I really don't want to be a Debby downer but I can't be the only one thinking it. From the information we have, it just doesn't feel like the game is going to be ready / starting out strong.
Let's review the facts. First off we have all the information from the gameplay videos and everything from Gamescom 2019, which was five-month ago. Then we have the Dev blogs, which are great, but some of the information is YEARS old at this point. Of the Dev blogs posted after Gamescom, two were about the website and forums, two about lighting and audio, and the remaining five about varying gameplay mechanics / features all of which only discussed skin deep. I can only hope they didn't bother to inform us because they've been buckling down on development. Then we have the limited answered questions of this forum and the closed beta. The Beta is what concerns me the most. Granted it's mainly there to test the multiplayer and maybe they've done tons of work on the singleplayer for Early Access that just doesn't reflect in the beta, but the Beta is not in the best state. Number one it's still in a closed beta, so it hasn't been hit by the majority of players yet, Number two it runs like a toaster when there are more than twenty people in a server. Number three is the massive balancing needed between range, infantry, and cavalry, and Number four we still haven't seen sieges even on a small scale. I get the servers can't handle it, but it gives me little faith because Seige mode is where I've been wanting to put the AI to the test and see how it reacts, paths, and thinks. I want validation the AI can be smart and not be another Warband Seige. Even just a bumping up the number of units in Captains mode would have given me hope. Maybe let everyone command a small battalion of archers, infantry and cavalry. So us what the game can truly do, even if just for a day.
The fact of the matter is... We are a month out from the launch of Early Access, from the limited information we have (which is basically non-existent) We can only hope that this radio silence ( or pretty near) means Taleworlds, who I love to bits, is working hard on the final touches so the we, who love the game soo dearly and have waited half an eternity, can finally play it. But my respect and admiration of Taleworlds won't stop me from worrying that Bannerlord is going to be a little undercooked even for an Early Access title. I expected or just wanted to see more gameplay footage, more in-depth Dev blogs, Open Beta Weekends, and all the like to really show off how far along it is and it's level of polish. Maybe that's just not how Taleworlds rolls?
Let's review the facts. First off we have all the information from the gameplay videos and everything from Gamescom 2019, which was five-month ago. Then we have the Dev blogs, which are great, but some of the information is YEARS old at this point. Of the Dev blogs posted after Gamescom, two were about the website and forums, two about lighting and audio, and the remaining five about varying gameplay mechanics / features all of which only discussed skin deep. I can only hope they didn't bother to inform us because they've been buckling down on development. Then we have the limited answered questions of this forum and the closed beta. The Beta is what concerns me the most. Granted it's mainly there to test the multiplayer and maybe they've done tons of work on the singleplayer for Early Access that just doesn't reflect in the beta, but the Beta is not in the best state. Number one it's still in a closed beta, so it hasn't been hit by the majority of players yet, Number two it runs like a toaster when there are more than twenty people in a server. Number three is the massive balancing needed between range, infantry, and cavalry, and Number four we still haven't seen sieges even on a small scale. I get the servers can't handle it, but it gives me little faith because Seige mode is where I've been wanting to put the AI to the test and see how it reacts, paths, and thinks. I want validation the AI can be smart and not be another Warband Seige. Even just a bumping up the number of units in Captains mode would have given me hope. Maybe let everyone command a small battalion of archers, infantry and cavalry. So us what the game can truly do, even if just for a day.
The fact of the matter is... We are a month out from the launch of Early Access, from the limited information we have (which is basically non-existent) We can only hope that this radio silence ( or pretty near) means Taleworlds, who I love to bits, is working hard on the final touches so the we, who love the game soo dearly and have waited half an eternity, can finally play it. But my respect and admiration of Taleworlds won't stop me from worrying that Bannerlord is going to be a little undercooked even for an Early Access title. I expected or just wanted to see more gameplay footage, more in-depth Dev blogs, Open Beta Weekends, and all the like to really show off how far along it is and it's level of polish. Maybe that's just not how Taleworlds rolls?