[B] Blood and Steel 1.05

[xenoargh]

@Rainbow Crayfish:  no, it's not compatible with "Polished Landscapes"... but it has custom flora and stuff that makes it look a lot different than Native.  It's hard to explain without seeing it- basically, grass is grassier, all the ground cover has more variety, there are custom trees and custom rocks and custom ground textures.  It keeps the Native look but it's fleshed out more, basically.  Hard to explain until you've played it, screenshots don't really convey how it feels, unless you put them next to Native.

@Von Strauss:  I'll do the Peasant revolutionary sneak thing for the next build, that's an easy one. 

I'll think about the whole "raise rebellion" idea.  There are various ways to go about that, but I'm pretty much against any way of doing so that doesn't involve the player having to besiege locations and actually fight it out with the Lords.  This isn't a mod where you're supposed to be able to win without fighting, and that kind of change could lead to serious loopholes.

So I'll think about that one for awhile, see if there's a way to do it that isn't easy and isn't necessarily faster than raising an army and doing it by force.

Pike bracing is one of the many things long-term players of Mount and Blade have requested since early betas.  From everything I've read, nobody's been able to design an adequate solution for that.  So... eh, I'll look at the issue, but don't hold your breath.

 

[xenoargh]

Here's a taste of some of the semi-random Plains battlefields that will be in 1.06

Spoiler

 

[Crossbow Joe]

thats awesome, can't wait. How many scenes have you made approximately?

 

[XD-Repta]

When i open the game it says Unable to open CommonRes\Warhorse_new.brf I'm running warband 1.126, do i need to go to 1.127 for the mod to work?

 

[Nasferatu]

still cant use some two handed weapons on horseback :/

shorthalberd for example

 

[Kingicev]

Hey just got finished getting this looks good but have an issue, says Unable to open file:CommonRes\fur_armors_a.brf can anyone help?

 

[richiexu]

lances in arena still not working, can only do couch dmg...
i get crashed out of the game sometimes after a battle saying post FX error

 

[Damn]

This mod is becoming shiny  congrats!

But I have some more things to mention:

* Nords need a little bit more love before entering mature life - I reconed that elite nord infantry has some type of mail as armor, which is, IMO, not protective enough compared to Rhodoks, Swadia, Vaegis. What about banded armor? Smth over mail?
* Never played as vaegir since 1.04, but back then it was impossible to recruit horsemen from villages. I played for about 120 days and never was offered to hire cavalry. Is this fixed?
* Bolts do not dispaly as in-game objects. Is it because it's impossible to separate xbow ammo from firearms ammo?

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6990/bolts.jpg

* This cloud/smoke effect after bolt hits smth... It feels strange, but understandable for firearms, not for xbow. Can't separate for same reason?

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6647/smokev.jpg

 

[mikeybimley]

When i open the game it says Unable to open CommonRes\Warhorse_new.brf I'm running warband 1.126, do i need to go to 1.127 for the mod to work?

You MUST have version 1.127 for the mod to actually work.
-------------
For all those having those unable to open problems,
1) Make sure you have version 1.127
2) A guide for installing Warband mods - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guP_SJiqY-o
3) When you open the installer and it has the path where it will install everything to, make sure it says (for steam users, IDK about non-steam users) C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\mountblade warband\Modules\Blood and Steel 1.05
(I just clicked next when it had the path cause I thought it would use the same path I said earlier in a before installer, but it didn't so I had to change it.)

If these steps don't work, then I have no idea on how to fix this problem for you. Sorry, but you need to wait for Xen.

 

[xenoargh]

I reconed that elite nord infantry has some type of mail as armor, which is, IMO, not protective enough compared to Rhodoks, Swadia, Vaegis.

They're also cheaper, so you can hire more of them, and they get some fantastic unique units, and I've already buffed the Huscarls and Valkyries.  I'll look at that, but they wouldn't feel Nord if they wore plate, so I'll have to figure something else out, probably.

it was impossible to recruit horsemen from villages.

I'll take a look at that.

Bolts do not dispaly as in-game objects. Is it because it's impossible to separate xbow ammo from firearms ammo?

Yes.

This cloud/smoke effect after bolt hits smth... It feels strange, but understandable for firearms, not for xbow. Can't separate for same reason?

Yes.  Moreover, I think it's appropriate.  IRL, something moving that fast tends to kick up dust when it hits.  And it's really handy for knowing where the shots are falling.

Hey just got finished getting this looks good but have an issue, says Unable to open file:CommonRes\fur_armors_a.brf can anyone help?

Update Warband to 1.127.

till cant use some two handed weapons on horseback :/
shorthalberd for example

I'll look at that.

How many scenes have you made approximately?

I'm aiming for 30, but we'll see.  All of the Plains scenes are done now, still working on Steppe scenes, and after that, Forest.  Each scene is a lot of work- they're very custom, and have a lot of unique features.  Plus, I'm thinking of adding some special code for them, so that the tactical AI does some neat stuff.

Several notes from the Repository (hopefully will get read here by the OP):

Polearms like spears cause way more swinging than thrusting damage (?).

Yes.  That's mechanically realistic- polearms were meant to be swung, like axes, for the most part.

I started as an archer mercenary with 256 skill points (bow) and had to discover my char was not able to hit a target from a few steps distance- an experienced marksman should be more skilled.

Yes, that's how it works, but now that Taleworlds has changed bow mechanics again, I may change it again as well.

It's not possible to organize the inventory.

It auto-organizes whenever you need to sell things.  This was done to make it easier to sell lots of loot.

In battle scenes parties are diveded in defense and attack party. But whenever I've been attacked I found my party in the role of the attack party after changing to the battle scene. As an example, I had to lead 4 men in an attack against 19 defending men after being attacked by them- senseless

That's a bug in the very early WIP of the random battle scenes for Plains.  It will be fixed in the next version.

 

[Von Strauss]

Whenever I attack a forest army they always get in a line on the corner of the map. It gets very irritating having to go all the way there every battle. Another thing, the female fantasy armour is kind of a turn-off of this mod for some people. It may just be better to make it a sub-mod.

 

[xenoargh]

Whenever I attack a forest army they always get in a line on the corner of the map. It gets very irritating having to go all the way there every battle.

That's addressed in 1.06.  They'll charge eventually now, as will Lords.

Done with all of the stuff for Plains (final AI mesh work and various polish).  Steppe stuff is maybe half-done.  Still hoping to get it wrapped up by Thursday.

 

[richiexu]

i got crashed out so often after upgrading to 1.05...sigh...really like this mod~~hopefully 1.06 will address on this issue~

 

[xenoargh]

If you're having constant crashes, my guess is that you've been affected by whatever's going on with the engine. 

A lot of people have had stability problems since build 1.127, including me- I have seen crashes at the end of battles fairly frequently lately.  I have no doubt that Taleworlds is working very hard on these problems, trying to hunt down what's causing the issues, and given their past record, they'll get it fixed soon

In the meantime, try lowering the battle sizes, and if that doesn't work, the bug-report threads indicated that most people have been stable on DirectX 7 settings (which makes the game look pretty ugly, but it's better than crashes).

Also, this looks intriguing.  I'm going to try it out.

 

[Slickjack]

Warband 1.127
Blood & Steel 1.06

Very interesting mod you have here. I'm finding it a lot of fun to play.

1) I was very pleased to find the ability to invest in a business in towns. Any chance of making more than a single business in a town? How about investing in caravans? How about investing in Mill-like improvements for villages?

2) I have started my new kingdom without having ever pledged allegiance to anyone. I'm messing about taking Rodark sites and am the proud owner of Veluca as my sole city (so far). My city is being innundated by caravans and each time a caravan calls the city's population increases "due to a beneficial event" until now it contains some 20,000 people, about twice as many as any other city. Is this intended?

3) I have built Training Grounds in a castle, specifying upon construction that it be a Nord training ground. (I figured longbows were the way to defeat Rodark crossbows.) Now I have the chance to recruit troops but they turn up as Swadian! I'm fairly confident that was not either your intention or mine.

Please let me repeat that I am finding this a lot of fun to play and am extremely impressed with both the amount work required to make the mod in the first place and your devotion to keeping it up to date with the various patches. The 1.127 patch was released on 7/23 and your 1.06 version was available on 7/25. Very impressive, indeed!

-sj

 

[xenoargh]

How about investing in Mill-like improvements for villages?

I'm open to suggestions about ideas in this area.  One thing I've thought about is making it possible to build forts with small auto-patrols, so that late-game, the various raiders get thinned out a lot.  The problem with this idea is that I'd have to give it to the AI as well, and that could get tricky.

My city is being innundated by caravans and each time a caravan calls the city's population increases "due to a beneficial event" until now it contains some 20,000 people, about twice as many as any other city. Is this intended?

Technically, it's not a bug.  But it sounds like I need to revisit the increase level, though.  After the fixes I made to Caravan behaviors, it may be too much.  Then again, the cities grow like mad if you aren't fighting constantly, and that's more-or-less intended.

I have built Training Grounds in a castle, specifying upon construction that it be a Nord training ground. (I figured longbows were the way to defeat Rodark crossbows.) Now I have the chance to recruit troops but they turn up as Swadian! I'm fairly confident that was not either your intention or mine.

That is certainly a bug.  Sorry about that, I coded that at the last second, prolly screwed something basic up.  I'll take a look.

 

[mikeybimley]

I love this mod so much. But I need a tip....how do you kill the darned Vaegirs? I lose so many of my men... What weapons are the best for killing the Vaegirs?

And my friend said that the red cannon rounds for the weapons can kill people like in towns and inns. Like he said he could kill the tavern keeper or whatever, but they re-spawn if you just click 'enter tavern' again. Is this intended?

Edit: I am going to test it right now.

CONFIRMED. It does kill NPCs in no kill zones.

This mod deserves its own sub-forum already.

 

[xenoargh]

I need a tip....how do you kill the darned Vaegirs? I lose so many of my men...

OK, here are some tips.  This is a definite spoiler, though.

Spoiler

1.  The Vaegirs lack long-range weapons.  They are very vulnerable to Rhodoks and Swadians with heavy crossbows and firearms, and to the mercenary Arquebussiers.

2.  The Vaegirs are not better troops than Nord Beserkirs or Swadian Royal Knights, and are also pretty vulnerable to Swadian Mace-Men.

3.  The Sarranid swordsmen and Jezzailis are both able to take them on.

4.  Best practice is to thin them out with long-range weapons, then lead your heavy cavalry in a sweep to knock them down- move through them, don't stop, and then let your missile troops continue the slaughter.  Rhodok Condottieri are the best choice here, but Sword Sisters are pretty useful for this as well.  You obviously can't do this until you can afford a decent warhorse and mounted troops- don't try this with lighter cavalry, they'll slaughter you.

Basically, you want to avoid infantry crushes at all costs, vs. the Vaegirs.  They're slow, their archers suck, and their horsemen are weak.  Take full advantage of their weaknesses and the terrain.

 

[wonderwyrm]

ive been trying to invest in villages, but i dont see an option, do i need some sort of rep with them or what?

or can i only invest in towns?

 

[mikeybimley]

Only in towns.