E3 gameplay analysis

[2ak]

Hi everyone,

- Have you guys and girls noticed the horse movement animation? (Maaan, haven't seen a horse move so smoothly and vigorously in any game to date) Amazing job TW, genuinely impressed. It looks incredibly immersive and realistic, paired with the shadows, sand effects and hair physics all reacting dynamically, I couldn't ask for more!
Definitely looking forward to play as a horse archer.

- Collision and path finding definitely looks improved and very healthy, release ready.

- Combat animation is is improved and well made imho. Also the ai soldiers react to the direction of which the threat is coming from and not only focused on the player character, giving each soldier a weight in the battle.

- Now passing to more technical stuff. Cavalry Sergeant? Needn't say more.

- This one here is getting me a bit confused.. In my view the game graphics look stunning, very beautiful and realistic art direction with a great deal of attention to details, that is genuine opinion. However, I see many complaining about the graphics (that is why I am confused, I mean to each his own, but would like to hear the general consensus please).. What is your take guys?


Putting the TW lack of communication and the discontent it caused me aside (I am still waiting for the game status update regarding the chance of releasing it in some form or shape by the end of 2016).

I am truly in owe of what I saw in the battle videos they released this E3, and can't wait to see more regarding the over world map gameplay (economic, political, strategic and diplomatic features) and of course getting to play it myself. Great job on your work on the game TW!

Thank you all for reading.


Edit: added a point about combat animation and ai.

[Flippy]

Yes it did look really great.

I will turn off those little markers above some of the npc's when i play. Like a clean UI.

[2ak]

Originally posted by Flippy:

...
I will turn off those little markers above some of the npc's when i play. Like a clean UI.

Agreed, I'll probably do the same, it'll definitely be more immersive that way.

[Varien]

people were complaining about graphics? Hell I'm worried about running it! First thing that caught my attention was the helmet "lace" lol. And the horse manes bounching up and down.


So sexy, made me think of Horizon Zeo Dawn.

[Mr. Panzy]

Agreed as well, and I think that you mean at the end of 2017 for release, not 2016.

[Meme Man]

Originally posted by Flippy:

Yes it did look really great.

I will turn off those little markers above some of the npc's when i play. Like a clean UI.

You want to disable the banners?
I really wonder how you're supposed to tell which your units are in a clusterfock

[Flippy]

People complain about Fallout 4 graphics the exact same way.

All games have a different style and M&B II is the kind i like, which is a clean, defined look. "For Honor" for example has a more undefined look but has more going on.

M&B II looks perfect.

[2ak]

Originally posted by Daevintus:

Agreed as well, and I think that you mean at the end of 2017 for release, not 2016.

I actually meant 2016, because me and pretty much everyone else interested was waiting (after they publicly stated on the PC Gamer Weekend that they are aiming to release the game in some form or shape and getting it to our hands by the end of 2016), then new year came and TW acted as if nothing happened. I am not saying they were obliged to release it.. But a community rep writing a small thread like " Well guys we were aiming at a possible release of the game in some form in 2016, unfortunately that didn't materialise, therefore we are working hard on the game to get it in your hands asap, unfortunately not this year", rather than just leave us hanging.

[2ak]

Originally posted by Fightera100:

Originally posted by Flippy:

Yes it did look really great.

I will turn off those little markers above some of the npc's when i play. Like a clean UI.

You want to disable the banners?
I really wonder how you're supposed to tell which your units are in a clusterfock

Yes good point, if it gets really confusing, maybe enable your own troops one only? I still hope they make them smaller. However not the banners but the over head circles.

[gab.mc]

Originally posted by DarkSlayerofDarkness:

The ones that are hitting you are the bad guys

Originally posted by Fightera100:

You want to disable the banners?
I really wonder how you're supposed to tell which your units are in a clusterfock

I wonder how much "friendly fire" there was in medieval battles. It must have been easy enough to make mistakes with such numerous armys, without uniforms or distinctive clothing.

Taking out the marks would be a great way to increase realism. Confusing, yet realistic.

[Fireandsteel]

Originally posted by gab.mcganicus:

Originally posted by DarkSlayerofDarkness:

The ones that are hitting you are the bad guys

I wonder how much "friendly fire" there was in medieval battles. It must have been easy enough to make mistakes with such numerous armys, without uniforms or distinctive clothing.

Taking out the marks would be a great way to increase realism. Confusing, yet realistic.

In which case should able to kill friendlies. It was possible in warbabd with thr bow. But impossible with the sword.

[Lion-O]

The gameplay videos where impressive but I want to learn more info about things we havent seen before or know very little about. We already knew the ai had to of been improved and the sergeant system was inspired by a warband mod. Sheild bashing was already apart of Vikings so its to be expected. We had already seen what formations we could use in other battle gameplay videos. So really the only things ive learnt from this content is a deeper look into the visual and audio improvements compared to warband. The actual combat visuals/mechanics such as attack chaining and directional shield blocking.

I think some have been let down because they expected to see something we hadnt already seen or known about. Im not just talking about a release window but had they focussed on features we didnt know all that much about I think we'd all be happy. That being said this is E3 the biggest gaming event of the year and as much as I thought they would take this oportunity to really shine out there and get peoples attention, I think they've stuck to showing some goring action to aim for the majority who know very little about Mount and Blade rather then give us some video on economy and castle building etc.

I hope to hear more from an interview in the next few days or prehaps weeks, hoping they give us more details not just the same info for every interview. Im expecting not to hear anything new until Gamescom. We will likely be told we will hear more news "soon". And my guess they still dont have a ball park on a set release day time frame. I wanna say Q4 2017 but if this game continues at this rate im expecting no sooner then Q2 2018.

[Lion-O]

I hope they prove me wrong and really knock me off my chair when they finally annouce the release date.

[Flippy]

Originally posted by Lion-O:

The gameplay videos where impressive but I want to learn more info about things we havent seen before or know very little about. We already knew the ai had to of been improved and the sergeant system was inspired by a warband mod. Sheild bashing was already apart of Vikings so its to be expected. We had already seen what formations we could use in other battle gameplay videos. So really the only things ive learnt from this content is a deeper look into the visual and audio improvements compared to warband. The actual combat visuals/mechanics such as attack chaining and directional shield blocking.

I think some have been let down because they expected to see something we hadnt already seen or known about. Im not just talking about a release window but had they focussed on features we didnt know all that much about I think we'd all be happy. That being said this is E3 the biggest gaming event of the year and as much as I thought they would take this oportunity to really shine out there and get peoples attention, I think they've stuck to showing some goring action to aim for the majority who know very little about Mount and Blade rather then give us some video on economy and castle building etc.

I hope to hear more from an interview in the next few days or prehaps weeks, hoping they give us more details not just the same info for every interview. Im expecting not to hear anything new until Gamescom. We will likely be told we will hear more news "soon". And my guess they still dont have a ball park on a set release day time frame. I wanna say Q4 2017 but if this game continues at this rate im expecting no sooner then Q2 2018.

There is gameplay videos of the maps, in towns, the seasons, castle battles, field battles, weapon customization and character customization. This aside from actually playing the game has been shown in gameplay videos.

There is nothing a new gameplay video can show now except someone playing the entire game.

How much gameplay is expected to be shown prior to release? There is already over an hour or so of gameplay that has been shown.

In fact M&B II may have shown more gameplay than any other unreleased game ever.

[Varien]

Just re-watched the videos for the *undisclosed amount of times* and man... MAN does it look good. It looks better then good, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ it just FEELS good.

Where was the clump of 50 infantry chasing the PC like lemmings? Where was the single blob of infantry fighting another blob of infantry?

Fluid, it just looked so fluid. This is really the first time where the visuals are just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ amazing.

We dont understand how it's all working ofc, but I bet that fluid look of combat everywhere is a side effect of the lord command system.

[2ak]

Originally posted by Varien:

Just re-watched the videos for the *undisclosed amount of times* and man... MAN does it look good. It looks better then good, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ it just FEELS good.

Where was the clump of 50 infantry chasing the PC like lemmings? Where was the single blob of infantry fighting another blob of infantry?

Fluid, it just looked so fluid. This is really the first time where the visuals are just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ amazing.

We dont understand how it's all working ofc, but I bet that fluid look of combat everywhere is a side effect of the lord command system.

That is exactly my feeling! I am really loving the way they are approaching the game development, it just shows when the devs put love into their games and there is no publishing pressure..

I've been disappointed with many companies in the way they approached their sequels, definitely not TW, they are doing an amazing job in keeping all what made the player base love the first game, adding in their own and other popular features brought by mods (what appealed to the community) and generally improving the game in every aspect and expanding on what worked.


Speaking of how they are managing to innovate in the ai department btw, it is actually genius by nowadays games standards, each soldier operates individually and how it all works is mind blowing.. When you see AAA studios struggle with 20 simultaneous ai individual and such.

TW is improving and trying to bring the best instead of pulling excuses, limitations and so on..

As generally I expect quality as a paying customer, and when I get it I consider it how it should be, I am far of being someone who praises developers in the video games industry, but man do this guys deserve it!

I know the game hasn't even come out yet, but seeing how cautious TW are, I am confident they only show something that'll make it to the final product in the showcased state, maybe better.