Bannerlord 2: Authentic African Face

[alieser]

OMG a dev commented on my thread, that's so cool. *Bows respectfully*

Thanks for taking notice of the thread and responding Alieser. I have full confidence that the facegen artist and everyone else contributing to the feature will be able to enhance customisation even further. Also wanna re-emphasize how much of an improvement this is from warband really, well done!

You are correct about hairstyles, let me refine what I meant. I would like some shorter (even shorter than the top image you shared) more 'compact' afro hairstyles' as well as a few *more* longer braid/cornrow types I recall there is currently 1 available but it would be nice for more variations to be added. The beard is nice, as my character ages I may switch to it.

Thanks again!

Oh I see what you mean, will note these down and pass it to the facegen artists.
Thanks for the feedback!

 

[stasiulek1]

Soo the character creator in EA will be the same like in beta? Nothing diffrent?

 

[rthrfrd]

I agree with you on this, it's not easy to create an African look, we've chatted with the facegen artist and will try to improve on this part.
However we already have short and long afro hair models:

im not in front of my computer right now, so take the following with a grain of salt.

I vaguely recall the two darker skitones looked a little blue in the editor lighting. I feel like there should be a little more red in there. Although maybe it only feels that way because there’s no subsurface scattering in the skin material, not sure.



one thing for sure though though, the palms of people’s hands are always going to be a light color. White people have light palms,and black people have light palms. It’s a minor detail, but it could help make the game’s black skin look a little more naturalistic.

Also nice work OP.

 

[alieser]

im not in front of my computer right now, so take the following with a grain of salt.

I vaguely recall the two darker skitones looked a little blue in the editor lighting. I feel like there should be a little more red in there. Although maybe it only feels that way because there’s no subsurface scattering in the skin material, not sure.



one thing for sure though though, the palms of people’s hands are always going to be a light color. White people have light palms,and black people have light palms. It’s a minor detail, but it could help make the game’s black skin look a little more naturalistic.

Also nice work OP.

Yeah we've noted this as well, darker skin tones are lacking some warm saturation which makes them appear a bit dull. Will be adressed hopefully in the future.
Also, the palm thing would also be a great improvement, thanks.

Soo the character creator in EA will be the same like in beta? Nothing diffrent?

I guess you'll see in two days

 

[LINY]

After seeing this thread, I wondered to myself where a type of character would fit in like that in Bannerlord, as in Warband I can barely recall any non Caucasian/asian type characters. With an expansive desert under Aserai control, hopefully we'll see some lords with similar features to the OP's pictures.

 

[Pinocchio]

That looks good man, accurate. If you want to share your character with others, just CTRL + C in character edit screen and paste it here. To apply it just copy the text and and CTRL + V in the edit screen. This way you can store different characters in notepad for future use.

just came accreoss your post... didnt know that and totally wanted to save faces! thx!


//Edit: just tried it, perfect!

 

[FlowingJade]

It would increase flexibility if one can use a slider for hair and bread length.

That's a reasonable suggestion

 

[World's Coolest Old Guy]

I reckon the reason they don't have many good options RE: hair is because there's no pseudo-African culture in Calradia. (Why, I don't know, there's plenty of interest from said cultures that would make for quite a unique faction ingame.) I guess they probably don't want new characters to generate with looks that don't align closely with the cultures in the game.

That said, I see two solutions to this (that don't involve mods, which will probably bring us more hairs down the road either way, I hope):

1. Use them anyway. Player choice should generally trump all else, if you ask me, particularly in a sandbox game that's all about your choices.

2. Give us some more curly hairs. We could use them anyway, I only remember seeing one off the top of my head in the videos I saw showing off creation. While not a perfect solution, they can do double duty by giving all the unapologetic gingers out there more curly hairs to use as well. (Not that every ginger has curly hair of course, but it's mighty common...) While they're at it, some more close-cropped cuts would achieve the same goal, as they're quite ethnicity-neutral, though I can see why they might want to keep those to a minimum. With Calradian tech, haircuts basically range from "close shave" to "I just let it grow and it does whatever".

Either way, I do think you did a fine job with what we have! Has that look that makes me think "I'd have you in my shield wall any day."

 

[FlowingJade]

After seeing this thread, I wondered to myself where a type of character would fit in like that in Bannerlord, as in Warband I can barely recall any non Caucasian/asian type characters. With an expansive desert under Aserai control, hopefully we'll see some lords with similar features to the OP's pictures.

Hear, hear! I feel like this type of character would naturally blend in with the Aserai. But you can make him fit anywhere else, all it takes is a good story...

My characters father worked for famous Aserai mercenary group. They accepted jobs from any noble who could afford it. One of his contracts led him to one of the villages on the outskirts of Lycaron in search of a very 'lucky' thief. He finished the job - prying the stolen item from the clenched fist of the young mans corpse. To celebrate a job well done, he seeks comfort in the local tavern. As he is served he catches the waitress stealing several glances before quickly scurrying off to the next customer. With mischief in mind he constantly asks for more food and refills, and during her every passing he would reveal just a tidbit more of his glorious tales of adventure and numerous brushes with death. His crass displays of his boulder like physique didn't hurt either. He continues to eye her as she whispers something to the owner before proceeding to approach him yet again, but this time without food nor ale. She moves within arm reach, maintaining eye contact with the floor, seemingly contemplating what to do next. Eventually she musters up the courage and request that they move somewhere a little more.. private so he could tell her more his adventures uninterrupted. The night was long, and full of pleasures. When she opened her eyes the next morning, she was alone, he left as quickly as he came into her heart, leaving behind a son he never knew he had...

That's how I am explaining my African looking dude starting as a peasant of the empire. ?


PS: But in all seriousness creating a backstory for your character that justifies their existence, even if they are out of place, may help them fit more in your head.

 

[SheerChai]

In terms of curly hair, I hope they have my kind of hair style available, hahaha!

 

[FlowingJade]

I reckon the reason they don't have many good options RE: hair is because there's no pseudo-African culture in Calradia. (Why, I don't know, there's plenty of interest from said cultures that would make for quite a unique faction ingame.) I guess they probably don't want new characters to generate with looks that don't align closely with the cultures in the game.

That said, I see two solutions to this (that don't involve mods, which will probably bring us more hairs down the road either way, I hope):

1. Use them anyway. Player choice should generally trump all else, if you ask me, particularly in a sandbox game that's all about your choices.

2. Give us some more curly hairs. We could use them anyway, I only remember seeing one off the top of my head in the videos I saw showing off creation. While not a perfect solution, they can do double duty by giving all the unapologetic gingers out there more curly hairs to use as well. (Not that every ginger has curly hair of course, but it's mighty common...) While they're at it, some more close-cropped cuts would achieve the same goal, as they're quite ethnicity-neutral, though I can see why they might want to keep those to a minimum. With Calradian tech, haircuts basically range from "close shave" to "I just let it grow and it does whatever".

Either way, I do think you did a fine job with what we have! Has that look that makes me think "I'd have you in my shield wall any day."

Thank you Michael, I appreciate it.

 

[World's Coolest Old Guy]

Hear, hear! I feel like this type of character would naturally blend in with the Aserai. But you can make him fit anywhere else, all it takes is a good story...

My characters father worked for famous Aserai mercenary group. They accepted jobs from any noble who could afford it. One of his contracts led him to one of the villages on the outskirts of Lycaron in search of a very 'lucky' thief. He finished the job - prying the stolen item from the clenched fist of the young mans corpse. To celebrate a job well done, he seeks comfort in the local tavern. As he is served he catches the waitress stealing several glances before quickly scurrying off to the next customer. With mischief in mind he constantly asks for more food and refills, and during her every passing he would reveal just a tidbit more of his glorious tales of adventure and numerous brushes with death. His crass displays of his boulder like physique didn't hurt either. He continues to eye her as she whispers something to the owner before proceeding to approach him yet again, but this time without food nor ale. She moves within arm reach, maintaining eye contact with the floor, seemingly contemplating what to do next. Eventually she musters up the courage and request that they move somewhere a little more.. private so he could tell her more his adventures uninterrupted. The night was long, and full of pleasures. When she opened her eyes the next morning, she was alone, he left as quickly as he came into her heart, leaving behind a son he never knew he had...

That's how I am explaining my African looking dude starting as a peasant of the empire. ?


PS: But in all seriousness creating a backstory for your character that justifies their existence, even if they are out of place, may help them fit more in your head.

Totally agree, and it's a solid story! I can definitely relate to this mentality, I made a whole family tree just to give my eventual character a place in the world. (That reminds me, I need to decide which of the sons I'll be making into my first character...)

 

[FlowingJade]

Totally agree, and it's a solid story! I can definitely relate to this mentality, I made a whole family tree just to give my eventual character a place in the world. (That reminds me, I need to decide which of the sons I'll be making into my first character...)

Ah a fellow man of culture! how wonderful. A family tree, eh? that's pretty cool groundwork. I should do something similar. If I may contribute to the selections I don't know what criteria you are wanting to use, but maybe if one of them behaves rather eccentrically and unpredictably, they could be a good start, particularly if you are wanting to do a bit of everything in your first playthrough. So their character profile fits as you go about place to place with no particular master-plan. You might have totally different thought though, i'm just wanting to chip in on the fun.

 

[World's Coolest Old Guy]

Ah a fellow man of culture! how wonderful. A family tree, eh? that's pretty cool groundwork. I should do something similar. If I may contribute to the selections I don't know what criteria you are wanting to use, but maybe if one of them behaves rather eccentrically and unpredictably, they could be a good start, particularly if you are wanting to do a bit of everything in your first playthrough. So their character profile fits as you go about place to place with no particular master-plan. You might have totally different thought though, i'm just wanting to chip in on the fun.

Input appreciated! I can actually show you the tree, come to think of it. I posted it in all its buggy glory a week or so back. [Edit: Wow, it was more like a month back. Doesn't feel that long, oddly enough!] In short, it looks like we're dealing with, just based on how the story of these characters played out in my head as I generated this...

Gwalder: One of the older options. Considerate of his kinsmen and prone to looking out for them, though his skillset is more social than combat-oriented. Could make an interesting deviation from my normal playstyle and force me down the path of a merchant or the like.

Morcan: Hunts raiders in an endless quest to quench his thirst [Edit: Did I type "thirst his desire" at first? I'm clearly up too late...] to avenge his mother. If he's not careful, he might end up a raider himself in the process.

Rakon: Technically speaking, he's probably still alive at the time of game start, just getting on in years. The story there would probably be that, riding his past successes, he's aiming to finally make that final push to put his clan on the "big board", as it were. Make the clan's name one that kings recognize. (Though it'll probably be up to his sons and theirs, I doubt he'll do it in his lifetime.)

The Two Morcans, Part 1: Yeah, remember "in all its buggy glory"? I forgot to name these fellows. Pending names, the first one - the leftmost - really embraces his Sturgian roots and enjoys bathing in the viscera of battle. He's a young firebrand, probably pretty close to the suggestion you made actually! I can see him mellowing with age and experience, but for the time being, he's blind to the big picture and just enjoys showing his enemies that he's a mighty warrior.

The Two Morcans, Part 2: The "younger" twin takes after his father a bit more. He's a little more circumspect and is constantly trying to reign his brother in. While less a warrior, he's a bigger strategist, so he'd make a good pick if I wanted to try really respecting the permadeath system and keep myself back to command more than I dive into the fray.

I could of course start with one of the daughters as well, but for my first character, it's probably best to take my usual method of "start male, it's what I know". Maybe in a future playthrough, though, just to really throw a wrench at my own head.

 

[anton97]

I also recently made a sub-Saharan African character that I will use in my mercenary Aserai playthrough.

Spoiler: Front View

Spoiler: With gear

 

[FlowingJade]

Input appreciated! I can actually show you the tree, come to think of it. I posted it in all its buggy glory a week or so back. [Edit: Wow, it was more like a month back. Doesn't feel that long, oddly enough!] In short, it looks like we're dealing with, just based on how the story of these characters played out in my head as I generated this...

Gwalder: One of the older options. Considerate of his kinsmen and prone to looking out for them, though his skillset is more social than combat-oriented. Could make an interesting deviation from my normal playstyle and force me down the path of a merchant or the like.

Morcan: Hunts raiders in an endless quest to quench his thirst [Edit: Did I type "thirst his desire" at first? I'm clearly up too late...] to avenge his mother. If he's not careful, he might end up a raider himself in the process.

Rakon: Technically speaking, he's probably still alive at the time of game start, just getting on in years. The story there would probably be that, riding his past successes, he's aiming to finally make that final push to put his clan on the "big board", as it were. Make the clan's name one that kings recognize. (Though it'll probably be up to his sons and theirs, I doubt he'll do it in his lifetime.)

The Two Morcans, Part 1: Yeah, remember "in all its buggy glory"? I forgot to name these fellows. Pending names, the first one - the leftmost - really embraces his Sturgian roots and enjoys bathing in the viscera of battle. He's a young firebrand, probably pretty close to the suggestion you made actually! I can see him mellowing with age and experience, but for the time being, he's blind to the big picture and just enjoys showing his enemies that he's a mighty warrior.

The Two Morcans, Part 2: The "younger" twin takes after his father a bit more. He's a little more circumspect and is constantly trying to reign his brother in. While less a warrior, he's a bigger strategist, so he'd make a good pick if I wanted to try really respecting the permadeath system and keep myself back to command more than I dive into the fray.

I could of course start with one of the daughters as well, but for my first character, it's probably best to take my usual method of "start male, it's what I know". Maybe in a future playthrough, though, just to really throw a wrench at my own head.

Wow this is sick; Blaidd Fen Rhisart - a strategic genius who fights in familiar territory, not the type of man even the Empire should mess with. But he truly had it rough. Forced to live like a fugitive in his own land of origin. Death of his first AND second lover by childbirth. And all but one of the 4 children borne from those 2 women (Eifi and Cairistiona) die before reaching the age of 2 apart from one girl. I wonder, was Blaine Spiteful towards the girl as her life caused the death of his second lover? was he disappointed and worried as he still had no male heir? Or was he thankful that at least one of his children survived, and he wanted to make the most out of it. But alas Then, she reaches age 5 and dies of a disease. This man must have felt cursed by the gods. Then eventually he gets another opportunity. What was his reasons for procreating with an imperial lady, belonging to the faction which took so much away from him. Was he merely desperate for a male heir and would make do with her due to her good lineage? or did he genuinely dare to fall in love with another woman, even though she was of the enemy faction. Plus when you also consider his luck up to that point it might even have been easier to give up on making a family. It did pay off though. And this is just 1 of the key figures.

This is excellent stuff m8


And all these disappearances, are they defectors?

Edit: forgive me, I was so intrigued by the family history I forgot to mention the options you put forward!
They are all interesting, especially because of all you groundwork you have laid. Personally I think starting as Rakon the and then proceeding to one of The Two Morcans is a good start.

One odd nitpick is that Rakon will start as a deteriorating but famed warrior and will actually be getting stronger as your stats improve lol.

 

[World's Coolest Old Guy]

Wow this is sick; Blaidd Fen Rhisart - a strategic genius who fights in familiar territory, not the type of man even the Empire should mess with. But he truly had it rough. Forced to live like a fugitive in his own land of origin. Death of his first AND second lover by childbirth. And all but one of the 4 children borne from those 2 women (Eifi and Cairistiona) die before reaching the age of 2 apart from one girl. I wonder, was Blaine Spiteful towards the girl as her life caused the death of his second lover? was he disappointed and worried as he still had no male heir? Or was he thankful that at least one of his children survived, and he wanted to make the most out of it. But alas Then, she reaches age 5 and dies of a disease. This man must have felt cursed by the gods. Then eventually he gets another opportunity. What was his reasons for procreating with an imperial lady, belonging to the faction which took so much away from him. Was he merely desperate for a male heir and would make do with her due to her good lineage? or did he genuinely dare to fall in love with another woman, considering how life has treated him in the past in his family making efforts? It did pay off though. And this is just 1 of the key figures.

This is really good stuff m8


And all these disappearances, are they defectors?

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! As far as your questions... I think he probably had a certain hard-heartedness towards Kirstie. Probably told himself that his behavior towards her meant to toughen her up, as she was set to inherit his goal of defending the settlement from all sorts of threats. That she'd need to harden herself to make that possible. But deep down, he knew it was bitterness, and he hated himself for it after she died. It changed the way he raised his future children, though, and gave them a more loving father. So there was a silver lining to those events, however slight.

For Blaidd and Eutropia, I actually do feel like he fell in love with her. Originally, her being there was simply because if she went back, she'd surely tell the Empire of their little village and they'd have dogs of war biting at their heels within a week. But over time, I feel like he started to fall for her despite his hatred of imperials. Part of that was probably due to her own ability to (eventually) look past her brother's death and empathize with the clan's point of view. It showed him that she was more than just an Imperial lady; that she was a human being possessed of wisdom and empathy that softened him to her.

And as far as the disappearances... The system I was using merely said "disappeared", so I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it that'd be a pretty nice touch! I think I'll make it so. Good thinking, that! It makes perfect sense, too, since at the time, defection would've been the "easy road" for the clan. The empire still held the region in subject, so serving the Empire was definitely the safer, more prosperous option. It's quite possible one of those disappearances in the middle of the tree led to selling the clan out, which in turn forced them to start making plays outside their own village. That'd be when they started seeking the goodwill of the High King and the larger clans. Yeah... Yeah, I like it! Heh, who knew a conversation a day out from release would add this much to the backstory?

 

[FlowingJade]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! As far as your questions... I think he probably had a certain hard-heartedness towards Kirstie. Probably told himself that his behavior towards her meant to toughen her up, as she was set to inherit his goal of defending the settlement from all sorts of threats. That she'd need to harden herself to make that possible. But deep down, he knew it was bitterness, and he hated himself for it after she died. It changed the way he raised his future children, though, and gave them a more loving father. So there was a silver lining to those events, however slight.

For Blaidd and Eutropia, I actually do feel like he fell in love with her. Originally, her being there was simply because if she went back, she'd surely tell the Empire of their little village and they'd have dogs of war biting at their heels within a week. But over time, I feel like he started to fall for her despite his hatred of imperials. Part of that was probably due to her own ability to (eventually) look past her brother's death and empathize with the clan's point of view. It showed him that she was more than just an Imperial lady; that she was a human being possessed of wisdom and empathy that softened him to her.

And as far as the disappearances... The system I was using merely said "disappeared", so I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it that'd be a pretty nice touch! I think I'll make it so. Good thinking, that! It makes perfect sense, too, since at the time, defection would've been the "easy road" for the clan. The empire still held the region in subject, so serving the Empire was definitely the safer, more prosperous option. It's quite possible one of those disappearances in the middle of the tree led to selling the clan out, which in turn forced them to start making plays outside their own village. That'd be when they started seeking the goodwill of the High King and the larger clans. Yeah... Yeah, I like it! Heh, who knew a conversation a day out from release would add this much to the backstory?

I like your expose on the legendary Blaidd and his eventual loving relationship with Eutropia, really sensible and touching. As for disappearances officially being defections now, I'm all for it, can't get bored with little backstabbing now and then to spice up a juicy family story. The forums work in mysterious ways, this conversation was fated to happen, and boy am I glad it did.

 

[Revverie]

I also recently made a sub-Saharan African character that I will use in my mercenary Aserai playthrough.

Spoiler: Front View

Spoiler: With gear

This is the depiction of a badass character

 

[FlowingJade]

I also recently made a sub-Saharan African character that I will use in my mercenary Aserai playthrough.

Spoiler: Front View

Spoiler: With gear

Nice. He certainly has an 'experienced' look about him.