I love the Mount and Blade franchise. When I was really young, I remember playing the demo for M&B Classic for days on end and saving money for buying one. Those were the days of the grind.
That said, I have spent significant time with Bannerlord and Warband and would like to give some feedback. I have played games like Battle Brothers and War Tales and would like to draw some similarities. "Battle Brothers" has a very unforgiving battle mechanic which makes the game borderline punishing. However, when I play that game, I am immersed in the world and really feel that I am in the world. I don't feel the same with Bannerlord. I would suggest the following:
1. This game requires some more random events - like small quarrels, meeting people, or random encounters. These will force me to roleplay and feel connected to the world at large.
2. The pace at which my troops become really powerful is very fast. I remember having very powerful troops in Warband and the thrill of upgrading. That is sort of absent here. However, I play on lower difficulties which may be the cause of such fast progression. Other players' comments on this can be helpful.
3. The companions, family members, and nobles don't feel memorable at all. I can recall Lezalit, Bunduk, Jeremus, and others like they were best friends. I can not say the same about "XYZ the Spicevendor" or "ABC the Falcon". The new generic NPCs feel empty! No conflicts between my companions and no real-world interactions with them just make them one of the soldiers that can level up as I do. Very bare-bones, I'd say.
4. Adding a bit of a system like that in Battle Brothers (BB) which can leave a scar, injury or other traits based on battles, sieges or other encounters can help make events more memorable. For example, I remember how Nils the Axe, a brother from my campaign in BB lost an eye to a bunch of brigands. He died in the next battle though, and I felt like I had to mourn his loss. BB has a lot of generic NPCs, but I feel connected to them instantly! I am sure a system like this would be difficult to implement but would really help me immerse myself better in the world.
5. There is no sense of exploration, awe, or wonder waiting for me. Cities are beautiful but there is no real incentive for me to explore them. Maybe implementing fog of war can help. Otherwise, I can not visit a city at all for years!
I am loving the combat and the physics of it all. But the gameplay for me is kinda like this:
Step - 1: Enter a town. Check if there is a tournament. If yes, participate, bet and win.
Step - 2: In the town, go to the market. Invest in goods that are cheap.
Step - 3: Check for quests. If quests exist and are not escort missions, take them.
Step - 4: Move out of the town. If the quest exists, and the target/destination is close, finish it. Else, move to the next town.
Step - 5: On the way, if you find looters or bandits which are decently sized, kill them all and take loot and prisoners.
Step - 6: Stop at a village and see if they have special units. If yes and if you can afford the upkeep, recruit. Else, move on.
Step - 7: Go to the next town and sell goods at low if possible. Repeat Step - 1.
This is all fun, but it gets really boring real quick. This is true, however, for the early game only. I haven't really reached the end game and conquered anything because I get bored of the grind. This is because - I don't feel immersed in the world! I bet many fellow gamers can relate to this. I don't mean to sound crass but I believe the feedback on M&B is largely around siege battles and lack of modding flexibility. These QOL changes will make the world a little bit more interesting. Looking forward to a healthy conversation.
That said, I have spent significant time with Bannerlord and Warband and would like to give some feedback. I have played games like Battle Brothers and War Tales and would like to draw some similarities. "Battle Brothers" has a very unforgiving battle mechanic which makes the game borderline punishing. However, when I play that game, I am immersed in the world and really feel that I am in the world. I don't feel the same with Bannerlord. I would suggest the following:
1. This game requires some more random events - like small quarrels, meeting people, or random encounters. These will force me to roleplay and feel connected to the world at large.
2. The pace at which my troops become really powerful is very fast. I remember having very powerful troops in Warband and the thrill of upgrading. That is sort of absent here. However, I play on lower difficulties which may be the cause of such fast progression. Other players' comments on this can be helpful.
3. The companions, family members, and nobles don't feel memorable at all. I can recall Lezalit, Bunduk, Jeremus, and others like they were best friends. I can not say the same about "XYZ the Spicevendor" or "ABC the Falcon". The new generic NPCs feel empty! No conflicts between my companions and no real-world interactions with them just make them one of the soldiers that can level up as I do. Very bare-bones, I'd say.
4. Adding a bit of a system like that in Battle Brothers (BB) which can leave a scar, injury or other traits based on battles, sieges or other encounters can help make events more memorable. For example, I remember how Nils the Axe, a brother from my campaign in BB lost an eye to a bunch of brigands. He died in the next battle though, and I felt like I had to mourn his loss. BB has a lot of generic NPCs, but I feel connected to them instantly! I am sure a system like this would be difficult to implement but would really help me immerse myself better in the world.
5. There is no sense of exploration, awe, or wonder waiting for me. Cities are beautiful but there is no real incentive for me to explore them. Maybe implementing fog of war can help. Otherwise, I can not visit a city at all for years!
I am loving the combat and the physics of it all. But the gameplay for me is kinda like this:
Step - 1: Enter a town. Check if there is a tournament. If yes, participate, bet and win.
Step - 2: In the town, go to the market. Invest in goods that are cheap.
Step - 3: Check for quests. If quests exist and are not escort missions, take them.
Step - 4: Move out of the town. If the quest exists, and the target/destination is close, finish it. Else, move to the next town.
Step - 5: On the way, if you find looters or bandits which are decently sized, kill them all and take loot and prisoners.
Step - 6: Stop at a village and see if they have special units. If yes and if you can afford the upkeep, recruit. Else, move on.
Step - 7: Go to the next town and sell goods at low if possible. Repeat Step - 1.
This is all fun, but it gets really boring real quick. This is true, however, for the early game only. I haven't really reached the end game and conquered anything because I get bored of the grind. This is because - I don't feel immersed in the world! I bet many fellow gamers can relate to this. I don't mean to sound crass but I believe the feedback on M&B is largely around siege battles and lack of modding flexibility. These QOL changes will make the world a little bit more interesting. Looking forward to a healthy conversation.