but it's deliberately designed in a fantastical way so as to immediately catch your eye. Mount Doom is another example of such a feature. That works really well for fantasy games, but when a game falls just short of these deliberately striking scenes, it lends itself to an environment more grounded in realism.

I think for a game like Bannerlord, where the premise is that you're just another human being and it's up to you to rise to legendary status, that element of the... dare I say "unremarkable" helps to sell that premise. Like Kingdom Come, it reminds you that this is a realistic world where the laws of nature and common sense apply to everyone, even the player.

 

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

Spoiler

I almost said "can be better", but when you get down to it, any game's graphics can be better. Even RDR2 could be better than it is. So I rephrased the question of whether or not it can be better in my head: "Should it be remarkably better, all things considered?" I'd say no. What we have is beautiful without destroying the hardware running the game. It does a great job of grounding us in the atmosphere of Calradia and making us feel like we're actually populating a world. While things could always improve, I feel that what we have is worth a "beautiful and realistic" (or more precisely, "believable") vote.




This is true, but ironically I feel that being less "memorable", if you will, is actually the strength of Bannerlord's scenes. For example, High Hrothgar is a memorable terrain feature from Skyrim, but it's deliberately designed in a fantastical way so as to immediately catch your eye. Mount Doom is another example of such a feature. That works really well for fantasy games, but when a game falls just short of these deliberately striking scenes, it lends itself to an environment more grounded in realism.

I think for a game like Bannerlord, where the premise is that you're just another human being and it's up to you to rise to legendary status, that element of the... dare I say "unremarkable" helps to sell that premise. Like Kingdom Come, it reminds you that this is a realistic world where the laws of nature and common sense apply to everyone, even the player.

beautifully said, I defenetaly agree with that!

 

[Al_Mansur]

Better in what? I feel like the atmosphere here is really marking

There is still a feeling of emptiness at times. Like if you stand in front of the sea, you don't hear it (waves, wind, etc.).

This is true, but ironically I feel that being less "memorable", if you will, is actually the strength of Bannerlord's scenes. For example, High Hrothgar is a memorable terrain feature from Skyrim, but it's deliberately designed in a fantastical way so as to immediately catch your eye. Mount Doom is another example of such a feature. That works really well for fantasy games, but when a game falls just short of these deliberately striking scenes, it lends itself to an environment more grounded in realism.

I think for a game like Bannerlord, where the premise is that you're just another human being and it's up to you to rise to legendary status, that element of the... dare I say "unremarkable" helps to sell that premise. Like Kingdom Come, it reminds you that this is a realistic world where the laws of nature and common sense apply to everyone, even the player.

I understand what you mean and I mostly agree, very memorable places are perhaps more suited to more fantasy and scripted games. Kingdom Come realistic atmosphere is better than the Bannerlord one though, Taleworlds could aim at something similar.

Back in the days, while Warband was the only game I had played for years, I was marked by Chivalry: Medieval Warfare atmosphere, which was different in each map. A subtle mix of sound and light effects resulting in a very memorable world. It made me realize how bland Warband atmosphere was. Then I got my hands on Dark Souls II with its incredible atmosphere, I couldn't believe that a videogame could be that charming. It just made me even more frustrated about Warband total lack of atmosphere.
I know it's a fantasy and totally different game, but I'd like such an atmosphere to be possible in Bannerlord at least via modding:


Now something I'm curious about is the Bannerlord atmosphere in the interiors (which was also fabulous in the two games I mentionned). In the SP videos we had these last years it seemed rather convincing, notably thanks to the echo of footsteps in huge castles. Echo is a very important thing regarding atmosphere btw, whatever outside or inside.

 

[Revverie]

Well, sound is another deal though, or one part of atmosphere at least. Having played Kingdom Come it wasnt that atmospheric in my opinion, everything looked like other games I've already played, even the interiors, I found it lacking or if not lacking, average. Seeing interiors in Bannerlord blows my mind, the lighting, the music, the characters chilling around, I dont know what to say

 

[Al_Mansur]

Sound is the most important part of atmosphere along with lightings to me. Also, I would make a difference between atmosphere and ambiance (animations, music, etc.) although both are related.

Speaking of sound, there is a problem with group sound in the game currently. When a lot of characters/players make the same sound (footsteps, gallops, warcries, etc.) it does often not sound good.
Also group sounds heard from far away (charge, battle..) aren't satisfying too. They are great in most Total War games, I think Taleworlds should get inspiration from them, it's very important regarding ambiance and atmosphere.

I look forward exploring Bannerlord interiors too.

 

[Kipsta]

I voted there is room for improvement due to one reason: Too many invisible walls. If there is one thing I hate in games it's invisible walls.

 

[FBohler]

I remember older games whose atmospheres were even more striking and really marking.

Technically every game you played to this date is older than Bannerlord

On topic, I think the atmosphere is very well done, looks great. The weather effects may be improved a bit, as already pointed out, the rain effect is a bit strange and could be tweaked to feel more rainy.

 

[Svarogorije]

Good,but can be better. I bet that some smoke、fog、dust、rain can make the world map more alive. See https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/world-map-still-looking-dated.374670/post-8929829 for more information.

This.

 

[AmateurHetman]

I’m really impressed. It’s beyond what I imagined Bannerlord would look like.