Over 9000 Couched Lance Damage! A Mount and Blade Thread.

[Kurien]

So today I downloaded Mount and Blade. I've been interested in Mount and Blade for a week now. I was watching lots of videos, reading the Taleworlds forums, even seeing what Strategy Wiki has to say.

Okay, after a few minutes of loading the main screen appears. I try the tutorial first to get a feel for the controls. All seems fine at first, I break some dummies, block an arrow or two, and knock out some club wielder. The controls feel very clunky and unresponsive though, like I click to attack and my character doesn't immediately respond. But so far no significant problems arise.

Then I start a new game, and select a background for my character. Hunter, Page, Troubadour, Wanderlust. Great. Create a face, choose stats.

I finally start my adventure. The training field is right beside me, so it seemes the logical place to go for a newbie. I fight a bunch of random dudes, but it certainly wasn't as Flickerdart's Let's Play made it seem. I get knocked unconscious three or four times. It's understandable, I'm not a gamer. the number of real games I have played a significant portion of can be counted on one hand.

With the opponents beaten I try some horse practice. At this, I truly suck. I attempt to ride past a series of targets but at the end of the time limit I successfully destroyed 2 targets. It seems range of the sword I'm using is serious lacking, for I have to sidle really close and swing several times to hit anything.

Next, I leave the Training field and head for Tihr. Narrowly avoiding Sea Raiders, I enter the town And click explore the streets. And this is where things turn ugly. The frame rate plummets to, like, one frame a second! :smallsigh: Clearly I can't play this game with my crappy computer, so I Quit.

Damn. And I was really hoping my computer could handle it. Checking my computer...


AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3200+ MMX, 3DNow ~2Ghz
446MB RAM
Nvidia Geforce 6100

So I guessing this is woefully inadequate to play this game? I'm afraid I can't just go buy a new computer because money is tight.

Sorry for boring you with my rant or something. Anyway, here is also a thread for discussing Mount & Blade, and hopefully get Flickerdart to continue that Let's Play of his.

Post any videos of Mount and Blade that you enjoyed.

By the way, while I was in Tihr I did manage to retrieve the strange helmet and strange great sword! I could don the helm, but not use the sword.

[Samuel Sturm]

AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3200+ MMX, 3DNow ~2Ghz
446MB RAM
Nvidia Geforce 6100

So I guessing this is woefully inadequate to play this game? I'm afraid I can't just go buy a new computer because money is tight.


I'm not familiar with the specs of the Mount and Blade game, but that's a really small amount of RAM. I would love to have that processor and Video card.* I would recommend finding some more RAM and sticking it in there. You can probably find a 1 gig RAM stick for about 25 dollars, assuming it's for a desktop and you don't need some special weird kind.


* It's about triple the power of my current processor, and I don't currently have a working video card.

[Hunter Noventa]

Looks to me like your biggest problem is ram. 446 is an odd number and next to nothing. You'll at least 1gb to play most games, more if you're running Windows Vista. I'd suggest replacing whatever ram you have int ehre now with 1 or 2 gb worth.

But finding stuff that works with your motherboard can be a challenge. If you can get me more infor on that I might be able to find something for you.

[Tyracus]

Memory would be the big kicker there. I remember once in a discussion that one of my friends said that "memory was the easiest part to shop for in a computer, more was always better". Games have gotten better about scalability for cards and Mount and blade appears to be an older game by what I've seen (not too old though).

Assuming your 3200+ is running DDR2 800MHz RAM you can get 2GB for about 40 bucks which would give you HUGE gains all around in your rig. I can't say for 100% sure that's what it'll run (heck I can't even go 60% that it'll run) but if you check your motherboard manual or BIOS for your RAM speeds then you can go from there. For Vista or windows 7 I wouldn't go lower than 2GB personally (I run 4GB in my XP box even though it isn't all used), 1GB for XP would work but ideally I'd shoot for 4GB if you can afford it (it's about 70-80 bucks), it's cheaper than going to 2GB and then to 4GB later.

[factotum]

Looks to me like your biggest problem is ram. 446 is an odd number and next to nothing.

My guess is that he's actually got 512Mb, but 64Mb is taken by the nVidia 6100--that's an on-board graphics solution. More RAM would certainly help, but the graphics card isn't doing him any favours either, and it's quite possible he can't upgrade it--many motherboards with on-board graphics don't have slots for plug-in graphics cards.

[Mr White]

There are suite a lot of settings you can change and mods you can install that could help a lot.

I would pose this question on the taleworlds forum and see if they can help you without having to upgrade your computer.

[Triaxx]

The only thing to do is grab a screwdriver, scream 'You have failed me for the last time!' and stab it with the screwdriver.

[Trixie]

Um... donate it to museum, buy 400-500$ laptop with 10x the performance, profit? :smallconfused:

[Hunter Noventa]

Um... donate it to museum, buy 400-500$ laptop with 10x the performance, profit? :smallconfused:

You'd have a hard time finding a laptop at that price point with better performance. True, I just bought one that could probably run mount and Blade for abotu that price, but it has integrated graphics. Ifyou go for dedicated graphics you're looking at another $300 at least.

Whereas more memory and a graphics card would be maybe $200 at most, depending on how old the system is.

[Flickerdart]

Try changing the graphical settings to remove some stuff (like the advanced lighting/water effects, grass, shadows, antialiasing) or change the rendering mode to DirectX 7. Picking up some dirt-cheap RAM is going to boost your performance significantly, as well, and a Geforce 8800 or 9600 shouldn't run you much more than a hundred dollars. Make sure the stuff you buy is compatible with your slots, though.
As a stopgap solution, you could also lower the number of soldiers the game allows onto the map at any given time (the minimum is, I think, 25) and after you get enough practice, you may want to play without any soldiers at all, which is challenging but can be fun. Navigate locations through the menu, there isn't much that walking about gets you.
Combat in M&B does require that the game flows smoothly. Especially in the training field, when you don't often get a shield, the trick lies in timing your blocks to your enemy's attacks (like you did in the tutorial) and then getting in one or two hits yourself. Out in the overland map, try to avoid Sea Raiders (who are brutal) and stick to Looters until you've gained a handful of levels. Mountain Bandits can be taken down fairly easily if you have an infantry force.

[Kurien]

Thanks for the answers but how do I know if the RAM or graphics card I buy fits? Someone mentioned BIOS (Basic Output/Input System):

)Phoenix - Award WorkstationBIOS v6.00PG.

So whatever I get must be compatible with this?

I really have little knowledge about how a computer works. What is a good source of information on learning the basics of software/hardware?

Flickerdart: so are you continuing that Let'sPLay of yours? Perhaps with a timeskip?

I'll see about tweaking the options in the game to see if I can get it to run smoother.

Thanks. But now on to the Mount and Blade discussion! Anyone waiting for M&B: WARBAND to be released?

[deuxhero]

Not from what I have heard (sounds fairly shallow, what with removing everything but the combat), though not being a fan on MP only is also a factor.

[Kurien]

Warband will indeed include an expanded single player campaign. experience. Here (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,82225.msg2124785.html#msg2124785) is a post on the Taleworld's forums that list some new feature. Notably, prospects of marriage for both male and female characters and the ability to become King.


Still to add:
New map
New faction
Cut-scenes for events such as marriages


Marriage and courtship for males:

Summary: A male player should be able to woo and marry the daughters of the nobility, facing competition from NPC lords in the faction. Faction feasts play an important role in courtship for both players and NPCs. This feature should be more or less complete.

Status: Wooing should be complete, although the wedding ceremony lacks a climactic cut-scene, and the benefits to marriage are not fully explored.

Questions: Does it work? Is the system bugged? Is it too easy or too hard to find a compatible wife? Are the different stages/quests in the procedure hard to follow? Does the system need more explanation?



Marriage for females:

Summary: A female player should be able to marry certain noble lords, if she desires. Once she marries a lord, she should have access to his castles, and be able to influence his political choices.

Status: The marriage process should be complete, although again, married life is not yet completely fleshed out.

Questions: Is the system bugged? Is it too easy or too hard to find a compatible husband? Does the system strike a good balance between the low-fantasy medieval setting, and allowing women enough options?



More challenges for female players

Summary: Female players will face a few extra obstacles, although this is compensated by their ability to marry an active noble, rather than a noble's daughter.

Status: This is partially complete

Questions: Do the NPCs lay on the comments too thickly? Do the obstacles feel appropriate?



More complicated relations between nobles:

Summary: Kingdom lords now have different relations with other nobles, which are influenced by events on the world map, as well as random events. They are also part of extended families. Relations affect whether or not lords cooperate on the world map, and also leads to defections from the main kingdoms.

Status: This should be more or less complete.

Questions: Is there enough impact on the game? Is it easy to find out a lord's relation with another lord? How does the system play out over a year or two of game time? Do factions tend to drift to become very tight knit, and immune to rebellion, or do vassal relations all spiral into mutual fear and loathing?



A unified rebellion/defection system:

Summary: A single system now governs whether or not nobles will switch sides. Players can recruit lords to their own rebellions, or to a pretender's rebellion.

Status: This should be more or less complete.

Questions: Is it too easy or too difficult to get lords to switch sides? Is it clear why lords reason the way that they do? Are the pretender rebellions still viable?



Player legitimacy

Summary: Players should be able to build up their own legitimacy (ie, "right to rule") by making use of to their companions, after which they can proclaim themselves as candidates for the throne.

Status: This should be more or less complete.

Questions: Is is transparent how the system works? Does it happen at too fast or too slow a pace?



Player monarchs

Summary: Once a player becomes king, he or she can conduct diplomacy with the other factions, and also dismiss disloyal vassals.

Status: This should be more or less complete.

Questions: Are there enough options? Is it too easy or too hard to firm up one's relations with the other monarchs?



New quests

Summary: We are adding a number of new quests, most of which are dynamically generated: ie, created by circumstances on the world map, rather than by the player simply asking for them. These quests include: hunting down bandit parties which have attacked travellers, rescuing prisoners held by lords, a quest to prevent a war, and a new version of the "raid caravans to start war" quest. These quests are supposed to be rarer and have more impact than normal quests. You shoudl be able to find out about them by speaking to a tavern keeper

Status: Tracking bandits should be complete, but is untested. Rescuing prisoners is partially implemented. Attacking caravans should be complete.

Questions: Do these quests work?



A new diplomatic system:

Summary: All wars now have a cause. Some realms will have claims on each others' territory, other wars will stem from border incidents and other provocations, which can be engineered by the player. You should be able to hear about the cause of wars by speaking to a town guildmaster. Wars will also end in truces, which are determined largely by the damage that one side does to another. Breaking truces has consequences, as does failure to respond to a provocation.

Status: This should be complete

Questions: Does it work? Do wars seem to have a logical beginning and end? Are there long periods of time when a kingdom is not at war?



New lord AI with explainers:

Summary: Lord AI has been tweaked, and lords should now provide explanations for their actions. So, if your vassal ignores your orders and gallups off to a far corner of the map, you might be able to at least ask him why (assuming you can catch him en route, that is)

Status: Not yet implemented

Questions: Does it work? Do the explanations fit the circumstances?



Promotion of companions to lords:

Summary: You can make your companions into vassals

Status: Should be complete, although it might need additional color

Questions: Does it work? Do we need additional "color" quotes to distinguish companions from ordinary lords?



Late game adjustments and balance:

Summary: There are some small adjustments to mitigate some of aspects of the late game which players have found frustrating -- ie, the huge piles of troops in a final castle. Repeated defeats should cause factions to start suffering political disintegration, and lack of funds should cause NPC lords to suffer desertion. Too much success will also hurt a faction, as kingdoms which expand too fast might suffer from significant internal dissension. Ideally, the late game should favor the rise of player-driven realms, although the player should need to pay some attention to lord relations and quarrels to succeed.

Status: Should be complete, although balancing it will be a major task

Questions: This is going to be quite difficult to test, as it will probably require several hundred days' worth of game-time to note the effects -- and by that time, we'll probably have made tweaks to the system so that the findings will be obsolete. However, I would like it if players kept an eye out for any effects



Bar fights:

Summary: A minor tweak. Sometimes you get attacked by a belligerent drunk in a tavern

Status: Should be complete, although it will require changes to the agent AI.

Questions: Too easy? Too hard?



Morale:

Summary: Troops will break and rout in battles

Status: Implemented, but not complete (ie, troops currently rout very slowly)

Questions: Probably wait on feedback until the system is fully implemented

[deuxhero]

Oh, only heard about the MP part.

Still, the XP looks like it will cost 3 times what I got the game for, so eh. Now the hinted at future expansion possibility of naval abilites would change the game enough to be worth such a price, but Warbands new stuff seems more like tweeks than an XP.

[Castaras]

The XP I can't wait for. :smallbiggrin: Although...I'm on the beta and haven't yet installed it. :smallredface: Decided after signing up I didn't want to spoil the surprise of the finished Warbands before it was done. >.> Not much of a beta person, heh. If someone wants a link to the installer for the most recent Warbands expansion beta, pm me.

[Flickerdart]

Flickerdart: so are you continuing that Let'sPLay of yours? Perhaps with a timeskip?
The LP is chugging along whenever I have time. I think once Warband comes out it will be time-skip, er, time. With the new content, perhaps we will have a semblance of a plot, hm? :smallwink:

[Kurien]

Well, I lowered the settings of the game and found it acceptable, if the load times still take awhile, and still lags a bit, but playable. So I begin playing with a quick battle and pick skirmish #1, where my forces are utterly crushed, with me soon after. Then I continue my saved game.

I have some success killing looters, against deserters and forest bandits I lose horribly. I think in the last hour or so I was taken prisoner five times and lost the Strange Great Sword! :smallmad:

And I can't seem to convince this lord to pay his debt to another lord. I suck.
Deserters in particular are my bane, for the horse riders travel faster on th map and catch me easily. I had Jeremus at one point, but was defeated by deserters and lost him.

All in all, I must be terrible at this game, for Youtube videos show guys dominating the battlefield and solo-ing hundreds of bandits. v.v

[Celesyne]

I thought that for the first 3 weeks after i started. Just take time, kill a bunch of bandits, get some good cavalry/archers, and participate in every tournament you can find. If you need money, the fights in the arenas in town are good for a quick buck.

[warty goblin]

And I can't seem to convince this lord to pay his debt to another lord. I suck.
Deserters in particular are my bane, for the horse riders travel faster on th map and catch me easily. I had Jeremus at one point, but was defeated by deserters and lost him.
Horses are absolutely neccessary. Even if you play infantry, ride to the fight. Also remember that horses in your inventory (not the equipment slots) add to your overland speed as well- as a bonus it doesn't actually matter how fast they are, the speed increase is the same.


All in all, I must be terrible at this game, for Youtube videos show guys dominating the battlefield and solo-ing hundreds of bandits. v.v
After quite a bit of time in M&B you can become rather disturbingly powerful. Once you start to get weapon skills above a hundred-and even more so when you break into the two hundreds, you basically become a god of death. Arrows go exactly where you send them, even moderately powerful one-handed weapons can one-shot a lightly armored person without difficulty, and so on. Plus with time you get a lot better at judging attacks and parries.

Some helpful tips:

1) Weapon damage is usually the last stat I really care about in an item. Reach, speed, type (polearm, sword, axe etc) and whether it allows a shield all rank higher on the list. Even with a crappy weapon most lightly armored people will die after two or three hits. There are times when a more damaging weapon will save your life because it reduces the number of hits needed to get a kill. But more often your life will be saved because you had a longer, or a faster weapon. You can get more damage by proper combat technique (see below), but that won't make your sword longer.

2) Unlike pretty much every other game in the history of the universe, Mount and Blade pays attention to the way your character is moving when he/she swings. If you are moving into the strike, you do more damage; if you are moving away, you do less. This is also true of your enemies, and exploiting this is vital to success on the battlefield.

So what does this mean to you, the enterprising adventurer? It means that you should always, unless seriously outnumbered, move towards your target when attacking, and away when defending. That maximizes your own damage, while minimizing your enemy's. You can use side to side movement to accomplish the same thing as well- if your enemy is attacking from the left, move to the right. If you are attacking from the right, move to the left.

3) Another thing that M&B models is where you hit with a weapon. Hitting with the end does more damage than a hit nearer the grip. Basically if you've got a whacking great axe, you don't want to be right up next to the guy you're trying to esciverate.

4) I believe (and somebody correct me if I'm wrong) that M&B also takes into account when in a strike your weapon hits. This means that you want to make sure your strikes make contact towards the middle of the swing animation. On foot this isn't so hard, on a charging you generally want to release your swing just when the enemy is at your horse's shoulder.

That should get you started hitting guys with swords. I've got some stuff I could post about archery as well, if you are interested.

[Flickerdart]

The way to convince a lord is to do some quests for him so he becomes friendlier. I think you have to get his opinion of you up to 8 before the "do it for the sake of our friendship" option works. You can get Jeremus back by asking a Traveller where he is (which will cost a few denars) and you don't even have to pay him again when you find him!
Deserters are almost always high-tier military units. If you're staring down the business end of Rhodock Sharpshooters, better have a strong contingent of infantry, and Khergit Lancers require lots of cavalry or archers to deal with. Swadian Knights...stay away from those until you have some of your own. Mountain Bandits are easy picking with a good infantry force as well, their main strength comes from their inhabiting mountains (which make cavalry less good) and using bows en masse (which makes cavalry die).
You might have a chance of getting your sword back if you find the guys that took it from you and defeat them.

[Trixie]

Also, stay away from countries (Khergian Khanate?) with the horse-owning enemies, walk thorough country with a foot-types only - these can be quickly defeated. Best is Swadia - you can quickly build army of Knights there, and most fights are moderately difficult. Always remember to pack enough food, take companions supplementing your skills, and do the easiest category of quests.

On, and in Poland, there was a big M&B expansion (Ogniem i Mieczem - With Fire and Sword) released recently. I don't know if it is available in other countries, though, as it is based on Eastern Europe's history.

[Flickerdart]

Yeah, the Khergit Khanate bandits move so fast that they will catch you if you're weak, and if you're strong the best you can do is rest in cities and jump out when they run by.

Hm, Wiki says that Ogniem i Mieczem is localized in Russian. I will try to get my hands on a copy then, though it probably won't fit into my LP without a rather significant time-skip that I'd like to make use of Warband with, beforehand.

[Trixie]

Well, if anyone's interested, or wants to look further into it:

http://www.cdprojekt.pl/upl/2009_42/galleries/1069572.jpg

Here's a picture of Collector's Edition, along with contents :smalltongue:

[Kurien]

@warty goblin: That idea of always moving forward to attack and backward to defend sounds good, but I don't think its feasible. The opponents I've fought like to get really close and personal, too close to do any significant damage, as you noted. I find I must always be moving backward to do any damage, except on stationary targets.

And how do I know which sticks of RAM will fit in my computer? Is it attached to the motherboard or something? Is there even a slot to fit the RAM onto?

[Morty]

I haven't played it yet, but it definetly looks interesting. Based on what I know it's a mix of RPG and RTS, right? The Eastern European expansion is definetly worth getting too, but right now, I'll settle for the game itself.

[Trixie]

And how do I know which sticks of RAM will fit in my computer? Is it attached to the motherboard or something? Is there even a slot to fit the RAM onto?

Maybe just open it and see if one or two pieces of electronics (roughly as long as pen, five pen wide) which should be sticking out of the upper right side of your computer's board take two slots, or if there are two more free slots? :smallsigh:

Hell, I'll goggle for you:


http://www.pcextreme.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/computer-ram.jpg

These things.

And no, your computer's BIOS has nothing to do with upgrades.

Number and type of ram that show just after the BIOS (you know, these rapidly counting upwards numbers?) will help, though.

[warty goblin]

@warty goblin: That idea of always moving forward to attack and backward to defend sounds good, but I don't think its feasible. The opponents I've fought like to get really close and personal, too close to do any significant damage, as you noted. I find I must always be moving backward to do any damage, except on stationary targets.


The thing to remember is that you don't have to move forward very much. Even halting and standing your ground for the swing can be very beneficial, and you can get some pretty good effects stepping sideways into your swings as well.Try, for example, moving to the left and then swinging your weapon right to left. If the enemy parries the attack, block like there's no tomorrow, if not, follow it up with a fast swing of your own. Do not hold this second swing because the enemy could recover before you release it.


Actually lateral movement is generally your friend anyways, because the last thing you want is multiple enemies in range of you at a time and strafing tends to seperate them to some degree. Also, if on foot, do not charge into combat. Once you are within a reasonable distance of an enemy, around fifteen or twenty feet, stop moving forwards and ready a block. This gets the AI to react and pause. Odds are some enemy will make the first move. Now move forward, release your swing, then move left or right in the direction of the swing and step back. This gets you acceptable speed bonuses, a likely hit, and keeps you safely out of range of any follow-up.

And if they are beating you up close and personal, beat them at their own game. Short range high speed weapons are very cheap- looters carry loads of butchers knives which are pretty effective early game. If you start the game with a shield you're good to go, otherwise pretty crappy shields generally don't cost all that much, and against looter weapons will hold up just fine.

Finally, on foot melee is, IMHO, one of the hardest ways to play M&B. It's a skill you will almost certainly need to dust off with any character at some time or another because arrows run out and horses get killed from under you, but it takes a lot of player skill to pull off as a primary combat method. This is true of archery and horseback combat as well, but when your enemy is three feet away with a large piece of steel and an unwholesume interest in your innards you have little margin for error.


I haven't played it yet, but it definetly looks interesting. Based on what I know it's a mix of RPG and RTS, right? The Eastern European expansion is definetly worth getting too, but right now, I'll settle for the game itself.

RPG and third person action game actually. There's some stuff that could be called strategy (more tactics really) in real time, but it isn't RTS in the conventional sense of the term by any stretch of the imagination. It's also notable that the game is completely free-form, there is no set story, main quest, or anything else. There are plenty of quests to do, but none of them are mandated.

[Kurien]

Okay, I managed to pry open my computer, and after a moment's search, located four slots. two of which contained chips similar to the above image. Two of the slots are white, the others are black, but otherwise they appear the same. But what brand or company makes the exact model that will fit in my computer?

See, I'm under the impression that there are many different types of RAM sticks, each one only fitting in a very specific model of computer. If I have this model, only one specific RAM stick will fit in it. Or is it that RAM sticks can fit in a variety of computers? It's an older computer too, so what if the ones they are selling now in stores don't fit?

I've continued playing M&B, but still find combat exceeding difficult and frustrating. Whenever I click to attack, my character uses the wrong attack, and therefore misses. Just against 4 looters took 15 minutes because I could never hit them on horseback. Somehow, I think I would be more effective if I dismounted.


Hell, I'll goggle for you:
The goggles, they do nothing!

[Trixie]

I haven't played it yet, but it definetly looks interesting. Based on what I know it's a mix of RPG and RTS, right? The Eastern European expansion is definetly worth getting too, but right now, I'll settle for the game itself.

Well... to be honest, this "expansion" is standalone, and it is possible it includes the game, too. I don't know, but I think so.


Okay, I managed to pry open my computer, and after a moment's search, located four slots. two of which contained chips similar to the above image. Two of the slots are white, the others are black, but otherwise they appear the same. But what brand or company makes the exact model that will fit in my computer?

See, I'm under the impression that there are many different types of RAM sticks, each one only fitting in a very specific model of computer. If I have this model, only one specific RAM stick will fit in it. Or is it that RAM sticks can fit in a variety of computers? It's an older computer too, so what if the ones they are selling now in stores don't fit?

No.

If it isn't a laptop, there are only three types of memory - DDR I, II, and III. This museum piece is so old III is right out. DDR II? Hmmm, I don't know. Pretty unlikely. Most possibly, DDR I - unless you're unlucky, and it is older SDRAM, in which case you needn't bother.

To be honest, DDR I is pretty hard to buy (if you lived here I could give you a few modules) but it is possible some computer shop will have it in discount bin (or terribly overpriced).

Unless you say what it is, we have no way of knowing for sure. Download Cpu-Z and tell us more.


I've continued playing M&B, but still find combat exceeding difficult and frustrating. Whenever I click to attack, my character uses the wrong attack, and therefore misses. Just against 4 looters took 15 minutes because I could never hit them on horseback. Somehow, I think I would be more effective if I dismounted.

The trick is to lean in the right direction, or use lance. And don't be afraid of holding attack button and releasing when you want to strike.

[Flickerdart]

The horseback hits are pretty hard to time if you're not used to it and your weapon has a short range. What's useful to remember is that your horse can deal trampling damage. Once, I killed an entire looter encounter with my horse because I ran out of crossbow bolts and my laptop didn't have a scroll wheel to change weapons.

RAM generally comes in two main forms: 240 or 204-pin. 204 is for laptops, and 240 is for desktops, and the size difference is pretty obvious. Then there are the 3 most common types: DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 (there are more, but I'm not including old and/or dumb ones like RD-RAM or non-DDR SDRAM). DDR3 is new and you most likely can't support it. There should be a sticker on the RAM chip saying what type it is, or you can look up your motherboard and see what type it accepts. You will get better performance running chips of the same size, so 2x1GB is going to be faster than a single 2GB chip. You shouldn't bother with more than 4GB on a 32-bit system, since the OS can't access more than 3.4-ish anyway.

Trixie: I bought a 1GB chip of DDR RAM just over a year ago for something like $50 or $60 CND, but then I didn't look very hard.

[Trixie]

Copycat! :smallamused:

[Flickerdart]

Copycat! :smallamused:
At least I didn't enumerate my DDR types like Roman emperors. :smallbiggrin:

[Cespenar]

I've continued playing M&B, but still find combat exceeding difficult and frustrating. Whenever I click to attack, my character uses the wrong attack, and therefore misses. Just against 4 looters took 15 minutes because I could never hit them on horseback. Somehow, I think I would be more effective if I dismounted.

Somewhat sure this is mentioned, but to reiterate the basics:

If you move your mouse to the right, click and hold, and move your mouse to the left while releasing, you'll do a right-side swing on horseback. If this doesn't happen, check the attack/defend section under Controls, and fiddle with them if necessary. It may be on "reverse", for some reason.

[Kurien]

Thanks for the advice up there, I have played more and find stepping forward/sideways into a blow can add a speed bonus of up to 50% or higher. However, I have reached the level limit on the demo and can no longer play that particular character.

I did find using a light lance make mounted combat significantly easier, but I still haven't gotten the hang of maneuvering the horse. With a one handed weapon, if I try to do a pass against an enemy on foot, I either move the horse just out of range of the weapon, too close so that it says my horse charged for 3 damage, or I timed my swing incorrectly. Also, often my character uses a stab or overhead chop, which is almost impossible to hit the enemy with, unlike the sidelong swing.

I also find holding an attack risky as I can get hit by arrows, thus flinching and being open to attack by a mêlée opponent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The other day I decided to share this interesting game with some acquaintances at school in the cafeteria, seeing as they like playing games like ESIV: Oblivion, Fallout 3 and Borderlands. I told them its basic premise, a medieval action RPG.
I informed them that it is downloadable, and is practically unique due to the absence of fantasy elements. It has a focus on mounted combat, and has a variety of realistic weapons and armour found in the middle ages. I included the fact that it has an independent developer.

Their response: that based on my account, they conclude Mount & Blade is a lame indy RPG, and that it sucks more than Runescape. They say countless hours of grinding fishing and mining are preferable to this POS.

And the lame is I knew that no amount of argument could sway their preconceptions without hard evidence. I only ever see them during the lunch break, and I don't have a laptop I could bring to the cafeteria to show them.
A did mention that M&B has gotten an 8.0/10 from IGN, but they said I was lying.

I take no offense at their flawed conclusions, but it still makes me want to go :smallsigh:. Should I just let this go, or endeavour to enlighten incorrect assumptions?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone have any cool ideas for additions for the source game and mods?

I'm thinking war elephants :smallamused: There actually is historical accounts of people from Southern Asian regions using elephants in battle. Elephants couuld be ridden, and used as a weapons platform for several archers. They could have high damage resistance and a huge number of hitpoints, so that they would be tough to kill, and they could charge, trample the enemy and smack people around with their trunks.
The only negative aspect would be the moral guardians taking offense at the ability to kill endangered wildlife.

Another idea I'm sure has been discussed ad nauseam in the taleworlds forums is poisoned weapons. The effects of being hit would not be immediate, but after several minutes of high exertion, a fighter would not feel so well. Delivery system? Blowpipe. :smallamused:

[Myatar_Panwar]

If you move your mouse Up or Down it will perform an overhead slash or thrust, respectively.

And I find that most people who decide to use Runescape as a point of reference are either really young, or morons. Who even cares about that game anymore?

[Foryn Gilnith]

A did mention that M&B has gotten an 8.0/10 from IGN, but they said I was lying.

WTF!?!

Well, for starters, print out the relevant IGN article. They said you were lying? WTF?

[Kurien]

Well, they didn't quite say that it was blatant lying, just suggested that I wasn't entirely truthful. That "scores can be fudged". Maybe a 5.0 or 6.0.

I don't like printing several pages of something unless it is for school, because it seems like a waste of paper and ink. What I'd prefer to do is bring a laptop and show some Youtube videos of Warband in action.

[Arcanoi]

Or you could just tell them to google it, bet money on it, and either call them out or win said money.

[warty goblin]

Thanks for the advice up there, I have played more and find stepping forward/sideways into a blow can add a speed bonus of up to 50% or higher. However, I have reached the level limit on the demo and can no longer play that particular character.

I did find using a light lance make mounted combat significantly easier, but I still haven't gotten the hang of maneuvering the horse. With a one handed weapon, if I try to do a pass against an enemy on foot, I either move the horse just out of range of the weapon, too close so that it says my horse charged for 3 damage, or I timed my swing incorrectly. Also, often my character uses a stab or overhead chop, which is almost impossible to hit the enemy with, unlike the sidelong swing.

I also find holding an attack risky as I can get hit by arrows, thus flinching and being open to attack by a mêlée opponent.


When I'm playing the heavy cavalry type- which is most of the time- I always make foot archers (I avoid fighting the Khergit like the plague) my number one priority. They are both very dangerous and very vulnerable. Here's my prefered method of taking them down.

1) Locate the bastard with the bow.

2) Start charging from a pretty fair distance. Keep my shield raised if he's targeting me.

3) Maneuver so that I will pass him on my right side.

4) When I'm within about 10 feet move my mouse to the right, then click and hold for an attack. Do this only if the archer will take a fair bit of time to get another arrow off.

5) When the archer is at my horse's shoulder, move the mouse so I'm looking nearly straight down and release the attack. This reduces the risk of sending a chop over my enemy's head.

With a decent weapon skill, reasonably damaging blade, and a horse with some get up and go this will one-shot many less well armored archers, and even Sea Raiders once you get good enough at it to reliably hit their heads on your way by.

[Ethdred]

Well, I lowered the settings of the game and found it acceptable, if the load times still take awhile, and still lags a bit, but playable. So I begin playing with a quick battle and pick skirmish #1, where my forces are utterly crushed, with me soon after. Then I continue my saved game.

I have some success killing looters, against deserters and forest bandits I lose horribly. I think in the last hour or so I was taken prisoner five times and lost the Strange Great Sword! :smallmad:

And I can't seem to convince this lord to pay his debt to another lord. I suck.
Deserters in particular are my bane, for the horse riders travel faster on th map and catch me easily. I had Jeremus at one point, but was defeated by deserters and lost him.

All in all, I must be terrible at this game, for Youtube videos show guys dominating the battlefield and solo-ing hundreds of bandits. v.v

Can't believe I've missed a M&B thread!! Apologies for the late comments, and I know nothing about computer hardware so can't help on that! But...

Yes the game is hard to start with. My advice for not dying is: Go to Curaw. Go directly to Curaw. Do not pass go. Do not collect any combats. If you don't already, get a horse and a wooden staff. Search out bands of looters and charge them down (working out how to do couched lance is a bit tricky but really pays off - no more worrying about timing your swings). Collect the unconscious bodies. Find a Ransom Broker. Profit. Stick to looters until you have a decent sized party and have figured out how to fight best with your character.

Depending on how you want to play, you can add to this by hiring NPCs in taverns (I like Firentis and Deshavi as intial combat people) and collecting volunteers from the villages (Vaegir peasants are good fun and quickly level up to Veterans, which can be mounted). Steer well clear of the Kerghit Khanate (the purple area) until you have a big enough party that the mounted bandits run from you.

The payment of debt quest is a trap, but one thing I've discovered is that once you've collected the money, there is no time limit for returning it. So if you can afford it, bribe the lord to pay his debt, and then avoid the guy you should be giving the money to, and bingo! You have a decent amount of operating capital. The same goes for the quest to collect taxes from a lord's village.

As for your friends - well, it's their loss if they don't discover this game. Other than getting them to google reviews of it themselves, or the aforementioned Youtube option, I don't think there's much else you can do, but don't worry too much about it. You are simply superior to them.

[Kurien]

Great plan, but I need to raise my prisoner management skill to at least one in order to capture prisoners.

Also, there is no long term investment in any character right now as I am playing the demo. My characters can't advance past level 7.

Thanks for the advice, Warty, but the timing of my charge always seems off against the archer's shots. I'll lift my arm to strike him down, but he gets me with an arrow just before I hit.

I find hitting the head is based on luck, as I'm not skilled enough to reliably aim for it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Which are the best companions? I like Jeremus for his surgery/wound treatment, and Deshavi for her tracking/pathfinding/spotting ability. Maybe Klethi, because she forms a friendship with Deshavi, which I think helps their morale. On that regard, Firentis because Jeremus likes him. Which are the best fighters?

I like Ymira, because she is low level therefore one can mould her skills nicely. I'm thinking to increase her engineering and trade, to replace Artimenner (Jeremus and Artimenner don't like each other much.)

So if two companions hate each other, will one of them leave the party?

For cheats, I've seen Youtube videos of a guy using the slow-mo cheat to great effect, delivering headshot after headshot with a bow. Example. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0VVdbRvAI)

Lastly, do you think this thread should be merged with the other one about Mount and Blade?

[deuxhero]

When I'm playing the heavy cavalry type- which is most of the time- I always make foot archers (I avoid fighting the Khergit like the plague) my number one priority. They are both very dangerous and very vulnerable. Here's my prefered method of taking them down.

1) Locate the bastard with the bow.

2) Start charging from a pretty fair distance. Keep my shield raised if he's targeting me.

3) Maneuver so that I will pass him on my right side.

4) When I'm within about 10 feet move my mouse to the right, then click and hold for an attack. Do this only if the archer will take a fair bit of time to get another arrow off.

5) When the archer is at my horse's shoulder, move the mouse so I'm looking nearly straight down and release the attack. This reduces the risk of sending a chop over my enemy's head.

With a decent weapon skill, reasonably damaging blade, and a horse with some get up and go this will one-shot many less well armored archers, and even Sea Raiders once you get good enough at it to reliably hit their heads on your way by.

I prefer circleing fast enough to dodge the arrows in the first place rather than relly on shields. But other than that it is also my playstyle

[Foryn Gilnith]

Thanks for the advice, Warty, but the timing of my charge always seems off against the archer's shots. I'll lift my arm to strike him down, but he gets me with an arrow just before I hit.
This is why I find cavalry maneuvering superior to merely using a shield. You can't dodge them and still advance (save that for infantry), but you can blindside archers occupied with your men.


For cheats, I've seen Youtube videos of a guy using the slow-mo cheat to great effect, delivering headshot after headshot with a bow. Example. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s0VVdbRvAI)
You can do that without cheats, although not quite as quickly.


Lastly, do you think this thread should be merged with the other one about Mount and Blade?
Too much data loss.

[warty goblin]

I prefer circleing fast enough to dodge the arrows in the first place rather than relly on shields. But other than that it is also my playstyle

The problem with that is that it requires you to have the room available to dodge, and sometimes this is simply not possible. It also doesn't work so well against lots of archers*. The shield is a solution to every problem up to an enemy with a couched lance, and with a decently sized one (or a few points in the shield skill) you're plenty safe. The ultra paranoid can carry two shields, so that the one on your back can take any projectiles fired at your poor fleeing self.

*I developed my archer killing skills when playing the Last Days mod, wherein archers were built like player characters, and thus were only about two steps less deadly than an atomic bomb. For somebody who favors the heavy cavalry role they were a nonstop nightmare. I would confidently solo fifty foot soldiers, but turn tail and run like hell if they had more than four archers along- because they would shoot you in the head off of your galloping horse at 150 feet, and shields were the only thing that sort of worked. For vanilla my method tends to be a bit overkill.

[SolkaTruesilver]

In my first game, I already decided to join the Rhodoks kingdom.. I think I might have made a mistake :smalleek:

Oh well. I will simply recruit volounteers in other kingdoms..

Right now, I got the quest to turn 5 triblesmen into 5 Rhodok Sarges.. these 5 triblesmen died out after 2 battles. Darn. But ever since, I have recruited about 20 volounteers and trained them hard. Is the skill training your soldier worth it? 'cause I took it... 3 levels... :smallredface:

Maybe I should have used the Training Camp instead?

edit: Oh.. and so far, I am playing a Crossbow weilding, horse mounted, 2-handed sword slayer. I have a shortened scythe as my main weapon... damn this game is violent :smalleek: I remember fighting (and loosing) against 30 Rhodok Crossbowmen deserters in my early game, I killed about 25 of them. My sword and the right side of my character was covered in blood...

The game needs more dismemberment.

[Morty]

Well, I finished the demo by advancing to 6th level. It was fun. I had quite a decent party of 21 soldiers from both nations. My character specialized in one-handed weapons and crossbows, though I've never managed to do much with the latter except shoot my own men.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Well, I finished the demo by advancing to 6th level. It was fun. I had quite a decent party of 21 soldiers from both nations. My character specialized in one-handed weapons and crossbows, though I've never managed to do much with the latter except shoot my own men.

I think I will do away with crossbow and start using a bow. Quicker shots means more skill increases. Also, I heard we should target the head, as more damage means more skill increase...

Will you believe me if I tell you I won a tournament even if I got shafted and given a bow (with no skill) in the 2nd melee? God, that wasn't easy.. running around, and targetting the ennemies my cavalries were fighting against. Darn bows!! :smallfurious:

[SolkaTruesilver]

hum...
...

sorry for posting again so soon, but I noticed there is quite a good amount of Mods around for the game. I am tempted by the main 2 I heard about that doesn't involve a superstory:

- Southern Land, which change the skills, classes, factions, items, add about 10 new kingdoms, etc...
- Native tweak, which also rebalances some minor stuff here and there...

I don't want to go into the fantasy mods for now (I heard there is a quite good LotR mod), so anyone recommend me one of these mods? Should I scrap the 6 hours of gameplay I already had on my current game and download a mod ASAP? If yes, which one provides the most entertainment factor?

[warty goblin]

hum...
...

sorry for posting again so soon, but I noticed there is quite a good amount of Mods around for the game. I am tempted by the main 2 I heard about that doesn't involve a superstory:

- Southern Land, which change the skills, classes, factions, items, add about 10 new kingdoms, etc...
- Native tweak, which also rebalances some minor stuff here and there...

I don't want to go into the fantasy mods for now (I heard there is a quite good LotR mod), so anyone recommend me one of these mods? Should I scrap the 6 hours of gameplay I already had on my current game and download a mod ASAP? If yes, which one provides the most entertainment factor?

I'd screw around with the base game for a while first, because most of the mods I've played have made things more complicated, and getting down the basic skills of M&B isn't, in my experience, all that easy.

[Flickerdart]

I think I will do away with crossbow and start using a bow. Quicker shots means more skill increases. Also, I heard we should target the head, as more damage means more skill increase...

Will you believe me if I tell you I won a tournament even if I got shafted and given a bow (with no skill) in the 2nd melee? God, that wasn't easy.. running around, and targetting the ennemies my cavalries were fighting against. Darn bows!! :smallfurious:
Then don't ever go to Khergit lands. It's about 10 times more frustrating than my LP details when your only weapon is javelins every round and you aren't proficient in them at all.

[Bouregard]

Then don't ever go to Khergit lands. It's about 10 times more frustrating than my LP details when your only weapon is javelins every round and you aren't proficient in them at all.

You did a Let's Play for M&B? Wanna read it!

[Flickerdart]

You did a Let's Play for M&B? Wanna read it!
Here you go (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120781). Still in progress, though, party because I don't update often enough and party because M&B never ends.

[SolkaTruesilver]

The 40-so people travelled in the land of Swadia, trying to reach Lord Matthea, Marshal of Rhodok.

The Knight William Maloney at their head, Lord of no fief, impoverished noble who gathered his small warband and managed to train it to high skill. The situation was grim, as they standed between Matthea's war party of 70 and the full army of Swadia, 700 men, led by 6 noblemen. No reinforcement was nearby.. (the treacherous Lord [??????] deserted them yesterday with his troop of 100).

They had been ambushed, and they had to find a way to get away. William walked toward his men, and shouted

"I need ten volounteers to go ahead in this battle by my side. You won't come back, but you will give a chance to your fellow men to live"

Five sergeants, four sharpshooters and a Sister of Battle stepped forward. William nodded to them, and said to his second and command (and personnal physician)

"Jeremus, take these men away, and godspeed!"

The battle was long, and brutal. The ten volounteers all fell within the first 10 minutes of the battle, but William kept circling the ennemy.. thinning them down, one.. by... one. His lance was bloodied up to his glove. Five time the ennemy sent reinforcements, four time did he fought them off alone...

Swadian bodies littered the battlefield. With the last lord William hadn't felled yet on his tail, he sadly got slowed down by what was now a new Golgoth, a Mount of Deads. His horse was struct by a lucky arrow, and fell. William took up his lance, looked straightly at the three horsement and twenty soldiers charging toward him.. The struggle hasn't been long..

Luckily for the Men of Rhodok, the sister of battle managed to grab of her Knight-Captain, and dragged his body to Jeremus, who performed first aid.

"How many dead?"

"You and your soldiers felled about 90 soldiers on their side, 80 killed. Out of the ten men who joined you, 6 survived..."

"Can we get away?"

"Maybe.. but I am not sure.."

"Splash some water on me then, I don't like the blood on my armor. Ask for more volounteers to the men, I got back in it..."

5 dead Rhodok, 40 dead Swanian and a crippled William was the result of the second engagement. He could barely open his eyes to look at Jeremus'...

"Can we... get away?"

"We can, my Lord. The men are safe, you save us!"

"Good.. wake me... when we'll get to Culmarr Castle.. we are leaving Swadia for now."

Two days later, they got news that the fool Matthea got captured. This was the last time his got put in charge of Rhodok's forces.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Eh.. 2 levels and 40 skill points out of that battle. Totally fun and worth it!


So.. has anyone played any very good mod? What is your opinion on Native tweak, or Southern Realm?

[Ethdred]

Eh.. 2 levels and 40 skill points out of that battle. Totally fun and worth it!


So.. has anyone played any very good mod? What is your opinion on Native tweak, or Southern Realm?

Nice description - I do like those overwhelming battles that you eventually win!

I'm playing the Expanded Native (which I assume is what you mean by Native tweak) which I'm really enjoying. It's got lots of new stuff in it - in fact, my main criticism would be that he's put in too much new stuff; sometimes it gets overwhelming and some of the name changes are just a bit rubbish. And he's given cavalry to each faction, which takes a bit of the character away from the Nords and Rhodoks. It's basically a power up of the original game - you can get troops which are basically unhittable by lower tier troops, and can have bigger parties and a lot more money. Then the Dark Knights turn up, and you get your backside handed to you - he should made the power curve a bit smoother between them and the other factions. It's the only mod I've played, but I like it.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Southern Realms is like Native in power balance, but with WAAAAY more factions, meaning more units.

Edit: It's my personal fave.

[Bouregard]

Southern Realms is like Native in power balance, but with WAAAAY more factions, meaning more units.

Edit: It's my personal fave.


So many mods.... *sniff* So many things to try. And I have to wait till they send me the full version *sniff*

[Crow]

I am playing in the demo right now. Great game! How do you choose what faction's lands you start in? Also, how do you join a faction?

Is there any way to choose your character's cultural backgorund? Like if I wanted my character to be a Nord? Or are you always anonymous?

[SolkaTruesilver]

Nice description - I do like those overwhelming battles that you eventually win!

Didn't you read? I lost, but managed to escape! :smallbiggrin:


I'm playing the Expanded Native (which I assume is what you mean by Native tweak) which I'm really enjoying. It's got lots of new stuff in it - in fact, my main criticism would be that he's put in too much new stuff; sometimes it gets overwhelming and some of the name changes are just a bit rubbish. And he's given cavalry to each faction, which takes a bit of the character away from the Nords and Rhodoks. It's basically a power up of the original game - you can get troops which are basically unhittable by lower tier troops, and can have bigger parties and a lot more money. Then the Dark Knights turn up, and you get your backside handed to you - he should made the power curve a bit smoother between them and the other factions. It's the only mod I've played, but I like it.

I think I am playing Native Improvement.. it's a minor mod that simply tweaks the numbers around.

[SolkaTruesilver]

Southern Realms is like Native in power balance, but with WAAAAY more factions, meaning more units.

Edit: It's my personal fave.

It was, indeed, awesome. However, 2 criticisms:

1- I cannot recruit any hero by my side. There seems to be a bug where they only give me the regular mercenary proposition.
2- the mod I am playing removes the randomness of weapons given during tournaments. Meaning that everyone gets the same weapon, be it Horse + Lance, Swords, or Bows.

It's hard to get back to a mod where I can get screwed in the final round after being given a bow and nothing else while my ennemy has sword + shield :smalleek:

[Starbuck_II]

Wow, I can't remember how many times I had to reload when I hada bow but everyone else had javelins.

At least javelins can punch you when empty.

I recently had a 300 moment.
We had 100 troops defended a castle we just took from the Khans. They had 300. We lived with few casualties (although I hate their archers on a hill for most of the battle shooting at the castle).

[SolkaTruesilver]

Wow, I can't remember how many times I had to reload when I hada bow but everyone else had javelins.

At least javelins can punch you when empty.

I recently had a 300 moment.
We had 100 troops defended a castle we just took from the Khans. They had 300. We lived with few casualties (although I hate their archers on a hill for most of the battle shooting at the castle).

This game really has heroic memories..

In my first game, the first castle I won was the remote location behind the bridges in the Nord kingdom. as a Rhodok, I spent most of my time rounding up volounteers and training them to be part of my defense...

My first siege defense was a massacre. I had 60 trained sarge/sharpshooters, against about 400 ennemies. After loosing the initial walls, I decided to make a last stand in the courtyard. Positionning my 20-so infantry in a line near the stairways coming down there, and the archery way behind.

(note, I was playing with dumb combat AI. I changed that since, and I am getting away with much less). In short, the ennemy would pour in 1 by 1 and getting teared down by my infantry, until they would managed to be in position with ennough number to warrant a long fight. I would then step in with my 1-Handed combat axe and strike them in the back, mowing trough them. I think my favorite weapon is really the axe. It's quick and powerful :smallcool:

In the end, I lost about 30 soldiers, and the ennemy lost 300. They stopped sieging me and got away, spreading out. I pursued them and captured 2 Nord Lords :smallbiggrin:

I just find stupid that the garrison counts as "ally" and thu doesn not benefit from your Surgeon's high skill. The death count was waaaay higher than I had expected :smallmad:

[Zen Monkey]

I like the idea of a realistic medieval sandbox, no obligatory plot and no magic/monsters/etc. This game sounds very interesting, so I read some reviews on Amazon and saw two troubling things.

1. Invasive DRM. Does anyone know the details on this?

2. Poor product support from the company. Anyone have any problems with them?

Thank You.

[Bouregard]

I like the idea of a realistic medieval sandbox, no obligatory plot and no magic/monsters/etc. This game sounds very interesting, so I read some reviews on Amazon and saw two troubling things.

1. Invasive DRM. Does anyone know the details on this?

2. Poor product support from the company. Anyone have any problems with them?

Thank You.

to 1:
http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,11012.0.html
Decide yourself.

[warty goblin]

I like the idea of a realistic medieval sandbox, no obligatory plot and no magic/monsters/etc. This game sounds very interesting, so I read some reviews on Amazon and saw two troubling things.

1. Invasive DRM. Does anyone know the details on this?

At least when I bought the game, the DRM consisted of entering a serial number to upgrade from the demo to the full version. That's it, although the boxed version could be different. Why anybody would buy the boxed version is a mystery to me, but whatever.

The most restrictive thing about it was that asking for serial numbers on the official forums would get your ass banned.


2. Poor product support from the company. Anyone have any problems with them?

I've seen complaints- usually written payforpatch- about the games that Paradox actually develops themselves. Taleworlds puts out a lot of patches though, and I at least have had no reason to object to their product support.

[deuxhero]

Wow, I can't remember how many times I had to reload when I hada bow but everyone else had javelins.

At least javelins can punch you when empty.


You can press / to put your bow away (though no one with any armor is going to take any damage from punchs)

[SolkaTruesilver]

Oh my. I forgot to mention my character was covered in blood at the end of those sieges..

Seriously. I think the blood is one of the feature I like the most in that game. You really feel like you killed 40 guys by yourself when you look at your character drippling in the stuff.

I hope for a mod where realistic body mutilation will happen for the game. Like dismemberment, exploding head (200 couched lance damage to the head = explosion), sprays of blood, and the like.

[Crow]

I am playing in the demo right now. Great game! How do you choose what faction's lands you start in? Also, how do you join a faction?

Is there any way to choose your character's cultural backgorund? Like if I wanted my character to be a Nord? Or are you always anonymous?

Anybody able to help me out with these questions?

[SolkaTruesilver]

Anybody able to help me out with these questions?

For what I know:

1) starting location is random. So if you start in the Steppes, sucks to be u..
2) Ethnicity can be changed by altering face color. Check at character creation. It influences nothing, however.
3) Joining a faction can be done 3 ways: 1) Start working as a mercenary 2) either asks a king to accept you as a vassal (you will need some renown before he accepts) 3) When you are famous ennough, a king will personally send out for you.

[Crow]

For what I know:

1) starting location is random. So if you start in the Steppes, sucks to be u..
2) Ethnicity can be changed by altering face color. Check at character creation. It influences nothing, however.
3) Joining a faction can be done 3 ways: 1) Start working as a mercenary 2) either asks a king to accept you as a vassal (you will need some renown before he accepts) 3) When you are famous ennough, a king will personally send out for you.

Thank you!