Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - now available on Early Access

Is there a chance that Empire will have Greek Fire?

 

Dynamic death animations are already a thing in Warband (I remember a different reaction for a hit to the head), but holy shit, I thought the combat system will be basically copied from Warband. Judging by some of the linked dude's videos, it will be 90% Warband + some new things like changing stances, chaining attacks (probably inspired by a Warband mod, though in Bannerlord it makes your attacks faster) and a souls-like parry system (alongside normal blocking and chamber blocking), though it's not clear how a parry is different from a normal block (other than being timed). Given that the existing combat system was already fun and challenging, keeping it mostly the same and adding a few details like these is IMO the best possible outcome for Bannerlord.

 

Welcome to 2008

 

For some reason I forgot to point out this perk in this previous post even though I had noticed it. So here it is now: apparently you will be able to get a chance at blocking arrows while using a 2H weapon.

 

Aemar
The Gamescom pregens, fairly accomplished characters, had their highest skill at 150 (most were 100 or less). 260 is the capstone. I doubt you'll see player characters getting much use out of it.

 

Some concerns:

• Commands for units seem to be rudimentary, compared to the previous game (could be because it's still a work-in-progress though).
• Fight at the gate had the player character fighting with his overhead only as units were unnaturally tightly grouped. Seems like a minimum of spacing is required, for some proper combat.
  
• Units' factional icons should scale better. Right now they're getting bigger when you're getting closer. Maybe give units faction-colored outlines instead? That won't eat 80% of the screen space in melee.
• Looks like all enemies who attacked stormed the gate mindlessly. However, there were some who... stayed behind for some reason?

 

AI path is not a thing in the map(its multiplayer locked, unlocked with a mod for sp) so they cant find a way around some obstacles like the trebuchet, in the 2016 Siege video your troops use multiple routes and siege machinery at the same time (ram, ladders, ballista and trebuchet).

 

But why don't they use actual SP maps then? Not enough available yet? What's the benefit of using that specific MP map?

 

Because there is no SP as of yet, you can only play out battles with the Battlemod a Chinese modder made. Multiplayer closed beta had a Siege mode stress test and added Siege maps to the game, making it possible to use it with the said mod.

 

It's still a weird feature to have in this game though, even if its usage and practicality will be limited. An odd decision to add something like this considering the rest of the combat features are fairly realistic.

 

Ah ok, thanks. Didn't really follow the beta stuff close enough I guess.

 

WTF Dutchies, I expected more from you and to be near the top.

... and Portugal? B for surprising me.

 

Yeah, Bannerlord looks to be a straight improvement on Warband, as Warband was to classic. I just hope they don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by doing something stupid like Denuvo.

 

Early Access won't have the single player sandbox in it?

 

It will. There'd be no reason to buy early access if it were just multiplayer.

 

https://www.taleworlds.com/en/News/321

Uh oh

 

I mean yeah they probably already got the release locked in, but what about the updates after that? Crunch time is hard when everyone is working from home, they'll just be dicking around when there's no office whip behind their backs.

 

Yeah, I suspect the game is mostly releasable and they're just cranking out bugfixes right now. I just hope it doesn't have Ruins of Myth Drannor tier bugs.

 

Been watching a lot of gameplay videos lately. The game seems pretty stable from what I can tell (MP at least).

 

Aemar
Oh I'm sure the battles will be fine for the most part. It's the campaign map layer that we should worry about. Even after 10 years there's still some major bugs left in Warband's (Claimant quests fucking up if someone else kills the last of the original faction and hostile prisoners being prominent ones), and that was way less complex than Bannerlord

 

Most likely there are already plans for a Warband conversion mod.

 

Native should feature It if you wait too much.

 

I start to imagine AD 1257 conversion to Butterlord. I just cant wait.