Improved ‘Renown’ System (First Draft)
What does renown mean?
Renown or fame is the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed throughout the lands. Your renown, along with faction, shows how people react to you. The more renown you have, the more you will be liked and praised.
What’s currently wrong with Mount and Blade: Warband’s renown system?
My opinion is the current renown system is bland and dreary. The system doesn’t really dive deep into the world; renown is only useful towards men/female of status (King’s etc). Although the renown system does it job, it isn’t really convincing considering you can’t really stretch your renown to limits where you get reactions from townsfolk and bandits.
How can the renown system be improved?
Renown plays a very big part in the Mount and Blade: Warband but it can be enhanced or in other words, it can be pleasurable. This is what I had in mind….
1 – Renown titles would be entertaining and interesting in-game, renown titles are names that the people of Calradia will give you depending on what weapons you use, how you fight and your general activities around the lands. Titles could vary from “The Two Headed archer” to “The Night Warrior”, each with its own unique meaning. It would give the player authentication that their actions have made a mark on the world, and that they’re known throughout Calradia.
Example – My character is a swordsman who fights with his loyal horse, after several battles the people of Calradia have decided to call him “The Horseback Swordsman” because he is talented with the sword and he is an expert rider.
2 – Requests would also be another compelling and motivating feature for renown. Forget recruiting peasants or hiring mercenaries, if your known throughout the lands warriors will come and seek you out so they can join your party for far less than what you would normally offer. This feature would be great because it would again, give players confirmation that they are leaving their mark on the world and it would also “verify” that the player is a superior commander.
Example – My character has been chasing and wiping out bandits for weeks, he makes camp and is suddenly approached by a group of peasants who wish to join his party.
Example 2 – My character has just successfully raided a castle, impressed by his courage and strength several mercenary horsemen approach him and ask to join his army for no cost.
3 – Celebrations and statues would by far be one of the funniest renown features there is. Small peasant Villages (only Villages of the same faction as the player) will celebrate the player’s victories (Only if the player has a good relationship with the Village) and even build statues of the player in their village center. Celebrations will bring in money, renown and could coincide with requests.
Example – My character has just destroyed a Nord army and captured a man of high-status, a Village the player is familiar with has just heard the news and has decided to hold a celebration for the players victory.
The suggestion is very short but I am looking for feedback before I proceed with more ideas, thank you for taking your time to read my suggestion. All feedback will be appreciated. If any modders are interested, I can send a full Design Document so they can create the system.