POLL: Should players be able to disable the aging mechanic?

[SpectreSC]

Yeah, the sandbox fantasy of the previous titles didn't have this restriction.

Considering that cracked files have shown that aging can be toggled on/off under the hood, it's not the coding nightmare that those who oppose the option insists it is. Plenty of things can already be done to significantly alter the balance of the game as is. Battle death on/off, difficulty settings, etc..

Giving people the option to play this like the previous Mount & Blade titles should be a core part of the experience. It IS supposed to be a part of the same series, after all. Plenty of people here who like the aging often cite and reference Crusader Kings as an example of why it's great/why they want it. You can deny that if you want, but look through the posts and you'll see people talking about wanting it to be like CK.

As of right now, the implementation of the aging/heir/procedural generation system isn't even working in context of the gameplay loop. The recent snowballing problems render it pointless. We're only getting the baggage of it.

If I want to take my time and level smithing, do the side quests, build relationships and rivalries, I shouldn't have to put aside my time to invest in a feature I have no interest in because they've decided to implement restrictions that results in a finite amount of time in-game for my character. I don't give a **** about your immersion or kids. Play house if you want. Let me avoid all of that.

Yet you're complaining and causing a storm over a feature you won't even have to bother with for 10-20 years in-game or even longer. Do you even know how long it takes to go that far in the current builds? It would take you weeks or even months to do so at the 2x/3x speed we're provided. So why is this such a huge issue to you? If all you care for is killing things and a larger army then just play the game and you won't even been affected by the generational gameplay loop, you'd most likely find all your enjoyment before that's even an issue.

Besides this absolutely adds to the atmosphere and overall sense of the sandbox experience in Bannerlord, which was always intended to be a medieval game where you can do exactly what you want.

Sure, an option would be nice, like I've parroted and repeated a few times now. But it is absolutely a part of the core loop and just because there's code in the build that allows for it to be disabled does not mean it's "current" nor part of their future plans. It could be depreciated code for all you know. We're sitting here having a discussion about a feature that's still in it's infancy as well, in a game that is also still in development, where things are going to change down the line.

Let's let them do what they have in mind and actually present the completed feature set first before rioting over something so minuscule or far off for the average player. Just because you don't want to enjoy that feature doesn't mean others share that same viewpoint. And just because CK did it first does not mean Crusader Kings takes ownership of that idea. Other games can also attempt to do the same.

 

[primethief147]

The point is it shouldn't have to be done by mods. It's clear a lot of people want the option to play this like the previous Mount & Blade games. Considering that someone has found an option to disable aging already exists in the code and files, TrashMan's nonsensical post has no weight. It IS an issue for plenty of people.

If y'all want Crusader Kings so badly, Crusader Kings 3 should be out soon. Those who want Mount & Blade should get Mount & Blade.

Your not gonna play long enough for ageing to become an issue... hell has any of your characters died of old age yet?....Do you even know if they can die of old age and if they can what age is it that they die?

Your big argument is that Bannerlord is turning into "the sims" Last i checked i dont need to take a shower and have a **** in Bannerlord. Ya you can have kids in this game but nothing requires YOU to get married or if you do have kids even bother interacting with them. Calm down by the time your game is over at best your character will agr maybe 20 odd years which is over 100-300 hours (tired so im not doing the math). I guarantee you a factiom will haveether conquered the map or you will in that time.

If it really is that big of a deal for you, either wait for the Devs to activate the option to turn ageing off closer to release (because its gonna become an option eventually) use a mod, but right now there are a lot of other features(fixing sieges/adding rebellions/proper kingdom management/more lord dialogue options/fixing stats/fixing in game market prices/ect) that need to be added/fixed instead of a feature most people will barely even notice.

 

[Kangamangus]

Yet you're complaining and causing a storm over a feature you won't even have to bother with for 10-20 years in-game or even longer. Do you even know how long it takes to go that far in the current builds? It would take you weeks or even months to do so at the 2x/3x speed we're provided. So why is this such a huge issue to you? If all you care for is killing things and a larger army then just play the game and you won't even been affected by the generational gameplay loop, you'd most likely find all your enjoyment before that's even an issue.

Besides this absolutely adds to the atmosphere and overall sense of the sandbox experience in Bannerlord, which was always intended to be a medieval game where you can do exactly what you want.

Sure, an option would be nice, like I've parroted and repeated a few times now. But it is absolutely a part of the core loop and just because there's code in the build that allows for it to be disabled does not mean it's "current" nor part of their future plans. It could be depreciated code for all you know. We're sitting here having a discussion about a feature that's still in it's infancy as well, in a game that is also still in development, where things are going to change down the line.

Let's let them do what they have in mind and actually present the completed feature set first before rioting over something so minuscule or far off for the average player. Just because you don't want to enjoy that feature doesn't mean others share that same viewpoint. And just because CK did it first does not mean Crusader Kings takes ownership of that idea. Other games can also attempt to do the same.

It's still supposed to be a part of the Mount & Blade series. As you said, a sandbox that let's us do what we want. Including avoiding new restrictions that the previous series didn't have.

If I want to play for weeks or months on the same playthrough, I don't want to have to waste my time doing something I have no interest in that was never an issue before. I agree that it should be there for those who want it. GREAT! I hope it's the most enjoyable experience imaginable for you. I want a different experience, and the provided option to play this like the rest of the Mount & Blade games that brought me here.

What better time to have them fix the code and get this right for all M&B fans than now? The point of Early Access and these forums is to give them feedback.

 

[✪Chewy]

Your not gonna play long enough for ageing to become an issue... hell has any of your characters died of old age yet?....Do you even know if they can die of old age and if they can what age is it that they die?

Your big argument is that Bannerlord is turning into "the sims" Last i checked i dont need to take a shower and have a **** in Bannerlord. Ya you can have kids in this game but nothing requires YOU to get married or if you do have kids even bother interacting with them. Calm down by the time your game is over at best your character will agr maybe 20 odd years which is over 100-300 hours (tired so im not doing the math). I guarantee you a factiom will haveether conquered the map or you will in that time.

If it really is that big of a deal for you, either wait for the Devs to activate the option to turn ageing off closer to release (because its gonna become an option eventually) use a mod, but right now there are a lot of other features(fixing sieges/adding rebellions/proper kingdom management/more lord dialogue options/fixing stats/fixing in game market prices/ect) that need to be added/fixed instead of a feature most people will barely even notice.

Oh oh, don't forget. Stop the conspiracy! that needs fixing too.

 

[Kangamangus]

Your not gonna play long enough for ageing to become an issue... hell has any of your characters died of old age yet?....Do you even know if they can die of old age and if they can what age is it that they die?

Your big argument is that Bannerlord is turning into "the sims" Last i checked i dont need to take a shower and have a **** in Bannerlord. Ya you can have kids in this game but nothing requires YOU to get married or if you do have kids even bother interacting with them. Calm down by the time your game is over at best your character will agr maybe 20 odd years which is over 100-300 hours (tired so im not doing the math). I guarantee you a factiom will haveether conquered the map or you will in that time.

If it really is that big of a deal for you, either wait for the Devs to activate the option to turn ageing off closer to release (because its gonna become an option eventually) use a mod, but right now there are a lot of other features(fixing sieges/adding rebellions/proper kingdom management/more lord dialogue options/fixing stats/fixing in game market prices/ect) that need to be added/fixed instead of a feature most people will barely even notice.

Then why bother even having aging if people aren't going to play long enough for it to become an issue?

 

[✪Chewy]

Then why bother even having aging if people aren't going to play long enough for it to become an issue?

That's the thing, They should increase the speed ;D
But don't panic!! They should still add an option for your playstyle!
Besides, Mods like LOTR need it, Otherwise Gandalf would die 1 week into the playthrough. Or make him 1 year old with gray hair.

 

[Kangamangus]

That's the thing, They should increase the speed ;D
But don't panic!! They should still add an option for your playstyle!
Besides, Mods like LOTR need it, Otherwise Gandalf would die 1 week into the playthrough. Or make him 1 year old with gray hair.

But then Gandalf could come back as so many different colors, over and over!

 

[✪Chewy]

But then Gandalf could come back as so many different colors, over and over!

True! oh well nvm

 

[EarlyFrost]

Frankly, I kinda want to see what stopping death-by-hourglass does in trainwrecking the inheritance system. Purely out of morbid curiosity.

Immortal King-Emeritus anyone?

 

[primethief147]

Then why bother even having aging if people aren't going to play long enough for it to become an issue?

Because its a cool way of showing your character progression in the world. By the time you reach the end of everything you can possibly do (after the games official release) you're character will have grey hair and a couple of grandchildren.

As another person said though in the games current (and probably future state) you can't just drop dead all you'll notice after... say 200 hours (which there is not even close to enough features right now to warrant that type of time investment) is maybe some grey hair and if your characteris marriedsome kids you can easily ignore.

 

[Kangamangus]

Bump. Poll will be closing soon.

 

[Kangamangus]

Poll is closed!
Roughly 65% of forum users polled voted to give players the option to disable the aging mechanic.
Roughly 35% of forum users polled voted against giving the player the option to disable the aging mechanic.

@Callum, can you weigh in on this or at least make note of this?

 

[beanywalrus]

Have to say I like the aging mechanic, but right now the game doesn't last long enough for it to effect us, since snowballing makes the game end very quickly without mods to change how war and peace works. Old age death doesn't seem to be a thing yet. Lucon is still kicking at 85 years old. I'd say that we need to be able to change our age when starting however, 30 is just too forced, let us start at 18 at the very least.

 

[almightycricket]

Alright, I decided to start a poll. I've been waiting a sequel not too long after I'd played the hell out of Warband back in the late 2000s. A decade plus of waiting. I was wanting bigger, better, prettier M&B. So far, that seems to be what I got, but with the unwanted and unavoidable addition of aging and character death.

I did not want this. I did not ask for this. Is there any way players can have the Mount & Blade experience without this new mechanic forced down our throats? I'm not saying remove the feature, only just to give us the option to disable it if we want to enjoy this game the same way players have been able to enjoy every previous Mount & Blade game.

What do other forum users here think? I personally think options are always a good thing. If the game is going to be a 'sandbox,' let us tweak the world and it's rules to our liking, or at least to the extent to make it more like the previous titles that led us to this point.

Developer console mod allows people to set ages. Theres a nexus mod that freezes aging. What the devs allow or disallow at this point is moot and you can do what you wish.

 

[Kangamangus]

Developer console mod allows people to set ages. Theres a nexus mod that freezes aging. What the devs allow or disallow at this point is moot and you can do what you wish.

Option should be there out of the box, native. Not requiring users to download 3rd-party software to play the game the way they want, including without the restrictions and limitations introduced in this title, problems that weren't in previous M&B games.

They've already given us an option to ignore the new battle death feature. One of the key selling points is to play the game how we want. Options are good.

 

[almightycricket]

Option should be there out of the box, native. Not requiring users to download 3rd-party software to play the game the way they want, including without the restrictions and limitations introduced in this title, problems that weren't in previous M&B games.

They've already given us an option to ignore the new battle death feature. One of the key selling points is to play the game how we want. Options are good.

Which is why out of the box modules are allowed and modding isn't difficult. If you can't bother to take 30 seconds out of your day to download a mod and drag it into the module folder to solve your own issue, how can you expect a dev. company to focus on such a small thing when they have at the very least a quarter million people screaming in their ears?

I get you paid for this, but they told you the it wasn't done and they are working on it. I offered a perfectly viable solution which should help with the wait, take it or leave it.

 

[Kangamangus]

Which is why out of the box modules are allowed and modding isn't difficult. If you can't bother to take 30 seconds out of your day to download a mod and drag it into the module folder to solve your own issue, how can you expect a dev. company to focus on such a small thing when they have at the very least a quarter million people screaming in their ears?

I get you paid for this, but they told you the it wasn't done and they are working on it. I offered a perfectly viable solution which should help with the wait, take it or leave it.

The concern isn't in the immediate. It's the final version where the option really needs to be in place. Right now the aging isn't functional. When it is, it should be up to the user if they want that restriction.

 

[almightycricket]

The concern isn't in the immediate. It's the final version where the option really needs to be in place. Right now the aging isn't functional. When it is, it should be up to the user if they want that restriction.

I'm sure it will be considering the amount of posts on the subject.

 

[gdiago]

It's a terrible idea and I waited to see if it was indeed optional before even considering a purchase - it's not, so I'll keep playing Warband until this situation is resolved. From what I've seen this game is a firm step away from what I liked about Warband anyways.

I already have 76 hours in single player and my character has only aged like 1.5 years...I'm pretty sure you're overreacting. At this rate (and yes I did the math) - even if characters only live to 60 (which I'm sure they live longer than that) - I'll be able to play my campaign for over 3000 hours before my character dies of old age. I don't know of anyone who has played a single campaign in Mount and Blade or any mod for Mount and Blade for more than 500-1000 hours without conquering the world or just wanting to start fresh. So it's safe to say people shouldn't be worrying about this mechanic.

 

[Vermillion_Hawk]

I already have 76 hours in single player and my character has only aged like 1.5 years...I'm pretty sure you're overreacting. At this rate (and yes I did the math) - even if characters only live to 60 (which I'm sure they live longer than that) - I'll be able to play my campaign for over 3000 hours before my character dies of old age. I don't know of anyone who has played a single campaign in Mount and Blade or any mod for Mount and Blade for more than 500-1000 hours without conquering the world or just wanting to start fresh. So it's safe to say people shouldn't be worrying about this mechanic.

It's less the fact that your character will inevitably die (which still pisses me off) but rather that the game has been designed around this. Persistent Lords are no more, and the game has already lost so much of the personality of Warband. You can't even import/export your character currently, which would be the only possible feature to mitigate aging.