I would like to make a case for what I imagine would be a fairly simple optional to implement – beginning with a hidden map as opposed to simply translucent fog of war.
When I start a new game of BB the first thing I do is scan the map. I look for the settlement sizes, distances, landscape and the surrounding resources to see how profitable the map is going to be. I then head straight to the best area and build my reputation with those towns. In terms of playing at my best and most efficiently this makes perfect sense. I would actually prefer, however, to not know.
A huge part of why I love BB is because you are forced to piece together what little resources you can get and often just have to make do in tough situations. Additionally, it is great when the game forces you into playing in new, innovative and unorthodox ways because your brothers strengths are unusual but you haven’t got the resources to just keep on buying brothers ’til you get the ones you want for your perfect build. I would love for this sense of scarcity and resourcefulness to apply also to knowledge of the map. If there were a fog of war, I would be much more inclined to make use of my immediate surroundings in the beginning and also enjoy a more varied game in the long run. I would gradually branch out into the unknown only when I feel secure to do so and may discover more profitable areas later, and over the course of the campaign I would enjoy different combinations of settlement resources and benefits. As it stands, I simply make a beeline for the most profitable region and the rest of the map pretty much gets ignored unless I’m travelling there to fulfill contracts.
Also, it would make the game feel even gloomier, scarier and more unsafe, asking even more from us in the way of grim resolve, and surely this is why we all love Battle Brothers so much!
I hope you consider it, and a humble thanks for creating what is probably my favorite game of all time.
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