'The Banner Saga' is a strategy-RPG that makes stats matter [The Verge]

[Sean]

Griffin McElroy from The Verge recently had a chance to visit Stoic and get more info on The Banner Saga.

When Banner Saga launches later this year, it won't include a single-player campaign — that mode will be in development until early next year. Instead, the initial, November launch will only include a free-to-play competitive version of the title called The Banner Saga: Factions. This mode allows players to collect troops, create six-strong battle parties, and duel against an opposing army.

But skip the snippet and head straight to the full article!

• 'The Banner Saga' is a strategy-RPG that makes stats matter

[Flickerdart]

Does that mean there are no +1 swords? ;_;

[Troll]

Does that mean there are no +1 swords? ;_;

There were none in FFT but instead more refined weapons as the adventure went on, and it was very good.
Also, I believe it was already said that we have no need for swords if we have our axes .

I'm really happy to hear that TBS Factions is coming closer by the day, and that more medias become more and more interested in the game.

On the stats note, it is good that they are few and well presented. Too many stats make a game messy, and too vague ones make players feel dumb / lost.
I wouldn't say that the FFT example is the best since although there were a large quantity of stats, other than Faith and Brave, most of them were somewhat known for their uses.

[John]

We've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating that before we had the combat fully functional in-game, we had been playing the game on a physical board for many months. Basically a large grid paper with some chess pieces and some notecards with the party's stats on them. The stats are very elegant and playing the game 'in person' like this is very feasible. In fact, to make sure the system is fully understood, we have our newer team members sit down and play on the physical board until they know the system by heart.

[Angelo Jr]

Do we have any chance to buy a storyboard Banner Saga in the future??

[Guðmundr]

Can't wait till we get "The Banner Saga: The Board Game"

[Angelo Jr]

how will the characters look in 3D??

[Troll]

We've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating that before we had the combat fully functional in-game, we had been playing the game on a physical board for many months. Basically a large grid paper with some chess pieces and some notecards with the party's stats on them. The stats are very elegant and playing the game 'in person' like this is very feasible. In fact, to make sure the system is fully understood, we have our newer team members sit down and play on the physical board until they know the system by heart.

It's true that if we think more along the lines of a variant of chess with special pieces, the fight mechanics and the fight itself become simpler and more dapper. The fact that all moves are turn based and not unit-speed based reinforces the chess play.
Maybe we will end up with people making a physical grid-landscape to play the units as chess pieces ?

[LoliSauce]

Man, hearing that you guys actually broke it down to a physical board game prototype for play testing and general understanding just makes me so happy. I'm far too poor and don't have enough quantifiable skills or experience to actually break into the game industry, but I do this very same thing with some local friends to test out mechanics ideas I have or theories on improving another game's systems, etc. It's really gratifying to hear experienced developers reinforce this same basic method.

[asafe]

Haven't been back here in a while, Very pleased to see the progress!
I can congratulate myself on spending my money wisely!

[lamaz]

Haven't been back here in a while, Very pleased to see the progress!
I can congratulate myself on spending my money wisely!

I can congratulate you too! Congratulations!

[Dragosak]

Looks very interesting, excited to play around with the stats a bit.