Mexxico, I'd value and appreciate your opinion on implementing Casus Belli in Bannerlord

[Dreed89]

Beg to differ here - they are starting to act EXACTLY like the big companies -that being shedding themselves of creativity and deeply thought out gameworld mechanics in favor of just particle effects and graphical upgrades. Its generally the smaller companies and modders who are willing to delve deep into things like lore, backround and fleshed out story/sandbox driven mechanics

Your perspective is also right.

I just looked at it in terms of company resources and knowledge of game development. TW is still learning as they develop games. It is not like they are very experienced at this.

I also want to believe most of its developers are passionate and creative, and would love to add many more features, but it does not help when there are techical limitations on the code architecture and choices made.

 

[Julio-Claudian]

Bro your preaching to the choir -ive been in more arguments here defending the CORE COMBAT MECHANIC as well as the successfully merging it into large battles and a strategty/rpg game all at once. I GET IT!

My point has always been (whether you label me white knight or hater) that the intial game M&B and its core mechanics are genius and without competitor nor peer. That said -how long you gonna coast on that without fleshing out the other aspects of the game allongside that longtime awesome mechanic. Not only have the other aspects gone stagnant -they've regressed to worse than they used to be.

I've pretty much always defended the DEVS against mindless attacks -people who dont have the capability or wherewithall to give props to the core greatness of the series -but all the other aspects are fair game to criticism. All the more so after hearing that this isnt simply a matter of them (devs) needing more time to develop these neglected areas -now its sounding like its all been voted down at corporate and there are no plans to address these seemingly huge lapses. This is a huge cause for concern and the people are right to question at this point

well put

 

[jak1up]

There is still not a single other game out there which even comes close to the gameplay of the M&B series. Somehow nobody else wants to do it. And since Bannerlord is pretty much a direct upgrade to Warband (it's better in almost every aspect, minus a handful of minor features still missing) I'd say it certainly goes in the right direction. I understand that some people want it to be something else or would prefer it if it's more like some mod they personally enjoyed for Warband. Well I am just glad it isn't. I've seen plenty of mods with very questionable design decisions and I'd rather get a solid foundation and pick the mechanics I like via modding.

I agree with that......

 

[Reiksmarshal]

About war reasons I also prefer complexity because it could add lots of sense to game.

Thanks for all the hard work, love the ideas of rebellions. Have you guys ever talked about breaking up some of the other cultures into multiple factions like what Viking Conquest did?

For example take the Battanians and make most of the bigger clans independent factions. The Vlandians could have a few dukedoms as independent factions and so on. I think is this was done it would make the early game so much more interesting with all the struggles from within a culture to consolidate power. Some of my most memorable play throughs in Viking Conquest was joining one of the minor Irish or Welsh factions and the struggle against other minor factions to try to make your faction large enough to completed with some of the larger kingdoms like the Saxons.

 

[Rungsted93]

Guys while we can all agree the core gameplay of Bannerlord is great and unique (combat and battles), lets not forget TW didn't need to start from scratch. They already had a proven formula from M&B/Warband and just needed to build upon it.
It also had a development team of like 10 times that of Warband, and the budget most likely also so if not much bigger! (Warband has sold a lot of copies). So of course it's reasonable to expect way more of Bannerlord.

What dissapoints me the most about all this is however, is TW's lack of ambition, Bannerlord could've been so much more.

 

[Deathmacabre]

Guys while we can all agree the core gameplay of Bannerlord is great and unique (combat and battles), lets not forget TW didn't need to start from scratch. They already had a proven formula from M&B/Warband and just needed to build upon it.
It also had a development team of like 10 times that of Warband, and the budget most likely also so if not much bigger! (Warband has sold a lot of copies). So of course it's reasonable to expect way more of Bannerlord.

What dissapoints me the most about all this is however, is TW's lack of ambition, Bannerlord could've been so much more.

That is why i just wish they realease final version and just stop updating their game. Fans will prove with mods again thet they are better in this game then developers.

 

[stevehoos]

That is why i just wish they realease final version and just stop updating their game. Fans will prove with mods again thet they are better in this game then developers.

Yeah agree,

An emissary and a barber are not what I call immersive on any level.

 

[Andrei[beast]]

Bannerlord could've been so much more.

Could? I don't want to brag about this but why COULD? Did the game got released? As far as we know the game is still in EA( YES i know this is not a good reason to explain the lack of gameplay) and features will come. Maybe they'll add more immersion to the game, maybe it'll still be plain, we can't know, but don't jump to the conclusion that the game is done or all ready a wasted opportunity.

 

[babelfisch]

Could? I don't want to brag about this but why COULD? Did the game got released? As far as we know the game is still in EA( YES i know this is not a good reason to explain the lack of gameplay) and features will come. Maybe they'll add more immersion to the game, maybe it'll still be plain, we can't know, but don't jump to the conclusion that the game is done or all ready a wasted opportunity.

The game is already quite good and will only become better.
Some people expected a Kingdom Come - Total War - Crusader Kings - Life Is Feudal - Mediaeval Dynasty - Mount & Blade though. Obviously that's not going to happen and I am not even sure it would be a good game, feature creep is a thing. Just take a look at Star Citizen, and they aren't even trying to add a strategy or dynasty aspect to it.
Doing everything doesn't necessarily make a good game.
On the other hand it's true that Bannerlord still lacks a lot of features, mechanics and balancing. But it slowly becomes the game I expected and hoped for.

 

[danEN]

That is why i just wish they realease final version and just stop updating their game. Fans will prove with mods again thet they are better in this game then developers.

It's unfair to blame the developers, quite clearly they're talented at what they do, the real criticism should be directed towards the management and bosses.

If you look at the game right now, every major issue can be traced back to the management's poor judgement and decision making.

 

[vonbalt]

It's unfair to blame the developers, quite clearly they're talented at what they do, the real criticism should be directed towards the management and bosses.

If you look at the game right now, every major issue can be traced back to the management's poor judgement and decision making.

Exactly, the devs seem passionated and talented more than enough, it's the upper management that's making the unpopular calls and we aren't even talking about those glassdoor reviews that talk about bad management leading to development hell..

 

[sniparsexe]

That is why i just wish they realease final version and just stop updating their game. Fans will prove with mods again thet they are better in this game then developers.

management*

 

[Julio-Claudian]

Could? I don't want to brag about this but why COULD? Did the game got released? As far as we know the game is still in EA( YES i know this is not a good reason to explain the lack of gameplay) and features will come. Maybe they'll add more immersion to the game, maybe it'll still be plain, we can't know, but don't jump to the conclusion that the game is done or all ready a wasted opportunity.

Well there is a lot that was scrapped to make the game more simple and now can't be added, more than we know about.
But yeah, this is the only videogame I'm really interested in or have any hopes for right now. Main hopes are in mods or possibly future dlc for players who aren't afraid of 'complicated' gameplay.

 

[Andrei[beast]]

Well there is a lot that was scrapped to make the game more simple and now can't be added, more than we know about.
But yeah, this is the only videogame I'm really interested in or have any hopes for right now. Main hopes are in mods or possibly future dlc for players who aren't afraid of 'complicated' gameplay.

Many things probably can't be added because of engine restricts or, as mexxico said, because they are considered too complex by the upper management. But my point stands, you can't say that it COULD have been a great game as the game is still being updated and worked on.

 

[Peanut_Brother]

Any chance to implement something slightly better? At least random excuses from a pool of excuses based on the rulers' relationship with each other?

+1
I believe what @Bloc outlines is the best possible outcome left for what this feature could be.

While it is clear that the core design will not allow for much variety/depth in a kingdom's casus belli, that doesn't mean that the actual messaging in game has to be shallow.

War declaration in the code:
Target Kingdom is weaker? close to us? We're not already stretched thin? Cool, go to war.

War declaration message in game:
Kingdoms Leaders traits + Target Kingdom Policies + Kingdom culture + Kingdoms strengths + Kingdom's avg Town Prosperity + etc. There are really a lot of ways to generate in game 'reasons' a Kingdom goes to war, even if the real reason was just wanting more power. Tie this in with the dialog said before a fight. Instead of "You know we are at war..." it could be "You support a leader that is cruel." or "Your Kingdom has no right to rule over the common man when your laws treat them so poorly.".

I don't believe any of this to be a brilliant solution. I'm really just trying to emphasize Bloc's original point that flavor text still brings value here.

 

[Bloc]

I believe what @Bloc outlines is the best possible outcome left for what this feature could be.

Well I'm still waiting for @mexxico 's comment on that to see whether it's doable for them or not. I think he can bring this up in meetings by also backing it up with saying "This isn't making game anymore complex - mechanics are still simple - just making it richer in terms of textual content to give players a sense of depth"

 

[vonbalt]

+1
I believe what @Bloc outlines is the best possible outcome left for what this feature could be.

This would be a very good compromise and would make me a happy player

For example take that border incident thing from diplomacy in warband, i know it was random when a kingdom was at peace for too long or something like that but it gave an immersive reason to go to war, same thing when one monarch insulted the other and if the insulted monarch didn't respond with war declaration he would lose prestige in the view of his vassals, just simple things but they were there.

 

[MostBlunted]

Who is the most communicative TW employe and why is it Mexxico?

As always these insights are much appreciated (even if I don´t like all decision that were made). Keep up the good work.

 

[fanugi]

156 awesome stuff overall. Stuttering more on all screens. I think there is a memory leak, restart it every 2 hours is helping. I've had 3 wives but no babies, whats wrong with me(never had this issue before, i swear!)? Sturgia is doing well, overall balance it much more fun this run.

Anyone else see Dakhila? 74 year old Sturgian noble in her undies that never dies and just wrecks on the battlefield? She made my day. I do think she finally died tho. Sad face.

Keep it up, can we fix the performance though? I feel like it went backwards.

 

[stevehoos]

The game is already quite good and will only become better.
Some people expected a Kingdom Come - Total War - Crusader Kings - Life Is Feudal - Mediaeval Dynasty - Mount & Blade though. Obviously that's not going to happen and I am not even sure it would be a good game, feature creep is a thing. Just take a look at Star Citizen, and they aren't even trying to add a strategy or dynasty aspect to it.
Doing everything doesn't necessarily make a good game.
On the other hand it's true that Bannerlord still lacks a lot of features, mechanics and balancing. But it slowly becomes the game I expected and hoped for.

I expected diplomacy options and free lancer, the foundation of all good mods for warband.