What is fun for the player?
This is a question that every developer usually asks themselves. Most (surprisingly considerable) fans of the M&B saga are looking for a certain complexity in terms of tactical possibilities. I'm still surprised how much is being asked even nowadays for the implementation of the ambushes. Sadly, Taleworlds decided that this was not fun for the player and dropped it. But that's now history, isn't it?
The luck of having a Community like ours, is that it shows itself as it is through what it wants and what it doesn't want (block delay, premade classes, etc). There are certain features that are repeated over and over again for its implementation as far as "complex tactics" are concerned (just look at the mods for Warband). This is where I'm going to talk about them.
If any of you have read me through the forum, you will have checked The tactical way: beyond the melee cluster thread. In there we discussed the AI handicaps and their relationship with basic and complex tactics.
Bannerlord is screaming for an extension of its basic commands in pursuit of advanced ones. I truly believe that this expansion shall be done through a radial-pie menu.
With this graphical user interface control element we would carry out our selection of advanced orders in a faster and more intuitive way. Something similar to this, which combines feedback from fellow forumites and mine:
Practically everything will remain as it is except the F4 key which will be expanded to fire/ hold fire and use of weapons (see Battle Command: Switch Weapon). The use of weapons command is something basic that is surprisingly not implemented in Bannerlord and is extremely necessary.
The follow me command should be handled as in VC, keeping the relative position reference. This mod for Bannerlord is already experimented with.
As for the shieldwall formation, it should behave like the old "stand closer" Warband command in its final compact state. A line of bots very close together with the shields (if present) positioned forward in normal attack attitude; without showing the current passivity behaviour. A basic phalanx.
For the face direction command, I think it would be interesting to give it a twist with radial interfaces too. (see Compass UI for face direction command)
Engage: Bots marching slowly in formation (after a given order) towards the designated target. (see Engage Enemy Order (Alternative replacing Advance order))
Focus Fire: Bots with projectiles will focus solely and exclusively on a target determined by the user. (see Focus fire on enemy unit )
Volley Fire: We all know about this. Exactly what Caba`drin brought us in his day. (see [WB, SP] Order: Volley Fire!)
Harass: This command performs the same behavior as the bots when approaching the default "advance" command if they have projectiles. A harass as a way to skirmish the enemy keeping the distance with it.
Fallback: Order to move backwards. Currently bots, after ordering fallback tend to turn their backs to the enemy; this is not acceptable. Fallback ≠ Retreat . (see Fallback order does not work properly)
Guard me: Order to protect the general, a kind of "follow me" much more closely. In the first videos of Bannerlord you could see that order; it seems that it has been discarded (plausible).
Brace weapon: We all know about this. If we talk about pikes or spears we would be thinking about the bracing function that The Mercenary brought to us. (see Spear Bracing Kit) . Any polearm will be wielded that way regardless of the assigned formation. Infantry only. A bot equipped with a shield and spear, if assigned to deploy a brace weapon command; it should unequip its shield behind its back and hold the spear with two hands. Passive damage in Bannerlord is possible through the couched lance function; however a user is experimenting with passive damage in static for a Bannerlord mod.
Testudo: A mix of the current shieldwall and square. Shields in front of the first row and the rest protecting the heads. The pace of the march with this command selected should reduce by >25% of the speed of the formation. (see "TESTUDO" Formation | Referendum ) I testify that this can be done , myself and another user have experimented with it (mod)
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Poll and debate opened
This is a question that every developer usually asks themselves. Most (surprisingly considerable) fans of the M&B saga are looking for a certain complexity in terms of tactical possibilities. I'm still surprised how much is being asked even nowadays for the implementation of the ambushes. Sadly, Taleworlds decided that this was not fun for the player and dropped it. But that's now history, isn't it?
The luck of having a Community like ours, is that it shows itself as it is through what it wants and what it doesn't want (block delay, premade classes, etc). There are certain features that are repeated over and over again for its implementation as far as "complex tactics" are concerned (just look at the mods for Warband). This is where I'm going to talk about them.
If any of you have read me through the forum, you will have checked The tactical way: beyond the melee cluster thread. In there we discussed the AI handicaps and their relationship with basic and complex tactics.
Bannerlord is screaming for an extension of its basic commands in pursuit of advanced ones. I truly believe that this expansion shall be done through a radial-pie menu.
With this graphical user interface control element we would carry out our selection of advanced orders in a faster and more intuitive way. Something similar to this, which combines feedback from fellow forumites and mine:
Placeholder design, just to illustrate the concept
Basic orders
If you notice the basic default command panel (left) you will see that I have removed "advance", "fallback" and the return X's (I would remove all of them, what good is it if the same thing happens with Esc). The first and second commands will be restructured in the tactics section.Basic orders
Practically everything will remain as it is except the F4 key which will be expanded to fire/ hold fire and use of weapons (see Battle Command: Switch Weapon). The use of weapons command is something basic that is surprisingly not implemented in Bannerlord and is extremely necessary.
The follow me command should be handled as in VC, keeping the relative position reference. This mod for Bannerlord is already experimented with.
As for the shieldwall formation, it should behave like the old "stand closer" Warband command in its final compact state. A line of bots very close together with the shields (if present) positioned forward in normal attack attitude; without showing the current passivity behaviour. A basic phalanx.
For the face direction command, I think it would be interesting to give it a twist with radial interfaces too. (see Compass UI for face direction command)
Tactics
I think the most intuitive way to display this radial menu would be to use the center mouse button. Then it would be displayed like this:
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Poll and debate opened
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