Along with making Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord look far prettier than its beloved -- but visually unimpressive -- predecessors, Taleworlds is looking to add a number of new and exciting features to it. It's started discussing several of them in dev-blog update posts and in the latest one it details a new system called influence, a currency that's earned through loyal actions and can be spent on all sorts of things.
Influence is something that's been trialled in different mods for Mount and Blade: Warband, though it's not clear if that's where Taleworlds got its inspiration from. In Bannerlord, influence works like money in that you earn it through certain actions, though rather than selling goods, you get it from completing tasks for lords, rising through the ranks and helping out your fellow general and dignitaries.
Once you've got it though, what good is it? Well, you can spend it on various things. You could unlock new conversation topics with a lord by spending some of your influence with him or the realm. You could demand that an army of a fellow lord follows you around and aids you in assaults. You could have them conduct other tasks for you, such as gathering good, bring reinforcements or horses.
Although this will sap your influence, that doesn't mean you have to periodically stop campaigning to earn some more. It can be an investment. If you maintain your armies moral with enough food and supplies and take them on victorious campaigns across the map, you may be able to sustain your influence for some time. Taking castles, winning great battles, capturing terrain, it all contributes to your influence and renown, helping you keep the loyalty of your vassals as you look to capture Calradia.
Personally, Bannerlord is the game I'm most hyped about in 2018. What games are you guys waiting on?
