What changed in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord in 2017

Balancing of weapons and their usage animations is ongoing to ensure fair gameplay.

Bowmen can now take arrows from the quiver immediately, reducing readiness time. Crossbow reloading is split into two stages, allowing movement during the second stage.

Balancing of weapons and their usage animations is ongoing to ensure fair gameplay.

A new gesture combo for chambering attacks is being developed to improve combat intuitiveness and visual feedback.

AI has been improved with better ranged and melee accuracy, and new tactics for formations and individual combat.

A custom skeleton system has been implemented to support different creatures, enhancing modding capabilities.

A custom skeleton system has been implemented to support different creatures, enhancing modding capabilities.

AI has been improved with better ranged and melee accuracy, decision-making for kicking, and maintaining distance based on combat states.

More variations in combat animations based on weapon type and stance have been added compared to Warband.

Bowmen can now take arrows from the quiver immediately when available, reducing readying time. Crossbow reloading is split into two stages, allowing movement during the second stage.

New animation techniques and a cloth system have been added to improve the fluidity and realism of the game.

New animation techniques and a cloth system have been added to enhance the fluidity and realism of the game.

Introduction of the Skolderbroda mercenary brotherhood and the semi-nomadic Sons of the Forest clan.

High-tier AI opponents will exhibit improved combat tactics, including disciplined formations and strategic spacing.

Introduction of Skolderbroda, a mercenary brotherhood, and Sons of the Forest, a semi-nomadic clan.

The Sturgian faction is introduced, inspired by the Kievan Rus, featuring unique aesthetics and equipment.

The Sturgian faction is introduced, inspired by the Kievan Rus, featuring unique aesthetics and political history.

High-tier AI opponents will exhibit improved combat tactics, including disciplined formations and space management.

The Vlandians, inspired by early medieval European feudal states, are introduced as a new faction.

Trade-offs between light and heavy cavalry specialization introduced, affecting maneuverability and combat effectiveness.

Introduction of minor factions like the Company of the Golden Boar, allowing players to emulate historical adventurers.

Introduction of minor factions like the Company of the Golden Boar for players to engage with.

Crossbows are included in the game to enhance Vlandian defensive capabilities.

Two-handed swords included as rare weapons, ensuring they are hero's weapons rather than standard equipment.

Improvements to the effectiveness of couched lance charges based on rider and horse specialization.

Two-handed swords included as rare hero weapons to balance gameplay.

Players can spend influence to keep large armies of vassals in the field, addressing previous issues with lord behavior.

Improvements to the effectiveness of couched lance charges for cavalry units.

The Vlandians, based on early medieval European feudal states, are introduced as a new faction.

Players can spend influence to manage vassals and keep armies in the field, addressing previous issues with lord behavior.

Crossbows included in the game to enhance Vlandian effectiveness in fortress defense.

Weapons can inflict cut, pierce, or blunt damage, each with different effectiveness against armor.

The need for an extra 'speed bonus' calculation has been eliminated, using attacker and target velocities instead.

Damage varies based on the impact point on the weapon, affecting the actual damage dealt.

Damage varies based on the impact point on the weapon, affecting the actual damage dealt.

A new mechanic where high kick-back from weapons causes temporary inability to attack after an attack connects or is blocked.

A new weapon physics model that derives swing and thrust speeds from weapon characteristics has been implemented.

Weapons can inflict cut, pierce, or blunt damage, each with different efficiencies against armor.

The new weapon physics model derives swing and thrust speeds from weapon characteristics, affecting damage calculations.

Damage is now determined by kinetic energy dissipated during impact, with several steps in calculations for realism.

High kick-back weapons cause attacker stun, affecting the ability to attack again after a hit.

Attack damage is now affected by the attacker’s and target’s velocities without needing an extra speed bonus calculation.

Weight and balance of weapons significantly affect damage output and attack speed.

Weight and balance significantly affect damage and attack speed, influencing combat dynamics.

The Khuzait Khanate, inspired by steppe peoples, is introduced as a new faction in the game.

Improvements to the control of horse archers to balance skirmishing and melee combat.

A new faction inspired by steppe peoples, featuring horse archers and a unique cultural background.

Improvements to make battlefield control more important, especially for horse archer armies.

Combat damage calculation now uses a physics-based system to improve fairness and predictability.

Weapon length, mass, weight distribution, and inertia now influence swing and thrust speed.

Weapon length, mass, weight distribution, and inertia now influence swing and thrust speed.

Players can craft weapons by selecting templates and combining physical properties of parts.

Combat damage calculation now uses a physics-based system to improve fairness and predictability.

Players can craft weapons by selecting templates and combining physical properties of parts.

The Wolfskins, a society of young warriors living freely in the woods, are introduced as a minor faction.

New features to highlight the uniqueness of cultures in the game are introduced.

The Wolfskins, a society of young warriors living freely in the woods, are introduced as a minor faction.

New features to highlight the uniqueness of cultures within the game are introduced.

The Battanian clans, inspired by Celtic peoples, are introduced as a new faction in the game.

The Battanian clans, inspired by Celtic peoples, are introduced as a new faction in the game.

Players can summon allied lords to form their own army using influence points, with an army leader gaining influence from victories.

Upkeep costs for armies depend on morale, distance from hometowns, and relations between the commander and lords.

A UI overlay on the campaign map shows army morale, lords, food supplies, and marching speed, enhancing army management.

Armies share resources like food and horses, improving movement speed and logistics during campaigns.

The new systems simulate historical feudal obligations, allowing players to manage armies and build influence within their realm.

A new UI overlay on the campaign map shows army morale, lords, food supplies, and marching speed.

Players can summon allied lords to form armies using influence points, with an army leader gaining influence from victories.

Upkeep costs for armies depend on morale, distance from hometowns, and relations between the commander and lords.

Armies use pooled resources, allowing shared food and horses to support campaigns and increase movement speed.

A new mechanic called influence acts as a currency earned by serving your kingdom, which can be spent on faction decisions and requests to allied lords.

A new mechanic where players earn influence points by serving their kingdom, which can be spent on faction decisions and requests.

The new influence and army gathering systems simulate the historical feudal system, allowing players to manage armies early in the game.

Support for 4K textures and various modeling programs like Max, Maya, and Blender.

Modders can add custom skeletons and new bones for real-time animations.

Modders can add new campaign and mission behaviors, allowing for dynamic gameplay modifications.

Crafting is limited to melee weapons; armor and ranged weapons cannot be crafted.

The game will support multiple mods running simultaneously, unlike Warband.

Scene editor allows for the creation of various scene elements, including navigation meshes.

Modders can add physics options to various equipment types, though not all will have them.

Modders can add custom skeletons to meshes for real-time animations.

Crafting system only supports melee weapons; armor and ranged weapons cannot be crafted.

Support for 2K and 4K textures; modders can add new textures and models.

Formation AI and battle AI are extendable, allowing modders to add new tactics and behaviors.

Modders can preview and customize seasonal effects in the scene editor.

C# will be used for scripting, with various tools like Scene editor, Mesh editor, and Material editor available for modders.

Scene editors will allow for the creation of navigation meshes and the ability to preview seasonal effects.

Modders can customize formation AI and overall battle AI, adding new tactics and behaviors.

A powerful string processing system allows for dynamic dialogue and text embedding.

A powerful string processing system will allow for dynamic dialogue and text-related modifications.

C# will be used for scripting, with XML for data files. Various modding tools including scene editor and mesh editor will be available.

The game will support multiple mods running simultaneously, unlike Warband.

Introduction of a Physically Based Rendering engine with improved Depth of Field, HDR imaging, Screen Space Reflection, and Ambient Occlusion.

The game now relies more on CPU usage, allowing for larger battles with up to 800 characters at 60FPS.

Scenes are now around 4 km square with faster scene creation and support for advanced terrain systems.

Supports up to 16 layers per scene with no restrictions on layers per node, enhancing scene creation speed.

The game aims for battle sizes of up to 800 characters at 60FPS, utilizing more CPU resources than Warband.

A new cloth simulation system enhances animations and visuals in the game.

Introduction of a Physically Based Rendering engine with enhancements like Depth of Field, High Dynamic Range imaging, and Ambient Occlusion.

Efforts to achieve loading times of less than 1 second for larger scenes.

Individual AI and formation AI with combat calculations that do not change based on distance or visibility.

The in-house developed game engine focuses on smooth gameplay, big battles, and great visuals, tailored for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.

The in-house developed game engine focuses on smooth gameplay, big battles, and great visuals, optimized for a wide range of hardware.

A new cloth simulation system enhances animations and visuals in the game.

Optimizations aim for loading times of less than 1 second on larger scenes.

Players can now recruit base troops only from notables of fiefs, with some notables providing higher level troops. Good relations with nobles can reduce recruitment costs.

Players can now recruit base troops only from notables of fiefs, with some notables providing higher level troops. Good relations with nobles can reduce costs and increase troop availability.

Current UI is basic and requires further improvement for better player information.

The UI for Captain Mode is still a work in progress and requires further improvement.

First-time introduction of a matchmaking system aimed at providing a fairer multiplayer experience.

Teams can win by eliminating the opposing force or by holding flags, which are removed over time.

First-time implementation of a matchmaking system for a fairer multiplayer experience.

New multiplayer game mode where players command AI troops in team-based PvP battles.

A new multiplayer game mode where players command AI troops in team-based PvP battles.

Two new videos showcasing advanced battle AI and combat system available as demos for press at E3.

The game is made available to play for the first time outside of the office during E3.