I am sorry - played BL after 6 months of inactivity.

[Lord Grindelvald]

Let me start off by saying - I am sorry.
This might ruffle a few feathers.

I've started another campaign last weekend, following the 1.6.0 beta patch.
My last savegame dated november 2020.

I quit playing due to the obvious reasons mentioned time and time again on these forums. Perceived lack of progress, not enough content, mods that kept breaking due to mod-breaking patches, the whole nine-yards, up until the game not even starting up anymore.

If you continously play the game and get every new patch - the changes seem insignificantly small. You get fed tid-bits that dont really still the hunger within. But I havent played for over half a year. So all those tiny tid-bits got served to me on a big plate. And I must say, it's looking good so far.

From the introduction video, to the significant choices in culture selection, to the brother-quest that gets a proper introduction, the game thus far feels a lot more "whole" and better performing.

Dont get me wrong - I haven't exactly been an ambassador of TW. They have issues to overcome regarding this EA. But I am pleasantly surprised: All those (seemingly) insignificant updates amount to a more complete gameplay. I wouldn't be able to objectively look at that fact without taking an extensive break from the game.

Now - Am I looking at this with pink-glasses due to my recent experience starting a new campaign with 7 months of updates or are there other players who have been inactive for an extended amount of time and can objectively compare with the recent updates?

 

[Clsy]

alright now you said it let me check the patch notes and see if they fixed spear or not ... okay nevermind it is still star wars

 

[DeepXen]

I bought the game around 1.5.7 and its improved slowly but steadily since then. It's a good game that's getting better.

I stick around this forum for the Dev comments, patch notes and amusing rants by a particularly entitled and childish section of the games community.

Edit: See comment above mine.

 

[Life_Erikson]

I bought the game around 1.5.7 and its improved slowly but steadily since then. It's a good game that's getting better.

I stick around this forum for the Dev comments, patch notes and amusing rants by a particularly entitled and childish section of the games community.

Edit: See comment above mine.

Obsessing about other peoples criticisms and calling them childish surely isn't childish at all.

 

[Hax.]

I bought the game around 1.5.7 and its improved slowly but steadily since then. It's a good game that's getting better.

Then you should not touch the MP.
Actually, you should, because then you can retract that statement and face the bitter truth. Assuming you find a match that is not crashing.

 

[DeepXen]

Then you should not touch the MP.
Actually, you should, because then you can retract that statement and face the bitter truth. Assuming you find a match that is not crashing.

I have played a lot of MP. When it works it's fun and i've enjoyed it. It can crash a lot...but i was prepared for this and accept it becuase it's an early access game.

 

[Maelstrom8]

Having to apologize in advance for it might "trigger people" for the fact that you find Bannerlord to be alright.. even if that's a comedic touch to the thread, that is a little bit sad lol. BUT GOOD. It's not in its best state right now but I am glad you can find some enjoyment in it.

Yeah, I used to play the game like that, but I played with mods so it was rougher y'know, and ye, I knew what mods meant. I stopped playing for a long while, and right now I'm out at sea trying to find the motivation go through Nexus and put mods on 1.6.0. I just want to play again, and I don't want to play native (it's not that it's boring.. once I start it and put mods on it I lose my progress )

 

[julijs]

I haven't touched Bannerlord for months and months, but no I can't object your statement on playing the game, but I can with the patch notes.

thus far.. bad game

 

[michigogo]

I have not touched Bannerlord for 2 months now, I was waiting for 1.6.0 but it did not add much so I am not going to play a new campaign now.

I just come to the forums to rant about how bad the game is right now and watch people mald about me being mald. Fun stuff.

 

[vonbalt]

I totally get you OP, development has been in small incremental doses and while i'm still waiting for TW to tackle into things i personally find more important (armor effectiveness, spear combat, immersive dialogues and things do to outside wartime) i recognize their recent efforts and that the game is improving noneless.

I was pleasantly surprised by the modding changes in 1.6.0 and that was definitely a step in the right direction to me, the patch didn't bring much "meat" to the table at once but these changes alone are more than worth it since it makes many many more systems accessible to modders without "hacking" their way through the code.

There is still many things to improve and i'll continue to point them alongside some of their decisions that i disagree with but i can recognize the things they are doing right aswell.

 

[Lord Grindelvald]

I have not touched Bannerlord for 2 months now, I was waiting for 1.6.0 but it did not add much so I am not going to play a new campaign now.

I just come to the forums to rant about how bad the game is right now and watch people mald about me being mald. Fun stuff.

I was in the same boat - let me know what you think when you start it up again, I'm curious!

I totally get you OP, development has been in small incremental doses and while i'm still waiting for TW to tackle into things i personally find more important (armor effectiveness, spear combat, immersive dialogues and things do to outside wartime) i recognize their recent efforts and that the game is improving noneless.

I was pleasantly surprised by the modding changes in 1.6.0 and that was definitely a step in the right direction to me, the patch didn't bring much "meat" to the table at once but these changes alone are more than worth it since it makes many many more systems accessible to modders without "hacking" their way through the code.

There is still many things to improve and i'll continue to point them alongside some of their decisions that i disagree with but i can recognize the things they are doing right aswell.

Absolutely, wholeheartedly agree. I've always criticized the lack of additional features in the patches, but all those seemingly small additions and improvements make up for a surprising and positive change in gameplay. I will not be as sceptical of development as I was before.

And I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing the differences in recent communication and behaviour. I've mentioned it a couple of times on these forums, but never received aknowledgement of that fact. Hopefully they've redeemed themselves with the modding community and quality mods will be reinvigorated.

 

[WhyAmIHere]

And I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing the differences in recent communication and behaviour. I've mentioned it a couple of times on these forums, but never received aknowledgement of that fact. Hopefully they've redeemed themselves with the modding community and quality mods will be reinvigorated.

They're increased the frequency of communications, but they still have the same problems within said communications of being vague and unclear about upcoming changes. The frequency increase is good, but they really need to start being more specific and direct, especially when it comes to stuff like the modding changes. Someone at TW said that was company policy (something about "we don't give specifics on the patch before releasing") but frankly that's a stupid policy, especially when modding is such a pillar of the game AND when it's an Early Access game that (supposedly) relies on communication between company and community.

Unfortunately for me none of what I've seen so far from 1.6 is pushing me to use 62 GB of my scant data cap. I need some of the really important stuff solved before I do that (like vobalt said: "armor effectiveness, spear combat, immersive dialogues and things do to outside wartime"). I'm glad you're enjoying it more though, and I wish I was in your shoes.

 

[bonerstorm]

Now - Am I looking at this with pink-glasses due to my recent experience starting a new campaign with 7 months of updates or are there other players who have been inactive for an extended amount of time and can objectively compare with the recent updates?

Yes. Sorry, bro. I did the same thing about a month or so before you... the feeling wears off.

Apparently 1.6 is a big step up over 1.59 in terms of stability and functionality, but eventually you're going to hit the same wall you did before and also notice things that have gotten worse. The more you look, the more you'll get past glaring still-unresolved issues like spears and Siege AI to see little cracks in the masonry like the fact that fief prosperity is unbalanced so settlements randomly starve for no reason even in peacetime.

Every feature of the game is full of these little cracks that become more obvious the more that you play... assuming you're not the kind of gamer who gets baked IRL and just enjoys a digital murder spree on 1/3 hit setting.

Unit AI in general seems to have deteriorated sharply since Fall 2020 and before - especially for cav. Some people have said it's to dumb it down for a console port and others have suggested it's a nerf to balance OP units. There's also a much older Pre-EA thread where a dev admitted openly to dumbing down the infantry AI because it wasn't "fun" for cavalry charges into packed spearmen to fail. Honestly don't know and I honestly don't care. Shieldwalls still are always the worst-performing formation and loose formation is still always the best, despite all reason and logic and human decency.

Regardless, you're not going to have WB-level fun for more than a few hours unless you install the essential QOL mods for your own sanity (of which I'm sure some of them aren't supporting betas at all):

• Diplomacy Fixes
• Improved Garrisons
• Realistic Battle
• Bannerlord Tweaks
• AutoTrader

alright now you said it let me check the patch notes and see if they fixed spear or not ... okay nevermind it is still star wars

THIS

I was pleasantly surprised by the modding changes in 1.6.0 and that was definitely a step in the right direction to me, the patch didn't bring much "meat" to the table at once but these changes alone are more than worth it since it makes many many more systems accessible to modders without "hacking" their way through the code.

Maybe? It's a step in the right direction, but seeing mexxico's recent honest takes on the situation have got be blackpilled AF after my initial burst of optimism. I don't see gradual changes righting the ship here and not even the best people at TW seem to think that a more drastic change in course is even plausible - let alone probable.

They're increased the frequency of communications, but they still have the same problems within said communications of being vague and unclear about upcoming changes.

Yep. Unless the fundamental dynamic between TW and fans changes, this game will continue to suck. I see no evidence that that's even in the realm of possibility, which is disheartening.

 

[Maelstrom8]

..assuming you're not the kind of gamer who gets baked IRL and just enjoys a digital murder spree on 1/3 hit setting.

****.

That's pretty close. I enjoy a mix easy/very easy settings, perma death disabled and like to go on long walks on the murder beach. I'm also a huge cheater, which I'm trying to get away from.

I haven't played the game seriously in a long time. Last time was probably.. July 2020? I've recently went from uninformed to informed. It's eye-opening. But still, after seeing 1.6.0, I really really want to play the game with mods (I may have to force myself to). I want to find as many essential™ mods as I can and get the most out of the game until maybe Diablo 2: Resurrected or New World come out, then return back later to see if it's any better

 

[bonerstorm]

****.

That's pretty close. I enjoy a mix easy/very easy settings, perma death disabled and like to go on long walks on the murder beach. I'm also a huge cheater, which I'm trying to get away from.

I haven't played the game seriously in a long time. Last time was probably.. July 2020? I've recently went from uninformed to informed. It's eye-opening. But still, after seeing 1.6.0, I really really want to play the game with mods (I may have to force myself to). I want to find as many essential™ mods as I can and get the most out of the game until maybe Diablo 2: Resurrected or New World come out, then return back later to see if it's any better

Haha well you have my list of essential mods, stoner boy

Tho if they ever get this game in a workable state, RBM while wearing heavy armor will absolutely let you to work out your medieval fantasy of murdering the entire population of your local municipality without using 1/3 hits... because it's actually realistic that fullplate will make you impervious to most casual hits.

I also like De Re Militari because I'm a military history nerd who wants realistic armies (LOTS OF SPEARS) and Freelancer because it adds some much-needed flavor + rare skill XP for the early game.

Tho I guess you probably won't be able to play Freelancer if @Bloc is out of the modding game

 

[Rivus]

I have to agree with the original poster, while I do acknowledge the game has some pretty big issues that need to be fixed and sooner then later, the overwhelming negativity on this forum surprises me. Put down the game and come back in a years time, maybe even longer. How long has talesworld worked on Warband? They worked on it for over a decade. I trust Taleworld to continue to develop Bannerlord for a long time.

 

[Maelstrom8]

Tho I guess you probably won't be able to play Freelancer if @Bloc is out of the modding game

Well, I could play Freelancer on 1.5.9. In terms of being updated for the current version.. true, that's unfortunate. It is what it is, though. I understand the reasoning - will keep looking for mods.

In order to get some motivation going, I'm going to check out Nexus later, filter mods by last update and find out what mods work for 1.6.0 then make a list. Probably a dumb idea considering how they'll be outdated soon but.. I can probably get an idea of what's out there.