[Traveller]

Anyone played it?

I found it yesterday for cheap, and it's actually quite addictive. It's set in a made-up Medieval landscape, with towns, castles, villages etc, which looks very much like the campaign map for Total War. You can move around it in a similar way to FF7, except rather than random battles, you can see other armies or bandits moving around the map at the same time, again like TW.

If you chase them down, you then go to the battle-map. Where it gets interesting, as the fighting is actually pretty good. To block successfully, you have to wait until you can see where the strike is coming from - so if he lifts his sword over his head, you then block, and your character blocks high. He might then swipe sideways, so you have to block differently again. It means you have to think about your moves, because if you just slash away you get killed very quickly.

I tried to take on six bandits on my own, and after shooting a couple with my bow, they got in close, and it got quite difficult. I managed to take down four before I got dragged off my horse, and I didn't last long after that. Kind of how you expect it to be, realistically. (You start with a man and a horse, but can build your own warband, who also gain experience and skills).

That's as far as I've played so far, but apparently there are missions in each settlement, and because the graphics aren't too complicated, it runs quickly and it will easily fit >50 mounted soldiers on screen in a battle. It's like.. an RPG set in the Medieval2 TW landscape - TW on foot? Well, you have a horse.

All the RPG elements are there too, with better weapons and armour available, and the ability to build your warband up. You can choose what to do - it's not heavy in the 'main quest' department (there isn't one - it's more like Sid Meirs Pirates like that) but you can work for a particular faction or King, or protect traders, or get mercenary type work.

And you don't turn out to be 'the chosen one', either, which makes a change.

(bad name for a game though, no wonder I'd never heard of it before)

This post has been edited by Traveller: 06 May 2009 - 07:16 AM

[Malaclypse]

I know a guy that was mad about this game for quite a while, downloaded and played the free demo numerous times and pre-ordered the final version, etc. and from what I've seen of it, it seems a hugely innovative and interesting game There was one time (I think he cheated to give himself and his troops inhuman stats) he was storming a castle and the bodies were literally heaped all around (max. graphics settings of course) and it was a kind of awesome that no other game that I've seen has achieved

[Traveller]

There seem to be quite a lot of mods for it too - and an expansion, 'warbands', is due out soon.

The combat is realistic in a TW kind of way, too. If you ride someone down with a lance, you have to re-couch it before you can hit anyone else with it. Also, when shooting with a bow from horseback, you can't shoot straight out to the right - as it would be physically impossible to do so. I quite like the way you get steadily more blood-drenched the more people you hack up, too.

I want to go home and play some more...

This post has been edited by Traveller: 06 May 2009 - 12:11 PM

[Aptorian]

I know that people were raving about the beta on Penny-arcade forums and when it then came out they were disappointed because apparently its very dodgy and full of glitches. They praised the battles but critizised a lot of other things.

I had decided not to try it, but your impressions sound more appealing.

and it is cheap. Oh sweet temptation!

[Imperial Historian]

I loved this game when I first played it some time ago now, the combat engine is the first one I've played thats really worked for a medieval setting, the implementation of horses, bows, sword fighting etc was all really good, and for a game made by one or two guys in turkey the graphics are brilliant. The modding community was pretty active as well, and had come up with some decent content to replace the lack of a plot in game.

I used to love playing the lone ranger trying to take out a band of 50 with hit and run tactics. Building up a warband which was able to take out some of the stupidly powerful bands roving around was great fun, and the game was improving all the time as it developed. I think I'll go check out the new version now actually.

[D'rek]

Sounds awesome. Link to main site, perhaps?

[Traveller]

It is a 'low budget' game, and I didn't expect too much as many reviews had complaints about the lack of main quest, generic villages etc.

However, all the player reviews were very positive - I was told about it from someone at work. On the startup screen there is a link to the game website, which has recent patches for many of the quest glitches and problems in the first version. I just downloaded the latest one before I started playing.

I just recruited 6 Nords from a village, went out and took on a group of 9 bandits. I lost one man, but managed to kill 8, and capture 1. So i have a slave to sell now.

Admittedly, the nords did most of the work, as I am a bit crap at actually hitting people while my horse is moving. Its very effective if you can hit them with a bit of speed though.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 07 May 2009 - 07:08 AM

[Silencer]

I tried M&B a while ago, but my laptop was glitchy, and combined with the game...well, it was literally unplayable. I may have to try it again...

[Traveller]

Opposite for me.. I've been struggling to enjoy Empire TW, as I like the game, but it's all so slow - the loading times are really putting me off. The whole mandatory 'Steam' sign up thing bugs me too.

M+B doesn't take up much room, and runs fine on high settings, which are fairly basic anyway. It's just a nice change to go from such a demanding, over-produced title to one that was made, pretty much, by two people.

[beru]

on my new pc i dont realy notice the loading times at all wich puts me off balance, its the first pc thats good when i get it, and i can play at max settings without enny problems, and i dont find many buggs enymore...

[Imperial Historian]

The main site is here. I'm not sure whether the demo which let you play for your characters first 6 levels is still around, but I'd recommend trying it out if you can.

I've had a look at some of the new features since I last played the beta and it looks like they have really improved it, cherry picking some of the cool features from the mods, the addition of more NPC's, and the implementation of a dynamic war system so you can help influence how the ongoing war in the game progresses, taking cities and castles looks really cool.

Unfortunately the download I left going overnight seems to have failed, so I'm finding a torrent instead.

[Tapper]

Gave it a try. Quite like it, but there's one main hate. I built up a gang of the mongol like horse archers, levelled them a bit to the point where they strain my finances to make sure I can go up against groups of bandits and caravan guards if need be, then set out to rob the villages of my choice. All went well. I avoided the large warbands and then all of a sudden I get cornered by smaller groups who consists of elites that I can't bring down.

They take me prisoner, and my men with me, and then I escape. And there is no way I can free them with new recruits when my levelled up ones couldn't stand toe-to-toe, and the countryside is swamped with bandits and raiders who chase me mercilessly, never allowing me to build up a new band. There's nothing I can do. Will try to get out of that quandary this afternoon, though.

[Morgoth]

I assume this thing does not work on a mac?

[Macros]

of course not, macs of the apple variety are notorious fail

[Aptorian]

Why would you make a game for mac? Mac is only for looking posh and running the iTunes programmes.

[Morgoth]

I take that as a no then...

[Macros]

damn you.
this game just sucked up 4 hours of my life.
and I know I'll return again even though I'm terrible at it.

[Tapper]

I went for the various mods - Extended Gameplay III is awesome. Entirely new unit trees, amazing armour and far better/ specialized starting stats, so that you won't be stuck with a band of 30-45 while all the nobles run around with a hundred plus armsmen and knights... I captured my first few enemy Lords and sold them for a very healthy profit, soon, soon, I'll be able to swear fealty.

[Gavin]

I've played this off and on for a few years now - the combat is still very much enjoyable. Second only perhaps to Die by the Sword.

Some people have mentioned Mods but I seriously recommend checking them out they are really good. Lots of variety and they change the game in big ways. If you have a good machine get the Battle Size changer it lets you have battles from 2-1000 people its more fun when its 100 vs 100 all at once. The carnage is always a sight to behold

There's also a good arena Mod around that spices the arena up.

I'd recommend The Last Days Mod as well. Its a Lord of the Rings Mod where you can be any of the factions from Lord of the Rings and can eliminate the others. It changes everything, the map the lot even adds on Wargs as well as horses.

[Traveller]

Wow, sounds good. Got any links to the decent mods? I assume you have to start again when you've installed them. The extended gameplay III one sounds like an obvious upgrade, and the LOtR's one sounds worth a look.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 12 May 2009 - 10:17 AM