Havent played almost since the release - how it is now?

[klink.von.stalag13]

I there.

I havent played M&B II since a while. Notably, I was a bit bored by the emptiness of the main quest. Also, there were a few mods that were very nice to play with but the frequent changes (which is good! cannot blame dev to work on an early access), these mods were very often broken.

How playable is the game now, for single player I mean?

 

[redmark]

I only started playing around 1.4.1, so can't compare to very early on. The main quest still lacks some polish and depth, but you do get to rescue your siblings now and it sort of links in to prompting you to form a kingdom, or support one. It then cycles through some clearly unfinished mini quests that I guess are to build up to you being attacked by the opposite side to whichever you support.

There are more town and village quests now, though some problems in frequency, the impact on notable power and local prosperity that need balancing. The trading economy works reasonably well, but workshops are underwhelming (profitable on a reasonable timescale, but far slower and more modest than most other ways of making money). War and peace is getting some focus and some improvements now tend to slow down the Khuzait steamroller, but more to be done. I think a little over half of perk trees are done, but some with bugs or half implemented.

Lords and companions can die in battle now as an option, and do die of old age (chances are maybe too high a little too early). Player marriage and kids works more or less, but family members can't be paired off, and NPC Lords don't marry yet, so noble populations will start to decline after a generation or so.

All in all, it's fairly enjoyable, with some gaps but plenty of promise. A few members of the forum are convinced TW are incompetent and will never deliver a decent game; more are frustrated by slow progress on certain aspects. The last couple of beta patches haven't included significant content, hence some rise in discontent over the last week or so.

 

[Lesbosisles]

You can play to, say, a middle game without any serious problems. Some new quests were added, new armour, new sheep texture, some perks are implemented (beware - some of the new perks may not work or work vice versa, like "Horse archer" - it actually adds 15% more penalty to accuracy on horseback). Apart from that, a death mechanic has been partially implemented - chars can die in battle (only in those, which you PERSONALLY take part, no simulations or AI vs AI deaths). All (including you) can die from old age. They've also added hooked spears - you can dismount a horse rider with a particular spears now.

But, in late game - no point in playing. Notables leave villages and after some time you'll have too many villages with one notable only. Battanian castles sieges are broken - you'll get no more than 15-20 FPS during their sieges. Some people say that the party size number may disappear, but didn't happen to me. Children stats were somewhat fixed, but they're still useless - they do not have a negative EXP anymore, still they start with your character's level when they grow up and have 0 skills, so it is impossible for them to level up.

 

[ShakenSpeare]

A few members of the forum are convinced TW are incompetent and will never deliver a decent game; more are frustrated by slow progress on certain aspects.

I mean, it took 8-10 years to get to this point, so you can't really blame those people, me being one of them.

But, in late game - no point in playing.

You seem to have a pretty good grasp of the state of the game, how long do you genuinely think we have before this game is "finished"?

 

[Lesbosisles]

You seem to have a pretty good grasp of the state of the game, how long do you genuinely think we have before this game is "finished"?

Hard to say. I suppose it'll take a little bit more than a year, as they stated earlier, judging by the progress we've reached so far. The problem is that we don't really know what are the plans devs have for the game's further developments - will there be more depth in Diplomacy and Kingdom politics added, or will it stay as shallow as it is now? Will some new mechanics added, like assassinations (not the death on the battlefield), ambushes and all that. Will they add at least something from WB or VC? Will they return the possibility to control alleys and backstreets in towns?

If the answer is "no" , then, I think, they will release the game by the end of this year, since their only problem is to properly balance things which are already in the game. But I think, they won't stop at the current state and will add something new to the game, so It'll take a bit more time for them.

However, if mod tools will be released by the end of this month (as they intend to do, since they didn't manage to do this by the end of August), modders can improve your experience - but I think, you already know that

 

[redmark]

I mean, it took 8-10 years to get to this point, so you can't really blame those people, me being one of them.

I wasn't blaming either group, only describing my view of the recent mood. I'm probably more patient than many because I bought it later, and haven't faced the same length of delay. The progress through 1.4.1 > 1.5.0 was decent, but the last couple of betas have been underwhelming - maybe because it's holiday season. Hopefully some significant content is in the pipeline.

 

[HugoTheFrenchMan]

Honestly if you played release its a lot lot better if you want to know a good video although a few patches back if you should come back you can go to a channel name italianspartacus makes pretty good video and made a really hood video if you should come back where he shows the positives and negative that have been added

 

[Kut]

It's fun, but still not too pleasant like finished/matured/multiple times modded WB experience. Normally, it's not there yet..

If you avoid the burn-out, you will be okay..

 

[klink.von.stalag13]

Ok, thanks for the input. I'll check the italianspartacus video.

Regarding the development of the game, my pick is it is not 8 years of development; at least not of continuous organized development, but probably changes of team, direction, etc, at least several times, with code probably outdated way before release. Otherwise it makes no sense. And I think the Early Access (inspired by libre software development pattern) will do good exactly in this context! Let's be optimistic!

 

[DrunkenFrenchman]

I am having the time of my life playing it right now. Granted, I've modded it to kingdom come but its the most fun I've had in a while.

 

[ShakenSpeare]

I wasn't blaming either group, only describing my view of the recent mood. I'm probably more patient than many because I bought it later, and haven't faced the same length of delay. The progress through 1.4.1 > 1.5.0 was decent, but the last couple of betas have been underwhelming - maybe because it's holiday season. Hopefully some significant content is in the pipeline.

Makes sense. I hope some real content happens too. But my faith is in the modding community personally.

Hard to say. I suppose it'll take a little bit more than a year, as they stated earlier, judging by the progress we've reached so far. The problem is that we don't really know what are the plans devs have for the game's further developments - will there be more depth in Diplomacy and Kingdom politics added, or will it stay as shallow as it is now? Will some new mechanics added, like assassinations (not the death on the battlefield), ambushes and all that. Will they add at least something from WB or VC? Will they return the possibility to control alleys and backstreets in towns?

If the answer is "no" , then, I think, they will release the game by the end of this year, since their only problem is to properly balance things which are already in the game. But I think, they won't stop at the current state and will add something new to the game, so It'll take a bit more time for them.

However, if mod tools will be released by the end of this month (as they intend to do, since they didn't manage to do this by the end of August), modders can improve your experience - but I think, you already know that

Did you mean a year from now or a year from when it launched? My guess is they'll probably add a few minor things but won't overhaul the game or anything, unfortunately. Knowing TW everything will take longer than anticipated, but I'd rather have a specified timeframe and it be off rather than just "Soon" as the guideline.

 

[ShakenSpeare]

Honestly if you played release its a lot lot better if you want to know a good video although a few patches back if you should come back you can go to a channel name italianspartacus makes pretty good video and made a really hood video if you should come back where he shows the positives and negative that have been added

I'll check it out.

 

[Timmortal]

Ok, thanks for the input. I'll check the italianspartacus video.

Regarding the development of the game, my pick is it is not 8 years of development; at least not of continuous organized development, but probably changes of team, direction, etc, at least several times, with code probably outdated way before release. Otherwise it makes no sense. And I think the Early Access (inspired by libre software development pattern) will do good exactly in this context! Let's be optimistic!

Pretty much, they have said they started over in about 2014, because they had to create their own engine to make the game in, because the old one was not doing what they needed it to do. Thanks to this change modding will be a whole lot easier and will be able to do a whole lot more than it could in Warband. As to the game, it has gotten a long way since ea started, but theres still a long way to go. If you really want to try it, its worth it, you can have many many hours of fun in it, but theres still parts of the game that are only partially implemented and the game needs some variety in certain areas, so if stuff like that will bother you and you really only have a small craving to play, i would wait if i were you, maybe look into Crusader Kings 3, different type of game, but its fun.

 

[ShakenSpeare]

Pretty much, they have said they started over in about 2014, because they had to create their own engine to make the game in, because the old one was not doing what they needed it to do. Thanks to this change modding will be a whole lot easier and will be able to do a whole lot more than it could in Warband. As to the game, it has gotten a long way since ea started, but theres still a long way to go. If you really want to try it, its worth it, you can have many many hours of fun in it, but theres still parts of the game that are only partially implemented and the game needs some variety in certain areas, so if stuff like that will bother you and you really only have a small craving to play, i would wait if i were you, maybe look into Crusader Kings 3, different type of game, but its fun.

An optimistic part of me does think that if what they're saying about the modding and how they spent so much effort building an excellent base for modding, if true, maybe means that a few years down the line the wait for this game will be worth it even if Native is lacking.

 

[Timmortal]

An optimistic part of me does think that if what they're saying about the modding and how they spent so much effort building an excellent base for modding, if true, maybe means that a few years down the line the wait for this game will be worth it even if Native is lacking.

Native has always been "lacking" in Taleworlds games. Its part of what makes it such an amazing sandbox. From what i have seen of the modding capabilities, we will be seeing some truly awesome Bannerlord mods, just the physics and particle options modders will get access to, will make them able to make fireball and other magic effects, or gunpowder weapons, with far more ease than what modders in Warband had to deal with. Also the scene editor seems far more mouldable than what Warband had. I really think we are going into really amazing times when it comes to Bannerlord modding. Im not much of a modder, but i hope to find a modding team to work with in some regard in the future, for either a Lord of the Rings or Wheel of Time mod.

 

[klink.von.stalag13]

ertain areas, so if stuff like that will bother you and you really only have a small craving to play, i would wait if i were you, maybe look into Crusader Kings 3, different type of game, but its fun.

Arrg! Not CK3! In one playthrough, I had archibishop transforming into dukes by getting heretics, holy orders led by heathen, etc. Such a disappointment. It did not improve what was already dumb in CK2. It is only better cosmetics, lack of content and events half-baked, to the point that the event to go on pilgrimage is not even able to identify when the destination is your palace garden!
CK3 is more early access than Bannerlord on release!


Any recommendeds mods these days? (is fastdialog working? last time I stopped played, the game was crashing with it or autotrader)

 

[Apocal]

Any recommendeds mods these days? (is fastdialog working? last time I stopped played, the game was crashing with it or autotrader)

It insta-loads convo screens outside of settlements, so there isn't really a point to FastDialog anymore. I only recommend Better Raiding Loot and Distinguished Service because others are out of date.

 

[HugoTheFrenchMan]

Native has always been "lacking" in Taleworlds games. Its part of what makes it such an amazing sandbox. From what i have seen of the modding capabilities, we will be seeing some truly awesome Bannerlord mods, just the physics and particle options modders will get access to, will make them able to make fireball and other magic effects, or gunpowder weapons, with far more ease than what modders in Warband had to deal with. Also the scene editor seems far more mouldable than what Warband had. I really think we are going into really amazing times when it comes to Bannerlord modding. Im not much of a modder, but i hope to find a modding team to work with in some regard in the future, for either a Lord of the Rings or Wheel of Time mod.

Honestly i never once in my 4.8k hours of warband gameplay ever play modded i tried doing it when the refactor was happening but damn going back to warband even with mods like persino and prophesy of pendor the map and game just seemed stale same with VC and normal native warband like the VC story line is pretty good but after that i really couldnt play because how the world map looks so stale staler then native warband for all its wrongs i dont think i can return to warband after BL

 

[ShakenSpeare]

Native has always been "lacking" in Taleworlds games. Its part of what makes it such an amazing sandbox. From what i have seen of the modding capabilities, we will be seeing some truly awesome Bannerlord mods, just the physics and particle options modders will get access to, will make them able to make fireball and other magic effects, or gunpowder weapons, with far more ease than what modders in Warband had to deal with. Also the scene editor seems far more mouldable than what Warband had. I really think we are going into really amazing times when it comes to Bannerlord modding. Im not much of a modder, but i hope to find a modding team to work with in some regard in the future, for either a Lord of the Rings or Wheel of Time mod.

That's true. Don't know a huge amount about modding myself, but man do some in the M&B community do. As far as native goes, between native Bannerlord vs native Warband, at least right now, I'd have to pick native Warband. We'll see how it is in the futue with mods. I am excited to see what modders will be able to do. If it will be so much easier and more expansive than Warband's modding, that impresses me, because what the modders did for Warband was just incredible.

 

[Timmortal]

That's true. Don't know a huge amount about modding myself, but man do some in the M&B community do. As far as native goes, between native Bannerlord vs native Warband, at least right now, I'd have to pick native Warband. We'll see how it is in the futue with mods. I am excited to see what modders will be able to do. If it will be so much easier and more expansive than Warband's modding, that impresses me, because what the modders did for Warband was just incredible.

You have to remember that we dont have Native Bannerlord yet, we have ea Bannerlord. The first Native Warband i tried was very buggy and even lagged some smaller features as i remember it. It would be more fair to compare ea Bannerlord to plain Mount and Blade which was a pretty empty game. I love all of these games, but clearly Bannerlord is not done yet and at this point i think it might have hurt them less to never gone ea and just have a big group of dedicated play testers, but who knows. I can see a bright future ahead for Bannerlord, it will also be far more DLC friendly than the previous titels in the series (DLC done well is not a bad thing, so far i have seen no sign of Taleworlds exploiting the modern gaming marked like forintance Rockstar)