OK, I've been a rabid fan of this computer game (made by a Turkish husband and wife) from the early stages (I think I paid $22 for a lifetime license). Version 1 was released early this year. The base strictly medieval mode is enjoyable enough, but a considerable feature is the ability for the players to make their own games based on the engine. So now the large mods are flooding out, ranging from post-industrial Wales to Star Wars to the Tale of Hurin. The most popular mod of all time is a Last Days LotR mod, but unfortunately hasn't been ported to version 1.
Game at: http://www.taleworlds.com/
Mods at: http://www.mbrepository.com/modules/PDdownloads/
Hurin mod: http://www.mbrepository.com/modules/PDdownloads/singlefile.php?cid=7&lid=1351
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5 comments:
It looks pretty cool! Graphics are quite nice for a mom & pop game. Is it single-player only, or does it allow online multiplayer? I've always loved dynamic worlds -- that's one reason I was such a huge fan of Falcon 4.0 and, subsequently, Allied Force, both flight simulators in which you fly in F-16. But the war you're fighting in is 100% dynamic. The computer is running the enter war, and you're just one plane in one squadron of the entire region. So while you're flying around on your particular mission, you'll pass hundreds of ground troops, columns of armor, other squadrons, bombers, etc. all doing their part. Same with the enemy. So the battle is always changing. I'm a big fan of Oblivion, but the world is not at all dynamic. It's a completely open world, free to roam, as is Fallout 3 which also rocks in an apocalyptic landscape, but stuff isn't really happening outside of where you are.
So in M&B, is it an RPG where you're developing your leader, recruiting armies and such? Or more like the Total War series where it's like a turn-based simulator combined with a real-time strategy battle component? Or more pure RTS, with some RPG elements (like Dawn of War 2 or Diablo)?
I like the fact that you can d/l a full version and just start playing. I'll probably do just that! But I'm still curious, since the website makes the game world sound fun without describing the game type much. Maybe I'll check to see if Gamespot reviewed it...
It's an RPG. Some of the player mods include a kingdom mode where you can start recruiting vassals and developing/handing out fiefs. Another mod makes the fiefs dynamic -- their economies grow and shrink.
The Hurin mod is not really play ready -- I think it was a test version. The best ones are historical: King Arthur's Britain (Camulod), Hundred Years War (just two factions). The exception being Star Wars, which has completely revamped the game down to use of the Force.
Interesting that just yesterday this player-review (more of a post-review actually) was posted:
http://readerreviews.ign.com/rrview/ign/mount_blade/782487/107994/
Seems to mirror your sentiments, Mike R!
Yeah, I saw Paradox is now distributing it, and it's made top 10.
Videos give a good feel for it, though I never got as good in melee--I simply don't have those xbox reflexes, and more than once have pressed the "put shield away" key instead of the "swap weapons" key.
The native game goes fairly well, although you quickly run the gamut of existing missions -- a list I imagine will be vastly expanded in coming versions. The factions fairly historical and balanced, though I notice people tend to favor the Viking and Teutonic knights. Heavy cav is a BEAST in this game -- you don't really have enough mass to make a proper spear formation. This was the direction I would tend to go (basically favoring the Byzantine/Easterling faction), but it was tough as spears ONLY go in a single line. There's a player mod for more advanced formations, but even these are not terribly satisfying. Then there's a few annoying classifications, such as always including a character on foot with the assault troops, regardless if they're only armed with a bow.
I've pretty much played out the game by now. I didn't really figure out how to handle the Mongol faction other than backing up to the edge of the map so their mounted heavy archers could not pepper me from that particular direction.
The Star Wars mod done to an incredible depth, but I've concluded that the game mechanics simply don't carry firearms. Firearm warfare requires absolute use of terrain, so without being able to fire from prone position, it becomes a horrific Civil War style massive blaster firefight between standing troops. Which DOES fit the Star Wars theme well, but boggles the tactical mind.
Then there's the rocket launcher, which only the PC can fire correctly, giving the PC the only indirect and artillery in the game, which allows one to become a one man army. Not good.
So I'd say that though the Star Wars mod give the franchise junkie a chance to beat up Darth Vader's army and take him captive, it is not nearly as fulfilling a game.
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