What changed in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord in 2019

NPC lords will attempt to raid enemy settlements based on their value and relations with the owner.

NPC lords will ride to defend settlements when needed, especially if they own or value the settlement.

NPC lords will visit settlements to restock supplies, recruit troops, and ransom prisoners.

NPC lords now make sensible choices based on their abilities, limitations, and needs while traversing the campaign map.

NPC lords will chase down enemy parties if they pose a threat, considering speed and relations.

NPC lords will patrol around their clan's settlements, prioritizing areas with hostile troops nearby.

NPC lords will lay siege to enemy castles when confident, considering proximity and strength.

Clan AI will consider interest in outcomes, available influence, chance of success, time since last vote, and relationships with sponsors when evaluating proposals.

The ruler can overrule decisions by spending influence, with costs increasing based on support levels and potential backlash from vassals.

Decisions include Kingdom Laws/Policies, War/Peace decisions, Annexation, and Clan expulsion, each with varying influence costs.

Clan leaders can sponsor proposals, and supporters vote, affecting relationships based on their choices.

A new system that allows clans to influence kingdom decisions, enhancing internal politics and gameplay dynamics.

GI system optimized for low memory and hard drive usage while maintaining visual quality.

New automated process for placing lighting probes available to modders, simplifying scene editing.

Introduction of lasso and geometric selection operations and shortcuts to optimize editing time.

Enhanced lighting system that models indirect lighting for more realistic visuals.

Ensemble Galatia released their latest Codex Minor on October 11, featuring examples of medieval European music.

Ensemble Galatia has composed original music for various in-game locations, including taverns and palaces.

Panic among troops can lead to morale penalties for nearby soldiers, potentially causing formations to break.

Troops receive morale penalties for casualties and boosts for kills, affecting their performance in combat.

Morale affects both campaign map and battlefield performance, influencing troop behavior and outcomes.

Party morale rating influences speed and battle simulation advantages, with penalties for low morale.

AI evaluates strength and decides on coordinated or concentrated assaults during sieges.

Defending AI adjusts troop placements based on attack strategies and threats.

Players can execute simultaneous attacks on multiple sections of a castle.

AI assesses whether to retreat based on troop strength and casualties.

Players can position troops and siege machines before the assault begins.

Siege game mode is planned for future updates.

A crash reporting tool will automatically send crash reports for review.

The pommel bashing mechanic remains in the game with updated animations.

Captain Mode and Team Deathmatch have been introduced to the multiplayer beta.

Analytics tools will be used to track events in multiplayer matches for balancing purposes.

Banners and banner bearers will be reintroduced in a more polished form.

A structured feedback reporting system will be available for beta players.

Plans for a banner editor have been adjusted to allow unique clan banners with specific charges.

Cloth physics are confirmed to be functioning in various places within the game.

First public demonstration of the game featuring a hands-on demo of Captain mode and mid-game sandbox campaign.

A 6 vs 6 team-based game mode where players command their own AI troops.

Players will be invited in waves to participate in the multiplayer closed-beta starting next week.

Web form opened for players to apply for ongoing closed-beta testing.

Game will launch on Steam Early Access in March 2020.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord will be showcased in both business and public areas at Gamescom 2019.

Players can choose from 3 premade characters, now 10 years into their adventures, for the mid-game demo.

Captain mode is a new team-based PvP game mode allowing players to command their own AI troops.

Attacking forces can set up a siege camp with individual tents for each lord, enhancing the tactical aspect of sieges.

The bombardment phase on the world map allows players to attack enemy machines, soldiers, and walls, adding depth to siege tactics.

Hit point bars are now displayed for siege engines and wall sections, allowing players to manage their resources effectively during sieges.

Players can now actively engage in sieges with the ability to deploy siege engines on the campaign map, making sieges more interactive.

Players can build siege towers, battering rams, and various ranged siege engines during sieges, each with unique capabilities.

Clans progress through tiers based on renown, unlocking greater capabilities and access to more game features.

Renown is now attached to clans, allowing clan members to earn renown through quests, battles, and tournaments.

Players will accumulate renown naturally through gameplay without needing to chase after it.

Each tier reached grants additional party slots, increased companion limits, and more caravans for the clan.

Players are treated differently based on their clan's renown, affecting their order of battle.

Gameplay emphasizes player skill and teamwork over superior equipment, preventing snowball effects.

Players can choose from predefined loadouts categorized into infantry, ranged, and cavalry before spawning.

Players use points to select classes instead of purchasing gear, affecting respawn options.

Each class has unique strengths and weaknesses, promoting coordination and strategy in team-based modes.

Players can tailor their class choice with perks to suit their playstyle or counter opponents.

Classes reflect their factions in appearance and equipment, influencing strategies and tactics.

Changes aim to create a fairer multiplayer experience centered on skill-based combat.

A matchmaking system has been created to enhance multiplayer experience.

Systems to collect data from matches for future analysis and development have been initiated.

Questionnaires and special forum sections have been established to gather player feedback.

A new 6vs6 team-based PvP game mode called Skirmish has been introduced.

Systems for deploying servers and monitoring their performance have been developed.

The developers have started inviting community members to participate in a closed beta for Bannerlord.

Players can take supplies from villages with minimal resistance, resulting in less ill will compared to raiding.

Hostile actions increase criminal rating, potentially provoking war and affecting relations with settlements and lieges.

Players can attack or coerce caravans and villager parties for items and gold, with varying consequences.

Players can raid neutral or enemy villages to steal assets, with a recovery time for raided villages.

Players can press gang villagers into their army, with a chance of resistance and no penalties for backing down.

Players can now lead formations based on their rank, with higher-ranking formations being locked for selection.

AI lords will select formations based on their rank, typically choosing the largest and most prestigious available.

Players assigned as commanders will have total control over the army during battles.

A new system for determining the leadership hierarchy during battles, based on seniority rank of lords.

AI lords will consider executing players based on honour ratings and relationships.

Executing characters affects player honour and relations with clans and factions.

Players can now execute characters through a new interface, affecting relationships and honour ratings.

Caravans can now purchase additional pack animals to manage cargo capacity better.

Developing a system for parties to rid themselves of excess cargo, prisoners, or wounded men when necessary.

Improved precision in pathfinding calculations for campaign parties to enhance performance.

Tweaked penalties for parties transporting cargo beyond capacity, introducing new mechanics for managing cargo.

Improved text system to ensure role-playing elements work across different languages.

Teams can control capture points to diminish enemy morale, leading to potential round loss.

Captain Mode encourages communication and tactical play, allowing less skilled players to be effective.

Troop numbers in detachments are configured based on troop type for better balance.

Players and their troops have a single life, with the option to switch to a troop upon death.

A new multiplayer game mode where players command AI troops in player-vs-player battles.

Army AI now makes more effective and sensible decisions, reducing the scattering of armies and misuse of time and supplies.

Food consumption is now more realistic, affecting army size and logistics.

Improvements to the party inventory system, requiring detailed management of food and resources.

Commanders can send out forager parties for food or raiders to loot villages.

Players can destroy their own fields to deny resources to enemies.

The trade system has been revamped to include trade rumors, profit tracking, and trade XP for characters.

Prices for the same type of good can vary between different merchants in a town.

New consumption model for towns where item consumption affects town stats and management.

Prices now fluctuate based on supply and demand, influenced by town consumption and workshop needs.

Enhancements are being made to the Death & Inheritance features in the game.

Players can now die of old age, with a system for selecting heirs from clan members.

Increased frequency of mounted bandits in Khuzait territory to reflect cultural lore.

Introduced 'Issues' in settlements that affect morale, food, and prosperity, resolved through quests.

A new, more flexible Save & Load system is being developed for better updates.

Improved scene design with barricades and defensive structures for more immersive keep battles.

Implementation of respawn waves for both attackers and defenders to enhance gameplay experience.

New gameplay mechanics for keep battles, focusing on tactical options and skill-based combat.

Cavalry and ranged units have limited effectiveness, shifting focus to hand-to-hand combat.

New horse breeds can be trained as war horses, making them stronger and tougher but also more expensive.

Each horse breed has different stats that provide unique advantages, allowing players to choose based on their play styles.

Added six new horse breeds inspired by real-world breeds, each associated with a different culture in the game.

Introduced capture spots that influence team morale, encouraging active gameplay.

Classes are balanced through a points system affecting spawn availability based on class choice.

Plans to conduct a closed multiplayer beta to gather community feedback.

Maps specifically designed for Skirmish mode with tailored spawn points and obstacles.

A new 6 vs 6 player versus player game mode designed for multiplayer gameplay.

Added party speed information to the info bar with tooltips explaining contributing factors.

Army speed is calculated similarly to party speed, pooling resources and strengths of all parties involved.

Cargo now affects party speed, with penalties for exceeding carrying capacity.

Introduced a detailed system for calculating party speed based on various factors including party size, mounted units, and cargo.

Implemented a system where carrying additional horses allows footmen to be considered as mounted infantry for speed calculations.

Introduced a 'Herd' effect where excessive animals in the party negatively impact speed.

Implemented a new system where reins are attached to the rider's hands using inverse kinematics, enhancing realism.

Rider can drop reins to perform actions without gameplay interruption, maintaining historical accuracy.

Identified issues with Steppe Bandits' movement patterns due to castle placements, leading to adjustments in settlement locations.

Plans to extend the heat map utility to refine design and balance for multiplayer scenes.

Detailed examination of trade routes and resource distribution, highlighting the disparity between flax and linen production.

New utility added for creating heat maps to visualize paths and active areas of parties, aiding in AI behavior and map design.

Modders can now add new materials and collision particles, and modify existing ones through collision_info.xml.

Particle instances can leave decals on environments and agents, including mud decals on moving units.

Improved particle effects for movement and attacks to enhance immersion during battles.

Up to 32 splash decals can be rendered on a single agent using a large texture atlas and dedicated shaders.

Introduction of combat speed and normal speed for classes, improving gameplay dynamics.

Efforts to ensure factions are viable in various scenarios, with specific maps for siege defense.

Discussion on the challenges of balancing multiplayer gameplay, including faction and class advantages.

Crimes are categorized into mild, moderate, and severe brackets, affecting player interactions.

Vassals can attempt to influence the dropping of charges, affecting relations with other lords.

Players face fines and potential corporal punishment based on their crime rating.

Players can engage in various illegal activities, from smuggling to raiding caravans.

A new system that tracks players' crimes and affects how the game world responds to them.

Players can use bribes and disguises to navigate settlements without facing consequences.

Improvements in sound design to enhance the immersive experience during gameplay, including individual sound handling for NPCs.

Updating UI sounds to align with the new style of the game.

Custom system for distant sounds that includes attenuation, filtering, and echoing to enhance realism.

Players can choose from multiple voice types for both male and female characters, including variations for horses.

Introduction of a Physics Materials system that affects weapon impacts, physics sounds, and footsteps based on different surface types.

Players can create custom battles and sieges with full control over army composition, tactics, and map selection.

New mechanics for using siege engines during castle assaults have been detailed.

Players can now select siege tactics that preload a waiting list for siege engines, allowing for pre-bombardment of defenses.

New random events called settlement issues will affect settlement properties and lead to quests.

The conversation camera now gently shifts focus to the NPC you are engaging with, maintaining the player's perspective.

A depth of field effect has been added to enhance immersion during conversations by focusing on the NPC.

Additional characters will appear in conversation screens, such as bodyguards accompanying leaders during dialogues.